Concord is an academic school: we are committed to the concept that learning continues when students leave the classroom. Some of this learning is informal, but some is more formally organised through Concord’s super-curriculum.

The super-curriculum can take many forms. It may range from subject clinics for students who need a little more support in a particular subject, to teacher-led clubs where teachers and students share an enthusiasm, to student-led academic societies meeting weekly to discuss topics of mutual interest. Examples of such societies are the Physics Club, the Law Society, the Medics Society and the Philosophy Club, though there are (and have been) many others.

Sixth form students are offered the opportunity to undertake an independent research project leading to an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) which is the equivalent of an AS level.  The course allows students to follow their own academic interests and present their research in a variety of different formats including a dissertation, an investigation, an artefact or a performance.

Students at Concord regularly enter national and international competitions to test their skills and understanding against a wider cohort. In recent times, this has led Concord students to participate in Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Economics, History and Philosophy competitions with many notable successes.

Students are also encouraged to participate in academic trips which – directly or indirectly – support their subjects. This may mean attending a lecture at Birmingham University, a visit to a place of scientific interest or to travel further afield to France, Germany or even Iceland for research or fieldwork.

Overall, through Concord’s super-curriculum students are encouraged to explore their subject beyond the syllabus to enhance their breadth and depth of understanding and develop their skills of creative and critical thinking. By following their own academic interests students begin to appreciate that learning is a process over which they take ownership, rather than something which is ‘done to them.’