Please click on the links to the left to take you to the appropriate area of the Sixth Form Curriculum.

Sixth form curriculum overview

Students intending to commence courses of study in the Sixth Form are offered a wide range of opportunities designed to cater for individual student needs. Every student has a planned timetable which is, as far as possible, in line with personal choice. The school envisages that each student should undertake a full programme in both examined and non-examined courses.

AQA Bacc
The AQA Baccalaureate, known as the AQA Bacc, celebrates the achievements of well-rounded post-16 students and provides the framework for our sixth form experience. The AQA Bacc comprises four elements which together demonstrate that students have achieved success in terms of A-levels and wider learning and enrichment activities.

• GCE A-levels represent depth.
• AS General Studies or Critical Thinking represent breadth.
• A programme of enrichment activities (minimum 100 hours) represents personal development.
• The completion of an Extended Project demonstrates independent learning. This will take place in Year 13.

Girls must complete all elements of the AQA Bacc to gain this qualification:

For the enrichment part of the AQA Bacc, girls must complete 100 hours covering at least two of the three areas shown below, with a minimum of 30 hours spent on any one area:

• Work-related learning
• Community participation
• Personal development activities.

A wide variety of activities fulfil the requirements for award of the AQA Bacc including activities within the school’s enrichment programme, and other activities which sixth formers might do in their own time. Completion of enrichment activities is a pre-requisite for the award of an AQA Bacc.

On completion of the AQA Bacc in Year 13, UCAS points are awarded for all the composite elements, and also for the AQA Bacc itself.

We believe that the AQA Bacc unifies and gives added purpose to the educational experience of all our sixth formers, and we feel it is a valuable addition to our sixth form experience.

The fundamental aims of the curriculum entitlement are designed to enable students to follow academic AS/A2 courses, General Studies or Critical Thinking and extra-curricular activities appropriate to their needs and abilities. In addition, all students undergo Personal and Social Education (PSHE), Tutorials and courses from which Key Skills can be developed to enable Sixth Formers to acquire a wide variety of skills, knowledge and experiences which will equip them for the demands of working life in a rapidly changing socio-economic society.
All students will be able to select three or four Advanced Subsidiary subjects (AS levels) in Year 12, some or all of which can then be developed to full Advanced level qualification (A2 levels) in Year 13. If an AS level is not carried on to A2 level in Year 13, then another AS level subject may be taken up, subject to availability, in order to give greater breadth to an individual student programme of study.

Opportunities for accumulating portfolio evidence in other Key Skills such as Improving own Performance and Problem Solving will be available from curriculum enrichment and extra-curricular activities such as:-

From autumn 2006, Year 12 and Year 13 students have had the opportunity to study Open University Arts and Science Courses/Higher Education units, organised through the Young Applicants in School Scheme.
Academic staff will give advice and guidance concerning appropriate subject combinations and specifications content.

All students have the opportunity to engage in extended learning courses/career based workshops organised by various universities.
Provision is made for able students who wish to apply to Oxford and Cambridge Universities and other subject specialist institutions eg for Music, Drama, Art, Law (LNAT tests), Medicine and Veterinary Science tests (BMAT tests), ELAT, HAT, TSA, UNITESTS etc (there are others but too many to include all) and UKCAT tests for Medicine.

Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced (A2) level courses

AS and A2 level courses are demanding and we look for evidence of motivation and commitment when counselling students about the courses. For details of courses available (subject to numbers of students opting for them), see List of available courses later in this brochure

Collaborative subjects - If a subject a student wishes to study is not available at this school, they may opt to study one of their choices at a neighbouring institution drawn from the collaborative option block.

Building your individual curriculum programme

In choosing your particular subjects there are three main questions to ask yourself:

1. Will I enjoy this subject? - Success and enjoyment usually go together.

2. Have I got the abilities which will be required? - Some courses require specific GCSE qualifications. For others the abilities required are less specific although all require a minimum of grade B for entry. It will be very helpful for you to talk to your teachers at school to get their opinions of your suitability for the courses which appeal to you.

3. Will this subject (or combination of subjects) allow me to follow my chosen career? - If you are unsure about what you eventually want to do, then you should aim to choose a combination of subjects which will give you the greatest range of options in the future. But if you have your career already planned, or if you have already decided upon a particular type of course in Higher Education, then it is essential to check now that the subjects you study at this school will qualify you for your next step at 18. There are numerous advisory CD-ROMs, Career booklets and Higher Education brochures available to help you in your decision making.


Combinations of AS and A2 subjects

Although the following notes are designed to help those of you who have specific careers/degrees/diploma courses in mind, it is worth stressing at the outset that it is impossible to offer comprehensive advice in a few words. For many courses and careers there is great deal of flexibility in choosing and combining subjects.

• For Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Pharmacy, Biology, Agriculture, Horticulture and related fields the best combinations of subjects are built around A-level Chemistry with Physics and/or Mathematics and/or Biology. For these courses/careers, many of which are highly competitive, it is wise to check that you will also have the necessary GCSE qualifications particularly for Medicine (number of A* matters with some institutions).

• Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics is a very useful combination of subjects because it keeps open the large majority of options at 18 in Science and Applied Science. In addition to the career opportunities mentioned above it can also lead to degrees in Physics, Chemistry, Engineering and Ophthalmic Optics. N.B. If you wish to read for a degree in Physics or Engineering you must choose Physics and Mathematics; for Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials Science, Chemistry is also essential.

• For degrees in Mathematics it is an advantage to study Further Mathematics as well as Mathematics at A-level.

• If you are offering A-level Chemistry or Mathematics, or Physics as a single subject combined with two or three Arts AS/A2 levels, you may still find certain science courses which you could pursue at 18+ eg Conservation, Environmental Sciences and Meteorology. If you offer A-level Biology with Arts subjects, you will find it impossible to follow a degree course in pure Science

• If you know you wish to take a Modern Language degree it is advisable to take two foreign languages at A-level or one at A-level plus an AS-level in a second foreign language.

• Taking Geography with two other Arts subjects or two other Science subjects is perfectly acceptable. Geography is a ‘bridging' subject between Arts and Sciences and combines very well with both disciplines and leads to a wide range of degrees including Conservation, Environmental Sciences and Meteorology.

• If you choose Economics, it is advisable to have a high grade in GCSE Maths; at degree level Maths supports Economics.

• Any combination of AS/A2-levels (including Sciences) can lead to degrees in Accountancy, Architecture, Business Studies, Economics, Law, Psychology, Sociology and other Social Science degrees.

• For those interested in following specialist Art, Architecture and Theatre Studies courses, students should seek advice from specialist subject tutors and information services.

If you have any queries about combinations of subjects not already mentioned, please do not hesitate to seek advice from your Tutors, or from the Head of Sixth Form.

Policy for pupils being entered for Public Examinations

In rare circumstances, students may not be entered for an examination, if they have been unable to complete a particular course adequately, or if they have not met coursework deadlines for example.

If students have suffered prolonged illness and been absent for some time, the school will require a Doctor's note to go with an explanatory letter from the Head of Sixth Form to the Examinations Officer who will forward copies of letters to the relevant examination boards.

top of page

Governors’ Curriculum Aims

We aim to provide all pupils with a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which fulfils the school’s aims, is ideally matched to the needs and aspirations of the students and provides excellent opportunities for girls to learn and to experience achievement and success. To ensure statutory requirements are met, all subjects of the National Curriculum, together with religious education and drama, are taught. Citizenship is taught as part of the personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme. ICT is taught as a discrete subject in Years 7-11. The school’s designation as a specialist language and science college has resulted in a review and enhancement of the curriculum: including the introduction of Japanese and Geology to the curriculum. The school offers an excellent array of extra-curricular activities and well-planned educational visits enrich the curriculum. These are well supported by the pupils. The school offers a wide range of advanced level courses which provide a very effective bridge between GCSE studies and higher education. Rigorous systems are in place to ensure that the needs of individual students are met. Collaborative arrangements with local schools and colleges enable us to offer further academic and vocational courses not available in-school. Critical Thinking AS/A2 has been introduced for the sixth form.

Preparation for life: to
• Enhance knowledge and develop skills and to provide experience to meet the changing demands of an increasingly technological society.
• Develop in the girls social awareness, self-confidence and a positive attitude to responsibilities and future roles in society.
• Encourage each girl to develop a sense of enjoyment and continuing interest in learning.
• Develop in each girl an understanding of and respect for the religious and ethical values of her own culture and for those of other races and cultures.

Personal development: to
• Provide opportunities for individual development so that the girls become independent, positive, confident, mature and responsible.
• Develop each girl’s full individual potential in order to achieve high personal standards and encourage an awareness of her own strengths and weaknesses.
• Foster the ability to work individually and also to contribute effectively to groupwork.
• Encourage extra-curricular activities.

Skills: to
• Develop intellectual, interpersonal, physical and practical skills and aesthetic appreciation.
• Develop the communication skills of writing, speaking and listening.
• Encourage girls to see the curriculum as a whole and to appreciate cross-curricular links between subject areas and to integrate skills achieved in those different areas.

top of page