Agora: A Distinctive Part of Our Curriculum
One of the most distinctive features of our curriculum at WHSG is Agora, the political philosophy and ideology course that every student takes in Year 9 and Year 10. Introduced three years ago, at a time when students were becoming increasingly politically aware in the aftermath of COVID and the Black Lives Matter movement, Agora was designed to give our students something they genuinely needed: powerful political knowledge, structured opportunities to think deeply about public life, and a safe, well-guided space to debate the issues that shape the world around them.
The course takes its name from the agora of ancient Greece, the central meeting place where citizens gathered to discuss and reflect on the important questions of their time. That spirit lives on here. The primary purpose of the course is to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to engage confidently in the long-standing political and social debates that still define the modern world.
What students learn
In Year 9, students explore foundational questions in political philosophy:
- Should we have a state at all?
- What qualities should leaders have?
- How should we choose those who govern us?
- How should wealth be distributed?
- Should some forms of speech be restricted?
- And what actually lies behind the terms “left wing” and “right wing”?
In Year 10, attention turns to the major political ideologies that have shaped societies across time, including liberalism, conservatism, socialism, feminism, and nationalism (including fascism). Students consider the internal debates within and between these traditions, building a nuanced understanding of how political ideas develop, diverge, and clash.
Throughout the course, students engage with the thinkers whose ideas continue to frame modern political conversation: Plato, Hobbes, Rousseau, Machiavelli, Marx, Mill, Crenshaw, Friedan, Burke, Rawls, and Hayek, among others.
How we learn in Agora
Because knowledge underpins good thinking, every lesson begins with a silent, individual memory workout. This helps students secure key ideas and gives teachers valuable insight into how to strengthen and improve the course.
But Agora has never been just about knowledge. It is equally about the skills needed for thoughtful, respectful political debate. Students are encouraged to participate actively in discussion, listen closely, ask constructive questions, and create space for others to speak. The course is not designed to tell students what to think, but to give them the tools to think well, and to express their views with clarity, confidence, and respect.
Impact so far
Although Agora is a non-examined subject, it has become a popular part of school life. Students are curious, spirited, and thoughtful in their discussions, and many have developed a deeper interest in politics and philosophy as a result. One student captured the impact perfectly:
“We found Agora incredibly intriguing and thought provoking, especially when we learnt how philosophical ideologies like liberalism, intersectionality etc. continue to shape and explain our world. We particularly enjoyed the class discussions and exploring each topic in depth; this enthusiasm even inspired X to take philosophy at A level.”
Teachers - many of whom do not normally teach politics or philosophy - have also enjoyed teaching the course, with colleagues regularly sharing their enthusiasm for the material and the conversations it sparks.
After three years, Agora has grown into something special: a warm, thoughtful, intellectually stretching space where students learn to listen, debate, question, and think for themselves. It is a course that reflects our values of curiosity, compassion, and courage, and one that will continue to shape how students see the world long after they leave WHSG.