Course requirements:

You need to have taken Art at GCSE and achieved a grade 6 (or above) to take it at A level.

Course outline

The A level course comprises the development of a portfolio of work over a two year period and is split into two components. Component 1 - The Personal Investigation is coursework based and Component 2

- Externally Set Exam (ESA).

Component 1: Students are to generate practical work in response to the theme of ‘Contrast’ demonstrating sequential development of ideas and research from both primary, secondary and contextual sources. Students are encouraged to experiment with media, processes and relate their work to that of other artists, whilst developing and refining their work towards personal outcome(s). In addition, students are to submit a piece of continuous prose of a minimum 1000 words known as the personal study.

Component 2: A theme-based assignment set by Edexcel, represents the culmination of the A level course with work produced during the preparatory period and 15 hours of controlled assessment.

View more of our students' art work here

A Level

Component 1 of the A Level carries 60% of the grade. This includes a portfolio of work and an illustrative dissertation. The exam is worth 40% of the grade.

The course must document evidence of at least two art disciplines ranging from the following: Fine Art, Graphics, Installation, Sculpture, Textiles and Photography. Marks for both units are awarded for:

• Developing ideas through sustained investigations

• Experimenting with resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining work as it progresses.

• Recording in visual and other forms, ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions.

• Presenting a personal, informed and meaningful response, demonstrating critical understanding and realising intentions

Assessment 

Work is assessed regularly and summatively with art staff consistently providing one to one tuition during lessons to support and guide the students. Half termly critiques encourage students to share and discuss ideas with their peers. It is essential that students always have their sketchbook for every lesson to document progress.

Extra Information

The syllabus is designed to continue from and complement the  complement the GCSE course and is intended to meet the needs of the following groups of candidates:

• Students who wish to undertake further studies in art, craft and design, usually at Art College and Higher Education.

• Students who are considering careers for which an art background is relevant. These might include advertising, publishing, architecture, museum, theatre or art gallery work.

• Students who have an interest in and aptitude for the subject but who do not intend to take the subject beyond A Level, but wish to add breadth to their advanced level education in the Sixth Form.

There are no compulsory trips although the examiners favourably comment upon gallery visits of our Art Study Tours to Paris, Florence, Madrid and Barcelona. Any work beyond the classroom such as life drawing and via The Creative Dimension Trust (a series of free specialist crafts-based workshops) can also be submitted for assessment.

We recommend at least grade 6 for A level entry in order to meet the assessment objectives with confidence. The Art studios are open to all A level students at any time where students are free to use the facilities to continue with coursework. As an A level Art student, you are also encouraged to join the Creative Crew which helps to design and paint the set for the drama productions and to be a young leader by supporting members of the lower school by running the Pottery or Origami Club or by providing support in lower school lessons. This helps to build your confidence when presenting and can be included in your UCAS/Art Foundation Application.

In recent years, students have successfully applied and gained entry to established further and higher education courses including Central St. Martins, The Royal Drawing School, Kingston and Cambridge University. In recognition for their outstanding work, students have exhibited work at The Mall Galleries in London and The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Moderators have praised our exemplary documentation and superb exhibition highlighting accurate assessment as a strength across all objectives. ‘The centre is to be commended on its accurate marking and the students are to be congratulated on their sophisticated realisations and diverse use of media’.

Course requirements:

You need to have taken Biology or Combined Science GCSE. You are required to have achieved a minimum of Grades 7,6 in Combined Science GCSE or grade 6 in GCSE Biology. Those students with a 7, 6 grade in Combined Science are expected to have achieved a grade 7 in the Biology components. All students also need to have achieved a Grade 6 in Maths.

Course outline

Biology A-level goes into much more detail than you will have covered at GCSE. It will give you the skills to make connections and associations with all living things around you. Biology literally means the study of life and if that’s not important, what is? Being such a broad topic, you’re bound to find a specific area of interest, plus it opens the door to a fantastic range of interesting careers and qualifications, including:

• Medicine

• Natural sciences

• Psychology

• Sport and exercise science

• Anatomy

• Pharmacology

• Physiotherapy

• Biomedical engineering

• Microbiology

• Marine biology

• Conservation and ecology

• Zoology

Core content

First year of A-level

• Biological molecules

• Cells

• Organisms exchange substances with their environment

• Genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms

Second year of A-level

• Energy transfers in and between organisms

• Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments

• Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems

• The control of gene expression

Practicals

Biology, like all sciences, is a practical subject. Throughout the course you will carry out practical activities including:

• using microscopes to see cell division

• dissection of animal and plant systems

• aseptic technique to study microbial growth

• investigating activity within cells

• investigating animal behaviours

These practicals will give you the skills and confidence needed to investigate the way living things behave and work. It will also ensure that if you choose to study a Biology-based subject at University, you’ll have the practical skills needed to carry out successful experiments in your degree.

Exams

There are three exams at the end of the two years for A-level, all of which are two hours long. At least 15% of the marks for A-level Biology are based on what you learned in your practicals.

Course requirements:

You don't need to have taken Business GCSE, but if you have done we require you to have achieved at least a grade 6. If you haven't taken Business, we require you to achieve at least a grade 6 in an equivalent subject.

Course outline

Business is front-page news and the course exposes students to a broad range of business scenarios from the outset, in order to explore and understand business behaviour and develop a critical understanding of what business is and does. The course integrates up to date topic areas such as digital technology and e-commerce. Students will develop their analytical and evaluative skills crucial for success at University and the world of work. Most of the assessment material is based on real world scenarios and therefore students will be required to interpret up to date case studies. Business is a very marketable A Level which acts as a great foundation for a range of related degrees.

The qualification is structured into four themes and consists of three externally examined papers.

Theme 1

• Meeting customer needs

• The market

• Marketing mix and strategy

• Managing people

• Entrepreneurs and leaders

Theme 2

• Raising finance

• Financial planning

• Managing finance

• Resource management

• External influences

Theme 3

• Business objectives and strategy

• Business growth

• Decision-making techniques

• Influences on business decisions

• Assessing competitiveness

• Managing change

Theme 4

• Globalisation

• Global markets and business expansion

• Global marketing

• Global industries and companies

Exams

• Paper 1: Marketing, people and global business (Theme 1 & 4).

• Paper 2: Business activities, decisions and strategy (Theme 2 & 3)

• Paper 3: Investigating business in a competitive environment (synoptic).

For further information of the course structure, please visit: - https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/business-2015.html 

Course requirements:

You need to have taken Chemistry or Combined Science GCSE. You are required to have achieved a minimum of Grades 7,6 in Combined Science GCSE or grade 6 in GCSE Chemistry. Those students with a 7, 6 grade in Combined Science are expected to have achieved a grade 7 in the Chemistry components. All students also need to have achieved a Grade 6 in Maths.

Course outline

The course is divided in a traditional manner into physical, inorganic and organic chemistry.

If you enjoyed GCSE and found the topics on bonding, mole calculations and organic chemistry interesting, then A-level Chemistry could be a good fit for you.

The content at A-level is as follows:

In Year 1:

• Physical chemistry - Atomic structure; Amount of substance; Bonding; Energetics; Equilibria; Oxidation and reduction

• Inorganic chemistry - Periodicity; Group 2; Group 7;

• Organic chemistry - Alkanes, halogenoalkanes; Alkenes; Alcohols; Organic analysis

In Year 2

• Physical Chemistry - Thermodynamics; Rate equations; Equilibrium constant Kp; Electrode potentials; Acid and bases;

• Inorganic Chemistry - Transition metals; Reactions of ions in aqueous solution;

• Organic Chemistry - Optical isomerism; Aldehydes and ketones; Carboxylic acids and their derivatives; Aromatic chemistry; Amines; Polymers; Amino acids, proteins and DNA; Organic synthesis; NMR; Chromatography.

Practical Work

There are 12 compulsory practicals to be carried out during the A-level course although practical skills are not assessed. However 15% of the marks in the final papers are assigned to assessment of understanding of experimental procedures and use of experimental results.

Exams

At the end of the second year there are 3 papers, all of which are 2 hours long

• Paper 1 Physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry

• Paper 2 Physical chemistry and organic chemistry

• Paper 3 All content

Course requirements:

You need to have taken Computer Science at GCSE and achieved a grade 6 (or above) to take it at A level. You also need to have at least a grade 6 in Mathematics, and to have an aptitude for programming.

Course outline

We live in a digital world and understanding how the machines, which we use for large parts of our lives, work is becoming an increasingly valuable asset. This A Level is not just for students interested in a career in computing, but also for those who may go into a wide range of work areas including science, engineering or business. This course consists of both the theory of computing (here, an interest in Maths is useful although you don’t have to be studying A Level Maths), and practical programming is an art which requires lots of practice – it is hugely rewarding if you are resilient and enjoy solving problems). You will get to code in both an exam and the non-examined assessment (coursework).

Topics

1. Programming

2. Data structures

3. Algorithms

4. Computational theory

5. Data representation

6. Computer systems

7. Computer organisation and architecture

8. Ethical, legal and cultural issues around computing

9. Communication and networking

10. Databases

11. Big data

12. Functional programming

13. Problem solving using systems

Exam Structure

Paper 1

On screen exam as it involves coding 2hrs 30mins (100 marks), 40% of A Level Questions on topics 1 to 4 above

Paper 2 Written paper

2hrs 30mins (100 marks), 40% of A Level Questions on topics 5-13 above                      

Non-Examined Assessment

75 marks, 20% of A Level

This is a coursework project which will be started at the end of Year 12. It’s a great opportunity to plan and code a solution to a problem you have chosen yourself. Real examples have included a robot which maps out a new environment and can then route efficiently around it, a ‘tank war’ game which fire projectiles at an enemy taking account of height, force and wind speed, and a simulation of genetic mutations over multiple generations. 

Course requirements:

You need to have taken Design and Technology at GCSE and achieved a grade 6 (or above) to take it at A level.

Course outline

Design and Technology is an inspiring and rigorous course, which has been designed to strengthen learners’ critical thinking and problem solving skills within a creative environment enabling learners to design and make high quality products that solve real world problems. Students will consider their own and others’ needs, wants, aspirations and values.

Design and Technology: Product Design A Level will encourage learners to:

• develop the capacity to think creatively, innovatively and critically through focused research and the exploration of design opportunities arising from the needs, wants and values of users and clients

• be open to taking design risks, showing innovation and enterprise whilst considering their role as responsible designers and citizens

• develop intellectual curiosity about the design and manufacture of products and systems, and their impact on daily life and the wider world

• have a critical understanding of the wider influences on design and technology, including cultural, economic, environmental, historical and social factors

• develop a strong core theory knowledge and understanding of principles in design and technology enabling them to make informed decisions in broader contexts

• be able to create and analyse a design concept and use a range of skills and knowledge from other subject areas, including Mathematics and Science, to inform decisions in design and the application or development of technology

• gain an insight into the creative, engineering and/or manufacturing industries

• be able to make informed design decisions through an in-depth understanding of the management and development of taking a design through to a prototype/product

Course content

• Student’s work is mainly workshop based using a variety of graphic, resistant and compliant materials.

• The knowledge and understanding required for the examination will take the form of detailed studies, essays and reports conducted throughout the course.

• Teaching takes the form of lectures, discussion, videos, visits and workshop projects.

Exam

Unit 1: Principles written Paper 75 Marks (25% of total A Level) 1 hour 30 minutes

Unit 2: Problem solving written Paper

75 marks (25% of total A Level) 2 hours 30 minutes

Non Exam Assessment

Units 3 & 4: Iterative Design Project

150 marks Approx. (50% of total A Level) 65 hours

Students undertake a substantial design, make and evaluate project centred on the iterative process. Students will identify a design opportunity or problem from their own choice. A portfolio will document their design journey

Extra Information

Visits to the Design Museum and The New Designers Graduate Show are arranged.

As part of the London Design Festival (September), students are encouraged to visit 100% Design, Designers block, Design Junction and Open House in their own time for cultural enrichment.

An A Level in Design and Technology: Product design, together with two other A’ levels at a good grade will give you access to both academic and vocational courses in:

Architecture, Interior Design, Interior Decoration, Landscape design, Furniture Design, Exhibition Design, Theatre/Stage/Film Set Design, Special effects, Vehicle Design, Engineering (Structural/mechanical/aerodynamics), Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Product Design, Packaging Design, Ceramics design, Fashion and Textiles Design. 

Course requirements:

You are not required to have GCSE Drama, but if you do we require you to have achieved a minimum of a grade 6. If you don't have the GCSE but you do have stage school or theatre experience, your application will be considered individually.  All students are required to have achieved at least a grade 6 in English Language.

Course outline

The aims of the Drama and Theatre Studies A Level are to encourage students to:

• develop their interest and enjoyment of drama and theatre both as participants and as informed members of an audience

• foster an enthusiasm for and a critical appreciation of the subject

• develop an understanding and an appreciation of the significance of the social, cultural and historical influences on the development of drama and theatre

• experience a range of opportunities to develop a variety of dramatic and theatrical skills, enabling them to grow creatively and imaginatively in both devised and scripted work

• integrate theory and practice through their understanding of critical concepts and the discriminating use of specialist terminology.

Our expectations:

• We expect students to have a minimum of a 6 grade in GCSE Drama. In exceptional cases, we will consider students who have not done GCSE. In this case, they must have had some experience, either at a stage school, working backstage in a theatre and/or have been in school productions. As there is a significant amount of written coursework and one written exam, they must have at least a grade B in English Language and Literature.

• In preparation for the practical units, students will be expected to rehearse outside of lessons, at lunchtimes and after school.

• Due to the practical nature of drama and the fact that much of the assessment is completed in groups, excellent attendance is essential.

• Students must be prepared to attend theatre trips as these play a vital role in aiding the structure of devised work, seeing a practitioner style in practice, improving understanding of acting and design skills and as a compulsory part of the final written exam.

• Reading plays outside of the subject’s set texts is also encouraged as students choose monologues and duologues to perform in front of an examiner in their final year. Students should read a wide range of plays including those written post 2000 in an effort to be informed about new writing and practitioner styles.

Assessment

The Drama and Theatre A Level consists of two coursework components and one externally examined paper.

Component 1: Devising - Coursework - 40% of the qualification (80 marks)

• • There are two parts to the assessment:

    • A Portfolio (60 marks)

    • The Devised Performance or Design Realisation (20 marks)

Component 2: Text in Performance – Coursework- 20% of the qualification (60 marks)

• Group performance or design realisation (36 marks)

• Monologue or Duologue or Design Realisation (24 marks)

Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice - Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes- 40% of the qualification (80 marks)

• • Section A: Live Theatre Evaluation (20 marks)

  • Section B: Page to Stage: Realising a Performance Text (36 marks)

  • Section C: Interpreting a Performance Text (24 marks)

Live Theatre Evaluation

Section A of Component 3 (Written Exam) gives candidates a choice of questions which are designed to give opportunities to discuss performance elements as well as design elements. In the exam the students respond to one of two questions about the performance and they have access to 500 words of notes which they will have prepared prior to their exam.  At the heart of the question is a statement that invites a personal response from the candidate, whilst analysing what they have seen or heard, and then going on to evaluate it. Therefore we expect candidates to attend theatre trips as the live theatre demand is an Ofqual requirement. We try to see at least one performance in Year 12 and one in Year 13 in order that students are able to practise these essays before their Mock and their real written exam.  Watching live theatre also informs students’ responses in the Component 1 Devised Exam as they create work based on a theatre practitioner style and another question demands a response to live performance(s) seen.  Last year we took our students to see ‘The Merchant of Venice 1936’ at Watford Palace Theatre & ‘Drive Your Plough over the Bones of the Dead’ at the Barbican.  

Extra-Curricular Drama

Students in Years 10 - 13 are invited to take part in the Winter Play and the Spring Musical.  They also help out in lessons, help to run Year 7, 8 & 9 Clubs and assist with the Summer Production in a number of ways; choreographing, assistant directing & Stage Managing. 

Degree Paths in the Creative & Performing Arts

Our students take many exciting paths post A’ Level, some go to university and some to theatre school to study a really broad range of subjects influenced by their love of theatre including both single and joint honours in Acting, Animation, Creative Writing, Costume Design, English & Drama, Film, Journalism, Lighting, Sound, SFX Make-up & Prosthetics.  Past students have gone on to study at Bournemouth, Bristol, Central St Martins, The Oxford School for Drama, the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Mountview, Rose Bruford, the University of East Anglia & Warwick.

Possible Career Opportunities

Actor, Animation & VFX, Art Department, Assistant Director, Background Artistes, Camera, Cinematographer, Choreographer, Construction (Major Features), Costume Designer, Director, Grips, Investigative Journalist, Lighting Technician, Locations, Make-up and Prosthetics, News Presenter, Props Designer, Producer, Production, Production Accountant, Post Production, Radio DJ, Reporter, Rigger, Set Crafts (Carpenters & Scenic Painters), Sound Designer, Stage Combat Choreographer, Set Designer, Special Effects, Stage Manager, Stunt Co-ordinator, TV Presenter & Writer.

Want to know more about what you can do and what you can earn? Try searching the Bectu website: https://bectu.org.uk/get-involved/ratecards/ 

Course requirements:

You don't need to have taken Economics GCSE, but if you have done we require you to have achieved at least a grade 6. If you haven't taken Economics, we require you to achieve at least a grade 6 in a Humanities subject. We require all students to have achieved a grade 6 in Mathematics. An interest in current affairs is also useful.

Course outline

Studying Economics will help you to learn about the main economic issues that affect our standard of living. For example:

• what is happening to unemployment in the UK?

• why does the government want to keep inflation low?

• why are most of the poorest countries in the world in Africa?

• what are the advantages and disadvantages of economic growth?

• how can Economists help to reduce pollution?

• are supermarket price wars really in the public interest?

• was the UK right to vote for Brexit?

• should the government raise taxes to spend more on education and health care?

• what will the world be like when you retire?

Economists are trained to look closely at the costs and benefits of proposed actions to help policy makers take the right decisions. For example, the decision to join the Euro might have advantages for the UK as well as disadvantages. Studying A-Level Economics will enable you to understand the key issues that affect everyday life in the UK and therefore take an informed part in public debate.

Assessment

The new exam is based around 4 themes:

• Theme 1 introduces students to markets and market failure

• Theme 2 introduces students to performance and policies issues for the UK economy

• Theme 3 explores business behaviour and the labour market

• Theme 4 explores the global perspective

Assessment for all units involves a mixture of multiple choice, data response and extended answer questions.

Extra Information

A-Level Economics will enable you to progress to taking a university degree in Economics or a related subject. It is also valued by employers for the knowledge and skills it develops. Economists are employed in a wide range of areas including advising governments and business. 

Course requirements:

You need to have taken English Literature and English Language at GCSE and achieved a grade 6 (or above) in both subjects to take it at A level.

Course outline

English Language and Literature is the course for you if you want to combine your study of language and literature while developing your skills in writing for a variety of audiences and purposes. If you are looking for an A level that will give you transferable communication skills and that will help almost any other course or career, look no further than English Language and Literature.

The engaging course integrates the study of language and literature – both spoken and written - and will enable you to develop your analytical and creative writing skills. You will study poetry, drama and prose texts as well as a collection of non-fiction texts in an anthology. Exposure to a greater variety of texts than those encountered at GCSE and opportunities to apply linguistic and literary concepts and methods to your analysis, will allow you to explore the richness of language and literature and cultivate your own critical responses. Additionally, you will develop your original and creative writing talents, and strengthen your evaluative skills. The English Language and Literature course enables depth and breadth of study, with flexible content that supports independence, wide reading and creativity.

The A Level English Language and Literature allows you to develop your interest in, and enjoyment of, English as you:

• develop and apply your knowledge of literary analysis and evaluation;

• develop and apply your understanding of the concepts and methods appropriate for the analysis and study of language;

• use linguistic and literary approaches in your reading and interpretation of texts, showing how the two disciplines can relate to each other;

• engage creatively and critically with a wide range of texts;

• explore the ways in which texts relate to each other and the contexts in which they are produced and received;

• develop your skills as producers and interpreters of language.

English Language and Literature combines well with many other subjects. History, Politics and Modern Foreign Languages are particularly suitable, but it can also be a valuable contrast to scientific, technological, humanities and economics-based subjects. If you are considering going on to Higher Education, the English Language and Literature qualification provides a good foundation for degree courses in English, the Arts, Humanities, Politics, Law and Media. The English Language and Literature qualification is also welcomed for many different careers because it emphasises creativity, disciplined thought and communication, plus an ability to synthesise and contextualise ideas. It can lead to careers in writing, journalism, management and administration, public relations, teaching, law, publishing and the media.

Assessment

We follow the OCR English Language and Literature (EMC) specification which is supported by the English and Media Centre.

Texts studied:

• A Level Component 1 (Non-fiction spoken and written texts - 16%)

Question focused on comparison of non-fiction text to one from the non-fiction anthology

• A Level Component 2 (The language of poetry and plays - 32%)

Carol Ann Duffy’s ‘Rapture’ and Tennessee Williams’ ‘Streetcar Named Desire’

• A Level Component 3 (Reading as a Writer, Writing as a Reader - 32%)

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’

Fiction creative writing and accompanying commentary.

• A Level Component 4 (non-exam assessment – 20%)

Comparative analytical study to include the study of George Orwell’s ‘Down and Out in Paris and London’ and a creative writing piece totalling 3,000 words. 

Course requirements:

You need to have taken English Literature and English Language at GCSE and achieved a grade 6 (or above) in both subjects to take it at A level.

Course outline

English Literature combines well with many other subjects. History, Politics and Modern Foreign Languages are particularly suitable, but it can also be a valuable contrast to scientific, technological and economics-based subjects. If you are considering going on to Higher Education, the English Literature qualification provides a wide range of opportunities for degree courses in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. The English Literature qualification is also welcomed for many different careers because it emphasises creativity, disciplined thought and communication, plus an ability to synthesise and contextualise ideas.

This qualification gives you the opportunity to study literature across the genres of prose, poetry and drama, and to read around concepts of literature and literary analysis.

Studying for these qualifications will enable you to develop:

• your interests in and enjoyment of reading and discussing literary texts;

• your knowledge and understanding of a wide range of English literature texts;

• your skills of literary analysis.

The A Level English Literature specification is designed to build on what students already know from GCSE and:

• Encourage the development of critical awareness and understanding of individual works of literature.

• Develop understanding of relationships between texts and of the significance of cultural and contextual influences on readers and writers.

• Target the core skills every literature student needs to explore and understand a wide range of texts.

• Offer flexibility and freedom for centres by presenting a wide range of topic areas and suggested texts to choose from.

• Allow students, within the A Level non-examined assessment component, to pursue more detailed study in a field of particular personal interest.

• Develop the valuable transferable skills of sustained research and composition.

A Level

There are two examined components and one coursework component. The two exams are equally weighted and offer opportunities for candidates to provide extended exploratory responses.

The first exam component ‘Drama and Poetry Pre-1900’ offers students the opportunity to engage in close reading and pay attention to Shakespeare’s use of language. The second exam component ‘Comparative and Contextual Study’ will consist of a close reading (unseen exercise) and a comparative essay. The paper will be split into different topic areas. Chosen topics include: American Literature 1880- 1940, The Gothic, Dystopia, Women in Literature and The Immigrant Experience. For the first part of this exam students will approach an unseen prose extract, from within their chosen topic area. The inclusion of this ‘supported unseen’ helps promote wider reading throughout the course because the more familiar a candidate is with literature from within their topic area, the more confident they will be about approaching the unseen in the examination. The second part of the exam will offer students a choice of three questions of which they must answer one question on the set texts they have studied in their chosen topic area.

The coursework component requires students to study three texts from across the genres of poetry, drama and prose. Task one is a critical piece and Task two is a ‘linked texts’ essay focusing on connections and comparisons between two texts.

A Level Assessment

Exam 1 - Drama and Poetry Pre-1900 2 hours 30 / 60 marks / 40%

• Shakespeare play: One extract question, one longer whole text question.

Coriolanus, Hamlet, Measure for Measure, Richard III, Tempest, Twelfth Night

• One drama text, one poetry text – literary question.

Poetry: Chaucer, Milton, Taylor-C, Tennyson, Rossetti.

Drama: Marlowe, Webster, Goldsmith, Ibsen, Wilde.

Exam 2 - Comparative and contextual study 2 hours 30 / 60 marks / 40%

• Comparative and contextual study

American Lit 1880-1940, The Gothic, Dystopia, Women in Lit and The Immigrant Experience. Core set texts and suggested set texts. (Core texts: The Great Gatsby, The Bloody Chamber, 1984, Mrs Dalloway, Reluctant Fundamentalist).

• Unseen exercise – close reading.

• Comparative essay based on studied texts.

Coursework

Cross genre. Lit post 1900 / 20%

• Critical piece or re-creative with commentary.

• Linked texts – connections and comparisons between two.

Course requirements:

You need (at least) a grade 6 in French GCSE.

If you are a French national, or part-national, and you speak French very well but don't have the GCSE, your application will be considered.

Course outline

Studying A-level French will build your confidence and communications skills, helping  you quickly progress from GCSE level towards a level of genuine fluency in spoken and written French. Where the GCSE focuses on talking about yourself, at A Level you will study how French speaking society has been shaped, socially and culturally and how it continues to change. The aim of the course is to develop your interest in and understanding of countries where French is spoken, as well as you ability to speak about it in French.

Year 12 Topics:    Current Trends

• The changing nature of the family

• Cyber society

• Place of voluntary work within society

 Artistic culture

• A culture proud of its heritage

• Contemporary francophone music

• Cinema

Year 13 Topics:           Current Issues

• Positive features of a diverse society

• Life for the marginalised

• How criminals are treated Political and artistic culture.

Political Culture

• Teenagers, the right to vote and political commitment

• Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?

• Politics and immigration

How will I be taught?

• There are 5 hours a week of lessons, split between two teachers (currently Mr Tanner and Mme Kocaslan)

• Group sizes are usually between 10 and 15 students.

• The vast majority of lessons are usually conducted in French (you will quickly get used to this). We sometimes use English for trickier grammar lessons - and it is fine to ask questions in English if you really need to make yourself understood (especially at the start of Y12).

• Teaching is interactive. Students have lots of opportunities to talk to each other (in French!) to share ideas and collaborate. Exam-type tasks are integrated in teaching from very early on, but you may find the teaching more interactive and fun than in year 11.

• In addition to this, students have 20 mins per week of 1:1 speaking with the French Assistant.

• You will study a film in year 12 (currently La Haine by Matthieu Kassovitz), and a novel in Y13 (currently No et Moi by Delphine de Vigan)

What does the exam look like?

The A Level grade is all based on exams you will sit in the summer term of year 13. 

However, the preparatory research and practice you do for the speaking exam could be considered similar to coursework / NEA.

• Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation skills (French - English, and English - French).

For the listening component, each candidate has individual access to the audio with headphones, and can pause and rewind the audio as much as they need to. 

 (2 hours 30 minutes) 50% of A-level

• Paper 2: Writing – 2 essays, one on literary text (No et moi, Delphine de Vigan) and one on film (la Haine, Mathieu Kassovitz) hours) 20% of A-level

 (2 hours 30 minutes) 20% of A-level

• Paper 3: Speaking - including:

  •  6 minute discussion on a topic-based card (choose one of two cards)

  • 2 minute presentation of findings from student’s Individual Research Project, and 10 minute follow-up discussion.

                    (21- 23 minutes, including 5 minutes of preparation time) 30% of A-level 

The speaking exam will be conducted by the subject teacher and marked by AQA..

What will I be able to do at the end of the course?

• Have a serious conversation in French with a native speaker on social and cultural topics - speaking with fluency, confidence and grammatical sophistication, and supporting your ideas with specific evidence and examples.

• Give a research-based presentation  in French on a subject that interests you , and have an in-depth follow-up discussion about your research.

• Understand the gist and detail of various short texts, recordings and videos (including authentic French media) on specific A Level units and related topics. 

• Summarise short written texts and recordings in your own words using accurate French.

• Translate short factual passages on the A level topics from French into English, and from English into French.

• Write a short analytical essay (approx 350 words) in French about a film you have studied in class (currently La Haine by Matthieu Kassovitz), and another on a book you have studied (currently No et Moi by Delphine de Vigan).

• Enjoy listening to music, watching films / series, and reading books in French independently, with a good level of understanding.

Course requirements:

You need to have taken Geography at GCSE and achieved a grade 6 (or above) to take it at A level.

Course outline

A level geography is one of the top facilitating subjects, which means it complements both arts and science subjects. This in turn means it keeps your options open, being as appropriate for someone wanting to study medicine as it is for someone wanting to study law, economics or politics. Geography is by its nature multidisciplinary, which makes it very attractive to employers, with geography university graduates having some of the highest employment rates following completion of their degrees. This is due to the broad range of analytical and written skills that geographers develop. Coursework provides students the opportunity to develop their report writing and academic research skills.

Skills developed during this course include:

• Report Writing

• Research Skills

• Qualitative and Quantitative Data Collection Skills

• Analytical and Reasoning Skills

• Mathematical Skills

• Communication skills

• Team work/ Group Work

• Geographical Information Systems

GCSE Geography students will be familiar with some of the topics outlined below, but at A-Level, deeper and broader understanding is required. The format of the final examination is similar to that of GSCE, with a mixture of shorter response questions and longer essays.

Topics

Component 1 - Physical Geography

• Water and carbon cycles

This topic focuses on the major stores of water and carbon at or near the Earth’s surface and the dynamic cyclical relationships associated with them. These are the major elements in the natural environment and understanding them is fundamental to many aspects of physical geography. This includes developing a much deeper understanding of the human influences on the carbon cycle that lead to climate change, including feedback loops and tipping points.

• Hazards

This topic focuses on the lithosphere and the atmosphere, which intermittently but regularly present natural hazards to human populations, often in a dramatic and sometimes catastrophic fashion. By exploring the origin and nature of these hazards and the various ways in which people respond to them, students are able to engage with many dimensions of the relationships between people and the environments they occupy.

•  Coasts

This topic investigates how coasts change through natural and human processes. Using a systems approach, students develop and understanding of the complex factors involved in the dynamic equilibrium that establishes along coastlines. The influence of factors such as local and global sea level change on coastlines are also studied along with approaches to coastal management and case study examples of coastlines in the UK and abroad that illustrate the challenges coasts provide as areas for human habitation.

Component 2 - Human Geography

• Global systems and global governance

In this topic students will investigate the economic, political and social changes associated with technological and other driving forces which have been a key feature of global economy and society in recent decades. Increased interdependence and transformed relationships between peoples, states and environments have prompted more or less successful attempts at a global level to manage and govern some aspects of human affairs.

• Resource security

This topic focuses on the large-scale exploitation of unevenly distributed natural resources, which is one of the defining features of the present era. Increasing demand for water, energy and minerals and their critical role in human affairs leads to massive local and regional transfers of water and massive global transfers of energy and minerals.

• Changing places

This topic focuses on the factors and processes that affect the nature of places and how they change and develop over time. People’s engagement with places and their experience of them and the meaning they ascribe to them are unique and of fundamental importance in their lives.

Component 3 Non-Examined Assessment

Fieldwork is a compulsory element of the course and currently involves a 4 day residential trip. This equips them with the skills required to plan a successful NEA and collect the data of their choice in the environment they choose outside of school time. Students are required to undertake an independent investigation of their choice. This must incorporate a significant element of their own fieldwork data collection. The fieldwork undertaken as part of the individual investigation is based on either human or physical aspects of geography, or a combination of both. They may incorporate field data and/or evidence from field investigations collected individually or in groups. Students are supported to work on their own in designing, contextualising and analysing their fieldwork to produce an independent investigation with a unique title that demonstrates fieldwork knowledge, skills and theoretical understanding.

Assessment

• Component 1 = Physical Geography paper - 40% of A Level (exam)

• Component 2 = Human Geography paper - 40% of A Level (exam)

• Component 3 = Non-Examined Assessment - 20% of A Level (coursework)

Course requirements:

You need (at least) a grade 6 in German GCSE.

 If you are a German national, or part-national, and you speak German very well but don't have the GCSE, your application will be considered.

Course outline

Studying A-level German will build your confidence and communications skills, helping  you quickly progress from GCSE level towards a level of genuine fluency in spoken and written German. At A Level you will study what has shaped German speaking societies, socially and culturally and how they continue to change and adapt over time. The aim of the course is to develop your interest in and understanding of countries where German is spoken, as well as your ability to speak about it in German.  German is a fantastic option alongside other courses as it is the most sought after foreign language in the UK.

Year 12 Topics:

 Aspects of German-speaking society

• Changing nature of family life

• Digital world

• Youth culture: fashion, music, TV & streaming

Artistic culture in the German-speaking world

• Festivals and traditions

• Art and architecture

• The cultural life of Berlin - past and present

Year 13 Topics:

 Multiculturalism in German-speaking society

• Migration and immigration

• Integration

• Racism

 Political life in the German-speaking world

• Germany and the European Union

• Politics and young people

• German history, reunification and its impact

How will I be taught?

• There are 5 hours a week of lessons and they are usually split between two teachers.

• Group sizes are usually up to 10 students 

• The vast majority of lessons are usually conducted in German (Keine Panik!). We sometimes use English for trickier grammar lessons - and it is fine to ask questions in English if you really need to make yourself understood.

• Teaching is interactive. Students have lots of opportunities to talk to each other,  to share ideas and collaborate. Exam-type tasks are integrated in teaching from very early on, but you may find the teaching more interactive and fun than in year 11.

• In addition to this, students have 20 mins per week of 1:1 speaking with the German Language Assistant.

• You will study a film from the end of Y12 (Das Leben der Anderen) as well as a text (Andorra von Max Frisch) which are both steeped in German history and politics.

• We endeavour to provide you with opportunities outside the classroom. This has included in the past a study tip to Berlin / Munich, attending the BFI German film day, supporting students to apply for British Council / Goethe-Institute scholarships, taking part in Oxbridge competitions for German A level students, lectures in geopolitics and seminars on German fairytales.

What does the exam look like?

The A Level grade is all based on exams you will sit in the summer term of year 13. 

However, the preparatory research and practice you do for the speaking exam could be considered similar to coursework / NEA.

• Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation skills (German - English, and English - German).

For the listening component, each candidate has individual access to the audio files with headphones, and you can pause and rewind the audio as much as you need to. 

 (2 hours 30 minutes) 50% of A-level

• Paper 2: Writing – 2 essays, one on literary text (Andorra von Max Frisch) and one on film (Das Leben der Anderen) 20% of A-level

 (2 hours 30 minutes) 20% of A-level

• Paper 3: Speaking - including:

  •  6 minute discussion on a topic-based card (choice of one of two cards)

  • 2 minute presentation of the findings from your Individual Research Project, and 10 minute follow-up discussion.

                    (21- 23 minutes, including 5 minutes of preparation time) 30% of A-level 

The speaking exam will be conducted by the subject teacher and marked by AQA.

What will I be able to do at the end of the course?

• You will be able to hold a meaningful conversation in German with a native speaker on social and cultural topics - speaking with fluency, confidence and grammatical sophistication, and supporting your ideas with specific evidence and examples.

• You will develop analytical and critical thinking on current issues as well as gain an understanding of yourself which will put you in good stead for life beyond school.

• Give a research-based presentation  in German on a subject that interests you , and have an in-depth follow-up discussion about your research.

• Understand the gist and detail of various short texts, recordings and videos including authentic German media on specific A Level units and related topics. 

• Summarise short written texts and recordings in your own words using concise and accurate German.

• Translate short factual passages on the A level topics from German into English, and from English into German.

• Write a short analytical essay (approx 350 words) in German about a film you have studied in class (currently Das Leben der Anderen), and another on a text you have studied (currently Andorra von Max Frisch).

• Enjoy listening to music, watching films / series, and reading books in German independently, with a great level of understanding.

Course requirements:

You don't need to have taken History GCSE, but if you have done we require you to have achieved at least a grade 6. If you haven't taken History, we require you to achieve at least a grade 6 in English Literature.

Course outline

The aim of A Level History is to nurture people who are questioning and critical but with an open mind to new ideas and different opinions. The study of History is bound up with the study of evidence and what that evidence can say to historians about the past. In this sense, it builds upon ideas encountered at GCSE.

History is, however, also about communicating ideas and findings. This means that Sixth Form students will write essays, as essays are the main way by which historians tell each other what they think. History thus develops the skills of logical and clear argument and writing. It is for these reasons that A Level History is well thought of by employers and the top universities.

Topics

The A Level courses will focus on two hundred years of British and European History. The aim is that students will study topics that are interesting and relevant, which give them many opportunities to develop the historical skills mentioned above. The four modules of the A2 course to be examined at the end of year 13 will cover:

Unit 1: Britain c1785-c1870: democracy, protest and reform

This study in breadth looks at the process of change in Britain and the extent to which popular pressure, protest and cooperation were responsible for political economic and social change. We look at the growth of democracy, industrialisation and protest the growth of unions and changing attitudes towards poverty and pauperism. A key focus is on the abolition of the slave trade.

Unit 2: The Unification of Italy c1830-1870

The option comprises a study in depth of the Italian states from the 1830 revolutions to the creation and consolidation of the kingdom of Italy 1861-70. It looks at the political ideas of the Risorgimento, the revolutions of 1830 and 48, Austrian and French intervention, the Roman Republic, the rise of Piedmont, great individuals such as Mazzini, Cavour and the charismatic Garibaldi, the impact of diplomacy with Britain, France and Austria and finally the unification and emergence of the new Italian state.

Unit 3: Germany 1871-1990: united, divided and reunited

This option combines a breadth and depth study. The breadth topics look at social and economic changes in Germany through the whole period. The depth study focuses on areas such as Bismarck and the Second Reich, Weimar Germany, Hitler and the creation of a totalitarian state as well as a focus on West Germany after World War 2 and the eventual reunification of Germany 1989-90.

Unit 4: Historical Enquiry

Coursework is compulsory for A Level History and the focus of this enquiry is open to negotiation with students. Areas of study could encompass Ancient Civilisations, Medieval Women, Tudor Society, Mao’s China, the Vietnam War, Imperialism or even local archaeology. Basically anything which lends itself open to historical interpretation can be the focus of the enquiry. We encourage you to follow your interests with this and, where possible, to establish links with universities and research institutes.

So overall we hope to excite students with new and different material to their previous studies and we enjoy teaching students at A level who are thoughtful and enjoy an atmosphere of tolerance and discussion.

Course requirements:

You are required to have achieved a minimum of a grade 7 at GCSE to take Mathematics A level.

Course outline

Pure Mathematics is essentially Algebra and Trigonometry developing from GCSE but there is no further Geometry or Arithmetic. The subject content becomes more abstract and demanding, the teaching more academic and students will need to be able to apply the concepts to fresh contexts and to produce well explained solutions involving a series of logical processes.

The Application aspect of the course now contains a Statistics and a Mechanics element. There is no choice in which papers you can take at A Level single subject.

Assessment

A Level Mathematics will consist of three exams, two of which are Pure Mathematics and one is an Application paper, each are 2 hours long.

Course requirements:

You are required to have achieved a minimum of a grade 8 at GCSE to take Further Mathematics A level.

Course outline

Further Mathematics A Level consists of four exams, three of which are Further Pure and one will be either a Further Mechanics or a Further Statistics, students will need to choose the appropriate option, each of the four papers are 1 hour 30 minutes long.

In brief, the content of the papers are:

• Pure Mathematics 1 and Pure Mathematics 2 (Two papers)

Proof; Algebra; Trigonometry; Co-ordinate geometry; Sequences and series; Differentiation; Integration; Exponentials and logarithms; Vectors.

• Statistics and Mechanics:

Statistical sampling; Data presentation; Probability; Statistical Distribution; Statistical Hypothesis

testing; Kinematics; Forces and Newton’s laws; Moments.

• Core Pure Mathematics 1 and Core Pure Mathematics 2 (Two papers):

Proof; Complex numbers; Matrices; Further Algebra and Functions; Further Calculus; Further Vectors; Complex numbers; Further algebra and Functions; Further calculus; Polar coordinates; Hyperbolic functions; Differential Equations.

• Further Pure Mathematics 1:

Further calculus; Further differential equations; Coordinate systems; Further vectors; Further numerical methods; Inequalities.

EITHER:

• Further Statistics 1: Linear regression; Statistical distributions (discrete); Statistical distributions (continuous); Correlation; Hypothesis testing; Chi-Squared tests

• Further Mechanics 1: Momentum and Impulse; Collisions; Centres of mass; Work and Energy; Elastic strings and springs.

We continue to offer this very intensive diet for our most able students who will enjoy the fast pace, the depth of study and the challenge.

Studying Further Mathematics enables students to gain 2 separate A Levels. The whole course content (single and further maths) will be taught in eight lessons per week rather than the ten lessons normally allocated to two separate A Levels. This course is recommended for students considering a degree in Mathematics or a subject involving substantial mathematics.

Extra Information

An 8 at GCSE is required for Further Maths, although many level 8 students might not have the aptitude for Further Maths.

In Year 13 the Department offers extra preparation for the additional papers required of Oxbridge candidates.

Course requirements:

You do not need Music GCSE to take the A level, but it is advisable. If you have taken the GCSE you are required to have achieved at least a grade 6. If you haven't taken the GCSE then theory equivalent to ABRSM grade 5 is highly recommended. All students must receive instrumental or vocal tuition whilst undertaking the A level course. All students are strongly advised to be at a performing standard or at least ABRSM grade 5 at the start of the course.

Course outline

Ideal for those who are passionate about and interested in music, the A-level course explores a broad range of musical repertoire. Students will make connections between all areas of their music-making, both within the course and also beyond: as performers, composers and in their appraising of music, including analysis skills, theoretical understanding, contextual knowledge and stylistic awareness. Through this they will gain a deeper understanding of how music ‘works’ enabling them to develop further their expressive capabilities as performers and composers.

Students will have many opportunities to engage and extend their musical interests, and the course will certainly help them to prepare for further musical study, for example at a conservatoire or at university. However, it may also be studied purely for interest and, to this end, serves as one of the pre- requisite academic subjects for any university degree. Students considering this option should be actively involved in making music as performing forms an important part of the A Level course.

Assessment

Learners must choose either Option A in both Performing and Composing or Option B in both.

Performing. A-level Recital (25% or 35%)

(expected standard: equivalent to ABRSM grade 6)

This is a non-exam assessment performed in the Spring of Y13 with an audio-visual recording sent off for external assessment.

• Option A (25% of qualification): a minimum of 2 contrasting pieces, at least 6 minutes. Can be solo OR ensemble (including accompanying) OR a realisation using music technology. Free choice of repertoire and style.

• Option B (35% of qualification): a minimum of 3 contrasting pieces, at least 10 minutes. Can be solo OR ensemble (including accompanying) OR a realisation using music technology. Section 1: Free Choice; Section 2: Focused Study

Composing (25% or 35%)

This is non-exam assessment via coursework that is externally assessed via audio recordings.

• Option A (35% of qualification): Combined duration of compositions at least 8 minutes.

1. One to a set brief by OCR (Y13)

2. One to a brief written by the learner

3. Three short technical exercises

• Option B (25% of qualification): Combined duration of compositions: at least 4 minutes

1. One to a set brief by OCR (Y13)

2. One to a brief written by the learner

Appraising - 40%

Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes

• Analysing and evaluating music

• Familiar and unfamiliar pieces

• Prescribed works

• Questions based on aural extracts 

Four areas of study.

The two compulsory ones:

• Area of study 1: The Instrumental Music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven Including a set work.

• Area of Study 2: Popular Song: Blues, Jazz, Swing and Big Band Including set works.

Plus 2 more areas of study from a choice of options (selected by the staff to be taken by the whole class), for example

• Programme Music 1820-1910 and

• Innovations in Music 1900 to the present day

Course requirements:

You won't have studied Music Technology at GCSE, but having Music GCSE is preferable. If not, you will be required to submit a portfolio of 3 pieces of computer based music as evidence of your current Music Technology skills. 

You need to have a keen interest in the technical aspects of the music industry. Good computer skills and experience using music sequencing software such as logic pro are recommended. Performing skills on an instrument are not necessary but an understanding of musical performance is useful to aid in the recording tasks. Basic piano keyboard skills are useful but not essential.

Course outline

The Edexcel Music Technology course is challenging and exciting; designed to give students a ‘hands-on’ insight into working in the music technology industry. Over the two years pupils will develop practical skills in recording, mixing and sequencing, as well as creating their own compositions and arrangements using technology. In addition, the course requires students to listen analytically to a range of 20th and 21st century styles and genres, understanding the vital role technology plays within the music industry. Therefore, it is a prerequisite that students should have an interest in, and willingness to learn about, many contrasting styles of music, as well as wanting to create music using technology.

SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT:

Non-examined assessment (NEA) 40% 

Component 1: Multi-track Recording Assessment Overview:

• Students will record a song from a list provided by the exam board. This recording must include a minimum of five compulsory instruments plus two additional instruments,

• This involves various recording techniques as well as the possibility of sequencing the keyboard part.

Component 2: Technology-based composition Assessment Overview:

• One technology based composition chosen from three briefs provided by the exam board.

• Techniques could include synthesis, sampling and audio manipulation.

Examinations 60%

Component 3: Listening and Analysing

Knowledge and understanding of recording and production techniques and principles, in the context of a series of unfamiliar commercial recordings supplied by the exam board.

Assessment Overview:

• Section A: Listening and analysing (40 marks) – four questions, each based on unfamiliar commercial recordings (10 marks each)

• Section B: Extended written responses (35 marks)

  • two essay questions. One comparison question (15 marks) and a second essay question (20 marks).

Component 4: Producing and Analysing

Knowledge and understanding of editing, mixing and production techniques, to be applied to unfamiliar materials provided by Pearson in the examination.

Assessment Overview:

• Students will correct and then combine the audio and MIDI materials to form a completed mix, which may include creating new tracks or parts from the materials provided.

• Section A: Producing and analysing (85 marks) – five questions related to the audio and MIDI materials provided that include both written responses and practical tasks.

• Section B: Extended written response (20 marks) – one essay focusing on a specific mixing scenario, signal path, effect or music technology hardware unit.

Course requirements:

You don't need to have taken Physical Education GCSE, but if you have done we require you to have achieved at least a grade 6. If you haven't taken PE we need you to discuss your request to take it at A level with the Director of Sport.

Course outline

The current specification focuses on Sports Science topics which make up 70% of the course. These units are full of variation and allow students to explore Physiological, Psychological and Social factors in sport. Students are expected to perform OR coach an activity to a high standard for the practical assessment which also includes an analysis of strengths and weaknesses delivered via an oral response - this makes up the final 30%. The course content is outlined below:

Topics and Assessment

Physiological factors affecting performance

• 2 hour written paper (90 marks) – 30%

  • Applied anatomy and physiology

  • Exercise physiology

  • Biomechanics

Psychological factors affecting performance

• 1 hour written paper (60 marks) – 20%

  • Skill acquisition

  • Sports psychology

Socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport

• 1 hour written paper (60 marks) – 20%

  • Sport and society

  • Contemporary issues in physical activity and sport

Performance in physical education

• Non-exam assessment (60 marks) – 30%

Many past pupils have gone on to study Sport related courses at university, including Physiotherapy, Sport and Exercise Science and Sports Therapy. However, previous A Level PE pupils have chosen to take a different route. In the past we have had students study History, Biology, Medicine, Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Some of our past students have also played sport at a high level. Jodie Williams represented Great Britain in the 200m at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, whilst Issy Boffey won the European u20 800m title in 2019. Other past pupils include Andy Symons, who played premiership rugby for Leicester Tigers, Worcester Warriors and Northampton Saints and Gabby Jupp, European gymnastic silver medallist. 

Course requirements:

You need to have taken Physics or Combined Science GCSE. You are required to have achieved a minimum of Grades 7,6 in Combined Science GCSE or grade 6 in GCSE Physics. Those students with a 7, 6 grade in Combined Science are expected to have achieved a grade 7 in the Physics components. All students also need to have achieved a Grade 6 in Maths. 

Studying Maths alongside Physics is not a requirement but it is extremely useful, and students who are not taking A level Maths need to be prepared to complete additional home learning tasks. If you are not studying A-level Maths alongside Physics then a strong Maths GCSE and complimentary A-level subjects are strongly advised. 

Course outline

Physics A-level is a suitable choice for anyone who has enjoyed Physics at GCSE and wishes to expand their

knowledge further as well as those who wish to study science or engineering at university. Physics is one of the most fundamental scientific disciplines, with its main goal being to understand how the universe behaves. Consequently, the A Level course involves a range of classical physics topics such as motion and gravity as well as modern physics including particle physics and special relativity. Physics A- level opens the door to a wide range of possible careers in areas such as medical imaging, meteorology, finance, engineering and astronomy.

Year 1 topics

Measurements and their errors

Particles and radiation (particle physics and quantum behaviour) 

Waves

Mechanics 

Materials (properties of solids)

Year 2 topics

Further mechanics (circular motion and oscillations)

Thermal physics 

Fields and their consequences (gravity, electric fields and electromagnetism) 

Nuclear physics

Turning points in physics (including special relativity, discovery of the electron, wave-particle duality)

Assessment Exam Structure

Paper 1 (34%) – 2 hours: all year 1 topics and the further mechanics from year 2. Multiple choice, short answer and long answer questions

Paper 2 (34%) – 2 hours All topics covered but with main focus on the year 2 topics excluding Turning Points in Physics. Multiple choice, short answer and long answer questions

Paper 3 (32%) – 2 hours Practical skills and data analysis (with assumed knowledge of all topics) Turning Points in Physics. Short answer and long answer questions

Extra information

Students should be aware that Physics is an academically demanding subject and a willingness to work hard is essential for success.

Those considering studying Physics or Engineering at University should note that most Physics and Engineering degrees require A-Level Maths as well as Physics. 

Course requirements:

You won't have taken Politics at GCSE, but if you have taken History we require you to have achieved at least a grade 6. If you haven't taken History, we require you to achieve at least a grade 6 in either English Language or English Literature.

Course outline

This popular A Level subject tends to attract students interested in the world around them and who want to understand the ideologies and processes that have shaped it. In essence, Politics is the study of the use and abuse of power. The course covers questions all the way from whether the UK is still truly a democracy, debates on whether human beings are fundamentally selfish all the way through to analysing whether China will soon replace the USA as the world’s main superpower. Whether your interests are in UK Politics, International Relations or Philosophy this course will have something for you. Most of all, if you enjoy debating, having an opinion and examining the news this is likely a subject you will enjoy. Politics A Level is often paired with subjects like History, Economics and Philosophy.

YEAR 12:  The course focuses on two overlapping aspects of UK Politics. One half examines on the weird and wonderful world of Westminster and examines whether our Parliament is still fit for purpose, whether Prime Ministers are becoming too powerful and whether our relatively new ‘Supreme Court’ are doing a good enough job at keeping our politicians in check. As part of this the cohort visit Parliament and get a behind the scenes look at the inner workings of our political system. The other half zooms out and looks at our relationship with politics as citizens and voters. Is our voting system fair? Why do people vote the way they do? How powerful really is the media in influencing our opinions? This is a living, breathing course that encourages students to be constantly on top of developments in the UK and abroad. The Year 12 course provides non-stop opportunities for debate, discussion and disagreement whilst also teaching students to appreciate other points of view and analyse conflicting standpoints in the process of developing their own opinions. In the Politics department we are passionate about students challenging their assumptions and having the opportunity to find out for themselves what they truly believe in.

Towards the end of Year 12 and into Year 13 we move on to examine the history of political thought and consider how the great ideologies have developed, changed and mutated over the years. Here we look at the ideologies of Socialism, Liberalism, Conservatism and Nationalism. This segment of the course provides an opportunity to think about politics in more abstract and philosophical terms away from the day to day nitty gritty of Westminster. Should the government stay out of our lives? Does Nationalism always promote violence and exclusion? Has modern day socialism abandoned its roots?

YEAR 13:  In the second year the course is focused on Global Politics. Here we ask the really big questions about the future of our planet. Can national governments come together to find common answers to common problems such as climate change? Does BREXIT spell the beginning of the end for the European Union? How real is the much-heralded ‘Rise of China’ as a new superpower? This topic allows students to look beyond our borders and consider how the process of globalisation is changing almost every aspect of our politics and our lives.

The Politics Department is committed to enabling Owenians to become true ‘political animals’ with an interest in the subject and the world around them that goes well beyond the classroom.

Assessment

The course consists of 3 components all to be completed at the end of Year 13 and it is all examination based.

Component 1: UK Politics (33.3% of examination) Political participation, democracy, political parties, role of the media, electoral systems, voting behaviour plus Core Political Ideas: Socialism, Liberalism and Conservatism.

Component 2: UK Government (33.3% of examination) Constitution, Parliament, Prime Minister and the Judiciary. Plus the study of Nationalism as an ideology.

Component 3: Global Politics (33.3% of examination) Globalisation, Global Governance, Human Rights, Environment, European Union, Power and Developments. 

Course requirements:

You do not need to have studied Psychology at GCSE. You are required to have achieved (at least) a grade 6 in Mathematics, English Language or Literature, and Biology (or 6,6 in Combined Science) to study Psychology A level.

Course outline

The mind is something intangible that exists within our brain. An unseen process of enzymes, chemicals and electric current moving within the structure of our neural networks dictates why we feel, think and behave the way we do. This, however, is not the only explanation for human behaviour and the course looks at 5 different approaches’ ideas.

Why is it that some people suffer from stress and mental illness? Why does addiction happen? What happens if we destroy certain parts of our brain? How does memory work? What happens in the brain when we hallucinate? Why is it that if people are told to push a button even if it may kill someone- they push it anyway? How is it that some cultures actually have 3 genders but we traditionally have just male and female?

Psychology looks at questions like these in the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. It is a science with cutting edge research that has real world applications to issues in everyday life, ranging from artificial intelligence to social change.

Psychologists observe and measure behaviour and their therapies are based on scientific study. Psychology has links with many disciplines including biological, computer , sports and forensic science as well as humanities such as sociology, philosophy, anthropology and literature. It involves the study of theory, empirical evidence and practical applications. This mix of disciplines helps to make psychology such a fascinating subject.

How does it compare to subjects that I know?

Psychology bridges the gap between arts and sciences as it uses scientific research as well as essay-based examination answers. Psychology is grounded in the same scientific principles as its traditional counterparts taught at GCSE however is often incorrectly regarded as a soft option at A-level due to a lack of understanding of the subject. Psychology is comparable to other sciences in terms of the demands it places on candidates and students need to be aware of this before embarking on this course. As the subject matter is actually ourselves, there is an inherent interest in the subject which may explain why it is regularly one of the most popular A levels and undergraduate degree subjects in the UK.

What will I learn?

Students will have the opportunity to dispel various myths about behaviour and gain an in-depth understanding of specific human behaviours (see below for course content).

Students will learn how psychology places emphasis on the need for evidence in the process of knowledge construction and develop research, analytical and communication skills through studying a broad range of psychological theory and research methods. As part of the latter, students develop data-handling skills,

learning how to use statistical tests in order to assess if results within their own experiments are significant or due to chance.

How is the course set up?

This course of study comprises three written units, with no coursework.

The emphasis is on applying knowledge and understanding, thereby developing students' transferable skills of analysis, evaluation and critical thinking.

It is an essay-based subject which incorporates scientific principles throughout. For this reason, it is important that students who wish to study the subject have a thorough understanding of science to enable success in this subject.

Overall, at least 10% of the marks in assessments for Psychology will require the use of mathematical skills. These skills will be applied in the context of Psychology and will be at least the standard of higher tier GCSE mathematics

The exams

You will sit 3 exams at the end of the two years. This will comprise 3 papers, each paper accounting for 33.3% of your marks for the year, lasting 2 hours each. The exams will include multiple-choice, short answer and extended writing (up to 16 mark essays).

Where will success take me?

Psychology can help your career either directly or indirectly. Of course, if you wish to become a psychologist, therapist or mental health worker, this A Level is of direct value. In terms of further study, students may go on to study a BSc at university in the subject itself or use its good reputation as a rigorous course for access to a variety of other subjects and career options e.g. medicine, dentistry, architecture, marketing, business development, accountancy, human resources, forensics, occupational therapy, clinical psychology, neuroscience, nursing and teaching among others. You will find Psychology a useful subject to have behind you.

Topics

Year 1

UNIT 1: Introductory topics in psychology

• Social psychology includes the study of social influence, conformity and obedience, what leads to resisting authorities

• Memory includes case studies of brain injury, forgetting, research into eyewitness testimony and how our memory works.

• Attachment includes the study of bonding between parents and their children, how psychologists measure this bond, what happens when a caregiver is not present anymore and how early life influences us as adults.

UNIT 2: Psychology in context

• Origins of psychology: the emergence of psychology as a science

• The 3 main schools of thought in psychology: cognitive: internal mental processes; behavioural: conditioning and social learning and biological explanations of behaviour: genes, neurochemistry, genotypes, phenotypes and evolution.

• Biopsychology: nervous and endocrine system, fight or flight response

• Psychopathology: abnormality, its definition, biological and psychological models of abnormality as well as treating abnormality includes OCD, depression and phobias.

• Research Methods: how do psychologists study behaviour using scientific method, the features of different types of study: observations, experiments, samples

• Data handling and analysis

Year 2

A level includes Unit 1 and 2 above and in addition:

• Approaches in Psychology: Psychodynamic approach to understanding behaviour, Humanistic psychology- freewill, self-actualisation, counselling psychology

• Biopsychology: what parts of the brain do which functions, split brain research, plasticity and functional recovery of brain after trauma, ways of scanning the brain, biological rhythms

• Research methods: which tests to use and when

• Unit 3: Issues and debates in psychology – gender and culture bias, freewill and determinism, nature-nurture, holism and reductionism, ethics

• And each of the following topics:

Gender, Schizophrenia, Aggression

As a department, we believe in fostering confident, independent thinkers, who can engage respectfully with others in a safe environment.  Attendance to lunchtime lectures from professionals allow students to see how Psychology is applied to the real world. Our various annual summer trips (London Zoo, Bethlem Museum of the Mind or to the Freud Museum) are always appreciated after a busy year. 

Course requirements:

You do not need to have a GCSE in Religious Studies to take the A level. If you have taken the GCSE, we expect you to have achieved a minimum of a grade 6. If you didn't take RS GCSE then we require a grade 6 in either English GCSE.

Course outline

Why Religious Studies? Why not?

If you are reading this, then you will at the very least be actively considering this subject. There may be a number of reasons why you are showing some interest:

•  You have studied GCSE Religious Studies and want to take it further [that’s great].

•  You haven’t studied GCSE Religious Studies before but wished you had because you are interested in the subject.

•  You haven’t made up your mind about your A Level choices but think that RS could be on the shortlist.

To be clear, students come to A Level Religious Studies through different pathways, but whatever way they have arrived at it, the majority definitely enjoy it and see it as a serious subject that takes them onto university. See the student video clip where one of our former A Level students confirms this.

Some common misconceptions

The focus with A Level Religious Studies is not just on religion [it focusses even more so on Philosophy and Ethics] and neither is it simply an extension of the GCSE course. A Level Religious Studies offers so much more. Most importantly, it is a subject that will provide you with the opportunity to develop key skills [see below] that are absolutely essential for success on most degree courses.

The reason why Religious Studies is highly recommended by top universities is because it is unlike any other course. Indeed, its importance as a subject for preparation for Higher Education is evidenced by the fact that both Oxford and Cambridge University include Religious Studies in their list of ‘suitable A levels’. It should also be added that whilst many A Level subjects focus on specific areas of knowledge, Philosophy in particular, is focused on developing the skills necessary to be successful. The skills nurtured and developed in Religious Studies, then, are crucial for a variety of degrees and career paths because they will develop:

•  Your thinking skills.

•  Your writing skills.

•  Your ability to communicate in debate.

•  Your ability to evaluate your own arguments and the arguments of others.

•  Your ability to think, act and pursue your own studies autonomously, often through independent work and research.

What will I study?

The course is divided equally into three areas of study.

In Philosophy you will learn different philosophical approaches [including Platonic ideas] to questions on the nature of the soul, mind and body and the relation between them. You will also analyse to what extent God’s existence can be rationally demonstrated e.g., through cosmology [the universe], teleology [order and purpose within the natural world] and ontology [ideas] etc. Is the existence of God a rational possibility and are faith and reason compatible? You will also study the problem of evil and suffering and philosophical responses to it

including eschatology, soul making and determinism etc.

Towards the end of the course, you will study some key ‘philosophical giants’ who have contributed towards debates about philosophical problems with religious language. That is, you will consider whether religious language is meaningful ‘cognitively’ [as objectively true] or ‘non-cognitively’ [as subjectively true] e.g., through the Verification and Falsification principles [David Hume, Alfred Ayer, Karl Popper and Anthony Flew] and Language Games [Ludwig Wittgenstein] etc.

In Christianity and Ethics, you will study traditional Ethical theories in the form of Natural Law, Situation Ethics, Kantian Ethics and Jeremy Bentham’s Principle of Utilitarianism, before applying them to contemporary ethical issues in medicine, sexual ethics including gender and sexuality etc. The nature and the role of conscience are also analysed, alongside the extent to which ethical language is meaningful. Finally, you will explore the links between Christianity, Philosophy and Ethics [Dialogues]. This is a 'synoptic paper’ where you will be required to evaluate from a historical perspective, how Christianity has been influenced by Philosophy and Ethics in today’s modern world. If you watch the attached video clip, you will see that for

many of our students this is a license for students to make connections from everything that they have learned on the course.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment will take the form of two separate 3-hour papers covering Philosophy, Ethics & Christianity at the end of Year 13 [May/June 2027].

Examination questions will take the form of a wide range of essay style questions, marked out of 25 which is broken down as follows: 

A01-Knowledge & Understanding [10 marks] and; 

A02-Critical skills of evaluation [15 marks].

For more information about this course, including assessment, have a look at the AQA Religious Studies specification from the link below:

AQA | Religious Studies | A Level | A-level Religious Studies

To summarise

A Level Religious Studies [Philosophy, Religion and Ethics] is open to all students with a grade 6 in RS and/or English. You do not have to have studied it for GCSE.

This A Level will teach you a spectrum of key skills including reasoning, critical analysis, the construction and deconstruction of arguments and clarity of thought. A focus on discussion will help you to ‘hold your own’ when faced with criticisms in other areas. These skills are crucial, not just at university but in many walks of life beyond. The skills nurtured and developed in Philosophy, Religion and Ethics, are crucial for a variety of degree subjects. Indeed, A Level Religious Studies is a suitable choice for most degree courses and in recent years many of our A Level students have gone on to read PPE, English, History, Law, Psychology, Politics, English and Economics etc. at Universities that include Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Nottingham and Oxford etc. In short, A Level Religious Studies is a great career path subject.

To conclude, Philosophy, Religion and Ethics will introduce you to some of the most important thinkers in Western history. Yes, there is a factual content to the subject, much of which will be new to you. However, as in other A Level subjects, you will be on a journey – an intellectual journey of discovery which you will enjoy.

Course requirements

You don't need to have taken Sociology at GCSE, but you are required to have achieved a grade 6 in a Humanities (or similar) GCSE course.

Course outline

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behaviour. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organisations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behaviour is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organised crime to religious cults; from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports. In fact, few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge.

Sociology provides many distinctive perspectives on the world, generating new ideas and critiquing the old. The field also offers a range of research techniques that can be applied to virtually any aspect of social life: street crime and delinquency, how people express emotions, welfare or education reform, how families differ and flourish, or problems of peace and war. Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it is a rapidly expanding field whose potential is increasingly tapped by those who craft policies and create programs.

Sociologists understand social inequality, patterns of behaviour, forces for social change and resistance, and how social systems work. Sociology is an exciting discipline with expanding opportunities for a wide range of career paths.

Owen’s leavers whose A-levels included Sociology have gone on to universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Leeds and Birmingham. Sociology itself is obviously studied at ‘top universities’ and the subject should naturally appeal to students interested in social issues. However, the course is also a suitable preparation for degrees as varied as English Literature, History, Law, Psychology, Medicine and Education.

Many teaching methods feature in Sociology lessons. The priority is student interest and preparation for eventual exams, so help with essay technique is specific and student-friendly.

Three examination papers are taken - there is no coursework component.

Paper 1: Education / Methods of Research 

Paper 2: Families / The Media

Paper 3: Crime / Sociological Methods and Theories

These topics are explained in a simplified outline below.

Year 1

• Education

  • The changing nature of education in modern society and why achievement varies according to social class, ethnicity and gender

• Family Life – assessing its importance and how it has changed over time

• Research Methods – how sociologists research society and its many issues

Year 2

• Sociological theories about society – from Functionalism & Marxism to Postmodernism

• The Media – its role and effects in our ‘media-saturated society’

• Crime and its causes – ranging from ‘street crime’ to ‘crimes of the powerful’

Extra Information

Lunchtime ‘taster sessions’ will be available from November. Please look for notices.

The full details of the AQA specification are readily available at https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/sociology/as-and-a-level

Should you have any queries, feel free to contact Mrs Simpson in school or by e-mail: simpsonj@damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk

Course requirements:

You are required to have achieved (at least) a grade 6 in Spanish GCSE. However, if you are a Spanish national, or part-national, and you speak Spanish very well but don't have the GCSE, your application will be considered.

Course outline

The A-level specification builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills gained at GCSE. It constitutes an integrated study with a focus on language, culture and society. It fosters a range of transferable skills including communication, critical thinking, research skills and creativity, which are valuable to the individual and society. The content is suitable for students who wish to progress to employment or to further study, including a modern languages degree.

The course focusses on how Spanish-speaking society has been shaped socially and culturally and how it continues to change. In the first year, aspects of the social context are studied, together with aspects of the artistic life of Spanish-speaking countries. In the second year further aspects of the social background are covered, this time focusing on matters associated with multiculturalism. Students also study aspects of the political landscape including the future of political life in the Hispanic world by focusing on young people and their political engagement.

Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of themes relating to the culture and society of countries where Spanish is spoken, and their language skills. They will do this by using authentic spoken and written sources in Spanish.

Students will have 5 lessons per week. In addition to standard lessons, there will also be a compulsory weekly lesson with the Spanish Assistant to provide additional opportunity for students to become more proficient in their speaking. The Department will also organise a study trip to take place in Year 13.

Course Content

• Social issues and trends

• Political and artistic culture:

  • Modern day idols

  • Spanish regional identity

  • Cultural heritage

  • Today’s youth, tomorrow’s citizens

  • Monarchies and dictatorships

  • Popular movements

• Grammar

Assessment

Paper 1: Listening Reading and Writing 2 hours 30 – 100 marks – 50% of A-Level

• Resources in Spanish taken from authentic sources

• Translation to English (100 words) – 10 marks

• Translation to Spanish (100) words – 10 marks

Paper 2: Writing

One text and one film – 80 marks – 20% - 2 hours

• Answer 2 questions – 300 words each (no word limit)

  • The film to be studied will be El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth) by Guillermo del Toro.

  • The chosen text is La Casa de Bernarda Alba by Lorca

Paper 3: Speaking

Total exam 21-23 minutes (including 5 minutes of preparation time) – 60 marks – 30%

• Individual research project – 2 minute presentation and further discussion (9-10 minutes)

– 35 marks. Cannot be based on book or film studied.

• One of four sub-themes of Hispanic society or Artistic culture – stimulus card (5-6 minutes)

– 25 marks.

Course requirements:

You don't need to have Textiles GCSE to take the A level. If you have taken Textiles at GCSE, you are required to have achieved at least a grade 6. Otherwise, a grade 6 or above in another creative subject such as Art or DT will be accepted. Students will need to demonstrate creative potential.

The Textile Design department is an exciting and fun place to study with an emphasis on creativity and independent thinking. The A Level Textile Design course offers the opportunity to develop skills in many areas such as design, making, printing, embellishment and digital applications. The department is firmly rooted in fashion design but welcomes students with an interest in other aspects of textiles such as costume or interiors. In fact, embarking on this course gives you the chance to experiment in any area of textiles that interests you.

Practical work is produced by researching and developing ideas using sketchbooks and worksheets, supported by critical evaluation and an awareness of contemporary and historical influences. Practical outcomes can take the form of 3D models and experiments through to beautifully crafted finished garments and products.

Course outline

Year 12 Textile Design will begin with a foundation course which will engage students in a wide range of textiles techniques and experiments. The foundation course enables students to develop a personal style and to discover their own area of specific interest. The personal investigation for component 1 of this A level will begin around Easter time of year 12.

A-level assessment

At A-level in component 1 you will develop work for a personal investigation into an idea, issue, concept or theme supported by written material. This will count for 60% of your total A-level marks. In component 2 you will produce personal work in response to one of eight exciting starting points which will count for 40% of your total A-level marks.

We have received consistently good feedback from AQA about our coursework. Previously, the chief moderator commented:

“The work was some of the best we have seen with some aspects of the work presenting at degree level. The approach was modern and students pushed the boundaries in a very mature way.”

Trips & Visits

Visits and workshops are arranged to galleries and museums such as the Victoria and Albert museum, The New Designers Show and the Fashion and Textiles Museum. Students are also encouraged to visit museums and galleries in their own time for research and inspiration.

Further Education

Most Textile Design students go on to study the subject at degree level at a range of Universities such as Nottingham Trent, Sheffield Hallam, the London College of Fashion, and Central St Martins

Possible Career Opportunities

Design: Womenswear, Menswear, Childrenswear, Fashion Accessories, Footwear, Interior

Designer, Sportswear, Swim-wear, Costume Designer, Pattern cutter, Machinist, Set Designer.

Construction: Bespoke Tailoring, Costume interpretation and construction, Millinery. 

Other: Creative Director, Buying, Sourcing, Merchandising, Styling, Branding, Photography,

Fashion Journalism, Imaging, Editorial work, P.R, Business Management, Retail, Trend

Forecasting.

Technical Careers: smart & technical textiles, automotive textiles, medical textiles, textiles

science. Textiles technologist, fabric technologist, garment technologist.

For further details, please see Ms Cerny in the Textiles Department.