SUBJECT GUIDE 2021/22 - Durham Sixth Form Centre

Page created by Maria Acosta
 
CONTINUE READING
SUBJECT GUIDE 2021/22 - Durham Sixth Form Centre
SUBJECT GUIDE 2021/22
SUBJECT GUIDE 2021/22 - Durham Sixth Form Centre
OUR HE ADTE ACHER
OUR HEADTEACHER WAS DESCRIBED BY OFSTED AS PROVIDING
“ASPIRATIONAL AND VISIONARY LEADERSHIP”
SUBJECT GUIDE 2021/22 - Durham Sixth Form Centre
A WARM WELCOME
Where you continue your education at post-16 is one         We have also recently received further recognition
of the most important decisions you will make. I am         for our work in a number of other areas, including
delighted that you are considering joining Durham           Investors in People: Gold, Artsmark Platinum, Science
Sixth Form Centre. Durham Sixth Form Centre is the          Mark: Gold, Investors in Careers and the Wellbeing
largest post-16 school in England. We are a diverse         Award for Schools. Further information about other
and vibrant community of over 1,500 students,               accolades is included within this subject guide.
who have enrolled with us from over sixty different
secondary schools from County Durham and                    The vast majority of our students progress to
further afield.                                             university, whilst others achieve places on highly
                                                            sought-after school leaver programmes and
With over 30 A-levels and almost 20 vocational              higher-level apprenticeships, and others enter into
qualifications, we have one of the broadest curriculum      employment. Our award-winning Careers, Progression
offers in the area. Our courses are delivered and led       and Aspirations team continues to play an instrumental
by specialist staff, who have expertise in working with     role in this success.
16-19 year olds and, as our results testify, we have an
excellent track record of academic success. In addition     Our students work hard to succeed, they adapt quickly
to our broad curriculum, we offer a wide range of extra     to their new working environment and benefit vastly
opportunities in order to develop our students’ skills      from the pace and focus, preparing them for the next
and talents.                                                steps in their education and careers.

In March 2017, Her Majesty’s Ofsted Inspectors graded       I would strongly encourage you to visit us at one of
Durham Sixth Form Centre as ‘outstanding’ for overall       our Open Evenings throughout the year, so that you
effectiveness and in all categories, following a rigorous   can discover, first-hand, why so many young people
two-day inspection.                                         choose Durham Sixth Form Centre as their first-choice
                                                            place of post-16 study.
Inspectors commented:
                                                            I look forward to welcoming you to Durham Sixth Form
‘The Headteacher and the highly skilled leadership team     Centre in the near future.
have established a culture in which students flourish
and grow. Consequently, there is a healthy appetite         Ellen Beveridge
for learning and achievement in an environment that         Headteacher
demands high expectations for academic, vocational
and personal excellence.’
NE W TREE
2020 MARKED THE PLANTING OF OUR NEW
MAGNOLIA TREE, REPLACING THE MUCH LOVED
DSFC CHERRY TREE THAT HAD STOOD FOR 80 YEARS
OUR HERITAGE                                                  TEACHING

Opened on the 3rd September 1913, “the school on the          At Durham Sixth Form Centre, our specialist teachers
sands” was initially built to accommodate 248 girls. The      are here to support you and guide you. As they
building, now Durham Sixth Form Centre, was officially        understand how much your results matter, they will go
opened on 21st January 1914 by Dr Hensley Henson,             to extraordinary lengths to help you to achieve them.
the Dean, and, later, Bishop of Durham. The school was        We do not want anything to come between you and
designed by W. Rushworth and was built in the                 your ambitions.
Neo-Georgian style costing £16,250.
                                                              Our teaching staff are highly dedicated and experienced
It was originally suggested that the school should be         sixth form teachers who are supported by a team of
called the Johnston School for Girls as a tribute to the      specialist support staff. They have high standards and
illustrious benefactor of the original school, James Finlay   expectations and will push you to achieve success. Our
Weir Johnston. However, it was also felt that the part        staff is hardworking with a strong academic focus and
played by Durham County Council in establishing both          an adult approach to student learning.
schools should be reflected, so the name Durham Girls’
                                                              You will be responsible for taking your own notes
County School was granted. In 1969, the school became
                                                              and finding things out for yourself. To prepare you
co-educational and, in 1984, predominantly a sixth form
                                                              for university and future employment, we are keen to
provider. In 2013, the school became a 16-19 school,
                                                              develop your independent learning skills. In post-16
one of very few like it in the country.
                                                              education, it is important that you take responsibility for
                                                              your own learning and use your study sessions wisely.

“We’re both forward-thinking and                              “We offer independent learning with
respectful of our historic legacy.”                           outstanding staff and support.”
THE TE AM
AT DURHAM SIXTH FORM CENTRE WE HAVE A DEDICATED
TEAM OF OVER 100 SPECIALIST POST-16 STAFF
EXCELLENCE
At Durham Sixth Form Centre, we are proud of the recognition that we have received for our work.

OFSTED                                                    WELLBEING AWARD FOR SCHOOLS
In March 2017, we were visited by Her Majesty’s           Developed in partnership with the National Children’s
Inspectors and judged to be ‘outstanding’ in all areas    Bureau (NCB), this whole-school award focuses on
including for overall effectiveness.                      ensuring effective practice and provision is in place
                                                          that promotes the emotional wellbeing and mental
INVESTORS IN PEOPLE: GOLD                                 health of both staff and pupils. It demonstrates our
Investors in People is a national award recognising       commitment to promoting mental health as part of
excellence in leadership and management. Gold             school life.
accreditation is only awarded to the top 2% of
organisations assessed.                                   SOCIAL SCHOOL AWARD
                                                          The Social School Award is uniquely certified CPD to
INVESTORS IN CAREERS                                      reward schools in recognition for the way social media
The Quality in Careers Standard is designed as a          is used to connect, promote and engage with parents
development and external assessment framework for         and others.
accrediting the highest quality CEIAG provision by
education providers.                                      TES AWARD FINALISTS
                                                          We have been shortlisted for three consecutive years in
SCIENCE MARK: GOLD                                        the category of ‘Sixth Form College of the year’ at the
Science Mark is a quality standard designed to            Tes Awards.
recognise and celebrate inspiring practice in
science departments across the UK. Schools receive        CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL
the Science Mark when they can show that they             DEVELOPMENT(CPD)
are delivering inspiring lessons for students and         CPD Mark is a national quality mark designed to
demonstrate their department’s commitment to high-        improve CPD standards within the teaching profession.
quality science education.
                                                          GOVERNOR MARK
ARTSMARK: PLATINUM                                        Governor Mark is a national award, which provides
Awarded by Arts Council England, Artsmark provides        external evaluation of the quality of governance in
a clear framework for schools to plan, develop and        a school.
evaluate their arts and cultural provision. Artsmark:
Platinum is the highest accolade, demonstrating our
ongoing commitment to the arts and creativity.

                                 Finalists
WHY CHOOSE US?
There are many reasons why you should choose to            In addition to our broad curriculum, we offer a
study with us at Durham Sixth Form Centre.                 plethora of exciting extra-curricular opportunities in
                                                           order to develop your skills and talents:
We are a large, vibrant and inclusive sixth form centre,
offering a broad curriculum which demonstrates
continued academic success. In addition, we offer the      - Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
most extensive range of A-levels in the area, as well as   - Aspire Programme
BTECs, the new T-Level and other Level 3 qualifications.   - Arts Award
                                                           - The Henry Smith Award
AT DURHAM SIXTH FORM CENTRE WE:                            - Sports Leadership opportunities
                                                           - Charities Committee
- Are ‘outstanding’ (Ofsted, 2017)                         - Student Leadership Group
- Get first-class results                                  - Durham University Subject Mentors Project
- Offer a friendly and welcoming atmosphere                - Police and Communities Together Group (PACT)
- Have passionate and supportive teaching staff            - Local, national and international visits and trips
- Are right in the heart of Durham city centre             - Bar National Mock Trial Competition
- Offer Russell Group university links and mentors         - A wide range of clubs and societies, such as Debating
- Give award-winning careers advice                         Society, Film Club, and Chess Club
- Have an on-site leisure centre and swimming pool          and much more…
- Offer international visits
- Have no uniform
 and much more...
IN THE HE ART OF IT
WE ARE SITUATED IN THE CENTRE OF DURHAM CITY, A SHORT
WALK FROM THE BUS AND TRAIN STATIONS
DIGITAL
MEDIA CENTRE
482 LENGTHS OF STEEL WERE USED IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF OUR NEW DIGITAL MEDIA CENTRE
WE’VE GOT IT
There is a range of facilities to support your studies at
Durham Sixth Form Centre. These include:

DIGITAL MEDIA CENTRE                                        FREEMAN’S QUAY LEISURE CENTRE
Opened in September 2019, our Digital Media Centre          The Freeman’s Quay complex boasts a state-of-the-art
houses the most up-to-date and industry-standard            swimming pool, fitness suite, dance studio and a large
technical equipment. The Digital Media Centre               sports hall, all of which you will be able to access as a
provides teaching spaces for all media and IT-related       student at Durham Sixth Form Centre, either as part of
courses alongside a range of other subjects. It also        your studies or in your personal leisure time.
houses a café and conference facility.
                                                            SCIENCE AND HEALTH CENTRE
RESOURCE CENTRE                                             The science labs occupy a dedicated three-storey
A great place for independent study and revision, the       building of their own, where the full range of science
Resource Centre houses banks of computers from              subjects is taught. Our Health & Social Care courses
where you can access the internet, your emails or our       are also taught in this area.
Google Apps for Education platforms. The Resource
Centre is a silent working area to allow students to        VISUAL ARTS CENTRE
concentrate and focus.                                      The award-winning Visual Arts Centre was opened in
                                                            February 2006. With its high, airy spaces and excellent
LEARNING HUB                                                natural light, it provides superb opportunities for
Our Learning Hubs are smaller work spaces for               students to pursue their artistic interests and further
students to access for independent learning and             develop their skills in a range of art mediums.
homework completion. Our Pastoral Support Managers
are also based in the respective Learning Hubs.             THEATRE
                                                            Our 220-seat theatre is one of the largest in Durham
DSFCAFÉ                                                     City. It provides excellent facilities for drama and
We have a large refectory area where you will find our      music, as well as for lectures and presentations, aided
main DSFC Café. This is a social space, where you can       by large screens and multimedia equipment.
gather to make new friends, meet old ones, have lunch,
chat or chill.
SUPPORTING YOU

OUTSTANDING PASTORAL SUPPORT                                 HOW IS DURHAM SIXTH FORM CENTRE
As a student at Durham Sixth Form Centre, you will be        DIFFERENT TO A SCHOOL SIXTH FORM?
assigned a dedicated Pastoral Support Manager who is         - We work exclusively with 16-19 year olds and so
responsible for your personal and academic wellbeing.          there are no younger or older students on site.

TAILORED ACADEMIC SUPPORT                                    - We offer an adult approach to learning in an
We offer a range of specialist support to help you             inclusive and focused environment.
achieve the highest academic standards. This includes:
morning mentoring sessions, subject support sessions,        - We have specialist and dedicated sixth form
one-to-one mentoring sessions with our Academic                teachers, as well as expert support staff,
Mentors, holiday intervention sessions, Durham                 focused on post-16 learning.
University Mentoring sessions and much more.
                                                             - We offer a greater choice of courses, in a range of
ADDITIONAL STUDENT SUPPORT                                     subject combinations, to suit your ambitions and
If you require additional learning support during your         abilities.
time at Durham Sixth Form Centre, our dedicated
Student Support Team will work closely with you to           - We do not have a school uniform.
support you to achieve your goals.
                                                             - We provide a stepping stone from school to
FINANCIAL SUPPORT                                              higher education and university, higher-level
Additional financial support, in the form of bursaries, is     apprenticeships or the world of employment.
available to students who meet the necessary criteria.
More information can be found on our website.
IT ’S ALL ABOUT YOU
OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE FIRST-CLASS CAREERS GUIDANCE FROM OUR
AWARD-WINNING CAREERS, PROGRESSION AND ASPIRATIONS TEAM
A YE AR AT DSFC...
      SEPTEMBER
      FIRST DAY BACK
      We welcome record
      numbers of students joining        CAREERS WORKSHOPS
      us in Year 12 from over sixty      Students participate in
      different schools.                 a careers workshop with
                                         international professional
                                         services companies EY
                                         and PwC.

      SOUTHWELL DIGITAL
      MEDIA CENTRE
      The brand new Southwell
      Digital Media Centre opens
      for students.
                                         AUSCHWITZ TRIP
                                         A group of history students
                                         visits Auschwitz as part of
                                         their studies.

      FRESHERS FAIR
      Freshers Fair showcases the
      many extra-curricular activities
      available to students.
                                         MUSIC MARK
                                         Our Music department
                                         becomes a Music Mark
                                         school member.

      GIRLS FOOTBALL
      Our Girls Football Academy
      beat Manchester City 4-0
      at the Etihad Stadium in
      the National Youth Football
      League (Women).                    FOYLES YOUNG POETS
                                         One of our students is
                                         amongst the top winners in
                                         the Foyles Young Poets of the
                                         Year 2019.

      THE INVESTORS IN PEOPLE
      AWARDS 2019
      Durham Sixth Form Centre is
      shortlisted as a finalist in the   O C TO B E R
      Gold category in The Investors
                                         “CREATE YOUR OWN FUTURE”
      in People Awards 2019.
                                         Our Foundation Art Diploma
                                         students visit London and
                                         the “Create your own future”
                                         event at ExCel.
OCTOBER OPEN EVENING
Our October Open Evening
sees a record number of Year
                                 SALVATION ARMY
11 students visit us.
                                 TOY APPEAL
                                 Our staff and students
                                 donate lots of Christmas
                                 presents under the Angel
                                 Tree for the Salvation
                                 Army’s Toy Appeal.

THE BIG DRAW
Our Visual Arts Department       DECEMBER
hosts the Big Draw event in
                                 CELEBRATORY LUNCH
our Visual Arts Centre.
                                 Our Year 12 students
                                 with outstanding attitude
                                 to learning scores
                                 attend a celebratory
                                 lunch to recognise their
                                 achievements.

HENRY SMITH AWARD
Exceptional Accounting
students win the Henry
Smith Award.
                                 CHRISTMAS JUMPER DAY
                                 Staff and students raise
                                 money for Save the
                                 Children UK with our annual
                                 Christmas Jumper Day.

N OV E M B E R
LUMIERE
Our Arts students work with
professional artists to create
an installation for Lumiere.     NORTHERN PRINT
                                 Arts students spend the day
                                 at Northern Print to use their
                                 printmaking equipment for
                                 their coursework.

ROYAL NATIONAL                   DSFC ELECTION
SINFONIA LIVE                    Our Politics students participated
Music students take part in a    in our hustings event in the
Royal National Sinfonia Live     Theatre in the run-up to the
session at the Sage              General Election.
in Gateshead.
JA N UA R Y
            TES SHORTLISTED
  DSFC is shortlisted for Sixth                                                                             STUDENT
 Form College of the Year for                                                                    LEADERSHIP GROUP
   the third consecutive year
           at the TES awards.
                                                                              Finalists    Our newly formed Student
                                                                                          Leadership Group meets for
                                                                                                        the first time.

                      INTERIM
          Our Year 13 students
       showcase their artwork
                                  INTERIM
                                          Date Friday 31st January 2020

      in the Visual Arts Centre           Time 4:30 - 6:30pm

                                      Location Visual Arts Centre

     in the Interim exhibition.
                                               Durham Sixth Form Centre
                                               Providence Row
                                               The Sands
                                               Durham City
                                               DH1 1SG

                                                                                               ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
                                   Description Showcasing work from Year 13 A-level
                                               students in Art, Craft & Design, Fine
                                               Art, Graphics, Photography and

                                                                                             Artist-in-residence Lizzie
                                               Fashion & Textiles.

                                                                                            Lovejoy has been working
                                                                                            with Arts Award students.

    PERFORMING ARTS VISIT
         PRIMARY SCHOOLS
    Performing Arts students
       are in action at a local
              primary school.
                                                                                           VISIT FROM THE COUNCIL
                                                                                          Geography students attend
                                                                                          a talk from Durham County
                                                                                             Council on their new HQ
                                                                                                       development.

       HEALTHY EATING FOR
           SPORT STUDENTS
    Sports students find out
   more about healthy eating
      as part of their studies.
                                                                                                VISITING PROFESSOR
                                                                                                  Classical Civilisation
                                                                                               students are taught by
                                                                                                 a Durham University
                                                                                                             professor.

            F E B R UA R Y
         CHAOS COLLECTIVE                                                                                                  A Night
    Foundation Art students
showcase their talents in their                                                               A NIGHT TO REMEMBER          to Remember
  Chaos Collective exhibition.                                                                Year 12 Performing Arts          A Variety Show
                                                                                          students present an evening
                                                                                          with musical theatre, dance,
                                                                                                     magic and stand
                                                                                                          up comedy.

                                                                                                                                Wednesday 18th & Thursday 19th March 2020
                                                                                                                                Showtime: 6.30pm
                                                                                                                                Venue: DSFC Theatre
                                                                                                                                Tickets £6
                                                                                                                                Available through Eventbrite
                                                                                                                                & durhamsixthformcentre.org.uk
OPERATING THEATRE LIVE                              JUNE
   Our science students get
                                            NSEAD NATIONAL
hands-on experience during
                                                CONFERENCE
    Operating Theatre Live.
                                     Arts students participate
                                             in online NSEAD
                                         national conference.

            NETPARK VISIT                            APRIL
  Applied Science students
             visit NETPark.                  ONLINE FILM &
                                                 TV FESTIVAL
                                      TV and Film Production
                                      students host an online
                                                 film festival.

                     SKI TRIP           CROWN COURT VISIT
  Annual ski trip to Norway.    Forensic science students visit
                                    Newcastle Crown Courts.

               MARCH                               EUROPEAN
        LAW COMPETITION                  YOUTH PARLIAMENT
   Law students use our TV         Politics students take part
      studio to record their            in the NE finals of the
         competition entry.       European Youth Parliament
                                       debating competition.

                  NATIONAL
      TOURING EXHIBITION
  Arts students exhibit their
           work in a national
          touring exhibition.
                                 GOLF LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!
                                 Our Golf Academy students
                                  become league champions
                                          with a place in the
                                              national finals.
TIME TO DECIDE...
WITH SO MANY COURSES ON OFFER, WHAT WILL
YOU CHOOSE?
SO MUCH CHOICE...
With almost fifty courses on offer here at Durham Sixth Form Centre,
you will be spoiled for choice. From A-levels to BTECs and Level 3
Courses, we offer the widest range in County Durham to give you
the freedom to study the subjects you are passionate about.
Decisions, decisions...

20   Accounting                                     36   IT (BTEC)
20   Applied Law (BTEC)                             37   Law
21   Art, Craft & Design                            40   Mathematical Studies (Level 3)
22   Biology                                        40   Mathematics
23   Business                                       41   Further Mathematics
23   Business (CTEC)                                42   Media Studies
24   Chemistry                                      43   Music
24   Classical Civilisation                         43   Performing Arts (BTEC)
25   Computer Science                               44   Philosophy
26   Criminology (Level 3)                          45   Photography
27   Drama & Theatre                                45   Physical Education
27   Economics                                      46   Physics
28   English Language                               47   Physiology (BTEC)
29   English Literature                             47   Politics
29   Fashion & Textiles                             48   Psychology
30   Film Studies                                   48   Psychology (BTEC)
31   Financial Studies (Level 3)                    49   Religious Studies
31   Fine Art                                       50   Sociology
32   Forensic Investigation (BTEC)                  51   Sport (BTEC)
32   French                                         51   Sport: Boys Football Academy
33   Games Development (BTEC)                       52   Sport: Girls Football Academy
34   Geography                                      53   Sport: Golf Academy
35   Graphic Design                                 53   TV Studio & Film (BTEC)
35   Health & Social Care (BTEC)                    54   T-LEVELS
36   History                                        55   Digital Production, Design and Development (T-LEVEL)
                                                    55   Health (T-LEVEL)
A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS                                   BTEC / EDEXCEL / 2 YEARS
 ACCO UNT I NG                                             APPLIED L AW
 This course aims to develop an understanding of           Law affects our everyday lives in more ways than
 the purposes of accounting and develop the skills of      many of us are aware. The BTEC Applied Law course
 presentation, analysis and interpretation of accounting   is ideal for students who prefer to be assessed by a
 information from small sole traders and partnerships      combination of both coursework and
 to large limited companies.                               controlled assessment.
 WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                        WHAT WILL I LEARN?
 Topics covered include: the double entry model;           This course looks at the way the law works, how law is
 verification of accounting records; accounting            made and the people involved in the law. Over the two
 concepts used in the preparation of account records;      years, students will study several aspects of criminal
 preparation of financial statements of sole traders;      law and explore challenging topics, including homicide,
 limited company accounts; analysis and evaluation         tort law and property offences, as well as the English
 of financial information; budgeting and marginal          legal system and legal professions.
 costs; standard costing and variance analysis;            HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
 capital investment appraisal; accounting for limited      In Year 12, students will study law making and the
 companies; interpretation, analysis and communication     justice system (internally assessed) alongside dispute
 of accounting information.                                solving in civil law (externally assessed). In Year 13,
 HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                   students will apply criminal law in their externally
 This A-level is a linear course with 100% of assessment   assessed unit, focusing on unlawful homicide, property
 by examinations at the end of Year 13. There are two      offences, police powers and defences, and will be
 examinations each worth 50%, consisting of a mixture      internally assessed on tort law. Overall external
 of multiple choice, short answer and extended             assessment will account for approximately 60% and
 answer questions.                                         internal assessment 40%.
 WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?                                 WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
 Accountancy, book-keeping, auditing, financial control,   Law, human resources, business, estate agency,
 business management, credit control, company              management, public services, teaching.
 secretary, bursar.

20
A-LEVEL / EDUQAS / 2 YEARS
ART,CR AFT & DESIGN
This course enables students to have a creative
learning experience, where Art, Craft and Design
practice is meaningfully integrated with theoretical
knowledge and understanding.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?
Areas covered include: clay and wire work; sculpture;
printmaking; drawing; painting and mixed media. This
broad-based course offers flexibility in content and
approach through a range of 2D and 3D processes.
Students spend time working with visiting professional
artists as part of their course and have the opportunity
to take part in educational trips in this country and
abroad.
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
The course is assessed internally at the end of Year
13 with a personal investigation, worth 60% of the
qualification, and an externally set assignment, worth
40% of the qualification, both of which are externally
moderated.
WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
Art foundation course or direct entry to higher
education, practising artist, gallery/museum
curating, teaching, community arts, art therapist, arts
administrator, architecture and arts education work.

                                                          21
A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS
     BIOLOGY
     This course is designed for students who wish to
     pursue traditional biological courses such as medicine,
     physiotherapy, veterinary science, pharmacy, biological
     science and biochemistry.
     WHAT WILL I LEARN?
     Students will learn about: fundamental biological
     concepts such as heart and lung physiology; how
     organisms exchange with their environment; how
     plants and animals interact in ecosystems; the
     biochemistry of key processes such as respiration and
     photosynthesis; how biological molecules are formed
     and how they produce macromolecules; and cutting
     edge concepts including genetic engineering
     and biotechnology.
     HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
     This is a linear course with three examinations at
     the end of Year 13. A practical endorsement is also
     undertaken to show proficiency of skill, though this
     does not contribute to the final A-level grade. Regular
     internal assessments are undertaken as well as a more
     formal end-of-year internal examination.
     WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
     Medicine, dentistry, veterinary sciences, NHS careers
     such as healthcare science and physiotherapy, zoology,
     environmental science, sports science.

22
A-LEVEL / EDUQAS / 2 YEARS                                    CTEC / OCR / 2 YEARS
B U S INESS                                                   BUSINESS
This course enables students to focus on the dynamic          This course provides a fantastic opportunity for
nature of the contemporary business world, as well            students to discover how the world of business
as providing opportunities for research into topical          impacts upon their lives on a daily basis and aims to
business issues and the development and application of        provide students with the knowledge, understanding
a full range of academic skills.                              and skills of the world of business.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                            WHAT WILL I LEARN?
Three components are studied over the course.                 The CTEC in Business requires the completion of three
Component 1: Business Opportunities and Functions             mandatory units: The Business Environment, Working
(topics include: marketing, enterprise, business structure,   in Business and Customers and Communication.
HR, operations, finance); Component 2: Business               As well as this, a further two additional units must
Analysis and Strategy (topics include: market analysis,       be studied from: Marketing and Market Research,
sales forecasting, financial performance, strategy and        Introduction to Human Resources, Accounting
implementation, decision-making models, investment            Concepts, Principles of Project Management,
appraisal) and Component 3: Business in a Changing            Responsible Business Practices, International Business,
World (topics include: change, risk management,               Business Events and Being Entrepreneurial - Evaluating
PESTLEE, globalisation, international trade).                 Viable Opportunities.
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                       HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
This is a linear course with three examinations at the        The course is assessed by a combination of portfolio
end of Year 13 each lasting 2h 15m. Paper 1 covers            work and examination. The two units assessed through
Component 1, whilst Paper 2 covers Component 2 and            examination are: The Business Environment (2 hrs) and
Paper 3 covers Component 3. All papers are equally            Working in Business (1hr 30), both of which require
weighted (33.3%).                                             competent mathematical skills. All other units are
WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?                                     assessed via portfolio.
Business management, human resource management,               WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
finance and accounting, corporate law, environmental          Business management, human resource management,
law, marketing, operations, logistics, ICT.                   finance and accounting, corporate law, environmental
                                                              law, marketing, operations, logistics, ICT.

                                                                                                                      23
A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS                                    A-LEVEL / OCR / 2 YEARS
 CHEMISTRY                                                  CL ASSICAL
                                                            CIVILISATION
 The course aims to develop an awareness of the             Classical Civilisation focuses on the civilisations of
 link between theory and experiment as well as the          Greece and Rome, and is a wide ranging subject
 responsible use of scientific knowledge and evidence.      involving the study of literature, material culture,
 WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                         ancient thought and ideas, and the ancient historical,
 Students will study the three branches of Chemistry:       social and political context.
 Organic, Inorganic and Physical. Lessons are a mixture     WHAT WILL I LEARN?
 of theory and practical work, with a strong emphasis       Students explore how Europe was created in the
 on explaining the outcome of practical work using the      Roman Empire, study epic mythology by Homer
 theory learned. Progress is monitored throughout the       and Virgil, and Ovid’s saucy poetry, and analyse the
 course using cumulative progress assessments and           ideologies and propaganda of imperialism and love.
 mock examinations.                                         The course includes political history in Augustus’
 HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                    Roman Empire; social history in attitudes to love, sex,
 This A-level is a linear course with 100% of               desire and the status of women; historical sources like
 assessment by examination at the end of Year 13.           statues, buildings, temples and coins; and philosophers
 Paper 1 covers Inorganic and Physical Chemistry,           Plato and Seneca.
 whilst Paper 2 covers Organic and Physical Chemistry,      HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
 with both worth 35% each. The final Paper 3 covers         The course is assessed by three written examinations
 the practical, data handling and synopsis and is worth     at the end of Year 13; 40% on Epic (Homer and Virgil),
 30% of the final grade. A practical endorsement is         30% on the Roman Empire and Augustus and 30% on
 also undertaken to show proficiency of skill, which will   Social History and Philosophy (Love and Relationships),
 be awarded Pass or Fail.                                   with a range of questions and question styles to suit
 WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?                                  all learners.
 Medicine, dentistry, chemistry, veterinary science,        WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
 pharmacology, forensic science, biochemistry,              Law, teaching, lecturing, business, archaeology,
 chemical engineering.                                      museums, tourism.

24
A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS
COMPUTER
S C IENCE
This course covers both the current technologies      HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
and perceived advances in both hardware and           The course is assessed through a mixture of examination
software to enable candidates to meet the demands     and coursework at the end of Year 13. Paper 1 (40%)
of a highly skilled business and industrial sector,   is an on-screen exam testing the students’ ability to
with an emphasis on computational thinking.           program and their theoretical knowledge, whilst Paper 2
WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                    (40%) is a written exam with short and extended-answer
Computer Science gives students a solid foundation    questions on subject content. The final 20% is from
in the underlying principles of computing. Topics     project-based coursework.
studied over the two years include: fundamentals      WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
of programming, data structures, algorithms,          Computer science, software design/development,
data representation, computer systems, computer       games/app development, business, social media.
organisation and architecture, communication and
networking, functional programming, theory of
computation, consequences of the use of computing,
Big Data, systematic approach to problem solving.

                                                                                                            25
LEVEL 3 / EDUQAS / 2 YEARS
 C R IM IN O LO GY
 This course will give an understanding of the culture of
 crime and the workings of the criminal justice system,
 including the police, courts, prosecution services,
 prisons and rehabilitation services.
 WHAT WILL I LEARN?
 This exciting interdisciplinary subject draws on Law,
 Psychology and Sociology to examine how crime
 is defined, why people commit crimes, and how
 society responds. The course content includes four
 units: changing awareness of crime; criminological
 theories; crime scene to courtroom and crime and
 punishment. It will give students the ability to solve
 problems, providing skills of project-based research,
 development and presentation. Outside speakers
 visit the sixth form including police officers, prison
 governors and probation officers.
 HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
 This course is assessed by a combination of
 examination and controlled assessment over the
 two-year course.
 WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
 Policing, law, social work, probation work, youth work,
 crime scene investigation.

26
A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS                                    A-LEVEL / EDEXCEL / 2 YEARS
D R AM A & T HEATRE                                        ECONOMICS
This course gives students the opportunity to study        This course aims to develop an understanding of the
and research a variety of published plays exploring        workings of the UK economy by investigating how
them from the angles of a performer, director and          firms operate in different markets and the impact of
designer. Students will create, rehearse and perform       economic activity on the environment and society as
group and individual works, both devised and scripted.     a whole.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                         WHAT WILL I LEARN?
Students will explore texts and practitioners from a       Students are introduced to Economics through building
practical angle and discover how to turn the words of      knowledge of core microeconomic and macroeconomic
a playwright into a performance for an audience by         concepts and by investigating economic theory
studying text, ways of performing, acting, directing and   through real-world businesses and the environments
design for the stage. They will complete a variety of      in which they operate. Students will learn to apply
practical and written elements which will prepare them     their knowledge and understanding to both familiar
fully for the final performance and written examination.   and unfamiliar contexts as well as demonstrate an
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                    awareness of current economic events and policies.
The course is assessed through a combination of            HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
written examination at the end of Year 13 (40%), which     This is a linear course, assessed by three examinations,
focuses on their study of two set texts and a live         all at the end of Year 13. Paper 1 examines markets
performance, as well as two practical performances.        and how they work (35%), Paper 2 assesses competing
Students are assessed on creating an original drama        in the global economy (35%) and Paper 3 looks at the
with a devised performance (30%) and making                economic environment and business (30%).
theatre using a scripted performance (30%) with            WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
accompanying portfolios of evidence.                       Business management, accounting, financial services,
WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?                                  law, marketing, operations, local/national government.
Acting, drama therapy, drama/film production, theatre
design, directing, stage management, special effects,
theatre administration, events and arts management,
teaching.

                                                                                                                  27
A-LEVEL / EDUQAS / 2 YEARS
 E N GLIS H L A NGUAGE
 This course will allow students to develop a wide range       HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
 of language skills at a high level through the study of       This is a linear course with a combination of
 both written and spoken English, applying a variety of        coursework and examination at the end of Year 13.
 transferable skills, such as creative writing, analysis and   There are three examinations: language concepts and
 essay writing.                                                issues (30%); language change over time (30%) and
 WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                            creative and critical use of language (20%). Students
 Students will explore topics such as the language used        will also submit a piece of coursework on language
 in C21st technology; the language used to exert power;        and identity for the remaining 20%.
 the language used by different genders to represent           WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
 their identity; the use of spoken language for example        Journalism, teaching, media, law, publishing,
 in chat shows, talent shows and on the radio; changes         broadcasting, business, marketing.
 in language over time; regional and social differences
 in language and the way children acquire language.

28
A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS                                        A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS
ENGLISH LITERATURE                                             FASHION & TEX TILE S
This course allows students to examine a variety of            This broad-based course encourages students to
written works in great detail and learn about the culture      work as innovative and professional designers/
in which the author lived, the history and the various         practitioners, anticipating possible emerging trends
intellectual, political, and artistic movements of the time,   within the creative field, predominantly fashion
which shaped the author’s work.                                and interiors.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                             WHAT WILL I LEARN?
A wide range of exciting texts and genres will be explored     Areas covered include digital print, hand and
including: work from the comedy genre; one play by             machine embroidery, fashion garment sampling,
Shakespeare (Twelfth Night); at least one further pre-1900     repeated pattern, composition, colour palette,
text (a play by Oscar Wilde and Emma by Jane Austen);          silhouette, photo shoots, 3D textiles, innovative
texts from the political/social protest genre; at least one    surfaces. Students have flexibility in their approach
post-2000 text (The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini);           to the subject and are exposed to a creative learning
at least one poetry anthology (Songs of Innocence and          experience which develops and refines both practical
Experience by William Blake) and one further in this genre     and critical thinking skills, with emphasis on
(The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood). There will           real-world experience and employability.
also be an exploration of critical perspectives applied to a   HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
text, such as Marxism and feminism.                            Assessment is at the end of the two-year course.
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                        Component 1 (60%) allows students to develop work
This is a linear course with a combination of coursework       based on a concept leading to a finished outcome
and examination at the end of Year 13. There are two           and includes written work of 1000-3000 words to
examinations, worth 40% each, which assess the comedy          support this. Component 2 (40%) is an externally set
genre, and political and social protest writing. There         task by AQA within specific time constraints.
is also coursework worth 20%, which relates to critical        WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
reading from an anthology.                                     Art foundation course or direct entry to higher
WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?                                      education, fashion design, textile design, clothing/
Teaching, media, law, theatre management,                      textile technology, interior and spatial design,
publishing, journalism.                                        and teaching.

                                                                                                                      29
A-LEVEL / EDUQAS / 2 YEARS
     FILM STUDIES
     This academic course is for serious film watchers
     who want to explore and learn about a wide range of
     contemporary and historical English language films as
     well as foreign language cinema.
     WHAT WILL I LEARN?
     Students will consider both mainstream Hollywood
     and independent cinema, discovering how film
     represents the world at large and also learning the
     essential fundamentals of film language: character,
     narrative, cinematography, sound and mise en scène.
     Students will also take a critical look at the history of
     the cinema industry and how recent technological
     developments have affected the way that film is
     marketed and distributed.
     HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
     This is a linear course with a combination of
     coursework and examination at the end of Year 13.
     There are two examinations, worth 35% each, which
     assess film history, and critical approaches to film.
     There is also a coursework project worth 30%, in the
     form of either a short film or a screenplay for a
     short film.
     WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
     Film/TV/video production, programme research,
     broadcasting, public relations, multimedia and
     social media.

30
LEVEL 3 / LIBF / 2 YEARS                                    A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS
F IN A NCI A L ST U DIES                                    FINE ART
This Level 3 course enables students not only to learn      This course allows students to specialise in any area
about how to manage their money effectively, but also       of Fine Art including drawing, painting, printing,
learn about financial products such as credit cards,        sculpture, digital photography, film, performance,
loans, mortgages and pensions to prepare them for           sound, and art history. The subject demands critical
financial independence.                                     thinking, resourcefulness, independent research and
WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                          historical and contemporary contextualisation of an
Students will learn how to apply financial decisions to     individual’s interests.
different circumstances, appreciating the features of       WHAT WILL I LEARN?
risks and reward in managing personal finances, as well     Students are required to work in one or more of
as developing an understanding of the wider financial       the following areas: drawing and painting, mixed-
services industry and exploring key developments            media including collage and assemblage, sculpture,
affecting consumers in recent years. This can be            ceramics, installation, printmaking, moving image and
studied as a one-year course (Certificate in Financial      photography. They will be introduced to a variety of
Studies CeFS) or two-year course (Diploma in Financial      experiences through a wide range of media, processes
Studies DiFS).                                              and techniques and will be offered opportunities to
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                     attend gallery visits and residential art trips.
Each of the four units is assessed by a mixture of          HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
multiple choice questions, a pre-release case study         Assessment is at the end of the two-year course.
requiring essay responses to five questions and             Component 1 (60%) allows students to develop work
spelling, punctuation and grammar. These assessments        based on a concept leading to a finished outcome and
will be spread across Years 12 and 13 for the Diploma       includes written work of 1000-3000 words to support
in Financial Studies and Year 12 only for the Certificate   this. Component 2 (40%) is an externally set task by
in Financial Studies.                                       AQA within specific time constraints.
WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?                                   WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
Accounting, business, investment banking,                   Art foundation course or direct entry to higher
management, finance.                                        education, practising artist, gallery/museum
                                                            curating, teaching, community arts, art therapist, arts
                                                            administrator, architecture and arts education work.

                                                                                                                      31
BTEC / EDEXCEL / 2 YEARS                                    A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS
 FO R EN SI C                                                FRENCH
 I N VES TI GAT I O N
 This course is a more vocational work-related               The aim of this course is to improve students’ linguistic
 qualification which follows on from GCSE science and        competence, as well as helping them to learn more
 aims to give students the knowledge, understanding          about the country and its culture.
 and skills needed to prepare for employment.                WHAT WILL I LEARN?
 WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                          Students will develop the four key skills of listening,
 This course focuses on the application of science,          reading, speaking and writing across a wide range
 practical techniques, report writing and forensic           of interesting topics. Students will consider how
 science, and is equivalent to 1.5 A-levels. A strong        French-speaking society has been shaped socially and
 foundation is laid in all aspects of science in Year 12     culturally in areas including music, technology, arts and
 and then there is a focus on the practical application      politics. They will also study a book and a film in order
 of knowledge and forensic science in Year 13. The           to appreciate, analyse and respond critically in French
 department has strong links with the NHS and the            to the works.
 science departments at local universities, making use       HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
 of their facilities and expertise where relevant. As well   This is a linear course with assessment at the end of
 as classroom and laboratory sessions, students will         Year 13 in the form of examinations to assess: listening,
 visit local universities and attend lectures delivered by   reading and writing, including translation from and
 professionals working within the science sector, with a     into French (50%); written fluency and accuracy which
 view to gaining practical knowledge and the ability to      entails writing two essays to critique a French film and
 analyse data.                                               a novel (20%); as well as an examination to assess oral
 HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                     fluency (30%).
 This course is assessed via an external examination         WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
 which encompasses all three academic sciences, a            Interpreting, translation work, teaching, travel industry,
 practical examination and four portfolio-based units.       business and marketing, broadcasting.
 WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
 Forensic science, crime scene investigation and NHS
 careers such as midwifery and nursing.

32
BTEC / EDEXCEL / 2 YEARS
GAMES
D EVELO PM ENT
This course will introduce students to how the games     HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
industry works along with an overall understanding       This course is assessed internally by a combination
of organisational structures and the various job roles   of coursework and controlled assessments over the
within it. This course cannot be studied alongside TV    two years of study. Students will build up a portfolio,
Studio and Film.                                         ideal not only for employment in the games industry
WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                       but also to enhance their suitability for the increasing
Students will look at the principles of game design      range of related higher education courses.
and the structures and practices of both large-scale     WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
and independent game development companies. They         Computer/video games design, games programming,
will develop a number of small-scale titles, produce     games art/animation, creative director.
narratives for games, and generate industry-standard
pre-production materials including design documents,
level and character designs and storyboards of
sequences of gameplay.

                                                                                                                    33
A-LEVEL / EDUQAS / 2 YEARS
 GEO GR APH Y

 This course provides an understanding of our changing     HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
 and interconnected world, covering both the physical      This is a linear course with a combination of
 and human environments and the complex interaction        coursework and examination at the end of Year 13.
 of processes which shape our world.                       There are three examinations, worth 80% in total, with
 WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                        a mixture of longer essay and short answer questions,
 Students will learn about Coastal Landscapes and          which include data interpretation and mathematical
 Changing Places. More contemporary issues are             skills. Students will also complete an individual
 studied in Global Systems and Global Governance           investigation, which must include data collected in the
 with migration and climate change at the forefront.       field, and is worth 20%.
 Tectonic hazards are also studied with the emphasis       WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
 on reducing risk and increasing resilience. Optional      Business, finance, sustainability, teaching, conservation
 themes include Energy Dilemmas, Weather and               work, civil engineering, architecture, urban planning,
 Climate. Students will also undertake the required four   environmental management, GIS and law.
 days of fieldwork in the local neighbourhood.

34
A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS                                  BTEC / EDEXCEL / 2 YEARS
GR APH I C D ESI GN                                      HEALTH &
                                                         SOCIAL CARE
This course introduces students to a variety of          Health and Social Care provides a highly specialised
experiences, employing a range of traditional and new    work-related qualification in the health, social care
media as well as the relevant processes and techniques   and early years sectors.
to be able to create impact with the words and images    WHAT WILL I LEARN?
in print and on screen.                                  This qualification is available as an Extended
WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                       Certificate (one A-level equivalent) or a Diploma
Students will be introduced to the role of the           (two A-level equivalent). Students will look at human
professional graphic designer as a visual thinker and    lifespan and development, investigate what it is
problem-solver, while gaining experience in branding,    like to work within the health and social care sector
publishing, illustration, image-making, animation and    and explore areas such as health and safety in the
motion graphics. Students are given a range of themes    workplace, physiological disorders and their care, and
which encourage the development of ideas and are         the sociological aspects of the industry.
informed through the study of art and design history     HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
and contemporary graphic artists.                        Students will develop their critical-thinking skills,
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                  resilience and interpersonal skills and learn how to
Assessment is at the end of the two-year course.         research actively and independently and become an
Component 1 (60%) allows students to develop work        effective writer during internally assessed coursework
based on a concept leading to a finished outcome and     units. Alongside this, students will sit external
includes written work of 1000-3000 words to support      examinations (58% of the Extended Certificate and
this. Component 2 (40%) is an externally set task by     42% of the Diploma). Students will receive exam
AQA within specific time constraints.                    technique training as part of the development of
WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?                                exam-based skills.
Art foundation course or direct entry to higher          WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
education, branding, publishing, illustration,           Social work, nursing, counselling, paramedic work,
typography, motion graphics, web design, interactive     occupational therapy, nutrition or primary
media, and editorial design for magazines and books.     school teaching.

                                                                                                                  35
A-LEVEL / AQA / 2 YEARS                                   BTEC / EDEXCEL / 2 YEARS
 HI S TO RY                                                IT
 This course allows students to investigate a wide range   This qualification is designed for learners with an
 of historical issues, events and personalities, whilst    interest in a career in the IT industry; an exciting and
 using evidence to formulate convincing arguments and      constantly changing industry which offers a wide range
 compare different interpretations of events.              of opportunities.
 WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                        WHAT WILL I LEARN?
 During the course, students will complete a breadth       Students will look at several areas throughout the
 study covering the making of a superpower, USA            course; in particular investigating the way in which
 1865-1975 from the end of the Civil War through to        systems work together and investigating cybersecurity
 the Vietnam War, a depth study on 15th century British    and threats to ICT systems, the use of social media in
 History looking at the Wars of the Roses from             business and also website development.
 1450-1499 and a piece of coursework, which will entail    HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
 an independent enquiry into the various                   This is assessed by four different units; one written
 Tudor Rebellions.                                         examination, one controlled assessment and two
 HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                   coursework units. At the end of Year 12, students will
 This is a linear course with a combination of             sit the Unit 2 controlled assessment and complete
 coursework and examinations at the end of Year            coursework for Unit 3; Using Social Media in Business.
 13. There are two examinations, worth 40% each,           At the end of Year 13, students will sit an examination
 both of which involve writing three essays. There is      in Unit 1; Information Technology Systems and submit
 also coursework worth 20%, relating to the Tudor          the final coursework in either Programming, Website
 Rebellions in the form of a 3000-3500 word essay to be    Development or Data Modelling.
 submitted in Year 13.                                     WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
 WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?                                 Social media design, IT management, website
 Journalism, law, politics, social work, teaching,         development, helpdesk analysis, account management,
 archaeology, conservation, public services.               computer animation, computer science.

36
A-LEVEL / EDUQAS / 2 YEARS
L AW
A-level Law gives students opportunities to explore
interesting and challenging topics, including criminal
law, negligence, morality and justice. It is a fascinating
subject with something new to learn every day as our
laws change and develop.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?
Students are introduced to the English legal system
as a whole in Year 12 before a more in-depth study of
substantive law in Year 13. Course content includes:
offences against the person and property; occupiers’
liability and negligence offences; legal personnel
and law making and contract law. Students will have
opportunities to enrich their studies with visits and
guest speakers.
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
This linear course is assessed entirely by three
examinations at the end of Year 13. There are two
examinations on substantive law in practice and
perspectives in substantive law, worth 75% in total,
alongside an examination on the nature of law and the
English legal system, which is worth 25%.
WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
Legal profession, journalism, local/central government,
public relations, teaching, management and business.

                                                             37
LEVEL 3 / AQA / 1 YEAR                                      A-LEVEL / EDEXCEL / 2 YEARS
 MATHEMATICAL                                                MATHEMATICS
 STU D I ES
 Mathematical Studies is designed to maintain and            A-level Mathematics provides students with a
 develop real-life mathematical skills, for students who     thorough grounding in the mathematical tools and
 appreciate the value of everyday maths and problem          techniques often needed in the workplace. The logic
 solving skills.                                             and reasoning skills developed ensure the qualification
 WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                          is widely respected even in non-mathematical arenas.
 This course has large proportions of statistics             WHAT WILL I LEARN?
 and financial mathematics. Students will develop            This course comprises two thirds Pure Mathematics,
 confidence and competence in the understanding and          with a range of algebra including quadratic and
 application of calculations in the solution of problems     simultaneous equations, together with trigonometry,
 relating to personal finance such as income tax, NI         coordinate geometry and graphs. Familiar topics are
 contributions, loans and savings. The course also           studied alongside new topics including sequences and
 uses technology to calculate statistical quantities and     series, numerical methods and an extension of vectors.
 concentrates on interpreting the results.                   A further two modules - mechanics and statistics - will
 HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                     also be studied for the other third of the course.
 This qualification is the equivalent of an AS-level in      HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
 terms of UCAS points and should be taken alongside          A-level Mathematics is a linear course with all
 three other courses, as it will be completed in one year.   assessment at the end of Year 13 in the form of three
 Assessment is by two external examinations, sat at the      external exams. Students will experience a wide variety
 end of Year 12.                                             of lesson activities, are expected to complete frequent
 WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?                                   homework tasks and will be tested on a regular basis
 This course would be particularly helpful for students      to reinforce learning in class.
 who are studying any of the science courses,                WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
 Geography, Psychology, Business Studies and/or              Accountancy, data science/analysis, business, finance
 Economics.                                                  and investment, actuarial work, teaching.

40
A-LEVEL / EDEXCEL / 2 YEARS
F URTHER
M AT H EM AT I CS
This is a challenging but highly enjoyable qualification,   HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
which both extends and deepens students’ knowledge          The A-level Further Mathematics course is a linear
and understanding beyond the standard A-level. For          course with all assessment by examination at the end
someone who enjoys maths, it provides a challenge           of Year 13, in the form of four externally examined
and a chance to explore new and more sophisticated          papers, all worth 25% each. Papers 1 and 2 examine
concepts.                                                   the Core Pure content whilst Papers 3 and 4 examine
WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                          the optional content.
Further Mathematics builds on the study of earlier          WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
topics and encourages the development of a wider            Accountancy, data science/analysis, business, finance
understanding of the ways in which mathematical             and investment, actuarial work, teaching.
topics are interconnected. Topics studied on this
course include Pure Mathematics such as complex
numbers, matrices, polar coordinates, differential
equations and hyperbolic functions. All three areas of
decision mathematics, mechanics and statistics may
also be covered in more detail.

                                                                                                                    41
A-LEVEL / EDUQAS / 2 YEARS
 MEDIA STUDIES
 Media Studies is an exciting and challenging subject      HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
 which encourages students to critically engage with       This course is assessed by a combination of non-
 a broad range of historical and contemporary media        examined assessment (coursework), worth 30%, and
 products.                                                 two examinations, each worth 35% at the end of Year
 WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                        13, in which students will analyse a range of set text
 Through analysing products within television, print       media products examining how the representations
 journalism, social media and advertising, students        constructed are influenced by historical and industry
 will learn about the effect and scope of the media        contexts. The course takes an academic approach
 upon the world in which we live. Students will also       to media study using a wide range of media theory
 practise their photographic and journalistic writing      to enable an in-depth understanding of the impact
 skills through a coursework project, in which they will   that mass media products have on contemporary
 research, plan and make a film marketing campaign         audiences.
 with an accompanying website.                             WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
                                                           Broadcast/magazine journalism, market research,
                                                           events management, public relations, social media.

42
A-LEVEL / EDEXCEL / 2 YEARS                                BTEC / EDEXCEL / 2 YEARS
MUSIC                                                      P ERFOR MING ARTS

This course aims to develop students’ musical skills       Performing Arts is a stimulating subject which allows
in a variety of disciplines, including performance,        students to explore and investigate the work of
composition and analysis. Whilst it is not necessary to    practitioners and professionals as well as developing
have studied GCSE Music, students should be working        their own performance skills. It is for those students who
towards Grade 5 music theory and be able to play an        wish to begin or continue to develop performance skills.
instrument to at least Grade 5 standard.                   WHAT WILL I LEARN?
WHAT WILL I LEARN?                                         There are two mandatory units, Developing Skills and
Students will discover a wide range of musical styles,     Techniques for Performance and Group Performance
from a range of eras including instrumental and vocal      Workshop. Three additional units are chosen from various
music, music for film, popular music and jazz, fusions     options. This course requires students to research and
and new directions. They will gain an understanding of     analyse published and live material, meet deadlines and
the influence on social and cultural history. Students     be fully prepared to complete written analysis alongside
develop listening and analytical skills, solo performing   building their technical performance skills.
skills on an instrument or voice, and learn how to         HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
use a range of compositional techniques to create an       BTEC Performing Arts is a practical subject, delivered in a
original piece of music.                                   vocational context, offering students the opportunity to
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?                                    perform to audiences and take part in the development
Students will be assessed on three components:             process to prepare for this. The five units studied are
performing, composing and appraising, with a public        completed over the two years of the course; one is
performance of one or more pieces solo or in an            externally assessed by examination and the other four are
ensemble, worth 30% and a further 30% of their             internally assessed and externally verified. All have equal
assessment is based on two compositions, both              weighting for assessment.
components being externally assessed. Finally there is     WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?
a written examination, worth 40% of their final grade.     Acting, musical theatre, drama therapy, production,
WHERE COULD THIS TAKE ME?                                  theatre, design, directing, stage management,
Performing, composing, arranging, teaching, arts           special effects.
administration and management, media, marketing.

                                                                                                                  43
You can also read