St Patrick's

St Patrick's RC High School creates an environment in which young people are encouraged to grow in faith and moral responsibility, and to develop as whole persons striving to reach their full potential through hard work, academic standards and service to others in response to the values of the Gospel.

In addition to teaching our Faith and the National Curriculum, we offer a range of individually tailored educational pathways from the vocational to early entry in the traditional academic GCSE. The school teaching policy lays particular stress on the importance of literacy, of numeracy, and of ICT and communication skills.

Curriculum structure

We teach an ambitious, well-constructed three-year Key Stage Three, which ensures all pupils have access to a broad and balanced national curriculum. In Year Seven, pupils are taught in mixed ability groups, although they are setted in Mathematics according to prior attainment. In Year Eight, setting occurs in English, Mathematics, Science and Modern Languages. In Year Nine, setting occurs in all subjects other than Physical Education and the creative subjects. Fully equipped specialist rooms are used for Computer Science, Design Technology, Science, Music and Modern Languages.

In Years Ten and Eleven, we continue to offer the Core Subjects of English, Mathematics and Science plus Religious Education, Personal, Social and Health Education, and Citizenship. Additionally, all pupils are offered an extremely wide range of Options including: History, Geography, French, Spanish, Sports Science, Business Studies, 3D Design, Art and Design, Digital Information Technology, Computer Science, Art, D&T Art and Design Practice, Music, Hospitality and Catering, Health and Social Care, Photography and Drama.
We believe that all children have a right to equal opportunities. It is school policy to enter all pupils for external examinations.

Teaching our pupils to accept responsibility and to make sensible decisions is important and our Year Ten and Year Eleven pupils attend consultation evenings with their parents to discuss progress with their subject teachers and to set targets. We also use these, and other opportunities, to make sure our pupils are informed of the technical and vocational pathways available to them from Year Nine onwards, locally and in the Greater Manchester area.

Many of our pupils go on to Further Education and to University.