Academic

A qualification in Art and Design enables one to progress onto a university art course or a pre-degree foundation course in Art & Design; leading to a broad range of specialisms such as architecture, animation, game design, graphic design, printmaking, sculpture, product design, engineering design, interior, 3D, industrial, textile, fashion, theatre, transport, graphic, product and environmental design, photography, typography, computer graphics, illustration, art gallery/museum work, conservation of artworks and the history of art.

A Level Curriculum Outline

The course covers a wide range of creative disciplines including observational study, composition, critical studies, two-dimensional design, print making and ceramics. Students cover these subjects through a series of mini projects in Year 12. Prep work is expected to be completed outside lesson time. Students who want to achieve an A-level take the second year which builds on the first year’s work to develop and refine practical skills and creative thinking. In the second year, one of the units includes a written component on an aspect of art history within a personal investigation. This component makes up 60% of the overall A Level.

The remaining 40% of the course is based on an externally set exam. The theme of this exam is set by the exam board. Students undertake a 15-hour exam to complete this unit.

This course will provide the student with an experience which will develop in them an ability to communicate ideas visually; a skill which is transferable to many occupations. It will allow the individual to control media and processes and develop a greater awareness of oneself, of the environment and of culture. It offers a stimulating course of study both for students wishing to continue with Art & Design as a career, as well as those, whether Arts or Science based, who want to use Art & Design as an additional subject for university entry. Many professions require the skilful use and safe handling of tools, if dexterity is part of a career plan, then Art and Design should be considered.

Depending on the interests and strengths of the individual, and through discussion with the Subject Leader an art endorsement may be taken in either Fine Art, Textiles or Photography.

The college has a designated post-16 art room, in which every A Level Art student has their own workspace. Students make good use of this space during their free study periods and benefit from having a creative environment in which they can work at any time. The Department is very well supervised and has an open-door policy. After hours pupils are always given lots of extra time and support, the facilities are very well used during lunch breaks and after school.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

The department also promotes and encourages students to take part in competitions. Students will also benefit form various trip and visits to museums and art galleries. We also have professional artist visit us to conduct specialist workshops.

Biology is a great choice of subject for people who want a career in health and clinical professions, such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, physiotherapy, pharmacy, optometry, nursing, zoology, marine biology or forensic science. Biology involves the study of a wide range of exciting topics, ranging from molecular biology to the study of ecosystems and from micro-organisms to mammoths. Biology is never far from the headlines either. The human genome has been sequenced and we know the complete arrangement of the three thousand million bases that make up human DNA. In Kenya 350 people die every day from AIDS and in South East Asia the skies are dark with smoke as the last Bornean rainforests are burned to grow oil palms. Biologists are concerned with all these issues. They work in the fields of cell biology, medicine, food production and ecology… and the work they do is vital to us all.

A Level Curriculum Outline

The A level route is a two year course. There are three examinations at the end of this two year course, covering all content and the skills acquired from the 12 required practical elements.

The following topics are covered:

Biological molecules, cells, how organisms exchange substances with their environment, how genetic information is transferred, the types of variation and relationships between organisms, how energy transfers in and between organisms, how organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments, population genetics, evolution and ecosystems and the control of gene expression.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

Each year there are various trips that enhance the learning of biology. These have included visits to Warwick University to look at advanced biology and visit to the Manchester science museum. Potential medical students have attended courses at New Cross hospital, where they look at the demands of a medical degree and what it takes to become a doctor. The students have had great success in the biology challenge for the younger pupils and the biology Olympiad for the older pupils.

Business is an excellent subject to study as a foundation for a range of careers – even those that are not specifically business based. Most careers will include coverage of human resource management, financial control, marketing and operations and, as these are the fundamentals for business study, it is a truly worthwhile subject to study. You will develop a range of transferable skills including communication (presenting ideas) and written work, teamwork, research skills, IT skills, as well as the more academic skills of analysis and evaluating.

Typically, a pupil may be asked to evaluate a range of options or strategies open to a business and they will need to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages for each option to arrive at a justified decision or judgement. These are all invaluable life skills.

Studying business may lead into a range of careers including marketing, media and/or advertising, banking/merchant banking, accountancy/auditing, human resource management/recruitment, economist in private or public sector, land management, law, stockbroking, corporate public relations and even teaching!

A Level Curriculum Outline

A Level Business has traditionally been one of the most popular A Level choices at Tettenhall College. The course is designed to prepare learners for both academic study (by looking at the theoretical aspects of business ownership) but at the same time, it is delivered in a fun and engaging way so that pupil interest is maintained. At Tettenhall College, we believe that Sixth Form study should provide a bridge between traditional study and preparation for university or employment. In the Business Department, this means that there will be a high expectation that pupils will be fully engaged in researching and delivering materials themselves. This helps to encourage a culture of responsibility for learning and it also develops organisational skills and ownership. We use a variety of interesting and interactive teaching and learning techniques to provide pupils with a range of opportunities to enhance their own experience. What is learned?

The course covers a wide variety of material assessed across three examination papers. Topics include an introduction to business, business objectives and strategy, external influences on business, change management, accounting and finance, management accounting, financial accounting, human resource management, marketing and operations management.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

The department has traditionally arranged an overseas Sixth-form overseas trip to view a range of businesses operations. Previous destinations have included Berlin, Prague, Barcelona, Budapest and Brussels. These trips have appealed to both business and economics students who have gained from seeing how businesses and economies operate in reality.

Chemists have greatly improved the quality of life for the majority of people. Chemists are real innovators, designing solutions to the problems that affect modern life. Students with a wide range of interests enjoy the chemistry course. Whether you want a job in medicine or industry, chemistry is the solid platform upon which careers are built. Chemistry is a great choice of subject for people who want a career in health and clinical professions, such as medicine, nursing, biochemistry, dentistry or forensic science.

A Level Curriculum Outline

The A Level route is a two year course. There are three examinations at the end of this two year course, covering all content and the skills acquired from the 12 required practical elements.

The following topics are covered:

Physical chemistry, Atomic structure, amount of substance, bonding, energetics, kinetics, chemical equilibria, oxidation, reduction, thermodynamics, rate equations, acids and bases.

Inorganic chemistry

Periodicity, Group 2, Group 7, properties of Period 3 elements, transition metals, reactions of ions in aqueous solutions.

Organic chemistry

Introduction to organic chemistry, alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, organic analysis, optical isomerism, aldehydes and ketones.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

Each year there are various trips that have an excellent insight into chemistry. Recently these have included a trip to Ecton Mill to look at the production of metals and to visit the fusion facility in Oxford, to examine future energy production. The department has also made a number of trips to Warwick and Birmingham universities to attend presentations on chemistry in action. The pupils are entered into the Chemistry Olympiad and each year the students at Tettenhall College always achieve a number of gold and silver awards.

Computer Science is an engaging and practical subject that encourages creativity and problem solving skills. It enables pupils to develop their understanding and application of the core concepts in computing. Pupils will learn how to analyse problems in computational terms and devise creative solutions by designing, writing, testing and evaluating programs.

Our A Level will expand pupil’s technical understanding and their ability to analyse and solve problems using computational thinking. Classroom learning is transferred into creating real-world systems through the creation of an independent programming project.

A Level Curriculum Outline

What will pupils be studying?

A Level in Computer Science will encourage learners to be inspired, motivated and challenged by following a broad, coherent, practical, satisfying and worthwhile course of study.

It will provide insight into, and experience of how computer science works, stimulating learners’ curiosity and encouraging them to engage with computer science in their everyday lives and to make informed choices about further study or career choices.

The key features of this specification encourage:

• Emphasis on problem solving using computers
• Emphasis on computer programming and algorithms
• Emphasis on the mathematical skills used to express computational laws and processes, e.g. Boolean algebra/logic and comparison of the complexity of algorithms
• Less emphasis on ICT

Learners have the opportunity to:

• Produce a slimmed down programming project which is more refined and more focussed on coding
• Choose the project title and problem to be solved
• Choose any suitable programming language
• Include agile methods

Having A Level Computer Science is highly regarded when you venture into employment or to university. Having an A-level computing qualification opens you up to a world of possibility, with so many avenues and sectors you can get into. Computing at A Level will prepare you for one of the many courses available at university including  Computing, software engineering, business, systems management and webpage development, amongst others.

As computers are such an integral part of the workplace in contemporary society, people with A Level computing skills are in extremely high demand. Amongst the many career possibilities that are available to you include computing, analysis, computer programming, animation and many more.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

The department offers students enriching experiences beyond the classroom to broaden their understanding and inspire their passion for the subject. A highlight of the year is the trip to Bletchley Park, the historic site of the World War II codebreakers. Students explore its pivotal role in cracking the Enigma code, a breakthrough that significantly shortened the war. The visit includes guided tours of the grounds and exhibitions, providing insight into the lives of the codebreakers and the groundbreaking work that laid the foundations for modern computing. Students also participate in hands-on workshops, tackling topics such as encryption and cybersecurity, to develop practical skills and a deeper appreciation of computational problem-solving. In addition, students engage in national challenges, including the UK Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge, where they apply logical reasoning and problem-solving skills, and the ISA Coding Competitions, which encourage creative and technical excellence in programming. These activities not only enhance their technical expertise but also build confidence, collaboration, and resilience.

Economics is an excellent subject to study at A Level, as it will provide a grounding in academic knowledge that will help in a wide range of careers. The skills you will develop in economics are generic and transferable skills that will help you to analyse and evaluate given circumstances. Data response cases help students to use data, to analyse or evaluate the consequences of a set of figures, and to devise strategies that will help to address problems. Gathering research and presenting materials to others is also a key part of what we do in lessons and these researching and communicating skills are increasingly important in so many careers. Teamwork is also a skill we strive to develop, as much of what we do is collaborative. Economics qualifications are always highly valued as they help us to make sense of a subject that is happening in the ‘real world’ around us and knowledge can be used in so many wider contexts. Many of our students choose to combine studying Business and Economics as they complement one another well and are taught as two separate A Levels.

Studying economics may lead into a range of careers including marketing, media and/or advertising, banking/merchant banking, accountancy/auditing, human resource management/recruitment, economist in private or public sector, land management, law, stockbroking, corporate public relations and even teaching!

A Level Curriculum Outline

A Level Economics has traditionally been one of the most popular A Level choices at Tettenhall College. The course is designed to prepare learners for both academic study (by looking at the theoretical aspects of economics) but at the same time, it is delivered in a fun and engaging way so that pupil interest is maintained. At Tettenhall College, we believe that Sixth Form study should provide a bridge between traditional study and preparation for university or employment. In Economics, this means that there will be a high expectation that learners will be fully engaged in researching and delivering materials themselves. This helps to encourage a culture of responsibility for learning and it also develops organisational skills and ownership. We use a variety of interesting and interactive teaching and learning techniques to provide learners with a range of opportunities to enhance their own experience.

What is learned?

The course covers a wide variety of material assessed across three examination papers. Topics include extensive coverage of micro and macroeconomics. In microeconomics, we study how markets help to allocate resources, different economic systems, demand and supply, how markets fail and the necessary government interventions may help to correct these failures.

In macroeconomics, we study economic growth, inflation, unemployment, balance of payments and exchange rates. Theory of the firm, labour markets, development, globalisation, financial markets and their regulation are also studied in Year 2.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

The department has traditionally arranged an overseas Sixth Form overseas trip to view a range of businesses operations and to look at how different economic systems operate. Previous destinations have included Berlin, Prague, Barcelona, Budapest and Brussels. These trips have appealed to both business and economics students who have gained from seeing how businesses and economies operate in reality.

A Level English Literature is a very good passport to a number of different occupations, including journalism, law, managerial positions, advertising and media, performing arts and teaching, as well as to Higher and Further Education.

A Level Curriculum Outline

In studying A Level English Literature, you will explore the psychology of characters, the motives of writers and the political, social and historical contexts in which texts were written and read. You will discover how writers succeed in shaping the responses and opinions of others. How they draw you into their world. How they make you laugh, cry or empathise. You will examine how writers from other countries and cultures write differently. The study of English Literature trains the brain and frees the imagination; it is about life and living and just where you fit into the world around you.

The course offers you the chance to study a rich variety of literature from many different periods. The texts are stimulating and interesting and there are several opportunities for you to choose your own texts, develop your own interests and (at A Level) even try your hand at some creative writing of your own.

Texts currently studied include;

• A Doll’s House – Henrik Ibsen
• Hamlet/ Twelfth Night- Shakespeare
• Selected Poems – Christina Rossetti/Samuel Taylor Coleridge
• Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell
• The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
• Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury
• The Children of Men – P.D James
• Selected poems – Wilfred Owen
• Agamemnon – Steven Berkoff
• Half of a Yellow Sun – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

English and Drama – regular theatre visits.

English – Sixth Form conferences – focusing on specific authors/ genres.

Debating club, TC Wordsmiths, Talk Your Way to the Top, Poetry Games

Geography will help you develop your communication and teamwork skills, as you’ll often work on group projects. You will also develop your research and analysis skills across areas such as lab-work, fieldwork and in IT, developing critical skills for collecting and identifying patterns in data.

A Level Curriculum Outline

According to the Royal Geography Society 13% more pupils took the subject at A Level this year than last, up to 37,100 – the biggest jump of any of the major subjects. A Level Geography is a subject in a unique position in that it can keep degree course choice open as it is regarded as both a science and a humanities subject. This can help you to keep your option choices open and not restrict your future career choices. Methods of teaching and learning are important to pupils. At Tettenhall College, in the Geography Department, we aim to provide our pupils with the skills necessary to further their studies as independent learners in higher education. Pupils will also develop their thinking and analysis skills as well as developing a wider understanding of contemporary issues. We use a variety of interesting and interactive teaching and learning techniques and provide pupils with a range of opportunities to enhance their experience. Pupils have 5 lessons of Geography at A Level and are usually taught by 2 members of the Geography Department.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

The Geography department organises a series of field trips, both in the UK and further afield, for Geography pupils which seek to enrich and extend their understanding of the geographical diversity around us.

There are day-trips to places such as Cardingmill Valley and a trip to Shrewsbury to explore the issues of flooding.

All pupils are also given the opportunity to attend our bi-annual trip to the West Coast of America. Spectacular canyons, volcanic activity, diverse ecosystems, dynamic rivers and sprawling coastal urbanisation allow pupils to see geography in action.

For our Sixth Form pupils, there are trips to the Norfolk coastline to examine the impacts of coastal erosion and to Birmingham to examine the impacts of regeneration.

It is difficult to escape the importance of History in shaping and affecting our modern world. We are living with the consequences of the past every day. Employers and Universities rate History as a very worthwhile A Level. Universities and Employers appreciate that students of History have developed a number of skills that can be applied to any situation.

A Level Curriculum Outline

British period study and enquiry:

Britain 1930 – 1997

Key content:

Churchill’s view of events 1929–1940

Churchill as wartime Prime Minister

Churchill and international diplomacy 1939–1951

Conservative domination 1951–1964

Labour and Conservative governments 1964–1979

Thatcher and the end of consensus 1979–1997

Non-British period study: (unit group 2) 15% of total A level

The French Revolution and Napoleon 1776 – 1915

Key content:

The causes of the French Revolution from 1774 and the events of 1789

The Revolution from October 1789 to the Directory 1795

Napoleon Bonaparte to 1807

The decline and fall of Napoleon 1807–1815

Thematic study and historical interpretations: (unit group 3) 40% of total A level

The Middle East 1908 – 2011

Key content:

The Role of the Great Powers in the Middle East

Zionism, Israel and the Palestinian issue

Statehood and Pan Arabism in the Middle East

Religion, ethnicity and political Minorities

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

There are many trips and opportunities that pupils will gain whilst studying history.

A Level pupils have the opportunity to visit the Auschwitz Birkenau camp in Poland. They also will explore local museums and archives.

Mathematics is the science of logic of shape, quantity and arrangement; it helps us to understand the world around us, in everything we do. Mathematics is fundamental for everything in our daily lives, including mobile devices, architecture, art, money, engineering and even sports.

Mathematicians seek and use patterns to formulate conjectures and then endeavour to resolve truth or falsehood of these conjectures by mathematical proof. Mathematical reasoning can provide insight or predictions about nature and, often, abstract mathematical structures can be used as good models of real phenomena.

Mathematics is applicable to any kind of career that involves the environment, planning, or collecting and interpreting data. Popular careers for people with mathematics qualifications include: cryptographer, engineer, accountant, teacher, scientist, statistician, economist, architect, computer scientist, programmer, stockbroker.

A Level Curriculum Outline

Paper 1 and Paper 2: Pure Mathematics

What is assessed?

•   Proof • Algebra and functions • Trigonometry • Coordinate geometry • Sequences and series • The binomial expansion • Differentiation • Integration • Numerical methods • Vectors • Exponentials and logarithms

How is it assessed?

•   Written examinations: 2 hours per paper •   100 marks per paper • 33.33% of the qualification per paper

Paper 3: Statistics and Mechanics

What is assessed?

• Statistical sampling • Data representation and interpretation • Probability • Statistical distributions • Statistical hypothesis testing • Correlation and regression • The normal distribution • Quantities and units in mechanics • Kinematics • Forces and Newton’s laws • Dynamics • Moments

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

UMKT Maths Challenge

Pupils are encouraged to enter the UKMT individual Maths challenges. There are three levels of difficulty: senior challenge for Year 13 or below, intermediate challenge for Year 10 or below and junior challenge for Year 8 or below. Historically, pupils at Tettenhall College have achieved well and obtained scores that put them in the top 10% of the country. Some of our pupils have been invited to more difficult challenges.

The UMKT also offer team challenges and pupils can join a team of four elite mathematicians to challenge local schools.

National Cipher Challenge

During our Extended Day activity on a Friday, pupils can opt to join a team of codebreakers in a competition against other teams across the country. The National Cipher Challenge is organised by the University of Southampton School of Mathematics annually and challenges pupils to think both logically and laterally around an exciting branch of applied mathematics. Pupils learn how to break ciphers such as Caesar ciphers, transposition ciphers and even the infamous Vigenère cipher.

A Level Curriculum Outline

A Level French/Spanish is a good choice for you if you enjoy language learning; enjoy learning about other cultures; want to communicate with speakers of a foreign language; want to work abroad; and want to develop opinions about current issues.

The A-level courses for French and Spanish build on the knowledge, understanding and skills gained at GCSE. They constitute an integrated study with a focus on language, culture and society. The courses foster a range of transferable skills including communication, critical thinking, research skills and creativity.

A LEVEL FRENCH

Pupils study technological and social change, looking at diversity and the benefits it brings. They study highlights of French-speaking artistic culture, including francophone music and cinema, and learn about political engagement and who wields political power in the French-speaking world.

Pupils explore the influence of the past on present-day French-speaking communities. Throughout their studies, they will learn the language in the context of French-speaking countries and the issues and influences which have shaped them. Students study texts and film and have the opportunity to carry out independent research on an area of their choice.

A LEVEL SPANISH

The course aims to develop pupils’ linguistic skills alongside their understanding of the culture and society of the countries where Spanish is spoken. Pupils study technological and social change, looking at the multicultural nature of Hispanic society. They study highlights of Hispanic artistic culture, including a focus on Spanish regional identity and the cultural heritage of past civilisations. They learn about aspects of the diverse political landscape of the Hispanic world.

Pupils explore the influence of the past on present-day Hispanic communities. Throughout their studies, they learn the language in the context of Hispanic countries and issues and influences which have shaped them. They study texts and film and have the opportunity to carry out independent research on an area of their choice.

What is assessed?

Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Writing. Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes. 100 marks. 50% of A Level.

Paper 2: One text and one film or two texts from the list in the specification. Written exam; 2 hours. 80 marks. 20% of A Level.

Paper 3: Speaking examination. Made up of an Individual research project and a discussion card. 21-23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time). 60 marks in total. 30% of A Level.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

We believe that language-learning should not be confined to the classroom. We offer annual trips to French and Spanish-speaking countries for our Senior School pupils, encouraging pupils of all abilities to get involved and to benefit from these wonderful learning opportunities.

MFL Trip to St Omer, France May 2017

Year 7 and 8 pupils developed their confidence and independence in using French and gained a valuable insight into the culture of France. 41 pupils from Years 7 and 8 took part in a residential trip to St Omer in May 2017, staying at Château d’Ebblinghem. Our pupils enjoyed this fantastic opportunity to bring their language-learning to life.

Throughout the trip there were many opportunities to converse with native French speakers and to engage with French culture, with certificates awarded to those who made an exceptional effort to use the language as much as possible. The cheese-tasting evening resulted in a variety of French opinion phrases being used, for very authentic communication. Another highlight of the trip was the visit to the boulangerie, where French was used skilfully to demonstrate how croissants are made.

The French market shopping task was both popular and beneficial. Pupils conversed with the market stall holders to purchase various items such as fruit, bread and olives to accompany their lunch. It was a pleasure to witness our pupils’ confidence in taking part in real transactions at the market. Well done to all pupils who took part in this trip and immersed themselves into French language and culture with such enthusiasm.

EVENTS AND LANGUAGE-RELATED ACTIVITIES

Over the past two years our Macmillan Coffee Mornings have been linked with Modern Foreign Languages to celebrate European Day of Languages. Our pupils have also taken part in activities such as a Treasure Hunt (find “hello” in lots of different European languages) and a languages-themed House Quiz.

Wolves FC

In February 2018 our pupils (from Y6 to Y11) had an opportunity to hear from three Wolves U19 players about how learning English (as a foreign language) has benefited them in their football careers. This Question and Answer session was a great way for our pupils to see language learning from a different point of view!

A Level Curriculum Outline

Paper 1 and Paper 2: Core Pure Mathematics (Compulsory)

What is assessed?

•   Complex numbers • Argand diagrams • Series • Roots of polynomials • Matrices • Linear transformations • Proof by induction • Vectors • Methods in calculus • Volumes of revolution • Polar coordinates • Hyperbolic functions • Methods in differential equations • Modelling with differential equations

Paper 3 and Paper 4: Options from:

• Further Pure Mathematics • Further Statistics • Further Mechanics • Decision Mathematics

A high-level musician will have the edge, whether for university applications, career interviews or as part of future employment. Studying music develops initiative, application, teamwork, creativity and confidence. Jobs are becoming more and more creative and music is a part of many industries. Indeed, it is one of the biggest industries, whether as a recording musician, live performer, arranger, composer, sound engineer, DJ/producer, critic/music journalist and many more fields, including education.

A Level Curriculum Outline

The A Level course is a substantial study of performance, composition and set works. Performance requires 6-minutes of recorded performance at a Grade 6 standard, extending to 8-minutes in the second year. The composition portfolio extends skills learnt at GCSE and requires pupils to compose two pieces, one of which is in response to briefs set by the examination board. The study of 18 exciting and broadly-ranging set works gives pupils a broad set of skills in analysis and appraising.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

Musical opportunities at Tettenhall College are varied, rich and plentiful and all pupils are encouraged to get involved.  This term pupils have enjoyed exciting opportunities to sing and perform rock, pop and gospel music with the Senior School Choir and Prep School Choir, in addition to participating together with the whole school in the House-Singing Competition.  Instrumentalists can be part of our vibrant Jazz Band, Rock/Pop Project or can have the space to form their own bands in the Music department.  Musical opportunities are inclusive and pupils have taken part in concerts both in school and out in the wider community.  Over a quarter of the school currently take weekly individual lessons in one of 12 different instruments offered as part of our Music School programme.

Pupils studying Music also enjoy visits to concerts at the Symphony Hall Birmingham, St Martins in the Fields in London, Theatre visits and workshops by visiting musicians.  The Choirs take part annually in the nationwide Music For Youth Festival and performance tours to mainland Europe are planned every other year, with a trip to EuroDisney planned for 2020.

Both curriculum and examination PE opens up the world of sport. Pupils are encouraged to immerse themselves in sports and PE with the chance to perform, coach, officiate and ultimately develop lifelong participation in physical activity. Sport and PE gives pupils skills for a modern world, by developing practical skills, such as communication, leadership, dealing with pressure, split second decision-making and analysing and evaluating performance. This complete grounding in the subject provides a fantastic base from which pupils can build upon when they move on to higher education, employment or further training.

A base in sport gives a multitude of career possibilities, such as professional athlete, sports psychology, sports coach/teacher/lecturer, sports marketing/media, fitness professional and physiotherapy.

A Level Curriculum Outline

CTEC Sport and Physical Activity

From September 2025, students will have the opportunity to embark on our new CTEC programme which aims to give pupils a well-rounded and thorough introduction to the world of PE, sport and physical activity. Throughout the course, students will develop theoretical knowledge and an understanding of the factors that underpin physical activity and sport, hence using this knowledge to improve performance. This course encourages pupils to think critically as well as become effective and independent learners. In addition, pupils will be assessed on their practical ability in both individual and team sports.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

A thriving sports fixture calendar with other independent and local schools enables our pupils to experience competition both in their own specialisations and in new sports. As part of the Independent Schools Association we are able to give pupils access to regional and national events. Having recently taken part in ISA competitions across swimming, rugby, football and hockey to name a few, it is evident that pupils are given broad opportunities to develop they sports skills.

Sports tours and trips along with watching professional fixtures are always part of our sporting calendar throughout the academic year.

Physics is a subject which will opens the doors to many companies. It is essential if you wish to become an engineer and desirable if you want to be involved in any mechanical area. Physicists explore the fundamental nature of almost everything we know of. They probe the furthest reaches of the earth to study the smallest pieces of matter. Join them to enter a world deep beneath the surface of normal human experience.

A Level Curriculum Outline

The A Level route is a two year course. There are three examinations at the end of this two year course, covering all content and the skills acquired from the 12 required practical elements.

The following topics are studied:

Measurements and their errors, particles and radiation, waves, mechanics and materials, electricity, further mechanics and thermal physics, fields and nuclear physics.

Then one of the following topics is selected:

Astrophysics, medical physics, engineering physics, turning points in physics, electronics.

Pupils are then required to complete 12 set practical tasks which will be assessed during the examinations.

Assessment

A level physics consists of three externally-examined papers

Paper 1:  2 hours

Covering the topics: particles and radiation, waves, mechanics and materials, electricity,

Paper 2: 2 hours

Covering the topics: further mechanics and thermal physics, fields and nuclear physics.

Paper 3: 2 hours

Covering: practical skills and the option choice

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips

There are a number of trips to companies and universities. These trips are focussed on learning how science can be used in a modern society. Over the last few years these have included trips to NASA Space Centre, completing engineering challenges at RAF Cosford, experimenting with cosmic rays at Birmingham University, building complex amplifiers at Aston University and looking at the production of nuclear fusion at the JET complex in Oxford.

Psychology remains one of the most popular subjects for students to study at A Level. The subject encompasses the whole of human (and animal) behaviour. Throughout the course, students will gain an in depth understanding of the various approaches towards the study of the brain and behaviour. The skills learned in psychology also come in useful with other subjects; the A Level course will give students an in-depth understanding of scientific methodology and statistical analysis.

Psychology continues to be a popular choice for degree level study. A degree in Psychology can lead to opportunities for post-graduate study in areas such as counselling, clinical psychology, occupational psychology, educational psychology, sports psychology and many more!

An A Level in Psychology can be beneficial for anyone, even if you choose not to study the subject any further. Psychology is useful in any career that deals with people. It is also a good subject to take in combination with other A Levels, such as Biology, PE and English.

A Level Curriculum Outline

Year 12: Split into two components.

• Approaches in psychology: Pupils will learn about the nature of psychology, and the various ways in which the science of human behaviour can be approached. The five approaches studied are: biological, psychodynamic, behaviourist, cognitive and positive.
• Research methods: The “nuts and bolts” of psychology. Pupils will learn about the various experimental and non-experimental ways that psychologists carry out research and the variety of ways in which results can be analysed and conclusions drawn.

Year 13: The above, plus one extra component.

• Applications of psychology: Pupils will learn about how psychology can aid our understanding of real world issues, and how the findings of research can be used to modify behaviour. The three topics covered are: schizophrenia, criminal behaviour and addiction.

In Y13, pupils will also have the opportunity to design, carry out, and draw conclusions from their own studies. This will give them valuable hands on experience of psychological research.

Enrichment Opportunities / Field Trips