6th-Form-Curriculum-Gallery (ID 1008)

• Art and Design
  Art and Design

  The A-Level course is structured to meet the needs of the students who wish to pursue a career in Art and Design or as part of a range of subjects for application in associated fields of work such as architecture, engineering, marketing, publishing and media. Success at A-Level requires above all enthusiasm, determination and dedication. It is a busy course with an emphasis on problem solving and lateral thinking, with research and development of visual ideas being pursued with ambition and purpose.

  Awarding body: AQA

  Specification: 7202

  Requirements

  It is recommended that students have studied Art and Design at GCSE Level but it is not a prerequisite.

  Learning Opportunities

  The main purpose of any course in art is to develop an ability to appreciate the visual world, respond to it in a personal and creative way and develop a working knowledge of materials, practices and technology within art. The development of creative powers, an appreciation of art history and an understanding of the place art in society is at the heart of the course. In practical terms students will be offered opportunities to express their ideas through a variety of media, thereby gaining a practical grounding in skills and techniques such as:

  • Drawing and painting
  • Sculpture
  • Printmaking
  • Textiles
  • Ceramics
  • Installation
  • Photography

  Further Study

  There is a vast number of higher education courses available in the visual arts with future career prospects in fine art, architecture, product design, fashion, ceramics, printmaking, photography, teaching, research and museum work to name but a few. Every year we have a number of students go on to study on such courses throughout the UK.

  Course Structure: A-Level

  The A-Level is a two year course, with the first two terms of the first year being dedicated to developing skills across a range of activities in drawing, paint, print, ceramics and photography.

  This will be supported by extensive contextual discussion and investigation; looking at the place of art in the world. We will also be visiting galleries, writing art appreciation/history of art essays and inviting visiting artists to provide specialist workshops.

  All of this work will be integrated into the development of individual portfolios where the pupils will be encouraged to follow particular routes of interest and work up specific ideas and projects. The final term of the first year will be spent beginning to think about the Personal Investigation. We will expect everyone to have started this component by the end of summer term and be ready to push ahead with the investigation over the summer break.

  The first term of the second year will be spent completing the Personal Investigation, which will be handed in for marking by the end of January. Preparation for the Externally Set Assignment will begin on February 1 of the Upper Sixth year.

  Assessment

  Component 1 – Personal Investigation – 60% of the A-Level

  This is a practical investigation supported by written material. Students are required to conduct a practical investigation, into an idea, issue, concept or theme, supported by written material. The focus of the investigation must be identified independently by the student and must lead to a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes. The investigation should be a coherent, in depth study that demonstrates the student’s ability to construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning from an initial starting point to a final realisation. The investigation must show clear development from initial intentions to the final outcome or outcomes.

  Component 2 – Externally Set Assignment – 40% of the A-Level

  A question paper will be set by the examining board. This will consist of a choice of eight questions to be used as starting points. Students will be required to select one. Examination papers will be provided from 1 February, or as soon as possible after that date. Preparatory work can be presented in any suitable format, such as mounted sheets and/or sketchbooks. Following the preparatory period students must complete 15 hours of unaided, supervised time in which they must produce a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes, informed by their preparatory work. If you love looking, drawing and making you will enjoy this course. If colour, advertising, architecture, product design, dress design, textiles, photography and all things creative grab your imagination then Art and Design is for you.

  Preparatory work for studying Art in the Sixth Form

  Preparation for the A-level art course can begin over the summer break prior to the start of L6. It is recommended that pupils become familiar with some of the bigger galleries in London, preferably through visits. Pinpoint specific exhibitions and become familiar with well-known art critics by reading reviews on line or in the papers. If you happen to be abroad seek out exhibitions or galleries in the area and begin the habit of collecting images and information. It all feeds in to your development as an active viewer, artist and art historian.

• Biology
  Biology

  Why choose Biology?

  Students choose Biology to get into higher education or to pursue a particular career, but above all because they are interested in studying this challenging, innovative practical science and because they enjoy it. It is an essential subject for Medicine and Veterinary Science. A Level Biology is particularly valued by universities whatever course you ultimately apply for.

  Specification Code: H420

  The course content is split into six teaching modules:

  1. Development of practical skills in Biology
  2. Foundations in Biology
  3. Exchange and transport
  4. Biodiversity, evolution and disease
  5. Communication, homeostasis and energy
  6. Genetics, evolution and ecosystems

  The teaching of practical skills is integrated within the theoretical topics and they are assessed through written papers and the Practical Endorsement (non examination assessment)

  The assessment overview for A Level consists of 3 written papers:

  Paper 1

  Biological processes (100 marks. 2 hours and 15 minutes.) This paper assesses the content from modules 1,2,3 and 5. Contributes 37% to the overall assessment.

  Paper 2

  Biological diversity (100 marks. 2 hours and 15 minutes.) This paper assesses the content from modules 1,2,4 and 6. Contributes 37% to the overall assessment.

  Paper 3

  Unified Biology (70 marks. 1 hour and 30 minutes.) This paper assesses the content from modules 1 to 6. Contributes 26% to the overall assessment.

  Mathematical requirements:

  In order to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding in A Level Biology, the appropriate areas of mathematics relevant to the subject have to be taught. 10% of the marks available within written examinations will be for assessment of mathematics. The areas covered are:-

  – Arithmetic and numerical computation
  – Handling data
  – Algebra
  – Graphs
  – Geometry and trigonometry.

  What do we expect from you?

  Enthusiasm, hard work, determination, initiative and a willingness to complete work set on time.

  Trips

  In the Lower Sixth spend a day at the Oxford Natural History Museum for a series of lectures and workshops given by the university’s staff.

  In the summer term of the Lower Sixth all A Level Biology students usually go on a residential field course at Dale Fort in Pembrokeshire for which there will be a charge of about £340- £390.

  University and Careers

  Biology is a great subject to have studied whatever your chosen career path. You will develop your ability to: think and work logically, to communicate your ideas accurately and concisely, to evaluate evidence to decide whether it supports a particular argument and to consider the ethics of controversial genetic research.

  Which subjects go well with Biology?

  Biology goes well with most subjects and many students chose to study other STEM subjects such as Chemistry or Maths with Biology. However, they are not essential and students can still achieve top grades without them. Some of the topics in A level Biology have links to Psychology and Physical Education and students have also reported that the analytical skills they develop in Biology are useful for History and languages.

  Preparatory work for studying Biology in the Sixth Form

  There are many interesting and entertaining programmes on a range of media which will help you develop a deeper understanding of Biological issues in the World. You should try to read at least popular science book over the summer. Most large bookshops have a special section. Suggested titles include:

  The Human Brain by Susan Greenfield
  The Language of Genes by Steve Jones
  The Man who mistook his Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks

• Business
  Business

  Business at A Level is a popular option at OLA. It is an exciting and relevant course with the focus on acquiring the necessary business skills to help in decision making and problem solving.

  The reality is that students will enter the world of work at some time; gaining knowledge and understanding of how organisations of all types are run and managed is a useful and valuable life skill. This is important whether the intention is to run your own business or to play an important part in the management of another. Career aspirations in the traditional professions of law or accountancy will be enhanced by the study of Business.

  Awarding body: AQA

  Specification: 7132

  The specification is stimulating and up-to-date. In Year 1 focus is on the four functional areas of business: marketing, finance, human resource management and operations, with emphasis on decision-making. In Year 2 pupils study more complex strategic decision making, looking at strategic direction and planning to manage change in the business environment. Examination of the internal and external environment in which all organisations operate, is key. The specification requires students to have an appreciation of the local, national and international business environment and examination questions include case study stimulus materials.

  Emphasis is placed on student-based learning wherever possible and the course is particularly suited to those prepared to offer their views and opinions about the real world business environment. Keeping up to date with current business news stories is essential and lessons incorporate real business examples where appropriate.

  The increasing importance and relevance of business is reflected in the wide range of Management and Business courses on offer at universities. As a preparation for life it is invaluable and if you have a genuine interest, a desire to succeed and an enquiring mind then it may be the course you are looking for!

  Subject content

  1. What is business?
  2. Managers, leadership and decision making
  3. Decision making to improve marketing performance
  4. Decision making to improve operational performance
  5. Decision making to improve financial performance
  6. Decision making to improve human resource performance
  7. Analysing the strategic position of a business
  8. Choosing strategic direction
  9. Strategic methods: how to pursue strategies
  10. Managing strategic change

  Assessment of the A Level

  Paper 1: Business 1

  What is assessed

  All subject content

  Assessed by

  •Written examination: 2 hours

  • 100 marks in total 33.3% of A Level

  Questions

  Three compulsory sections:

  • Section A 15 multiple choice questions worth 15 marks

  • Section B short answer questions worth 35 marks

  • Sections C and D two essay questions (choice of one from two) worth 25 marks each

  Paper 2: Business 2

  What is assessed

  All subject content

  Assessed by

  • Written examination: 2 hours

  • 100 marks in total 33.3% of A Level

  Questions

  Three data response compulsory questions worth approximately 33 marks each and made up of three or four part questions

  Paper 3: Business 3

  What is assessed

  All subject content

  Assessed by

  • Written examination: 2 hours

  • 100 marks in total 33.3% of A Level

  Questions

  One compulsory case study followed by approximately six questions

  Preparatory work for studying Business in the Sixth Form

  Be aware of the world. As discussed above, we draw on situations which occur in the world around us. An interest in current affairs is essential to good performance in Business. Try to catch up with the news as often as you can, ideally every day but certainly a couple of times each week. The following are good places to start:

  • Download news apps to your phone – try the BBC News app and personalise your newsfeeds to include UK Business, World, Technology and Politics. Also, try ‘Flipboard’ and again tailor your newsfeeds.

  • News on the TV – BBC News and Channel 4 News tend to have the best coverage of business and economic issues. Aim to make a particular point of watching programmes based on how businesses work such as ‘The Apprentice’

  • Newspapers and Journals – The Times, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph Business pages and The Guardian offer both UK business and International business news. The Financial Times is good but maybe a little too technical at this stage in your studies. Be aware of ideological bias in the news and try to get a balanced view. The Economist is a very good source of information.

  Read books. A growing number of businesses and entrepreneurs are choosing to publish their stories. These can be useful sources of information about what makes businesses successful and the challenges which need to be overcome. There are several out there and you can choose business which you find interesting. The ones listed below are companies you may have heard of:

  ● The Everything Store (Stone)

  ● Grinding it Out (Kroc)

  ● How Google Works (Schmidt & Rosenberg)

  ● Megachange: The World in 2050 (The Economist)

  ● What you see is what you get (Sugar)

  ● The Upstarts: How Uber and Airbnb are changing the world (Stone)

  ● Business for Punks (Watt)

  Alternatively look at books such as:

  ● No Logo (Naomi Klein)

  ●23 Things they didn’t tell you about Capitalism (Ha-Joon Chang)

• Chemistry
  Chemistry

  A Level Chemistry is taught by Miss Gellert and Mr Chim. We teach the OCR Chemistry A specification, designed to “sustain and develop an enjoyment and interest in Chemistry, to recognise the value of Chemistry to society and how it may be used responsibly, as well as developing your knowledge and understanding of the concepts and skills essential to the subject”. Many of the topics will be familiar to you as they are extensions of those covered in GCSE Chemistry. We will develop the depth of your understanding of these and reinforce the theory with new practical skills.

  Specification Code: H432

  The content is split into six modules:-

  1. Development of practical skills in Chemistry

  2. Foundations in Chemistry

  3. Periodic table and energy

  4. Core organic Chemistry

  5. Physical Chemistry and transition elements

  6. Organic Chemistry and analysis.

  The practical skills are integrated throughout the course and assessed through the required practical activities(PAGs). The PAGs are 12 different practical investigationsthat are designed to test the essential practical skills needed in Chemistry.

  Assessment Overview

  Paper 1

  Periodic table, elements and physical chemistry (01)
  100 marks
  2 hours 15 minutes Written paper
  Worth 37% of total A level

  Paper 2

  Synthesis and analytical techniques (02)
  100 marks
  2 hours 15 minutes Written paper
  Worth 37% of total A level

  Paper 3

  Unified chemistry (03)
  70 marks
  1 hour 30 minutes Written paper
  Worth 26% of total A level

  Mathematical requirements:-

  A Level maths is not needed in order to do A Level Chemistry, however you will need to be happy with the following mathematical skills:

  – Arithmetic and numerical computation

  – Handling data

  – Algebra

  – Graphs

  – Geometry and trigonometry.

  Further progress

  Chemistry is an essential subject if you wish to study Medicine or Veterinary Science, and can lead to a number of career opportunities in the medical field as well as Sciences in general.

  Preparatory work for studying Chemistry in the Sixth Form:

  Read the Chemistry CGP Transition Guide to ensure that your knowledge and understanding of GCSE Chemistry is inherent and that you are able to use it and apply it to the A Level Chemistry course. You will also need to make sure that you are able to rearrange equations.

• Computer Science
  Computer Science

  A-Level Computer Science is an option for students who are considering pursuing a career in the subject, including in software engineering, network security or data science.

  We follow the AQA Computer Science A-Level specification, which includes a computer-based examination and a NEA programming project. The latter requires students to design and implement a piece of software with a specific customer in mind.

  The course is only suitable for those who start with at least GCSE-level programming skills, and hence a good grade in GCSE Computer Science is a requirement for starting the course. It is particularly beneficial to those who already enjoy programming in their own time and want to take their skills a step further. Thanks to small group sizes, we can tailor the course in each year to particular interests and ambitions of individual students.

  Faculty Links

  As part of a single faculty, Computer Science remains in close collaboration with Mathematics. Computational thinking and problem solving are recurring themes throughout the curricula of both subjects. As a faculty, we aim to equip our learners with thinking skills necessary to adapt to the modern world, not just to teach them formulaic knowledge or specific technologies.

  Facilities

  Our department uses two modern ICT suites for computer-based work. Our KS3 and GCSE classes are between 10 and 20 pupils each, and our A Level sets are significantly smaller. This allows us to ensure the teaching content and delivery each year are most suitable to every learner.

  Our 6^thForm students use a dedicated set of Linux laptops. This allows them to develop advanced skills in low-level programming and network security in a safe and convenient environment.

  What sort of work is involved?

  The majority of A-level Computer science courses consist of work towards two exam papers, both worth 40% of the whole, plus non-exam assessment worth 20% which will typically be done over a period of about 3 months.

  The first exam is a programming test.

  This will test your ability to solve problems as much as it will test your technical knowledge of the programming language you have learned.

  The second exam tests theory and is a written exam.

  Questions are designed to test your knowledge of computer systems, how they are formed and the social and legal parts of computing, communication, networking and databases.

  For the non-exam assessment

  You pick your own project which must have a significant programming element. You will create a program to solve a problem, such as writing a computer game, making a mobile phone application or doing an investigation into machine learning. There is no restriction on programming language used in the project. When writing coursework you won’t just be expected to produce working code, but will be expected to write good, well structured working code. Despite the large programming element, you will actually be marked on the documentation you produce. This will typically consist of an analysis, designing the solution, annotated code showing your finished solution, tests demonstrating that your solution works and an evaluation.

  What background do I need?

  To do A level Computer science it is not essential to have done computer science at GCSE, though it is advisable to have done some practice of programming in your own time. The course has a significant programming element and those who have no previous experience of programming often find it very challenging. You ought to have at least a B-grade in mathematics. There are several topics that require the ability to reason logically and apply mathematical and logical processes to solutions. It is likely that if you find mathematics enjoyable and interesting then you will also like computer science.

  Where can it lead?

  A level Computer science is naturally a strong subject to take if you wish to go on to do computer science at degree level, and although most computing-based degree courses don’t require Computer science A level there are a number of software engineering courses which do. There are also other degree courses such as information technology and information systems which will be served well by a Computer science A level. After university, there are numerous interesting fields of study and professions that you can go in to. Computer science will lead on to robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, big data processing, networking, ethical hacking, computer game development, home automation or even teaching. So much of the world uses computers nowadays that having a good understanding of how computers work and how to program them will set you up for success in many strands of life. Numbers of computers are also increasing in many developing countries too, meaning that your skills in computer science will be very portable. The most popular programming languages in the world are based on the English language using statements such as for, while, if, else, repeat, so studying computer science in an English speaking college will give you a good foundation if you wish to travel and find a job working with computers in another country.

• Design and Technology
  Design and Technology

  Inspiring innovative design:

  If you are looking for a course that will give you excellent progression of knowledge, understanding and design/making skills, then A Level Design Technology is the course for you. It provides you with a coherent experience of moving from the breadth of the GCSE to the specialisation depth of A level and beyond. The specification provides students with design skills for the future so that they are able to recognise design needs and develop an understanding of how current global issues, including integrating technology, impacts on today’s world. Students will be encouraged to take design risks and innovate in a situation where it is safe to test and refine ideas, giving them the confidence at A level to further develop these skills in their own design brief with a client/end user.

  The A Level course is assessed by a written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes which is worth 50% of the qualification 120 marks. The following topics are covered:

  Topic 1: Materials
  Topic 2: Performance characteristics of materials
  Topic 3: Processes and techniques
  Topic 4: Digital technologies
  Topic 5: Factors influencing the development of products
  Topic 6: Effects of technological developments
  Topic 7: Potential hazards and risk assessment
  Topic 8: Features of manufacturing industries
  Topic 9: Designing for maintenance and the cleaner environment
  Topic 10: Current legislation
  Topic 11: Information handling, Modelling and forward planning
  Topic 12: Further processes and techniques.

  The other 50% of the qualification is in the form of a Non-examined assessment which involves:

  ● Students individually and/or in consultation with a client/end user identify a problem and design context.
  ● Students will develop a range of potential solutions which include the use of computer aided design and evidence of modelling.
  ● Students will be expected to make decisions about the designing and development of the prototype in conjunction with the opinions of the client/end user which may have an impact on the environment.
  ● Students will realise one potential solution through practical making activities with evidence of project management and planning for production.
  ● Students will incorporate issues related to sustainability and the impact on their prototype
  ● Students are expected to analyse and evaluate wider issues in design technology, prototypes/products made by themselves and others including social, moral, ethical and environmental impacts.

  Preparatory work for studying Product Design in the Sixth Form

  If you are considering opting to study A Level Design Technology then these are the tasks that you will need to work through in the summer. You will be required to present them to the Head of Design Technology in September. • To carry out a product analysis and development task. You need to choose a household item e.g. Computer mouse and using sketching and notes to carry out an in depth analysis of the product. Research other similar products on the market and use sketching to develop the product to make it more aesthetically pleasing or to have another function. • To research a famous designer or architect and produce an information page that could be presented to an A level group highlighting facts such as key characteristics, the history of the product/designer and the products that have made them famous.

• Drama: Theatre Studies
  Drama: Theatre Studies

  s Theatre Studies fun?

  If you enjoy reading plays, acting in plays, thinking about plays, discussing plays and watching plays, the answer is ‘Yes’. If you are interested in set, costume, make-up, lighting, sound or stage management, the answer is ‘Yes’. If you enjoy working together with others, the answer is ‘Yes’. You will certainly need to involve yourself in lessons!

  Awarding body: AQA

  Specification: 7262

  What will I learn?

  You will learn about the history and the terminology of theatre and study some of the world’s greatest literature. The course ranges from texts written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ to plays written by playwrights living in the 21st Century. You will develop your creativity, your communication skills and your powers of analysis.

  The course is very practical and you need to be willing to participate in drama either in a performing or a production role. You may spend an afternoon rehearsing a play and then have to go out to the theatre for homework.

  Will any expense be involved?

  It will help if you are willing to buy your own copies of plays so that you can highlight and annotate them. We will need to visit the theatre, but we will try to limit the cost of this whenever we can.

  What is the course content and assessment for A Level?

  Component 1: Drama and Theatre
  • Knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre
  • Study of two set plays
  • Analysis and evaluation of the work of live theatre makers
  • Written examination: 3 hours

  Component 2: Creating Original Drama (practical)
  • Process of creating devised drama
  • Performance of devised drama (students may contribute as performer, designer or director)
  • Devised piece must be influenced by the work and methodologies of one prescribed practitioner
  • Working notebook
  • Devised performance

  Component 3: Making Theatre (practical)
  • Practical exploration and interpretation of three extracts (Extract 1, 2 and 3) each taken from a different play
  • Methodology of a prescribed practitioner must be applied to Extract 3
  • Extract 3 is to be performed as a final assessed piece
  • Reflective report analysing and evaluating theatrical interpretation of all three extracts
  • Performance of Extract 3
  • Reflective report

  Which subjects go well with Theatre Studies?

  All subjects go well with Theatre Studies, but it particularly complements Art, English, History, Modern Languages and Textiles.

  Preparatory work for studying Drama in the Sixth Form

  Read the following introductory books:
  National Theatre: All About Theatre (2017) ISBN: 978-1406373394 The Cambridge Introduction to Theatre Studies (2011) ISBN: 978- 0521672238

  Task 1: Choose a few of the following Drama practitioners and do some research:
  • Performers: Antonin Artaud, Steven Berkoff, Augusto Boal, Bertolt Brecht, Peter Brook, Complicite, DV8, John Godber, Nicholas Hytner, Mike Leigh, Punchdrunk, Max StaffordClark, Konstantin Stanislavski
  • Designers: Alison Chitty, Bob Crowley, Gareth Fry, Gecko, Bill Mitchell, Tom Piper, Mic Pool, Malcolm Rippeth, Ray Smith, Julie Taymoor, 1927
  • For each practitioner you research, outline what sort of theatre they are known for and why they are considered notable.

  Task 2: Go to the theatre and write a review of what you have seen. Write about:
  • What were the aims of the production? Was it effective and why? Discuss an aspect of performance and design that impressed you and explain why.

• Economics
  Economics

  Why do oil prices fluctuate?

  Why does the government provide free health care to its citizens?

  Why do economies experience recessions?

  The study of Economics provides us with answers to these questions and many more.

  Why study Economics at A Level?

  Economics is a fascinating subject especially in the current climate of change. Economics helps you to look more deeply into the world around you and it can give new perspectives on some of the most pressing and challenging problems facing society today. Few decisions are taken that are not influenced to some degree by Economics. It explores the role of government, producers and consumers and explains many of the issues and debates that feature in world economic affairs and in society.

  A Level Economics is a thought provoking course which enables you to learn about traditional and more recent economic theories; it challenges your inherent views and examines national and international economic events. Economics is a current, relevant and dynamic.

  Specification Code: AQA 7136

  What will I Study?

  Individuals, firms, markets and market failure
  • Economic methodology and the economic problem
  • Individual economic decision making
  • Price determination in a competitive market
  • Production, costs and revenue
  • Perfect competition, imperfectly competitive markets and monopoly
  • The labour market
  • The distribution of income and wealth: poverty and inequality • The market mechanism, market failure and government intervention in markets

  The national and international economy
  • The measurement of macroeconomic performance
  • How the macro-economy works : the circular flow of income, AD/AS analysis and related concepts
  • Economic performance
  • Financial markets and monetary policy
  • Fiscal policy and supply-side policies
  • The international economy

  Throughout the course students are encouraged to develop a critical approach to economic models and methods of enquiry. The skills of analysis and evaluation are developed throughout the course.

  Assessment of the A Level: three compulsory papers

  Paper 1
  Is a 2 hour written examination; 80 marks worth 33.3% of the A Level. Section A has data response questions worth 40 marks and section B allows you to choose one essay question from three titles worth 40 marks.

  Paper 2
  Is a 2 hour written examination; 80 marks worth 33.3% of the A Level. Section A has data response questions worth 40 marks and section B allows you to choose one essay question from three titles worth 40 marks.

  Paper 3
  Is a 2 hour written examination; 80 marks worth 33.3% of the A Level. Section A has multiple choice questions worth 30 marks and section B is a case study question worth 50 marks

  Further study and careers in Economics

  Whilst not a prerequisite to study Economics at university, A Level Economics provides an excellent basis for further study in this area or many related subjects. Degrees are offered in Economics or as part of a joint degree with Politics, Management, History or Mathematics. Careers for Economics graduates include roles in finance, accountancy, research or advisory roles for banks, government or business.

  Preparatory work for studying Economics in the Sixth Form

  Be aware of the Economic and Political environment. As we progress through the course, as discussed above, we draw upon situations which occur in the world around us. An interest in, and an understanding of, current affairs are essential to good performance in Economics. Brexit, UK and overseas Government economic policies are in the news daily at the moment. Try to read the news as often as you can, ideally every day but certainly a couple of times each week. The following are good places to start:

  • Download news apps to your phone – try the BBC News app and personalise your newsfeeds to include Economics, UK Business, World, Technology and Politics. Also, try ‘Flipboard’ and again tailor your newsfeeds.
  • News on the TV – BBC News and Channel 4 News tend to have the best coverage of economic issues.
  • Newspapers and Journals – The Times, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph Business pages and The Guardian offer both UK business and International news on. The Financial Times is good but maybe a little too technical at this stage in your studies. Be aware of ideological bias in the news and try to get a balanced view. The Economist is a very good source of information.
  • Read Books. An understanding of Economics is becoming more popular and, as such, there are an ever-increasing number of accessible economics books out there. Here are some you can try. They are arranged in approximate order of complexity so it is better to start at the top of the list:
  • Freakonomics/Superfreakonomics (Levitt & Dubner)
  • The Economic Naturalist (Frank)
  • Fifty Things that Made the Modern Economy (Tim Harford) – a book to go alongside the podcast which looks at everything from concrete to baby formula and insurance.
  • The Undercover Economist (Harford)
  • 50 Economics Ideas You Really Need to Know (Conway)
  • No Logo (Naomi Klein)
  • 23 Things they didn’t tell you about Capitalism (Ha-Joon Chang)

• English Literature
  English Literature

  Advanced study of English Literature gives you the opportunity to read, study and share your opinions and enjoyment of not only the great works of the past but also novels, plays and poems which are being written right now, both tear-jerkers and side-splitters!

  Awarding body: Pearson/Edexcel

  Specification: 9ET0

  How some of our sixth form students have described English Literature:

  • I would recommend English to anyone who enjoys reading, writing and exploring the worlds which come out of a writer’s imagination.
  • English is a good way to do something you love and call it work! The lessons are interesting and are very entertaining.
  • The A Level style of teaching is very enjoyable as everyone is encouraged to make an input; you may not have realised before how much you can learn just from listening to other students.
  • A Level goes far deeper below the surface of literature than the IGCSE.
  • Do not take this A Level if you are not genuinely passionate about literature, but if you love books and don’t mind writing essays then English is the subject for you.
  • In A Level English you get to study more interesting books, but you have to concentrate and read the books to do well and fully understand.

  Studying English will help you to communicate more effectively in conversation and on paper, to improve your analytical and evaluative skills and to work and think with independence, providing you with an excellent foundation for success in any subject at university and any future career. Students buy their own texts so that they can annotate them.

  The A Level course

  Component 1 – Drama 30%
  • One Shakespeare play and one other drama text
  • Written examination, open book, lasting 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Students answer one essay question on Shakespeare incorporating ideas from wider critical reading and one essay question on the other text.

  Component 2 – Prose 20%
  • Two prose texts from a chosen theme; at least one text should date from pre-1900
  • Written examination, open book, lasting 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Students answer one comparative essay question

  Component 3 – Poetry 30%
  • Poetic form, meaning and language, together with a selection of 21st century poetry, and poetry from a second period or a named poet
  • Written examination, open book, lasting 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Students compare an unseen poem with a studied 21st century poem as well as answering one essay question on their literary period/poet

  Component 4 – Coursework 20%

  One text for study will be chosen by the teacher to suit the group. Pupils will individually research and select a second comparative text.
  • Students write one essay of 3000 words comparing the two texts.

  The future

  English Literature is a wonderful subject to offer if you are thinking of a career in the media, journalism, law, teaching or any future which relies on good communication skills. English Literature will stand you in good stead when applying for a vast range of degree courses; it gives evidence of the serious study of ideas and the power of the written word.

  Preparatory work for studying English Literature in Sixth Form

  Before the summer holidays at the end of Year 11, you will be given a reading list with details of the texts you will be studying in Lower Sixth. Reading these over the summer will give you a great start in your A Level course and mean you can participate fully in class discussion. As well as reading the set texts, we recommend that you:

  • Read widely for pleasure – novels, plays and poetry – thinking about how stories are told and the way writers use language.
  • Read other novels by the authors or your two prose texts to give you a wider understanding of their work.
  • Watch film versions of your set texts, or see them at the theatre if you can, to help you think about the characters, settings and ideas being presented.

  Although it’s impossible to provide a comprehensive reading list for English Literature, attached are some recommended novels that may help you find your way around a library or website when choosing what to read.

  Prose Reading List for English Literature A Level

  These are merely suggestions to help you get started – find authors and genres you love and enjoy their work. Don’t forget poetry and drama as well!

  Fiction
  Chinua Achebe – Things Fall Apart
  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – Purple Hibiscus, Americanah
  Monica Ali – Brick Lane Margaret Atwood The Handmaid’s Tale, Oryx and Crake, The Blind Assassin
  Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility
  Charlotte Brontë – Jane Eyre
  Emily Brontë – Wuthering Heights
  AS Byatt – Possession
  Angela Carter – The Bloody Chamber, Nights at the Circus
  Joseph Conrad – The Secret Agent The Heart of Darkness
  Charles Dickens – Great Expectations, Hard Times, Bleak House
  Daphne Du Maurier – Rebecca
  George Eliot – The Mill on The Floss, Middlemarch
  Sebastian Faulks – Birdsong, Charlotte Gray
  F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night
  E.M. Forster – A Room with a View, A Passage to India
  Elizabeth Gaskell – North and South, Wives and Daughters
  Gabriel Garcia Marquez – Love in the Time of Cholera
  Graham Greene – Brighton Rock
  Thomas Hardy – Far from the Madding Crowd, Tess of the D’Urbervilles
  L.P. Hartley – The Go-Between
  Ernest Hemingway – For Whom the Bell Tolls, A Farewell to Arms
  Khaled Hosseini – A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Kite Runner
  Aldous Huxley – Brave New World
  Kazuo Ishiguro – The Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go
  James Joyce – Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Dubliners
  D.H Lawrence – Sons and Lovers, Women in Love
  Harper Lee – To Kill a Mockingbird
  Andrea Levy – Small Island
  Hilary Mantel – Wolf Hall, Bring out the Bodies
  Ian McEwan – Atonement, Enduring Love
  Toni Morrison – Beloved
  Iris Murdoch The Bell, The sea, the sea
  George Orwell – Nineteen Eighty-Four
  Arundhati Roy – The God of Small Things
  Sylvia Plath – The Bell Jar
  Annie Proulx – Postcards, The Shipping News
  Jean Rhys – Wide Sargasso Sea
  John Steinbeck – The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden
  Bram Stoker – Dracula
  Alice Walker – The Colour Purple Sarah Waters The Little Stranger
  Jeanette Winterson – Oranges are not the only Fruit
  Zadie Smith – White Teeth, NW, On Beauty
  Virginia Woolf – Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse

  Non Fiction:
  Anon – I Am The Secret Footballer
  Maya Angelou – I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
  Allie Brosh – Hyperbole and a Half
  Bill Bryson – The Lost Continent, Notes from a Small Island
  Alan Bennett – Writing Home
  Vera Brittain – Testament of Youth
  Truman Capote – In Cold Blood
  Jenny Diski – Skating to Antarctica
  Margaret Forster – Hidden Lives Anna Funder Stasiland
  Anne Frank – The Diary of a Young Girl
  Robert Graves – Goodbye To All That
  Stephen Grosz – The Examined Life
  George Orwell – Down and Out in Paris and London
  Alexander Masters – Stuart: A Life Backwards
  Helen Macdonald – H is for Hawk
  Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom
  Solomon Northrop – Twelve Years a Slave
  Jeannette Winterson – Why Be Happy When You Could be Normal?
  Xinran – What the Chinese Don’t Eat

• EPQ
  EPQ

  What is the EPQ?

  Edexcel’s Extended Project qualification (EPQ) at Level 3 helps students of all abilities and interests to acquire independent learning skills. Students can use these new skills in their other A Level subjects as well as to prepare for higher education and working life. The project offers huge flexibility and allows you to choose how you present your work. For example, your project might take the form of:-

  • A written dissertation
  • A scientific investigation/field study
  • A performance
  • An artefact (designing and making an object)

  Awarding Body: Pearson/Edexcel

  Specification: ZPJ30

  How does the EPQ relate to UCAS applications?

  The EPQ is equivalent to half an A Level and attracts up to 28 UCAS points. It is graded from A* to E.

  What will you get out of it?

  The EPQ enables you to enhance your qualifications by pursuing an interest of your choice. Therefore, it can really broaden your studies and give a scientist a chance to be an artist for example or vice versa! It helps to develop key skills such as independent learning, research and critical thinking which are valued by both employers and universities. The EPQ gives students the opportunity to:-

  • learn more about an area that interests them or research a subject not available through other qualifications

  • develop independent research and project management skills • learn time management

  • learn skills that will help in higher education or the workplace.

  The EPQ is recognised and recommended by universities, schools, colleges and students for the valuable skills it provides.

  How does it work?

  The EPQ has been designed so that students can either choose a project title that relates to their current study, or a topic that they are personally interested in or passionate about.

  Students work with a tutor-mentor, as well as working independently to plan, manage, complete and evaluate a single piece of work. The work is assessed by a set of criteria that the mentors refer to as the work progresses.

  There are no exams. Instead, students will produce one piece of coursework, accompanied by a formal presentation to teachers to present and evaluate their work. Students are marked on their ability to plan, manage, complete and review their project.

  The EPQ is completed during the Lower Sixth year and is marked by teachers, before being sent to Edexcel to be moderated.

• Fashion and Textiles
  Fashion and Textiles

  A Level Fashion & Textiles is a two year A level course which is all assessed at the end of the second year. The assessment comprises of three parts; two written exams and one extended design and make project, responding to a design brief, decided by the student.

  Awarding body: AQA

  Specification code: 7562

  Exam Paper 1

  Is a two and a half hour exam which assesses the technical principles relating to materials and their applications, performance characteristics of fabrics and modern and commercial production methods. This exam is made up of a mixture of short answer and extended response questions. It carries 120 marks and is worth 30% of the final A Level grade.

  Exam Paper 2

  Is a one and a half hour paper which assesses the core designing and making principles involved with Fashion and Textiles. This paper explores design theory, responsible design and how technology and cultural changes impact the work of designers. This specification is studied over two full years and all assessments take place at the end of the second year.

  The paper is divided into two sections:

  Section A – Product analysis: 30 marks Up to 6 short answer questions based on visual stimulus of product(s).

  Section B – Commercial manufacture: 50 marks Mixture of short and extended response questions. This exam is made up of short answer and extended response questions. It carries 80 marks and is worth 20% of the final A Level grade.

  Non-exam assessment (NEA) – The NEA is student led project which comprises of a written or digital design portfolio and photographic evidence of final prototype. The NEA has three assessment objectives; identify, investigate and outline design possibilities, design and make prototypes that are fit for purpose and analyse and evaluate. The NEA is marked out of 100 and is worth 50% of the final A Level grade.

  Who should study Fashion & Textiles?

  You should choose Fashion & Textiles if:

  • You are interested in creating your own designs, and turning them from 2D ideas to wearable garments.
  • You have a desire to go on to be part of a $3 Trillion dollar industry.
  • You are interested in trends & current fashions, and would like to shape what people wear in the future.
  • Are interested in using computer aided design to communicate your ideas.
  • You want to understand where fibres and fabrics come from and how to be a responsible designer.

  Where can Fashion & Textiles lead?

  There are 126 universities in the UK offering Fashion and Textiles based degrees, not all courses are design based. There are courses in Fashion Marketing, Fashion Buying, Fashion Journalism, even specialist Fashion Law courses exist. There are also many different careers in the fashion industry, from Pattern cutting to Stylist, Knitwear designer to Visual Merchandiser, the possibilities are endless.

  Preparatory work for studying Textiles in the Sixth Form

  Fabric Study:
  Collect samples of fabrics. For this you will need an A5 or A6 notebook. Stick one fabric sample onto a page of a notebook and annotate with the:

  • Name the fabric (if possible), e.g. cotton twill, silk satin
  • Note the fibre(s) origin
  • Brief description of how the fabric has been processed, you could sketch of the weave/knit
  • Properties of the fabric
  • Finishes applied to the fabric
  • Cost if possible
  • Suggestions for its use
  • Comment on appropriate care for the product.

  Every time you go to fabric shop, ask if you can take some swatches of various fabrics. Use mobile phones to take a picture of the information displayed on the roll. This should help you when you come to update your swatch book.

  Watch Textiles TV:
  Keep your eye out for programmes on the television that would aid your wider knowledge. Any topic that is related to textiles, e.g. work of designers, ethical fashion (fair-trade etc.):
  •The Alexander McQueen Documentary – Netflix
  •Secret world of haute couture – YouTube
  •Blood, sweat and t-shirts – YouTube
  •Stacey Dooley: Fashion’s Dirty Secrets – You Tube
  •The Great British Sewing Bee – BBC2
  •The Devil Wears Prada

  Join the A Level Textiles – Oxford Page

  We have created an A level textiles Facebook group, the membership is small, but growing, and includes what past students are now doing. It is a wonderful medium for sharing information about Textiles. It is a great forum for sharing links and general fashion news. Please ask for details of how to join this page. I would like you all to contribute any websites, ideas, TV programmes, or links etc. that you feel are related to the textiles course.

• Film Studies
  Film Studies

  A-Level Film Studies is a challenging but accessible course that allows students to study film as an art form. In many ways the course is similar to English Literature but substitutes the study of written texts with visual texts. The course includes film that some students may already know and a great deal of films that they will not. Students learn how to analyse film but also how film contexts, whether they be social, political, historical, contribute to their understanding.

  Awarding Body: Eduqas

  Specification: 601/7467/5

  Film Studies helps students develop core academic skills, such as research and essay-writing skills. Whilst the course includes viewing films, it also requires student to read around film and engage with a variety of film theorists and texts. It is also a great deal of fun and uses a medium that many students are already engaging with as a platform for developing their study skills.

  This course prepares students very well for undergraduate study. Obvious progression routes would include Film Theory and Film Studies and universities such as King’s College London, University of Exeter and University of Warwick are excellent choices.

  Requirements:

  There are no formal entry requirements to study A-Level Film Studies. However, students would benefit from having a grade 5 or above in English Literature or Language. Students will benefit from having studied GCSE Film or Media Studies but this is not essential.

  Course structure:

  A-Level Film Studies is comprised of three components.

  • Component 1: Varieties of Film and Filmmaking
  • Component 2: Global Filmmaking Perspectives
  • Component 3: Production

  Component 1
  includes the study of US and British cinema, including a mixture of mainstream and independent cinema. Students can choose from a range of films including Inception, La La Land, Apocalypse Now, Blade Runner, Casablanca, Vertigo, Shaun of the Dead, This is England and Moon.

  Component 2
  includes the study of Global Cinema. Students can choose to focus on Life is Beautiful, Pan’s Labyrinth, City of God and Ida. This component also includes documentary films and film movements, including silent cinema and experimental cinema.

  Component 3
  involves the creation of a practical portfolio and this is assessed internally. Students can choose to produce either a screenplay or a short film.

  Assessment:

  Varieties of Film and Filmmaking and Global Filmmaking perspectives are both assessed through written examinations. Both exams are 2.5 hours long. One of the most unique aspects of this course is the practical Production component, which allows students to produce a short film or screenplay. This mixed approach to assessment ensures that candidates have a fair opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways.

  Subject combinations:

  Film Studies works very well with other humanities and essay-based subjects, such as Psychology, English, Drama & Theatre Studies, History, Art and Music. As a subject that contains a great deal of international cinema it can also compliment the study of languages very well. With a strong practical element, Film Studies works well with the Media Production course offered at OLA.

  Preparing for A-Level Film Studies:

  Many newspapers, such as The Guardian, include sections concerning Film and reading this can provide you with an appreciation of how to write about film and an understanding of film context. There are a number of introductory texts, such as An Introduction to Film by Nick Lacey which offer a concise and accessible introduction to the subject. Journals, such as Sight and Sound, also provide a good grounding for writing about film. Challenging yourself to watch films from other countries and reading more widely about the production context of film can also be very useful.

• Food Studies
  Food Studies

  WJEC Level 3 Diploma in Food Science and Nutrition

  We are delighted we offer this course to the 6th form, covering both year 12 and 13. We are the only school locally offering this course.

  For this course pupils work much more independently and learn the science of food in far greater depth. Pupils study three units in total They have case studies and written exams all underpinned by a growing knowledge of nutrients’ characteristics, properties and structure, food safety and food science.

  Practical work is of an extremely high level with dishes being prepared and cooked to restaurant standard.

  The course results in a Pass, Merit, Distinction or Distinction * and is recognised by a universities as an entry qualification.

  The Diploma:

  Unit 1: Internally and externally assessed (this unit is mandatory)
  External 90 minute exam + 15 minutes reading time
  Section A: short answers
  Section B: extended answers
  Section C: relates to a case study
  An internally assessed practical task where pupils plan and prepare a highly skilled nutritionally balanced meal.
  The paper is available in June of each year. Students have two resit opportunities (the highest grade counts)

  Unit 2: Externally assessed (this unit is mandatory)
  An assignment is produced every year and cannot be opened before 1st May. It comprises an 8 hour timed supervised assessment. The assignment is externally set and dictates the resources to be provided for all learners. Students have three weeks to complete the assignment and all sessions are logged. Students will be bringing together their knowledge, skills and understanding. The assignment is set in a scenario. Learners analyse information and make judgements regarding the potential food risks. Students study prior to the external exam and are allowed to use notes whilst completing the external task. This unit is marked by WJEC.

  Unit 3 or 4: Internally assessed (students can choose unit 3 or 4)
  Unit 3: An externally set, food science task where students are given a task to explore using small practical tasks and focused nutritional and sensory analysis. The assignment takes part over 12 hours
  Unit 4: This is assessed through one assignment by task setting, task taking and task marking. Each assignment will have a brief that sets out the applied purpose i.e.: the reason for completing the task that would benefit a society, a community, an organisation or a company.

• Geography
  Geography

  Geography is the integrated study of the earth’s places, peoples, environments and societies. At its core lies the understanding of the relationships and impacts between people and the environment. It is unique in bridging the social sciences (Human Geography) with its understanding of the dynamics of societies, cultures and behaviour, and the earth sciences (Physical Geography) in the understanding of physical landscapes and the dynamics of environmental processes.

  Geography puts this understanding of social and physical processes within the essential context of places and regions – recognising the great differences in cultures, political systems, economies, landscapes and environments across the world, and the links between them. As it is a practical subject there is an emphasis on Geographical skills in this specification and students have to complete an individual fieldwork investigation.

  Awarding body: AQA

  Specification: 7037

  Entry Requirements and content of the A Level course

  It is possible to take Geography at A Level without having studied it at GCSE. Note: Topics in bold are those which OLA students study

  Physical geography
  • Water and carbon cycles
  • Hot desert environments and their margins
  • Coastal systems and landscapes
  • Hazards
  • Ecosystems under stress
  • Cold environments

  Human geography
  • Global systems and global governance
  • Changing places
  • Contemporary urban environments
  • Population and the environment
  • Resource security

  Geography Fieldwork Investigation

  Geography, other subjects and your future

  Geography will complement both Science and Humanities at A Level because of the topics covered. In addition you will learn transferable skills such as collection, analysis and interpretation of data, the application of methodical working techniques, the ability to view problems from a number of angles and some general knowledge of the world. Students who have taken A Level Geography have studied subjects as varied as Biological Sciences, Law, Nursing and Civil Engineering at university and gone onto jobs in sectors such as marketing, teaching, urban planning, law and conservation.

  Assessment for the A Level

  Component 1

  Assesses: Physical Geography from a choice of environments

  Written examination for 150 minutes using multiple choice, short answer and extended prose responses

  120 marks

  40% of the A Level grade

  Component 2

  Assesses: Human Geography including a choice of topics

  Written examination for 150 minutes using multiple choice, short answer and extended prose responses

  120 marks

  40% of the A Level grade

  Component 3

  Students complete an individual investigation which must include data collected in the field.

  The write-up is to be from 3,000 to 4,000 words. It is marked by teachers and externally moderated.

  60 marks

  20% of the A Level grade

  Preparatory Work for Studying Geography in the Sixth Form

  It is recommended that students conduct preparatory reading from the following sources;

  Water and Carbon Cycles
  Hydrological Summary for the United Kingdom, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, December 2014

  Coastal Systems and Landscapes
  Harvey, A. (2012) Introducing Geomorphology: A Guide to Landforms and Processes. Dunedin Academic Press.

  Hazards
  Bankoff, G. (2015) Culture of Disaster: Society and Natural Hazard in the Philippines (Routledge)

  Global Systems and Global Governance
  McKinsey Global Institute – Global Flows in a Digital Age
  OECD Report – A Global or Semi Global Village? (1990’s to today)

  Population and the Environment
  ‘Climate-Resilient Agriculture: What small-scale producers need to adapt to climate change’

  Changing Places
  Anderson, J. (2015) Understanding Cultural Geography: Places and Traces (Routledge)

• History
  History

  Is History for me?

  This course will appeal to you if you: –

  • Have an enquiring mind, enjoy investigation and like to make up your own mind

  • Want to develop your analytical skills

  • Enjoy studying people – as individuals, finding out why they have had such an influence, and as members of society

  • Have an interest in how the modern world has developed

  Awarding body: Pearson/Edexcel

  Specification: 9H10

  What will I study?

  Communist States in the Twentieth Century
  In the Lower Sixth you will study two Twentieth Century Communist states – the USSR and China. Communism was one of the most significant ideologies of the Twentieth Century. It directly affected the lives of millions of people who lived under communist rule, but it also had indirect effects on countless others around the world.

  The world’s first Communist state was the Soviet Union. You will learn about the ways in which the Soviet Union controlled the people, the politics and the economic life of the country, from Lenin’s creation of a communist state, to Stalin’s purges, Khrushchev’s denunciation of Stalin’s ‘excesses’ and the stagnation of the Cold War era. You will also make a special study of why the USSR collapsed in 1991.

  Another country rapidly growing in importance today is Communist China. You will discover how a Communist regime was established in China seventy years ago and what impact it had on Chinese people – from the unbinding of women’s feet and the attempt to make steel in every backyard, to the crackdown on dissent and opposition.

  Studying two different countries allows you to develop a greater understanding of the nature of communist, and totalitarian, rule and to see similarities and differences between them.

  Protest, Agitation and Popular Reform in Britain, 1780-1928
  In contrast to your Lower Sixth studies, the Upper Sixth History course focuses on the quest for democracy in Britain. You will look at the roles of ordinary people and popular protest in bringing about political change, including studying the Chartists’ campaign in the 1830s and 1840s for votes for all, the Suffragettes’ increasingly violent attempts to gain votes for women and what motivated Trade Unions to declare a General Strike in 1926.

  Your own enquiry
  In the Upper Sixth you will carry out your own enquiry into an issue arising from your other A Level work in History, which will enable you to develop skills of investigation and enquiry that will provide an excellent foundation for university work in any subject. The focus of this is on understanding the nature of the historian’s work. You will investigate one controversy or debate between historians.

  Controversies and debates
  In both years you will be able to dig deeper as historians, looking at issues that are hotly debated between history professionals to understand how these writers can hold such different views about the same events and to decide what you think.

  What will I gain from studying History?

  History is useful because it involves you in: –
  • Learning to locate and weigh up information, to recognise propaganda and myth and to make informed judgements – useful in any walk of life.
  • Communicating what you’ve learnt clearly and effectively and having the confidence to defend your conclusions – most jobs involve presenting information.
  • Learning about some of the key events, personalities and issues that have shaped the modern world.
  • Understanding the past in order to make sense of the present. To participate in society and to exercise your political rights you need to understand how they work.

  How will I learn?

  • A Level History builds well on your GCSE studies, developing your source skills and analytical writing skills further.

  • It will be an active learning experience – there will be lots of opportunities for discussion and debate, exchanging opinions, listening to others and developing your own ideas.

  • You will be able to make your own short presentations. Written work is varied – by no means just essay writing – although you will learn how to write a good essay!

  • You may be able to hear noted authorities speak about their special subjects at sixth form conferences.

  History offers you:

  • a subject that has variety, interest and relevance,

  • an active and stimulating learning experience

  • a whole range of skills that employers and higher education value

  • preparation for many top jobs

  Summary of assessment

  PAPER 1

  Title
  Russia, 1917–1991: From Lenin to Yeltsin

  Assessment
  Written examination: two essays and one question assessing the ability to analyse and evaluate historical interpretations. 30% of the A Level grade.
  

  PAPER 2

  Title
  Mao’s China, 1949 – 1976

  Assessment
  Written examination: one question assessing source analysis and evaluation skills and a choice of essays. 20% of the A Level grade.

  PAPER 3

  Title
  Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780 – 1928

  Assessment
  Written examination: one question assessing source analysis and evaluation skills and a choice of essays. 30% of the A Level grade.

  PAPER 4

  Title
  Coursework – assessing skills of historical enquiry, analysing and evaluating historical interpretations and organising and communicating the findings

  Assessment
  Coursework essay. 20% of the A Level grade.

  Preparatory work for studying History in the Sixth Form

  There is no set preparatory task for A Level History; you need to recharge after GCSEs and we recommend your reading in the subject is for pleasure, to stimulate your intellectual curiosity, rather than for a specific outcome. Historical fiction and memoirs allow you to get a feel for a period and, although clearly dramatised and sometimes a little selective with the truth, can provide very human insights into events, personalities and life in the past.

  • Alexander Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Based on the author’s experiences in a Stalinist labour camp.
  • Simon Sebag Montefiore, Sashenka, One Night in Winter & Red Sky at Noon (these are loosely a trilogy set in Russia in the last century.
  • Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Moscow. Gentler observations of the changing USSR.
  • Julian Barnes, The Noise of Time. Composer Dmitri Shostakovich worries about living through the Stalin era.
  • Jung Chang, Wild Swans. The story of Communist China told through the author’s family history.
  • Ha Jin, Waiting. A doctor’s quest for happiness against the odds during the Cultural Revolution.
  • Dai Sijie, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. The story of life in a re-education camp. Also a film.
  • Tim Marshall, Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need To Know About Global Politics. Fascinating chapters here on how both Russian and Chinese culture, politics and society have been shaped by more than human factors.

• Latin
  Latin

  Latin at Advanced Level gives you further training in logical thinking and insight into the structure of language. It also offers you the chance to enjoy a wider range of interesting and thought-provoking Roman literature, both poetry and prose.

  As well as being very rewarding in its own right, Latin is still a deservedly impressive subject to have on your application forms for university or future employment. It supports the study of English, History or Modern Languages, but is also studied with great success alongside Mathematics and Science.

  Awarding body: OCR

  Specification: H443

  Language

  You will start by revising and refining your understanding of the grammar and syntax you learnt at GCSE as well as meeting new and more sophisticated constructions. These you will practice initially through exercises, with much more emphasis on translating from English into Latin than at GCSE. Gradually you will gain the expertise to translate not just sentences but whole paragraphs of English into stylish, idiomatic Latin. Although this may seem rather daunting at first, most students are surprised to find how much fun it is, how much it improves their command of the language and how satisfying it is to get all the grammar right and produce a paragraph that really reads like Latin! At the same time, you will gain further confidence and fluency in translating from Latin by reading a selection of different authors and genres, which can be chosen to suit the interests and tastes of the group. In your Upper Sixth year you will concentrate on two specified authors – the historian, Livy and the poet, Ovid – in order to become familiar enough with their characteristic vocabulary and style to tackle extracts from their work unseen.

  Literature

  Advanced Level Latin offers you the chance to study key texts in much greater depth, which we will enjoy reading and discussing together in class, with particular emphasis on their literary qualities. These will include extracts from the last book of Virgil’s epic poem, ‘The Aeneid’, culminating in the final confrontation between Aeneas and his Rutulian adversary, Turnus, and a selection of shorter, more personal persons by Catullus, or what Ovid imagined Penelope might have wanted to say to Odysseus, Briseis to Achilles and Dido to Aeneas. In prose you will study part of the defence speech from a murder trial, written by Cicero, Rome’s most brilliant barrister, or an extract of historical writing from Tacitus or Livy. To broaden and deepen your appreciation of context, you will also be expected to look at related literature in English translation.

  Other information

  Latin can take you anywhere! There are many exciting university courses in Classics and also many combined courses: Latin with English, Modern Languages or History, as well as many other possibilities. Latin is also useful to anyone wishing to read English, Theology, Philosophy, Law, History, Archaeology, or Modern Languages, or anyone interested in museum or library work. Former OLA Latin students who have gone on to study Medicine or Veterinary Science say that it really helps with learning all the anatomical and other scientific vocabulary. Computer companies and many branches of the business world look favourably on people who have studied a formal language like Latin.

  To enjoy Latin and make good progress requires a sound understanding of the work covered at GCSE and an interest in language and literature.

  Preparatory work for studying Latin in the Sixth Form

  Take home a copy of Oxford Latin Course 2 which is based on the life of the poet, Horace, and the exciting period of history through which he, Catullus, Cicero, Virgil and Ovid lived. Read through the stories and background information and try some English into Latin sentences in the Grammar and Exercises section at the back. If you enjoy historical fiction, there are some excellent books which will take you into the atmosphere of the Roman world:

  • Robert Harris: Imperium, Lustrum and Dictator – a very good introduction to the study of Cicero.

  • Steven Saylor: any of his Roma Sub Rosa series featuring a detective called Gordianus the Finder and Cicero again, but in a rather less attractive light!

  Or on a lighter note:

  • Lindsay Davis: either the Marcus Didius Falco series, which starts with ‘The Silver Pigs’ or the Flavia Albia series, which starts with ‘The Ides of April’.

  Watch any of Mary Beard’s programmes about Rome.

  If you find yourself near a Roman site or museum in this country or abroad, take a look.

• Mathematics and Further Mathematics
  Mathematics and Further Mathematics

  Mathematics

  Mathematics at A Level is a course worth studying, not only as a supporting subject for the physical and social sciences but also in its own right. It is challenging but interesting and as well as building on the work that you will have already met at IGCSE, new topics will also be introduced. The course is composed of aspects of Pure Mathematics, Mechanics and Statistics. In the Pure Mathematics you will extend your algebraic, trigonometric and calculus (differentiating) skills, as well as meeting new topics including logarithms, exponential functions, binomial expansions, radians and integration (the inverse of differentiating). The Statistics includes using familiar and new techniques in analysing large data sets, hypothesis testing and work on probability. The Mechanics involves working with vectors and deals with the effects of forces on the motion of particles and on larger objects.

  Awarding Body: OCR Mathematics A

  Specification: Edexcel 9MA0

  The examination consists of three 2 hour papers:

  • Pure Mathematics
  • Pure and Statistics
  • Pure and Mechanics

  Mathematics is not an easy option and you will need to have achieved at least a grade 7 (preferably an 8 or 9) at IGCSE, to enable you to access the course. You need to be able to work independently and be able to persevere with problems to a satisfactory conclusion. You will probably be taught by two teachers, both teaching the Pure Mathematics, with one then concentrating on the Statistics and the other covering the Mechanics.

  Whilst studying Mathematics you will be expected to:-

  • Use mathematical skills, knowledge, argument and logic to solve quite complicated problems. This may include techniques of proof.

  • Simplify real-life situations (modelling) so that you can use Mathematics to show what is happening and what might happen in different circumstances

  • Use a calculator effectively and appropriately; understand calculator limitations and when it is inappropriate to use such technology. You will need a suitable calculator, which includes statistical and distribution functions. We would recommend the Casio Classwiz FX-991EX. Alternatively you could choose a graphical calculator, such as the Casio fx-CG50

  Higher education courses or careers that either require A Level Mathematics or are strongly related include:

  • Economics (often required)
  • Medicine
  • Architecture
  • Engineering
  • Accountancy (often required)
  • Actuarial Profession
  • Psychology
  • Environmental Studies
  • Computing (often required).

  Preparatory work for studying Mathematics in the Sixth Form

  During the summer between IGCSE and A level we would advise you to work through the booklet “Bridging the Gap” which we can provide and which consolidates the work on algebra, trigonometry and graphs from IGCSE, enabling you to make a smooth transition to the A level work.

  Further Mathematics

  Further Mathematics is an A Level in its own right, but you must also study Mathematics A Level to do this course. It is more challenging than the Mathematics A Level, but again covers more advanced topics in Pure Mathematics, including matrices, complex numbers and further techniques in calculus. The Mechanics extends to include momentum and collisions, circular motion and centres of mass and the Statistics includes permutations and combinations, correlation and regression lines and further statistical distributions.

  Awarding body: OCR Further Mathematics A

  Specification: Edexcel 9FM0

  There are many university courses for which Further Mathematics would be helpful, but at present no course makes it a requirement. However, some universities will give reduced offers for Engineering, Mathematics and Physics if you are studying Further Mathematics. In fact it would be considered very difficult to get into a top university (Oxbridge, London, Warwick, etc.) in these subjects, without some qualification in Further Mathematics. The examination consists of four 90 minute papers:

  • Pure Core 1

  • Pure Core 2

  • 2 options from Statistics, Mechanics, Discrete Mathematics and Additional Pure Mathematics – we normally choose Statistics and Mechanics.

  You may have one or two teachers, depending on the timetable.

• BTEC Media Production : One-Year Course
  BTEC Media Production : One-Year Course

  BTEC Media Production is a practical course that allows students to study media without the pressure of a single, final examination. The course is the equivalent of one A-Level meaning that students can complete a single A-level in a year.

  Awarding Body: Pearson Edexcel

  Specification: 603/1147/2

  The OLA Media Production course allows students to learn about media whilst also applying their knowledge and understanding practically. The course contains a mixture of assessment methods and works very well for students who favour coursework portfolios over exam assessments. Students are given an insight into the film and television industry and OLA has links with a number of key employers. Students will meet a number of industry experts and attend a variety of trips associated with this subject.

  This course prepares candidates very well for undergraduate study in a number of disciplines. The mixture of academic and practical skills means that candidates have a breadth of options and students are well prepared for degrees in theory or practice. The creative arts are one of the most significant contributors to the UK economy and talented, creative people are in high-demand. This course allows you to develop and apply these skills whilst also creating a portfolio that you can use to progress to either university or employment.

  Requirements:

  There are no formal entry requirements to study BTEC Media Production. However, students would benefit from having a grade 5 or above in English Literature or Language. Students will also benefit from having studied GCSE Film or Media Studies but this is not essential.

  Course structure

  A vocational course differs from A-Level, as it allows for continuous assessment. Students studying this course will undertake their first key assessment in January. This assessment will count towards their final grade. The course is comprised of three core units and one optional unit, which students can choose from a list of options. The three core units are:

  Unit 1: Media Representations

  Unit 4: Pre-Production

  Unit 8: Responding to a Commission

  Assessment:

  Unit 1 is assessed via an online examination in January. Unit 4 and the optional unit are internally assessed by OLA and moderated through the exam board, Pearson Edexcel. Unit 8 is externally assessed but is a controlled assessment, meaning that students complete a practical task under timed conditions and are supervised, much like an examination.

  Subject combinations:

  Media Production works very well with other subjects that contain practical elements, such as A-Level Art, Textiles and Design Technology. Students would be expected to study two A-Level subjects alongside this course. Media Production is well suited to students studying essay-based subjects, such as English, History and Psychology. Media Production also compliments A-Level Film Studies very well.

  Preparing for BTEC Media Production:

  Students would benefit from starting to learn software related to their chosen optional unit, such as Adobe Premiere or InDesign and you can find many useful
  tutorials on YouTube. However, this is not essential. Students would also benefit from looking at diversity in media representations by reading newspapers and
  journals, such as Media Magazine or The Guardian. Watching behind the scenes videos and looking at how films and television programmes are made would also
  prove useful.

• Modern Languages
  Modern Languages

  Languages are important at a national and international level. Industry and commerce have need of employees with high-level language skills due to our greater involvement with the EU and other global organisations. We aim to produce students who will be able to develop and use their language skills confidently in an increasingly competitive world. There is greater social and professional mobility within Europe and beyond. Having an A Level in one or two modern languages will open a wider range of career opportunities. There are many degrees at university which combine a language or languages with another subject. Even for those wishing to pursue scientific disciplines, a language can be beneficial. A good knowledge of a foreign language and of the culture and institutions of other countries will benefit the student in his or her leisure time and will enhance all future travel opportunities. Great personal satisfaction, excitement and reward can result from being able to communicate fluently in a foreign language.

  Awarding body: Pearson/Edexcel

  Specifications: French 9FR0; Spanish 9SP0

  Skill level needed to study languages at A Level

  A good level of competence in all four language skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing) is essential in order to embark successfully on a language course at Sixth Form level. High achievement at GCSE enables students to manage successfully the transition to more in depth studies at A Level. Language study in the Sixth Form builds on GCSE study skills. Greater emphasis is gradually placed on independent research and study, using up-to-date course books and a variety of resources, including the Internet. This independence allows students to develop organisational skills and a sense of responsibility that will stand them in good stead in future studies and in their working lives.

  Features of the Edexcel A Level specification from 2016

  • The foreign language is the main language used in teaching the course

  • The reading, listening, writing and speaking materials used at A Level build on and extend the topic work at GCSE Level

  • The course comprises 2 components in each year of the Sixth Form and a brief outline of the topics is given in the table that follows.

  French Topic Areas

  1. Changes in French society:
  • The family / marriage
  • Education
  • The world of work

  2. Political and artistic culture in the French speaking world:
  • Music
  • Media
  • Festivals and traditions

  3. Immigration and multicultural society:
  • Positive impact of immigration
  • Integration
  • The rise of the far right

  4. Occupation of France during the 2nd World War and resistance.
  • Occupied France
  • The Vichy state
  • Resistance

  Works
  Students are required to study one literary text and one film over the course of the 2 years
  • Book: “Un sac de billes” by Joseph Joffo
  • Film: “Les 400 Coups” by Francois Truffaud

  Spanish Topic Areas

  1. Changes in Spanish society:
  • The family / marriage
  • The world of work
  • The impact of tourism

  2. Political and artistic culture in the Spanish speaking world:
  • Music
  • Media
  • Festivals and traditions

  3. Immigration and multicultural society:
  • Positive impact of immigration
  • Integration
  • Public and social reaction to immigration.

  4. Franco’s dictatorship and the transition towards democracy:
  • The civil war and rise of Franco
  • Franco’s dictatorship
  • The transition between dictatorship and democracy

  Works
  Students are required to study one literary text and one film over the course of the 2 years
  • Book: “La casa de Bernarda Alba” by Federico Garcia Lorca
  • Film : « Volver » – Pedro Almodovar

  Examinations

  Paper 1
  Listening, Reading and translation
  Weighting 40% A Level

  Paper 2
  Written response to works and translation
  Weighting 30% A Level

  Paper 3
  Speaking + Independent Research Project
  Weighting 30% A Level

  Visits abroad

  Students studying languages in the Sixth Form are encouraged to spend as much time as they can in the foreign country. This is the best way to enhance speaking skills, build up confidence and gain first-hand knowledge of the culture. Staff can advise on possible visits, including work placements. A trip to the BFI is offered to lower 6th students as part of their Film Studies.

  Use of resources

  Students are required to read newspapers, magazines and books in the foreign language as part of their independent study and in preparation for their Independent Research Project. There are many useful websites, including those which offer video and audio clips.

  There are many opportunities to watch foreign films on TV or at the cinema.

  The department has a good range of library resources, including a number of foreign film DVDs.

  Students are advised to buy a good bilingual and monolingual dictionary. There is sometimes the possibility of attending a language study day which is usually held in London.

  If you are enthusiastic about languages, well-motivated and are expecting a good level of achievement in your GCSE, we feel confident that you will find the course stimulating and challenging.

  Preparatory work for studying Languages in the Sixth Form:

  Spend some time in France / Spain if possible this summer and speak as much of the language as possible.

  ● Watch French / Spanish films (with subtitles if required).
  ● Try to watch the news, or listen to the radio for a short while on a regular basis.
  ● Ensure you know all your tenses by heart, including the irregular verbs (present, near future, simple future, perfect, imperfect, conditional and reflexive verbs). Use the languagesonline website to help with this.
  ● Try to read 1-2 books in the target language. You can get ones which have the English translations on 1 side and the target language on the other side. The specifications provide a list of set texts which are adapted to this level and which would be a good starting point. If you feel ambitious, aim for a short classic. Ask your teacher for recommendation.

• Music
  Music

  A-level Music is a varied, creative and enjoyable course that combines the practical and academic study of music. It is designed to be accessible to musicians with a wide range of different interests and performing specialisms. Like GCSE, there are three components to the course: performing, composing and appraising.

  Specification Pearson: Edexcel

  Course Code 9MU0

  Performance.

  You prepare a performance of 8-12 minutes of music on your chosen instrument or voice. This is recorded and examined externally. In order to achieve the highest grades, students should be performing music of grade 7 standard or above. All styles of music are acceptable, and students are likely to do best performing the type of music they enjoy most. The assessment takes place towards the end of the Upper Sixth.

  Composition.

  You learn to structure and develop creative ideas in various styles and genres. You submit a portfolio consisting of one free composition, and one technical exercise. The free composition is a piece lasting four minutes or more, which may be in response to a brief set by the exam board, with a wide choice of instruments and genres. The technical exercise will demonstrate your ability to use harmonic or contrapuntal procedures from a specific musical genre with control and stylistic understanding; these skills are taught during the Alevel course. Students submit a score and a recording of their compositions. Work for examination will be completed during the Upper Sixth, and is marked by an external examiner.

  Appraising.

  You learn about a wide range of set works in different musical styles. You develop your skills of analysis and evaluation, and learn how to relate music to its historical and cultural context. About half the music studied comes broadly from the western Classical tradition; the syllabus also covers music for film and television, popular music and jazz, and music influenced by non-European cultures.

  Who is suitable for this course?

  In order to do well in A-level Music, you need to have a wide interest in music, and to have participated in music reasonably extensively. It is not a technical requirement to have taken Music at GCSE but it is strongly recommended. To be able to achieve high marks in the performing component, students should have reached Grade 5 standard or better by the time they start the course, although they need not necessarily have taken the exam. Students will need to continue with their instrumental or vocal studies throughout their time in the Sixth Form. All instruments (including voice) and all genres of music are acceptable; the essential thing is a high quality of performance. Parts of the course are notation-based, and students must be able to read music.

  Where does it lead?

  If you are considering applying for Music at University or Music College, the A level is a required entry qualification. Former Music A level students at OLA currently hold Organ scholarships at Oxford, and instrumental scholarship at Trinity College of Music. It is also an academically rigorous and widely-respected course, which is accepted as an entry qualification for nearly all degree courses. A prominent member of the Law Society was recently quoted as saying that he would rather offer a Law training contract to a Music graduate than to one in any other subject. Music A level students have also gone on to study History, Languages, Drama, English, Engineering, Theology and Creative Writing at University.

  Why study music at OLA?

  • Results: From 2014 every Music A level at OLA has achieved their ALIS prediction or better.

  • Small Class Sizes: With a subject that is 60% practical, smaller class sizes do enable more individual feedback from the teachers.

  • Leadership: At OLA we are keen to provide opportunities for our A Level musicians to be leaders. This may be through accompanying younger students, taking lead roles in ensembles or even in running/assisting in running groups. If taking rehearsals, arranging music or learning the art of conducting interests you then we will help make this happen.

  Preparatory work for studying Music in the Sixth Form:

  To bridge the gap between GCSE and A Level, you should delve into the detail of one of the pieces you can sing/play well. Ask yourself searching questions about how the composition has been put together. For example pick a bar and explain each note in the bar – why was that particular pitch/rhythm/timbre/expressive dynamic chosen?

• Physical Education
  Physical Education

  BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate in Sport

  Awarding body: Pearson Edexcel

  This BTEC course provides a broad basis of study for the sport sector. The qualification is designed to support a sport related career or progression into higher education when taken alongside other BTEC qualifications and/or A-Levels.

  The course includes 3 mandatory units plus 1 optional unit:

  Unit 1

  Anatomy and Physiology (Externally assessed through an exam)
  This unit provides learners with knowledge and understanding of how the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory systems function and the fundamentals of the energy systems.

  Unit 2

  Fitness Training and Programming for Heath, Sport and Well-being (Externally assessed through an exam case study)
  This unit provides learners with the knowledge and understanding to be able to screen clients, analyse lifestyle and nutrition for individuals and design appropriate training programmes to improve health and well-being.

  Unit 3

  Professional Development in the Sports Industry (Internally assessed via an assignment
  In this unit learners will explore the knowledge and skills required for different career pathways in the sports industry. They will take part in a personal skills audit, career action plan and practical assessment activities.

  1 Optional Unit

  The mandatory units are studied alongside 1 optional unit (internally assessed) from:
  • Sports Leadership
  • Application of Fitness Testing
  • Sports Psychology
  • Practical Sports Performance
  NB: The choice of internally assessed units will be selected by staff based on common interests/future aspirations of the group.

  Assessments

  Assessments for the BTEC take place over the course of the 2-years. Students therefore can resit some assessments during the course to improve their result. They must achieve a minimum of pass level in both external assessments and internal assessments to achieve the overall qualification.

  Students studying this BTEC receive one grade (Distinction*, Distinction, Merit or Pass)
  UCAS Tariff points are awarded as follows:
  • Distinction* – 56 UCAS points (equivalent to A* at A-level)
  • Distinction – 48 UCAS points (equivalent to A at A-level)
  • Merit – 32 UCAS points (equivalent to C at A-level)
  • Pass – 16 UCAS points (equivalent to E at A-level)

  Preparing for the BTEC course:

  Watch, read and listen to sport in the news and media. Using the BBC Sport app is a great way of staying up to date with the latest sports related news and headlines.
  Read through the specification – why not highlight what you already understand from GCSE PE?
  Consider researching sports related career options.

  Physical Education and the future

  This BTEC course provides a broad basis of study for the sport sector. The qualification is designed to support a sport related career or progression into higher education when taken alongside other BTEC qualifications and/or A-Levels.

• Physics
  Physics

  A Level Physics is taught by Mr Easton. We teach the OCR Physics A specification, designed to “sustain and develop an enjoyment and interest in Physics, to recognise the value of Physics to society and how it may be used responsibly, as well as developing your knowledge and understanding of the concepts and skills essential to the subject”. Many of the topics will be familiar to you as they are extensions of those covered in GCSE Physics. You will apply your understanding to solve problems on topics ranging from sub-atomic particles to the entire universe! We will develop the depth of your understanding of these topics and reinforce the theory with new practical skills.

  Specification Code: Physics A H556

  The content is split into six modules:

  1. Development of practical skills in physics

  2. Foundations of physics 3. Forces and motion

  4. Electrons, waves and photons

  5. Newtonian world and astrophysics

  6. Particles and medical physics

  The practical skills are integrated throughout the course and assessed through the required practical activities(PAGs). The PAGs are 12 different practical investigations that are designed to develop and test the essential practical skills and use of specialist apparatus needed in Physics.

  Mathematical requirements:

  You do not have to do A Level maths in order to do A Level Physics, though it is certainly a definite advantage. However, you will need to be happy and confident with the following mathematical skills:

  – Arithmetic and numerical computation

  – Handling data

  – Rearranging equations

  – Using standard form and considering significant figures in answers

  – Graphs, including analysis of gradients and intercepts to determine further quantities

  – Geometry and trigonometry

  Content Overview

  Content i split into six teaching modules:

  Module 1 – Development of practical skills in physics

  Module 2 – Foundation of physics

  Module 3 – Forces and motion

  Module 4 – Electrons, waves and photons

  Module 5 – Newtonian world and astrophysics

  Module 6 – Particles and medical physics

  Component 01 assesses content from modules 1, 2, 3 and 5.

  Component 01 assesses content from modules 1, 2, 4 and 6.

  Component 01 assesses content from all modules (1-6).

  The assessment overview for the A Level consists of 3 written papers:

  Modelling physics (01)
  100 marks
  2 hours 15 minutes
  written paper
  37% of total A level

  Exploring physics (02)
  100 marks
  2 hours 15 minutes
  written paper
  37% of total A level

  Unified physics (03)
  70 marks
  1 hours 30 minutes
  written paper
  26% of total A level

  Practical Endorsement in physics (04)
  (non exam asessment)
  Reported separately

  Further progress

  Physics is a very well respected A-level course which will help you develop the skills, understanding and knowledge that many employers across a range of industries are looking for. Students develop scientific knowledge and understanding of different areas of the subject and how they relate to each other, problem solving skills, analytical thinking and meticulous practical skills.

• Psychology
  Psychology

  The usual definition of Psychology is that it is the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. As words go, these sound a little dry and dusty and do not really do justice to what the subject is all about. Psychology has as its remit the huge task of explaining the good, the bad and the ugly in all of us. In essence it is about what makes us tick and why. It draws on many disciplines and we can find the roots of modern Psychology in biology and philosophy. It is a science but has as its subject the human being; a sentient, highly intelligent, complicated and often unpredictable creature.

  Furthermore, different psychological approaches seek to explain our behaviour in radically different ways. For behaviourists, environment, nurture and learning are the shaping forces that make us who we are. Those adopting the biological paradigm look to genetics, physiology, neurotransmitters and hormones for the answers: in their view testosterone may have a lot to answer for! Evolutionary psychology is a relatively new approach which explains all our behaviour in terms of its ultimate adaptive quality. Here, our actions are geared towards two imperatives: to survive and to reproduce and pass on our genes. Of course there are those who disagree and supporters of Sigmund Freud focus on the role of the unconscious mind and unresolved childhood conflicts and fixations. Who would have thought that when and how you were potty trained could explain so much about your adult personality?

  This subject is taught only in the Sixth Form and is one of the most popular options at OLA. The specification that will be followed is: AQA Psychology and below is an outline of the course content and structure.

  A Level content

  Paper 1
  Introductory topics in Psychology: Social influence, Memory, Attachment and Psychopathology. 2 hours. (33.3% of A Level award)

  Paper 2
  Psychology in context: Approaches in Psychology, Biopsychology and Research Methods. 2 hours. (33.3% of A Level award)

  Paper 3
  • Issues and debates in Psychology: gender and culture, freewill and determinism, nature-nurture debate, reductionism and holism, idiographic and nomothetic approaches and ethical issues.

  • Options in Psychology: 3 options are selected from Relationships, Gender, Cognition and development, Schizophrenia, Eating behaviour, Stress, Aggression, Forensic psychology, and Addiction. 2 hours. (33.3% of A Level award)

  There are a range of questions in each paper including multiple choice, short answer and extended writing. There is no coursework.

  Mathematical skills

  At least 10% of the overall assessment of Psychology will contain mathematical skills. These skills will be applied in the context of Psychology and will be at least the standard of higher tier GCSE mathematics. Students will use descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse data.

  At least 25-30% of the overall assessment will assess skills, knowledge and understanding in relation to research methods. An understanding of scientific methodology is recommended.

  Biopsychology

  Students will study the genetic basis of behaviour, the nervous system, synaptic transmission, the endocrine system and localisation of brain function. Biological explanations are also explored in many of the topics such as schizophrenia, addiction, aggression. An interest in Biology and a level 5 or above in GCSE Science is therefore strongly recommended.

  Why study Psychology?

  Psychology is an enormous subject and studying even a part of it will result in an improved understanding of the dynamics of human behaviour. Only hermits and social recluses do not need to interact with other people; so whatever path a student chooses after school, what they have learnt in Psychology will, sooner or later, come in handy.

  Preparatory work for studying Psychology in the Sixth Form Online:

  Look at the AQA website for more information on the A level Psychology course content. From the library: ‘The Psychology Review’ magazine has a range of interesting and relevant articles. ‘The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat’ by Oliver Sacks is a fascinating collection of case studies into abnormal psychology. Listen to Radio 4 ‘All in the mind’ presented by Claudia Hammond, available on Podcast.

• Religious Studies
  Religious Studies

  “This is your last chance: after this there is no turning back. You take the blue pill, the story ends; you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. Remember all I’m offering is the truth, nothing more” Morpheus, ‘The Matrix’

  “The unexamined life is not worth living” Socrates

  Awarding body: OCR

  Specification: H573

  Why study A Level Religious Studies?

  Answers to this question may be because:-
  • You want to find answers to some of life’s big questions
  • You enjoy debating and putting forward arguments for your point of view.

  What is Religious Studies all about?

  The specification consists of three parts:-
  • Philosophy of Religion
  • Religion and Ethics
  • Developments in Christian thought

  The course is a two year A Level culminating in three two-hour examinations.

  Philosophy of Religion

  Learners will study:
  • ancient philosophical influences
  • the nature of the soul, mind and body
  • arguments about the existence or nonexistence of God
  • the nature and impact of religious experience
  • the challenge for religious belief of the problem of evil
  • ideas about the nature of God
  • issues in religious language

  Philosophy of Religion (01) 120 marks 2 hour written paper, 33.3% of total A Level

  Religion and Ethics

  Learners will study:
  • normative ethical theories
  • the application of ethical theory to two contemporary issues of importance • ethical language and thought • debates surrounding the significant idea of
  • conscience
  • sexual ethics and the influence on ethical thought of developments in religious beliefs

  Religion and Ethics (02) 120 marks 2 hour written paper, 33.3% of total A Level

  Developments in Religious thought

  Learners will study:
  • religious beliefs, values and teachings, their interconnections and how they vary historically and in the contemporary world
  • sources of religious wisdom and authority
  • practices which shape and express religious identity, and how these vary within a tradition
  • significant social and historical developments in theology and religious thought – including pluralism and the rise of secularism
  • key themes related to the relationship between religion and society including Gender and theology and Liberation Theology and Marxist thought

  2 hour written paper

  What will I gain from studying Religious Studies? Students following this course gain:

  • The ability to think logically and to analyse the views of others
  • The ability to put forward your own opinion both orally and in writing
  • An appreciation of the effect of religion in our modern world
  • The opportunity to think about your own views of religion and what is right and wrong and to decide whether they are reasonable.

  Who can join the course?

  Anyone who:
  • Has an interest in some of the issues raised above. The course is Christian based, but you do not need to have a religious faith.
  • Is ready to have their ideas challenged.
  • Is prepared to work hard – the concepts can be hard, and some days you will really need to persevere in order to succeed.

  Where can Religious Studies lead?

  • The most obvious degrees are Theology and Philosophy

  • Many people go on to the ministry or to be teachers (but not the majority!)

  • An understanding of ethical issues is required in many professions: Law, accountancy, banking, medicine, anything involving people, and so on

  • The ability to think logically and analytically is a vital skill for all career paths

  • Universities are often very impressed with candidates who have done Religious Studies because it shows they have the ability to think.

  What other subjects does Religious Studies go with?

  • You can find some topics or skills that complement any of the other options

  • Links have been made with subjects from all over the curriculum. Remember – Religious Studies offers you a breadth of study that is unique to the subject.

  Preparatory work for studying Religious Studies in the Sixth Form

  Watch videos on crash course philosophy- to be found on YouTube. You can watch the matrix. To begin reading around the subject.