Welcome from the Head
The Middle School (Years 7-8, ages 11-13) aims to transition pupils from primary education, challenge them to embrace a broad curriculum and make them into independent and confident learners with the skills, passion for learning and sound habits to make a success of their GCSE programme in the Upper School.
We do this not only through a broad and rigorous curriculum of traditional subjects but also through emphasis on Latin and Classical Civilisation, Spanish, and a course in Imagineering embracing aspects of IT, DT and Business Studies.
To help all pupils develop personal learning skills we also include in our curriculum NSI ( a course in personal development and life skills ), the Arête project where topics of religious and philosophical interest are studied and Great Books, a programme in which pupils choose books to read from a list of titles compiled by the English Faculty.
All Middle Schoolers are part of the House system, which for them is located in its own building: Mossley Vale. They are registered here by House as well as having their lockers located nearby where they can store bags, books and personal belongings. Each House has a House space where pupils can socialise as well as it being their “storage” area. In each week a child, through the House system will have a School assembly, a House assembly as well as a Chapel service and 2 form-room based sessions during which the Great Books and the NSI programmes are delivered.
The House system is fundamental to life at Liverpool College and Middle Schoolers are integrated into the full 11-18 House for their assemblies and services.
House activities take place on a weekly basis in both lunchtime and activity periods and as one may expect are highly competitive and popular with the emphasis on participation as well as success.
There is more to Middle School than lessons and the Houses and the pupils come together to take part in the wider extra-curricular programme for Y7/8 pupils. There is much on offer in sport, music and drama as well as the newly introduced Y8 CCF sessions (which are proving very popular) and the recently re-introduced junior ski trip and expedition to Morocco.
Middle Schoolers participate in a number of musical groups such as a choir and an orchestra and they also have the option of taking individual music lessons.
Drama provides individual lessons as well as whole school productions where, unusually, the Y7/8 pupils are greatly encouraged to take active roles amongst the Upper School and Sixth Form pupils.
Sport sees competitive fixture lists in 6 major sports – Netball, Hockey, Rugby, Football, Rounders and Cricket, as well as cross country and dance.
Pupils can, if selected, play a competitive sporting fixture against another school on practically every weekend of the year during term time. We play schools all across the North West and the coach journeys as well as the sport add to the camaraderie of our pupils and foster strong staff/ pupil relationships.
Our aim is to provide pupils with a clear sense of purpose, educationally, morally and spiritually, and to develop in them a passion for learning and a willingness to accept and persevere through challenges.
Mr Andrew Fox
Head of Middle School