🏔️ New provision launching 1st June 2026 in Birmingham — places are limited, enquire now
Five years. Five mountains. One transformation.

Experience the CLIMB

A transformative five-year journey grounded in evidence-based, holistic education — where every year is a mountain with its own summit, its own lessons, and its own view from the top.

How the journey works

Base camp to summit

The CLIMB pathway is deliberately staged. The early years build the person; the later years build the portfolio.

  • Years 1–2 — The Pod System (KS3): two years of project-based learning in small pods, anchored in great literature and hands-on discovery.
  • Years 3–5 — Academia or Skills Pathway (KS4): three years of GCSE curriculum focus, one summit at a time — 6 GCSEs in total.
  • Every year: character building, life skills, trips with a purpose, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award from Bronze to Gold.
A climber standing on a summit, framed within the CLIMB mountain emblem
Years 1–2 · KS3

The Pod System

Illustrated pea pods for Years 7 and 8 — Snowdon and Fuji — with values like trust, courage, faith, equality, love and friendship

Small pods, big ideas. Youngsters explore trust, courage, faith, equality, love and friendship through stories such as Holes, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Life of Pi, The Hunger Games, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Journey's End — learning to think, question and create together.

Years 3–5 · KS4

Academia or Skills Pathway

Mountain emblems for Years 9, 10 and 11 — Matterhorn, Kilimanjaro and Everest

From Matterhorn onwards the GCSE curriculum takes centre stage — Religious Studies, English Literature and Language, Maths and the Sciences — staged so that each qualification is climbed when your child is ready for it, never all at once.

Year by year

The ascent

Each year carries a mountain's name, a motto to live by, and a balanced diet of curriculum, life skills, character and experiences.

Year 1

Snowdon

"Courage to escape the comfort zone"

Curriculum focus

  • Pod-based project learning
  • Holes — Trust
  • The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe — Courage
  • Life of Pi — Faith

Life skills

  • Emotional intelligence
  • Critical thinking
  • Pain before pleasure
  • Relationships & conflict resolution

Character building

Purpose: Discovering my why Empathy: Friendship Authenticity: Courage Collaboration: Trust Excellence: Discipline

Experiences with a purpose

Kew Gardens · Imagination National Show Caves · Courage Cambridge Mosque · Faith Go Ape · Discipline Thorpe Park · Friendships Holly Trees Museum · Awareness
Year 2

Fuji

"Everything is impossible until it is done"

Curriculum focus

  • Pod-based project learning
  • The Hunger Games — Equality
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream — Love
  • Journey's End — Friendship

Life skills

  • Self-regulation
  • Reflection in action & behaviour
  • Impulse control & mindfulness
  • Stress management

Character building

Purpose: Direction Empathy: Equality Authenticity: Awareness Collaboration: Teamwork Excellence: Confidence

Experiences with a purpose

Escape Room · Teamwork Ice Skating · Confidence Clive Museum · Equality Chester Zoo · Awareness Silverstone · Resilience Drayton Manor · Confidence
Year 3

Matterhorn

"Success travels with hard work"

Curriculum focus

  • Maths & Science lessons
  • English Language lessons
  • English Literature lessons
  • Religious Studies — GCSE №1

Life skills

  • Time management
  • Organisational pride
  • Assets over liabilities
  • Market & home economics

Character building

Purpose: Ownership Empathy: Self-regulation Authenticity: Consistency Collaboration: Cooperation Excellence: Focus

Experiences with a purpose  ·  🏅 Duke of Edinburgh — Bronze

Trentham · Building habits British Motor Museum · Curiosity Bowling · Self-regulation Stratford-upon-Avon · Self-control The Cotswolds · Self-regulation Chessington · Cooperation
Year 4

Kilimanjaro

"Integrity is: you are your word"

Curriculum focus

  • Maths lessons
  • Science lessons
  • English Language lessons
  • English Literature — GCSE №2

Life skills

  • Self-advocacy & responsibility
  • Setting SMART goals
  • Embracing accountability
  • Staying consistent

Character building

Purpose: Commitment Empathy: Listening Authenticity: Truth Collaboration: Inclusivity Excellence: Composure

Experiences with a purpose  ·  🏅 Duke of Edinburgh — Silver

Blenheim Castle · Poise Bath · Responsibility Elderly visit · Listening York · Acceptance Warwick Castle · Poise Windsor Park · Responsibility
Year 5

Everest

"Strive for excellence, rise to the challenge"

Curriculum focus

  • Maths — GCSE
  • Science — 2/3 GCSEs
  • English Language — GCSE
  • Six GCSEs completed in total

Life skills

  • Communication & social skills
  • Clarity
  • Adaptability
  • Ready2Roar

Character building

Purpose: Impact Empathy: Compassion Authenticity: Integrity Collaboration: Unity Excellence: Competitive greatness

Experiences with a purpose  ·  🏅 Duke of Edinburgh — Gold

Go-Karting · Alertness Stadium visit · Grit & trust Cambridge Mosque · Faith Paintballing · Grit High Ropes · Competitive greatness Alton Towers · Empowerment
Beyond Birmingham

Residentials that change young people

Across the five years, residential journeys take learning far beyond the classroom — each with a character focus of its own.

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan — Faith & Friendship 🇧🇦 Bosnia — Responsibility ⛺ PGL — Resilience 🐑 Willowbrook Farm — Deep practice 🌿 The Eden Project — Building habits
The summit in numbers

GCSE results our families trust

Growth over grades — and yet the grades keep coming.

2025

95%

Maths & English

82%

subject overall pass

2024

95%

Maths & English

89.4%

subject overall pass

2023

95%

Maths & English

89.4%

subject overall pass

The first step is the easiest

Start your child's climb

Request the detailed parent pack and see exactly what the next five years could look like.

Request a Parent Pack Fees & admissions