The Upper School The Upper School
The Upper School represents the final stage in a program that develops a student’s confidence in herself and her growing skills in a number of disciplines. Its rich and rigorous academic, athletic and artistic curriculum, centered in a strong community that supports students in their self-discovery, produces resourceful young women who are prepared to find their places in the world outside of Brearley. As they learn to make academic choices, students may take advantage of conversations with a wide range of adults who help them assess their interests and talents and encourage them to take appropriate risks. Most students in Classes XI and XII take five or five and a half courses. All students fulfill basic requirements: 1. English through Class XII. 2. Mathematics through Class XI. 3. Biology plus two additional years of science, one of which must be a full laboratory course. 4. Four-credit sequence in one foreign language, or three credits in one language plus two credits in a second language (a language begun in the Middle School receives two points of credit if continued through the end of Class IX). 5. Twentieth-Century World History, US History and one history elective with a research component. 6. Studio Art, Drama or Music in Classes IX and X. There is no prerequisite in either year. 7. Physical Education through Class XII, including CPR/First Aid; Health in Class IX. 8. Community Service in Classes IX–XI. 9. Sophomore, Junior and Senior Seminar. Students have many opportunities to pursue their interests beyond the curriculum. The School offers arts activities—photography, sculpture, ceramics, dramatic productions, orchestra and chorus, for example—in addition to the regular courses, as well as writing and publishing opportunities. Students in the Upper School may be admitted to Brearley’s Advanced Science Research Seminar or Poetry Workshop; they may also participate in clubs that focus on model government, robotics, debate, and many other topics; they may join Interschool advanced math courses as juniors or seniors. Students may join affinity groups that celebrate and support aspects of their identity. The community service program, which is a requirement in Classes IX–XI, is founded on the premise that community service is a personal habit and works best when students are guided in their exploration of possible commitments. In Class IX, students participate as a group in a Saturday soup kitchen program and also research and engage in volunteer opportunities. In Classes X and XI,
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