Boarding Secondary School in Wales

Christ College Brecon:
Located 31 miles north of Cardiff, in Brecon, Wales, Christ College is one of Britain's most ancient schools and is an independent day & boarding school for boys and girls aged 11-18. We provide a comprehensive Secondary school program for both day and boarding students from Years 7-13. Christ College is a popular choice for those seeking a school that offers high academic standards and real personal development in a warm friendly environment, set in a stunning location.

Boarding & Day School Programmes for Secondary Level Students (Ages 11-18)

The School Curriculum is divided into three distinct areas:
- The Junior Curriculum (Years 7, 8 & 9)
- The Middle School Curriculum (Years 10 & 11)
- The Sixth Form Curriculum

Junior and Middle School:
In the Junior and Middle Schools pupils follow a broad-based curriculum, studying the following subjects:
English Latin or Welsh, Math, Science, French, Art, Geography, Music, Design,  Technology, History, Physical Education, Drama Information Technology, PSE, Religious Studies.

Senior School and Sixth Form:
Choosing A Level subjects is always an exciting time in the academic career of any student. At Christ College we offer a wide variety of courses that can be studied in many different combinations.

The standard qualification for entry to the Sixth Form at Christ College Brecon is grade C or better in 6 or more GCSE subjects. We would normally expect B grades or better in the subjects chosen for AS Level. However, there may be exceptions to this general guideline and we are always sensitive to individual circumstances.Most students will choose 4 subjects at AS Level with this reducing to 3 A2s in the second year.

You may have heard that there have been changes to the A Levels for your year group. This is correct but A Levels are still modular with the overall A Level award comprising AS in the first year of study and A2 the second year. The AS Levels are designed to meet the interests and needs of students moving on from GCSE courses with the A2 being more challenging in terms of content and intellectual demand.

Examinations are available in January and June in most subjects. Heads of Department will discuss with students when best to sit the examinations. The AS grade is awarded at the end of the lower sixth and a certificate issued to the students not carrying on to full A Level in the subject.

Sports and Extra-Curricular Activities:
There is a wide range of activities outside the classroom, organised and run enthusiastically by members of the teaching staff. As well as the afternoon games programme there are sporting, cultural, and creative pastimes to give pupils a positive, active, and constructive approach to leisure time.

Activities take place throughout the week, and pupils attend the activities that most interest them and that they can fit into their busy schedules. Some activities are extensions of the games programme, and make use of facilities or coaching expertise that may not be available in the usual games times. Activities such as Fencing, Basketball, or Canoeing are in this category.

Pupils in Forms 1 to 3 are expected to have a full activity programme; as pupils have more academic pressures and coursework then allowance is made for that, though the benefits of pursuing enjoyable hobbies and pastimes are never forgotten.

All of Forms 3 and 4 (Years 9 and 10) take part in the school’s Combined Cadet Force on a Thursday afternoon, and the majority of the fourth form begin the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. The Army, Navy, and Air Force sections of the CCF give the pupils the chance for outward bound activities, helicopter and fixed-wing flying, and weekend expeditions in the Brecon Beacons.

The current activities programme includes the following:
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Climbing
- Golf
- Indoor Cricket
- Shooting
- Tae Kwon Do
- Weight training
- Volleyball