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Academic “There was instilled (and this is my deepest debt to Merchant Taylors') a passion for thoroughness and accuracy, and a contempt for all 'smatteriness' and mere pretence of knowledge”.  Bishop Samuel Thornton (1835-1917) Introduction The individual boy is at the heart of what we do

MTS offers a broad, balanced curriculum that meets individual needs and stretches boys academically and outside the classroom. Our curriculum is not only everything that contributes directly to the boys' learning and examination success but also all our co-curricular activities that promote the moral, physical, social and spiritual development of the boys - as well as their intellectual development. At Taylors' every boy is valued as an individual and there is equal opportunity for everyone. The love of learning thrives because learning is conducted with a sense of adventure so that all our boys are motivated to fulfil their potential, achieve their goals and realise their dreams. We are not an 'examinations factory'. We believe that school should be an enjoyable experience because it is a stimulating experience. We are a happy school where exceptional academic success is the natural product of boys who are enjoying being at a school where they are valued as individuals and encouraged to foster their talents in sports, hobbies and every other field of human endeavour as well as learning. A boy who feels that his talents are recognised and celebrated tries his very best even in those areas that don't come naturally and by doing that learns the values of hard work and sticking at something. He develops self-confidence, independence of thought and high levels of self-esteem. The boys who leave this school are first and foremost young men of character that their parents can be proud of and it is because they have depth of character and grit and determination that they achieve academically, not the other way round. At MTS, boys not only learn knowledge, they learn self-knowledge and those values which are unquantifiable as much as those that can be measured.

The Rev. William Baker, Head Master of Merchant Taylor's. Baker was born in Reigate in 1841 and educated at MTS and St. John's College, Oxford.He was Head for 30 years and is seen here as he was presented in Vanity Fair in 1901, wearing mortar board, gown and dog collar. The portrait of former MTS Head Master, Jon Gabitass, by acclaimed portrait painter Stuart Pearson Wright, graces the meetings room in the Undercroft, named the Gabitass Room, in Jon's honour, in 2004

FAQs

How does your curriculum relate to the National Curriculum?

An enriched curriculum

At Merchant Taylors' the basic framework of the National Curriculum serves as a reference point for the education we offer. We aim to enrich that curriculum to meet the needs and encourage the interests and talents of all our boys. Boys can study a wide range of subjects at the school from Classical Greek to ICT.  Breadth is encouraged in years 7-9 and in the GCSE years boys typically take 9 GCSEs. Specialisation begins at 'A' Level, with boys typically taking 5 subjects at AS (including General Studies) at the end of the Lower VI and 3 at A2 (the old A level). 100% of boys go on to university with typically between 1 in 5 and 1 in 6 boys going on to Oxford and Cambridge.

Where are you in the League Tables?

A 'top 10' boys' school

We are wary of an "exams for the sake of exams" culture and would far rather our boys pitched in with sport and co-curricular activities than passed dozens of GCSEs.

Nonetheless, in terms of "League Tables" we have been - for what it's worth - a "top 10" boys' school over the last decade. In 2007, we were for example, 4th boys school in the UK in the "3-year average" table produced by The Good Schools' Guide and 3rd boys' school in the south (behind Westminster and Hampton).

In 2006 and 2007 we were also - for example -  4th boys' in the Independent and 5th in the FT and DfES (Government) tables. We were top school in Hertfordshire in all tables and Evening Standard top school for outer London.

These results are not a flash-in-the-pan and given that very minor shifts in per centages can send you zooming up or down the tables, it is our consistency that shows that boys do well here! In 2003 and 2004 we were 2nd and 3rd in the FT "table of tables" and in 2005 5th boys' school in the DfES Tables for 2005 - a higher ranking than any other school within a radius of 30 miles.  This is despite the fact that we take boys who would not get into many local grammar schools: one table that does matter to us is the "value added" table. In terms of how much value we add, we are 6th boys' school in the UK.

If you are interested in League Tables you should note that:

• there are wide variations from table to table
• there is a very definite "game" that can be played by schools either entering pupils for "easier" courses or moving many pupils on at the end of Year 11 to give an articificial impression of quality.  
• that many of the top schools are so close together that even a small variation in the statistics can send a school soaring or plummeting
• that the inclusion of IB and the withdrawal of many top schools from GCSE in favour of IGCSE is likely to make the tables increasingly meaningless

Bearing all that in mind, we're pleased to have maintained a high ranking year-in, year-out for so many years. That said, some of our most distinguished Old Boys, from Clive of India to Titus Oates, showed no signs of distinction whatsoever when at school - academic or otherwise! You can follow the links on the left to learn more about the departments and if you want a really detailed breakdown of the latest tables, click here to go to our current League Tables page or check out our news archive. For Head Master Stephen Wright's condemnation of "league table culture", click here.

What is your attitude to moral and spiritual issues?

The importance of values

Young people need moral leadership and Merchant Taylors' is firmly committed to the importance of upholding strong moral and spiritual values in the great tradition of liberal education in the UK. Religious studies are available to all pupils and although the school is an Anglican foundation that has produced many great Christian religious leaders over the last 500 years, the diversity of religious beliefs is respected and celebrated in Assemblies and cultural events. Ours is an unashamedly multi-cultural school in a multi-cultural society, although it is an intelligent and thoughtful multi-cultural approach rather than a fashionably 'politically correct' one. Inter-faith dialogue and mutual respect are encouraged in a culture of generosity and tolerance. The atmosphere at school is one of thoughtful questioning, spirited debate and spiritual inquiry conducted in a climate where everyone's values and beliefs are respected. You may have heard of the phrase "value added" when discussing school 'League Tables'. We do add value in terms of academic achievement of course, but as important as that, is that we teach values. Today's world can be a confusing one for young people and it is important that they develop a strong ethical sense and learn clear values at school.

How do you cater for individual educational needs?

The personal touch in a school of able boys

Taylors' recognises and caters for individual educational needs by fostering the character and talents of each individual boy. Many of our pupils can be categorised as exceptionally able and as a leading school, we specialise in catering for their needs - which are sometimes very diverse. We try to give every boy something to think about and often that can be a problem that he finds particularly interesting as an individual - in the current educational jargon, we therefore emphasise the value of differentiating between pupils in terms of the work set. Enrichment programmes are available, for example, for talented Sixth Formers and pupils applying for Oxford or Cambridge also get specialist advice. Boys learn best in different ways and the diversity of learning styles is acknowledged in departmental schemes of work and the methods used by teachers in the classroom. Regular reviews of such schemes of work encourage fresh approaches and the pursuit of excellence in every single area of the curriculum. We are an unashamedly academic school, but the needs of any boys who have specific learning difficulties are met by our teachers who make imaginative use of appropriate resources to help pupils overcome specific difficulties: this provision is co-ordinated by a SENCO.

Is Homework very heavy?

Homework is an opportunity to study independently

Heads of School, Heads of Department and Tutors monitor the regular setting and marking of homework to reinforce and extend work done in class and provide an opportunity for the boys to learn the discipline of private, independent study. High expectations are set and the norm is that this work will be completed in full and on time. All pupils have a homework diary so that parents can oversee the work and communicate any difficulties quickly and easily to the relevant teacher. The amount of homework is appropriate to stretching able boys yet not so burdensome as to destroy the love of learning by turning learning from an adventure into a dull grind. We encourage all our pupils to have a full, balanced social life with plenty of games and hobbies so that they get the most from their youth and develop into well-rounded young men with a strong sense of the work-life balance: of working hard and playing hard.

Why has the school invested so heavily in computers?

An enrichment not a solution

ICT is used extensively throughout the curriculum and the school has fantastic ICT facilities. We are one of the leading schools in the UK in our use of ICT and have strategic relationships with Toshiba and Sony amongst other companies. We have one of the fastest internet connections in UK secondary education and 16 computer rooms on-site. However, we have no interest whatsoever in using computers for their own sake and we also have a marvellous Library, described in our last Inspection Report as a "jewel in the crown" of the school. Boys still use fountain pens and exercise books in every lesson. Technology is used wherever and whenever it is appropriate and enriches the educational experience of the boys: it is never used for its own sake. ICT is as important to the boys in terms of their independent learning and thinking, but so is studying Shakespeare and although virtually every classroom has an interactive whiteboard, when a quick note is needed, teachers still use a marker pen. The pupils benefit from this diversity as it underlines to them that technologies are tools that only truly enrich their education when used appropriately. More information on our approach to ICT at MTS can be found here.

Careers

Be prepared for adult life and love learning for its own sake

Virtually all boys leave Merchant Taylors’ for further study at university, but the School’s policy is to prepare them for adult life, which means that they must be helped to choose their eventual careers wisely, after much reflection. The Careers programme is introduced gradually but begins as early as the "World of Work" day in Year 9 and our extensive careers programme includes opportunities for work-related learning in Europe as well as in the UK. You can learn more about our Careers programme here and there is a more detailed look at Careers here.