Key Stage 3 (KS3) in the British system comprises the first three years of secondary education, for children from 11 to 14 years old. This curriculum is known for its rigorous academic standards and holistic approach. KS3 offers a comprehensive education across a wide range of subjects, including:
Core Subjects:
Additional Subjects:
During KS3 at Durham, students develop essential skills such as problem-solving, analytical thinking, and effective communication. Our educators encourage students to take initiative, embrace curiosity, and learn from their experiences. As they progress, students become more independent and responsible, developing self-esteem and emotional intelligence. KS3 provides a firm foundation for later years, and informs students’ decision making about their iGCSE options in Year 9.
Key Stage 3 (KS3) comprises the first three years of the senior school, for children from 11 to 14 years old. The KS3 curriculum is known for its rigorous academic standards and holistic approach, offering a comprehensive education across a wide range of subjects.During KS3 at Durham International, students develop essential skills such as problem-solving, analytical thinking, and effective communication. Students are encouraged to take initiative, embrace curiosity, and learn from their experiences. As they progress, students become more independent and responsible, developing a sense of ownership over their own learning. KS3 provides a firm foundation for future study and informs students’ decision making for their IGCSE options at the end of Year 9.
* In Years 7 and 8, students study two languages (including Kiswahili).
*In Year 9, students choose a minimum of one language (including Kiswahili), and three further options, which may include a second language if desired.
Throughout the Key Stage 3 English programme, students engage with a wide range of texts from different genres, time periods and cultures to broaden their knowledge and understanding of language and literature over time. Students are encouraged to see through the eyes of others and to view the world from perspectives broader than their own. Central to the study of English is discussion. Debating the questions posed by texts helps young people develop their own ideas and values, and gives them the opportunity to form their own personal response to a range of fiction and non-fiction texts. Alongside inspiring our students to read widely, we aim to equip them with the confidence and linguistic tools to write with accuracy, fluency and sophistication.
Mathematics provides a fundamental toolkit for students to understand and question the world around them. At Key Stage 3 level, the curriculum is designed to provide a strong foundation in logic, reasoning and core mathematical concepts whilst giving students a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject. Students learn to move between representation and concrete mathematical ideas, reinforced by their understanding of core subject concepts. The curriculum builds upon each phase of learning at Key Stage 3, which forges connections across the taught topics and develops fluency in key mathematical techniques. This lays the foundation for students to draw connections between mathematics and other key areas across the curriculum as well as provide a rigorous framework for the IGCSE programme. Students improve their capacity to handle and resolve increasingly challenging problems in all subjects, deepening their understanding of mathematics and enhancing resilience.
Kiswahili in Key Stage 3 establishes a solid foundation of vocabulary and develops students’ language proficiency to communicate in simple and complex daily conversations. Communication skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed through the natural integration of language, content and cultural elements in authentic contexts to develop transferable skills and form a sound base of the skills, language and attitudes required for progression to work or further study.
The Key Stage 3 curriculum is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in the scientific principles and skills necessary for further study in science. Over the course of three years, students will explore a range of topics, within the subjects of biology, chemistry, and physics, through a combination of theoretical concepts and practical experiments. During hands-on activities and scientific investigations, students will develop their critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the natural world and our place in it. The curriculum also emphasises the importance of scientific ethics and responsible scientific inquiry.
By learning the rich history of the world, students are able paint a picture of where we stand today, how past societies, governments and cultures were established and how they changed over time. Students will explore the past through social, economic, cultural and political perspectives, developing their own questions of the past as well as their historical skills, knowledge and understanding in order to present analytical, organised and well-supported arguments. Students will analyse different interpretations of the past through a range of sources. By using and evaluating evidence, they will learn to decode the message of written and pictorial sources and will learn to explain how and why events in the past happened.
Geography is a powerful subject which educates young people about the world in which they live. A high-quality geography education inspires in students a curiosity and fascination about the natural and human environments. As this knowledge grows, students deepen their understanding, enabling them to evaluate the interactions between human and physical processes. Students will develop an understanding of the world as well as a range of skills and values that will be beneficial for their current and future roles in a rapidly changing and increasingly interconnected world.
Global Perspectives places academic study in a practical real-world context. Students develop the skills to consider significant global issues such as climate change from different perspectives. They are encouraged to work collaboratively and individually and to apply their knowledge in different contexts. The programme taps into the way today’s students enjoy learning, including group work, seminars, projects and working with other students around the world. The emphasis is on developing students’ ability to think critically about a range of global issues where there is always more than one point of view.
Modern Languages are an increasingly important tool in the global 21st century. Competition for jobs often means that applicants with additional skills are advantaged. Linguists are considered as possessing all-round capabilities, have confidence in communicating and have well-trained, logical minds. If someone has spent time abroad, they have a wider cultural awareness, can show proof of enquiring minds and a willingness to take on a challenge. Hence excellent opportunities exist for competent linguists, both those who have specialised in the study of languages to a high level and those who can combine them with other subjects. At Durham International, both French and Spanish are taught. We combine a thorough approach to vocabulary and grammar knowledge with as many opportunities as possible to practise communication. We aim to offer a course that is both rigorous and enjoyable and which opens the eyes of every student to the rich diversity of European and indeed global culture.
Art & Design at Key Stage 3 develops students’ knowledge, understanding and skills through integrated practical, critical, and theoretical study that encourages direct engagement with original works. Students become adept at drawing, painting, sculpture, printing and a range of other techniques. They plan, create, develop and improve their own work, as well as pieces of art completed in collaboration with others. They evaluate artwork and communicate ideas in a way which demonstrates critical thinking and personal response, and they research great artists and designers from different eras to understand the development of their craft. Students cultivate a curiosity for the world of art and develop an understanding of how art and design react and shape our history and contribute to the culture and creativity of all countries.
Music at Key Stage 3 is an integral part of the academic curriculum. All students perform, listen to, review, and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and tradition. Students learn to sing and to use their voices. They explore how thoughts, feelings, ideas and emotions can be expressed through music, and how to create and compose music on their own and with others through the inter-related dimensions of rhythm, tempo, harmony and appropriate musical notation.
Drama is a subject that uses the body, voice and imagination to develop creative skills, foster invention and produce performances. In Key Stage 3 students are introduced to making, performing and responding to drama. They learn to experiment with different dramatic styles, to develop the skills to improvise, devise, role-play and work with scripts, and to reflect on and evaluate both their own work and the performance of others.
Design Technology is a creative and practical subject. Students develop the creative, technical and practical expertise to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. They draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art to design and make prototypes and products that are fit for purpose for a wide range of users considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.
ICT and computing at Key Stage 3 gives students the opportunity to understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. Information technology is integrated across students’ different subjects to improve their learning efficiency through digital media, access to information, research and storage, collaboration with other students and their presentation of work.
Physical Education develops physical literacy, which includes the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding that provides students with the movement foundation for lifelong participation in physical activity. At Durham International, all students engage in sports and activities. The same values, skills and attitudes that students learn in academic lessons underpin our approach to sport and PE. Everyone is a sportsperson, and everyone experiences what it is like to challenge their fitness, their coordination and their stamina in a wide variety of settings, contexts and sports.
The co-curricular programme offered at Durham International School is designed to enhance and complement our academic curriculum by adding challenge and offer further opportunities for students to find new interests, pursue their passions and own their achievements. CCAs are run by a variety of teachers and external experts, and include physical, creative and service activities. CCAs are important to fuel students’ learning and to build important skills, such as social and leadership skills, to enrich and balance a student’s academic experience. Students who engage in different CCAs practise and develop their self-management skills. Students develop a positive outlook towards school and future study through an increased sense of community at school. By selecting varied activities, students improve their confidence and self–esteem through developing proficiency in different areas. Through leadership and independence, CCAs can help prepare students for their future as they discover more about themselves and their path in life. Our Senior School students can expect co-curricular activities to be wide-ranging and they are encouraged to take the role of leader within the school by working with younger students to help them develop skills and passions of their own.
