A news article in The Telegraph newspaper last weekend has stated that a growing number of top private fee-paying schools are opting to include extra-curricular activities such as sport, music and art instead of trying to add yet more GCSE's to pupil's exam study.
More emphasis
It stated that according to Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), these schools, which include the likes of the £41,775-a-year Harrow School in London, the £41,600-a-year Westminster School in London and the £37,200-a-year Bedales School in Hampshire, are, "... putting more emphasis than ever on things like sport, art, music, drama, community service".
Mr Lennon was reported to add; "I think schools have become more confident about the idea that they can offer more things that are of great educational value but not part of a formal public exam."
He went on to state that taking fewer subjects made space for greater academic enrichment, lecture programmes, clubs, societies and activities4BR
Conscious decision
In addition, Julian Thomas, a former master at Wellington College in Berkshire said that "students previously took up to 13 GCSEs", but he made a "conscious decision"to cut this down to 10.
He went on to state that taking fewer subjects made "space for greater academic enrichment, lecture programmes, clubs, societies and activities."
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To read the article go to: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/30/private-school-pupils-fewer-gcses-ever-headteachers-push-pursue/?fbclid=IwAR0tCYcmEJGZMLopEm3M2kZ9w4GAoGWbjm6pzgxi6YlGJowlvRSpYdbwABM
