Our Athena Programme runs from Year 7 through to Year 12 and provides a structure for students seeking to build a varied and rigorous academic CV, as well as learning much about themselves and the world around them.

Year 7-9: Laying the Foundations

• Year 7: Pupils dive into debating and take on the badge challenge, building confidence and critical thinking skills.
• Year 8: Respond to topical issues through essays, artwork, podcasts, or short films, inspired by our BAFTA Awards.
• Year 9: An essay competition introduces them to more structured academic thinking, balancing creativity with rigour.

In Year 8 and 9, students also attend three seminars given by our Sixth Form Athena Prefects.

This phase encourages pupils to try new things, challenge their thinking and lay the groundwork for future success in a supportive and stimulating environment.

Year 10-12: Broadening Intellectual Horizons

Through electives, in-depth seminars and talks from guest speakers, students are encouraged to question, collaborate and lead their own learning journeys. Sessions are informal and discussion-led, providing the freedom to test out ideas and engage with new perspectives.

This stage is all about shaping each student’s educational path in line with their interests and ambitions, with the guidance of subject experts and thought leaders.

Grounded in neuroscience, Putney’s Science of Learning programme helps students to make the absolute most of their brilliant brains.

They understand the workings of memory and the human brain, developing techniques to embed and retrieve their learned knowledge.

It is part of our commitment to research and innovation, to ensure that we are using the most effective techniques across our teaching and learning.

The Science of Learning curriculum fosters awe and wonder in the brilliance of the human mind, creating curious, self-sufficient learners who are comfortable with struggle rather than scared of challenge.

The Science of Performance enables students to harness their understanding of the Science of Learning when it matters most. Through developing the ability to be courageous, confident and to keep calm, our girls master the art of performance to ensure they make the most of their potential.

Our pioneering Design Thinking programme gives students a solid understanding of engineering, architecture, design, and robotics, alongside computer science, maths and physics. Design Thinking breaks boundaries across the curriculum and brings together the best of all these subjects to develop the essential problem-solving skills needed in a diverse and rapidly changing technological society. 

In the last few years, students have gone on to win prestigious Arkwright scholarships, several going on to study Engineering at university.

Putney has a democratic culture where respect, inclusion and spirited discussion are valued as highly in the classroom as in the Debating Forum.

Students learn to disagree agreeably and develop the skill to articulate ideas intelligently and with confidence. Our debating programme  not only gives students a voice and teaches them how to use it but also instils the maturity and respect to listen to opinions that differ from their own.

Debate club and events such as Speak Week help students to express their opinions coherently, and crucially, to take responsibility for their own ideas.

Putney Ideas Exchange

Our PIE+ visiting speaker programme invites students to explore new perspectives, engaging with guests from the world of academia and a wide spectrum of professional careers, from neurosurgeons to engineers to authors including Tim Marshall and Laura Bates.