All teaching groupings are designed to provide students with the most effective support and challenge.
If you have any questions about your child's academic progress or groupings please make your first enquiry to your child's tutor then their Head of House.
Tutor email addresses are available on our staff contact page. Heads of House names and email addresses are on our SLT and Heads of House page. If a query relates to only a specific subject you may also contact their subject teacher and the appropriate Head of Subject.
Academic Groupings in Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11)
Option subjects in years 10 and 11 have class names preceded by a W, X, Y or Z. These classes teach a range of students based on the decisions they have made as to their preferred options.
For Maths, English and Science, there are two parallel blocks of 5 classes. These are labelled with a d or e. The two parallel blocks are broadly equivalent in terms of prior achievement, and also balanced by gender. The only exception is that students in 10 and 11d1 for science are those who have chosen Triple Science as one of their option choices.
This means that students can be both supported and challenged most appropriately, while still accessing a broad range of grades. This means that for example the two highest sets, 10d and 10e1 are both focused on achieving at least a grade 7; while set 3 are both focused on achieving at least a grade 5.
There is no limit to what students can achieve in any class.
All students will be supported and chlallenged to reach the highest grades that they can, including students in sets where grade 4 will be the focus.
Academic Groupings in Key Stage 3 (Years, 7, 8 and 9)
Personalisation during Key Stage 3
For Students in Year 7 - from September 2025
As part of your child’s Key Stage 3 programme, 2 of their 30 lessons are tailored to their interests, skills and ambitions.
Choices made should be sustained for the 3 years of Key Stge 3, before further choices are made for GCSEs which start in Year 10.
The choices available are:
An additional modern foreign language (from German, Spanish or French).
- Almost all students study one foreign language.
- This extra language would take both of the tailored lessons in Year 7.
- In Years 8 and 9 students will then move to have 3 lessons only in a single language. They will then be able to choose one additional personalisation lesson in Year 8 and 9 to make up the second tailored lesson.
Or two of the following additional personalisations: Latin & Classics; Art; Music; Drama; Dance; Design & Innovation; Sports Studies.
All students already receive one lesson of art, music and drama. They also receive two lessons of physical education and technology, before this additional personalisation.
We will do our best to provide families with the first two preferences, but depending on the number of students selecting each option and staff capacity, we may need to give your child lessons in their third or fourth choice area.
For Students in Year 8 & 9 - from September 2025
The curriculum at Thomas Gainsborough School is broad, balanced, ambitious, inclusive and engaging. Your child will follow one of the four pathways through Year 7 and experience stretch and challenge through the subjects they study. Each pathway offers excellent progression through not only Year 7 but beyond.
The four curriculum pathways are each designed to meet the needs of all ability levels.
Our Access, Arts, Grammar and STEM pathways all have at their core a thorough grounding in English, mathematics, science, music, art, drama, history, geography, technology, physical education and personal, social and health education.
Arts pathway has a greater focus on developing creativity, experimentation and creative thinking. This is reflected through a higher proportion of lessons in the visual and performing arts across years 7, 8 and 9 and more opportunities to experience and get involved in creative and arts-based projects and experiences.
Grammar pathway focuses more on the traditional (EBacc) subjects through greater allocation to Geography, History and Languages as well as the opportunity to study Classics.
STEM pathway (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) has a greater emphasis on Science and Technology related specialisms.
As a fully comprehensive school, serving the needs of our community, we are proud to offer a broad, inclusive and highly ambitious curriculum for all students.
More Information about Lessons in Each Pathway
Alongside a rigorous and creative core of subjects, students can also personalise part of their fortnightly timetable. Irrespective of their background or ability, students and families are able to choose a pathway which reflects their developing talents and interests.
Each of the three pathways, Arts, Grammar and STEM has a core of 27 lessons a fortnight comprising of:
- English
- Maths
- Science
- History
- Geography
- Technology, Food & Computing
- Religion, Philosophy & Ethics
- Physical Education
- Music
- Drama
- Art
- Personal, Social & Health Education
- Languages (French, German or Spanish)
Our range of subjects to choose from in Year 10 is extensive and students can choose 4 subjects to study in addition to maths, English and science. Whichever pathway students choose for Years 7, 8 & 9 they are still able to choose from the full range of subjects in Years 10 and 11.
Full information about our range of options in Year 10 please see our website at www.tgschool.net/ks4-options
Every pathway provides students with the full range of opportunities and curriculum content to prepare for future success, including at Sixth Form, university, apprenticeships, work, and life as a responsible citizen.
Access Curriculum
Our Access Curriculum provides a wealth of social, emotional and literacy support. It is an experience which will develop a child’s access to the wider curriculum. We will seek the advice of primary schools as to the suitability of this curriculum for specific students and will meet with parents to discuss this further. Places in this pathway are only recommended in discussion with primary schools and families.