‘Plus’ Options & the Wider Sixth Form Experience

Lower Sixth Curriculum Choices

Over the last few years, Badminton has continued to enjoy A Level results success alongside new study options to ensure that the Sixth Form remains an outstanding place to study.

Updates to our A Level programme have brought exciting changes to courses; content has been updated allowing students to benefit from fresh new study opportunities. At Badminton, our A Level provision ensures that students have access to subjects that combine rich content with academic challenge. Furthermore, our A Level subject offering embraces not only the familiar favourites, but also new choices like Psychology, Business, Politics, History of Art, PE and Economics.

All students are required to choose three A Level subjects to study with a fourth academic ‘plus option’ (see opposite). In short, whilst three A Levels are the core, students design their own unique curriculum by picking further A Levels, AS Levels, GCSEs, or other courses from our wide offering.

The ‘plus options’ might take the form of an EPQ, Creative Writing or an AS over two years (a ‘long thin’). It might even be a Leiths Cookery Course, outreach work or volunteering; the breadth of opportunity is one of the key features of the Sixth Form here at Badminton. The Sixth Form experience is one in which students will benefit from a wealth of subjects and enrichment choices to help form a well-honed university profile, which is the hallmark of a Badminton education.

‘Plus Options’ and the wider Badminton School Sixth Form experience

We are delighted to be able to offer Lower Sixth students the opportunity to undertake the Ivy House Award. The goal of the Award is to build the confidence and skills young people need to step up and take ownership of their lives. You can read more about The Award here: www.ivyhouse. co.uk/our-programmes/award/

“The Ivy House Programme really helped me start thinking seriously about my future.

The sessions showed me how important my behaviour and attitude are in determining the impressions I make on future employers and in fortifying my relationships with friends and family.

I particularly enjoyed discovering my core strengths and learning how I can combine these with my passions to find the job I will enjoy most.” Alongside the core A Level choices, our ‘plus options’ give the opportunity for balance and enrichment through opportunities for wider acquisition of academic and vocational skills. The courses range from AS Levels run over two years, to Sporting qualifications or bespoke diplomas such as Creative Writing or Leiths Certificate in Food and Wine.

We believe that sustaining a range of interests and activities is as vital as academic excellence (and in fact helps promote it!). Students are encouraged to complement or contrast their main A Levels with one of our ‘plus options’ or to think more holistically about their learning; this might lead them to our newly launched AS Level in Thinking Skills, which aims to develop transferable skills such as critical thinking, reasoning and problem solving, all key skills as students plan for life after Sixth Form.

To thrive, we know it is important to feel part of a supportive network. At Badminton, the Tutor Group system is central to Sixth Form life; Our Tutor Groups are small and comprise of a mixture of students from all academic disciplines. The Form Tutors get to know each tutee well and deliver our bespoke tutor programme which focuses on collaboration, research and communication skills, as well fostering an awareness of the wider world.

In the Lower Sixth students have the opportunity to hone the skills they have developed through the tutor programme via the highly regarded English Speaking Board Examination.

We know that it is important for the whole Sixth Form to come together as a community; the Sixth Form assemblies are led each week by the Sixth Form team and individual Tutor Groups take turns to lead on topics such inspirational leadership, how to prepare for university and current issues that the Sixth Form care about such as green issues or wellbeing. These group activities are extended through our lecture series and enrichment days.