A LEVELS 2015–2016
SIXTH
FORM CENTRE Prospectus
City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
“The standards get higher and higher each year. Norwich, the city, and Norfolk, the county, should be immensely proud of this institution. This is a really special place.” Stephen Fry – former A Level student at City College Norwich.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
OFSTED SUCCESS In March 2013, Ofsted rated City College Norwich as Good (grade 2), reporting that:
WELCOME TO THE SIXTH FORM CENTRE Dear student, You may already know about City College Norwich’s vocational courses in areas like business, sport and catering, but I want to tell you about our Sixth Form Centre, which you may not have heard so much about. We’re actually one of the biggest sixth forms in Norfolk, with a long and successful history of A Level teaching. One of our most famous former students is Stephen Fry who completed his A Levels at City College Norwich in 1977 and speaks very warmly about his experiences here. Today, as a specialist A Level Centre within the College, we work with over 450 students each year. We have a wide choice of subjects and expert teachers and our specialist group tutors help students achieve the best possible grades and move on to higher education or employment. In short, The Sixth Form Centre is a great place to be an A Level student.
One of the things we are most proud of is that we treat our students as young adults with both rights and responsibilities. You are entitled to good teaching and support and to be treated with respect. At the same time, you will be expected to do everything you can to ensure your own success. This includes attending all lessons, working hard and acting on the advice you receive from teachers and tutors. I hope you will decide to join us for the next stage in your education and look forward to meeting you soon.
Steve Guratsky Head of Sixth Form Centre
• Results on AS and A Level courses had improved significantly and that students made good progress from their levels of attainment at GCSE • The quality of teaching, learning and assessment in Science and Mathematics was consistently good • All Sixth Form Centre Science lessons observed by Ofsted were rated as outstanding • Students on A Level Art courses knew what they had to do to succeed. Teachers provided detailed feedback and encouraged them to improve their work and achieve at higher levels • Tutorials in the Sixth Form Centre were good, covering a wide range of subjects to develop students’ study skills, broaden their understanding of social and other issues and complement their studies. The full Ofsted report can be found at: www.ofsted.gov.uk/ inspection-reports/ find-inspection-report/ provider/ELS/130764
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
CONTENTS Welcome to the Sixth Form Centre
English Literature
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Film Studies
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Further Mathematics
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Geography
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Government and Politics
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A Message to Parents 5 TEN REASONS for choosing the Sixth Form Centre
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Helping you Succeed 8 Tutorial Support
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Extra Help When You Need It
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Graphics 45 History
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Law
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Mathematics
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Media Studies
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Modern Foreign Languages
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Philosophy and Ethics
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Photography
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Physics
61
Psychology
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More than just A Levels 12 Applying and Enrolling 14 Your time at Sixth Form 15 A Levels
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Entry Requirements
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Archaeology
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Art
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Biology
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Business Studies
25 Sociology 65
Chemistry 27 Creative Writing Drama and Theatre Studies English Language and Literature
Textiles
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Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
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How to find us
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Application form
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29 31 33
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SAM GIBBS Sam started at City College Norwich as a 15 year old GCSE student, after missing a lot of time at school as a result of illness. He then moved on to A Level study in the Sixth Form Centre, which he has now completed with great distinction. From the beginning of his time here, Sam was a remarkable student. He was completely focused, highly inquisitive and very quick to assimilate and apply new ideas. His ability to ask intelligent and probing questions and evaluate problems was exceptional. All of this and more is reflected in his A Level results, with A* grades in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Physics and A grades in History and Sociology. Sam’s achievements were recognised with a City College Norwich FE Award, given to only a small number of the most committed, gifted and successful of our students. At the end of his studies, he moved on to a Master’s Degree in Natural Sciences at Durham University and we are sure he will progress from there to a brilliant scientific career.
City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
A MESSAGE TO PARENTS Successful completion of A Levels is one of the most effective routes to degree level study and professional careers. We believe it is critical that young people choose where to take their A Levels carefully and wisely, considering a range of providers and being willing to move on from a school environment if that is the right choice for them.
is on ensuring the best possible teaching, learning and support for all our students.
City College Norwich helps students achieve academic success as well as providing somewhere to grow into confident and mature young adults, ready for the challenges of higher education and employment.
Part of this approach is a very clear expectation that students will work as hard as we do for their futures. As part of this approach, we: • help students to choose the right courses and settle in when they arrive • provide effective, challenging lessons and tutorials • use regular tests, assignments and other work to monitor students’ progress and tell them how well they are doing and how to do better • provide help and advice when students need it • help students move on to the next step in their education or careers.
As an A Level provider, the Sixth Form Centre has adopted many of the best practices found in sixth form colleges around the country, widely recognised as among the very best places for young people to study. Expert specialist teachers and personal tutors are supported by managers whose central focus
We are particularly proud of the working relationships our staff and students create, as equal partners in a shared endeavour. Mutual respect is a given and we treat our students as young adults with both rights and responsibilities.
In return, we expect students to do everything they can to ensure their own success by working hard and acting on the advice of their teachers and tutors. In particular, we require students to: • attend all lessons and arrive on time • come to lessons well prepared and with all the books and materials that will be needed • work hard in and out of lessons, completing work to the best of their ability and to the deadlines set • respond positively to feedback and advice from teachers and tutors. We also recognise the vital role of parents in this student-college partnership, providing encouragement and support for students. This is why we seek to work closely with parents, by sending them copies of students’ Progress Reviews and holding Information and Consultation Evenings. We also raise any serious concerns by telephone or letter as soon as they arise.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
TEN REASONS
FOR CHOOSING THE SIXTH FORM CENTRE 1. Student success Our A Level pass rate is over 97% and almost all of our students go on to their chosen destinations afterwards. Many are university courses, while others include more specialised further education, employment, voluntary work and travel. The successful students profiled in this prospectus are just a few chosen from many hundreds.
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2. A great choice of subjects With 25 different A Levels, you can choose subjects you will enjoy and do well in and that will help you move on to whatever you want to do next. We can nearly always combine any three or four of them to make the right programme for you.
3. Specialist A Level teachers All of our teachers are experts in their subjects and have full teaching qualifications. Between them, they have literally hundreds of years of A Level teaching experience and most only teach A Levels. This allows them to focus all their efforts on making our A Level courses as effective as possible.
4. Excellent tutorial support As experienced A Level teachers and heads of sixth forms before joining the Sixth Form Centre, our specialist group tutors will help you achieve make the most of being at college. Weekly group tutorials cover everything from study skills to health and social issues to applying to university and regular individual tutorials will review your progress and help you find ways to do even better.
5. Extra help and advice when you need it If you ever need extra help or advice, we can call on the College’s large team of experts who specialise in everything from learning difficulties and disabilities to finance and travel to personal and health issues.
City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
6. Working with parents Support at home can be just as important as what happens in college and we therefore aim to work in partnership with both students and parents. We provide information to parents about students’ progress until they are 18 and after that if students agree. This includes regular written Progress Reviews and Parent Consultation Evenings.
8. Earn while you learn As a student in the Sixth Form Centre, you can join our Student Crew. This works like an employment agency that pays students to help with open days and other events. There’s a full induction and training, it’s great experience and useful on a CV or university application and you can earn money at times that don’t interfere with your studies.
7. More than just your A Levels When you’re not studying, there are plenty of ways to relax, have fun and learn new skills. These include sports and fitness, clubs and societies, cooking, first aid and much more. You can also become a student representative and stand for election to the Student Union. You can even get help with starting your own business.
9. Superb facilities As well our own teaching rooms and private study area, Sixth Form Centre students have use of all of the College’s excellent, modern facilities. These include a large Information Store with thousands of books and other resources, a TV studio, a dance studio, a sports hall, a wellequipped gym and a variety of cafés and restaurants.
10. An adult environment Our students often say they chose the Sixth Form Centre because they wanted a more adult environment than school and that is exactly what we offer. The College is as large and diverse as some universities and you’ll be surrounded by other adults rather than younger pupils. There are no bells or uniforms. Working relationships between staff and students are friendly and informal and everyone uses first names. We think it’s a great way to move on from school to adult life.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
HELPING YOU SUCCEED Our approach to helping you succeed begins with the advice we give at interviews and enrolment. We will help you choose subjects where you have the best chance of being successful and moving on to your chosen option when you leave college.
Once you have enrolled, we take the quality of teaching and learning very seriously.
This does not mean that we boost our position in league tables by only accepting students we are sure will achieve the highest grades. Unlike many other sixth forms, we are very open in our recruitment and enrol students with widely varying educational experiences and achievements. This is reflected in our entry requirements, where five GCSEs at grade A*-C can be enough to enrol on an A Level programme, though we do ask for more than this for entry to some subjects.
A key benefit of studying in the Sixth Form Centre is the focus that teachers can give to A Level students. All of our teachers are experienced and well-qualified in the subjects they teach and many are also examiners and moderators for awarding bodies.
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Our approach is a simple one. Expert teaching and support, coupled with serious effort from you will lead to your success. There is a simple relationship: EFFORT = SUCCESS
For each of your courses you will be set a minimum target grade, which we believe you should be able to achieve. These targets are based on what previous students with similar GCSE results to yours have achieved.
Most courses have five hours of classes per week and part of this is used for subject support sessions. These include extra help if you need it and more challenging extension work to help you achieve the best possible grades. Your teachers will give you regular feedback on tests, assignments and other work, including guidance on how your work compares to the standards needed to achieve your target grades and how you can improve further. Teaching methods are based on evidence of what works. Drawing on 15 years of research into effective teaching methods by Professor John Hattie, whose 2009 book, Visible Learning, analysed many thousands of studies, our staff development programme is focused on how we can use active learning approaches and detailed feedback to help you achieve the best possible results.
City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
TUTORIAL SUPPORT In addition to academic expertise, we believe that care and support are essential to your success. This is why we have a team of specialist Group Tutors, who are friendly, supportive, experienced teachers who will work with you throughout your time here. In March 2013, Ofsted highlighted this support as a real strength of the Sixth Form Centre. Our students come from schools all across the region, so we know how important it is for you to get to know other students and find out about life at college when you arrive. To help you do this, the first day of your courses will be an induction session with a Group Tutor.
Roz Hicks Group Tutor
After this you will have weekly group tutorials on topics ranging from contemporary politics, to exam techniques that work and applying for university. You will also have regular one-to-one meetings with your Group Tutor. These are a chance to discuss your progress and resolve any problems or difficulties that you might be experiencing with your studies or personal life. You will also receive great support and advice about things like applying for higher education and other college courses or getting that job or apprenticeship you really want. A key focus in tutorial work is on helping you achieve the best possible results. We believe that anyone can do well if they embrace the idea that effort leads to success and that getting things
Rebecca Blunsden-Ford Group Tutor
wrong simply highlights areas for improvement. This approach draws on the ‘mindset’ approach developed by University of Stanford psychologist, Professor Carol Dweck. Tutorials take place in our specialist tutorial suite, with its own classrooms, private interview rooms and IT and research facilities. We also have a Promoting Achievement in Learning (PAL) team who work with tutors and teachers to support students by monitoring your attendance and punctuality. They will also help you resolve any issues that you might face that affects your attendance.
Roz and Rebecca worked as A Level teachers and Heads of Sixth Form in a number of schools before becoming Group Tutors in the Sixth Form Centre in 2010. They are highly experienced specialists in providing academic and pastoral support for students and in advising them on progression to university and future careers. Roz is also a qualified careers advisor and Rebecca has particular expertise in counselling young people.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
HELP WITH TRAVEL COSTS You may qualify for reduced travel costs if you: • live in Norfolk • are under 19 • study for at least 16 hours per week • live more than three miles from the College (and travel on a core route).
EXTRA HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT THE ADVICE SHOP The Advice Shop can offer help and advice on a wide range of areas, such as choosing the right course for you, careers and higher education options and finance, as well as providing support for international students. Once you have enrolled, administrators will also be able to answer your questions about things like exams and timetables. You can contact The Advice Shop on 01603 773 773 or at information@ccn.ac.uk
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FINANCIAL HELP We are committed to making our courses available to all students who can benefit from them. One of the ways we do this is to provide as much financial help as we can. This includes: •F ree tuition if you are under 19 when you start your courses •F ree examination resits •A printing and photocopying allowance •F ree lunches if you are under 19 and your family is on a low income •A bursary if you are under 19 and your family is on a low income or you are living independently on a low income or if you are a care leaver •N US Extra cards available from the Students’ Union that give you discounts on a wide range of products If you want to know more about financial help that may be available, you can talk to a Student Adviser in our Advice Shop. They are available from 10.00am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday. To book an appointment please call 01603 773 773 or email financialadvice@ccn.ac.uk
An annual travel pass will cost £360 or £480, depending on your household income. This can be paid in instalments. On some routes, daily return passes can be purchased on the bus for £2.10 or £2.60 if your family has a low income and you have applied to Norfolk County Council beforehand for this help. For more details of help with travel costs for Norfolk residents, contact the Passenger Transport Unit, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich NR1 2SG or call the Student Transport Hotline on 0344 800 8020 or visit: www.norfolk.gov.uk/ post16transport Suffolk students who are under 19 should contact Suffolk County Council about their discretionary travel scheme: 0845 606 6173. A contribution of £150 per term is normally expected. Discounted First Bus passes are available to all college students and staff and can be used during term and vacation periods. These can be purchased from the Cashiers Office in the Wroxham Building at the College. For more information, contact The Cashiers Office on 01603 773 155 or the bus company at contactus.fec@firstgroup.com
City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES If you have a physical or learning disability, we will do all we can to make sure it doesn’t stop you being successful at college. As well as support from your teachers and tutor, our specialist Curriculum Services team can arrange extra help if you need it. This might include: • Special exam arrangements, such as extra time, a laptop or a reader or scribe • One to one support in classes and/or at other times • Personal care while you are in college • Transport by taxi between college and home If your difficulty is dyslexia, dyscalculia or Mears Irlen, you can make an appointment with our SpLD (Specific Learning Difference) team once your course has started.
They can assess you and may recommend extra help with your studies and/or exams. You can tell us about your disability or learning difference on your application form, when you enrol or after you have started at college. The sooner you tell us, the sooner we can arrange the extra help you need.
THE WELLBEING ZONE The Wellbeing Zone offers students information, advice and support on health and wellbeing. As well as picking up information leaflets, you can talk to an advisor or counsellor if you need to. The service is free, friendly, discreet and non-judgemental. You can call in yourself or ask your group tutor to make an appointment for you.
If you have a Statement / LDA or EHCP, we will already be aware of your support needs before you come to college and will contact you to discuss your support. However, if you do not want extra support, you can tell us at any time. You can contact our Curriculum Services team on 01603 773 241 or at curriculumservices@ccn.ac.uk
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
MORE THAN JUST A LEVELS We know that your main reason for joining the Sixth Form Centre is to achieve some great A Level results to help you move on to your future career. However, we also hope you will do more than that, so we’ve used these pages to tell you about some things you might want to do as well as your A Levels.
SIXTH FORM CENTRE ENRICHMENT Our Enrichment Programme includes a great range of extra-curricular activities. These vary from year to year, depending on what students want to do, but have included baking, film club, first aid, radio DJ and production, volunteering and a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. We work closely with CCN Active, which is supported by Sport England’s Legacy Funding to promote health and fitness through sport. Options range from archery to Zumba and you can get involved just for fun or ‘try out’ for a competitive team.
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STUDENT CREW – REAL WORK, REAL MONEY As a Sixth Form Centre student, you can apply to join Student Crew and help with events like open days, taster days, presentations in schools and the Norfolk Show. It’s good fun, you’ll gain skills and experience that could help you land that dream job later on and you’ll be paid for your time!
THE STARTUP LOUNGE The StartUp Lounge has been designed to help you develop employment and self-employment skills and create ideas for new products, services and ways of working. If you wish, you can get involved in a student-run enterprise, to make a profit or just to meet a need. You’ll gain hands-on experience of being part of a small enterprise, managing projects, using your creative skills to develop a new product or service, solve problems and learn how to promote and sell your ideas.
City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
Gazelle City College Norwich is a founder member of Gazelle. Gazelle was created in 2011 with an exclusive focus on building a recognisable cluster of entrepreneurial colleges in the UK. STUDENTS’ UNION The Students’ Union represents the views of students at the College and seeks to influence government policies on issues that affect students, such as grants, loans and travel costs, locally and nationally through the National Union of Students. Within the College, the Students’ Union provides a range of services including organising social events and supporting clubs and societies.
All students become members automatically when they enrol. If you want to represent students’ views, you can: •B ecome a Tutor Group Representative on the Sixth Form Centre School Council •R epresent the Sixth Form Centre on the whole college Student Parliament •B ecome a member of the Students’ Union Executive Committee where the current President and Vice President are both former Sixth Form Centre students •B ecome a Student Governor on the College’s Board of Governors
Gazelle combines the exceptional experience of entrepreneurs who have succeeded in business with leaders in the further education and wider public sector to transform education and to help create the next generation of wealth creators. The Gazelle Colleges Group is working towards the transformation of its colleges and curriculums through creating opportunities within enterprise and entrepreneurship.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
APPLYING AND ENROLLING
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DECIDING TO APPLY
If you are still deciding whether you want to join us, take your time. This is a big decision and we know there are lots of options open to you. You can find out more about us from reading this prospectus, on our website at www.norwichsixthform.co.uk or at one of our open events. There is a list of our open events in 2014/15 on the back page of this prospectus.
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RESULTS DAY!
If you are taking your GCSEs this year, we will be happy to talk to you about your courses on results day or afterwards.
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APPLYING
You can apply on-line at www.norwichsixthform.co.uk, or www.ccn.ac.uk or by completing the paper application form on page 67 – copies of this are also available from the Advice Shop at City College Norwich. There is no deadline for applications, but you will be given priority if courses become full and you apply early.
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ENROLMENT
You will enrol for your courses in late August. It’s important that you attend your appointment; if you don’t, you could miss out on your preferred courses.
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INTERVIEWS AND TASTER DAYS
Once you have applied to the Sixth Form Centre, we will invite you to a Taster Day with sample lessons in subjects that interest you and a guidance interview to help you choose the right courses. Taster days are a great way to meet other students as well as your A Level teachers.
Then we will look forward to seeing you in September!
City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
YOUR TIME AT SIXTH FORM
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INDUCTION
Your induction will include a session with your Group Tutor, when you start getting to know other students, where things are and how everything works. There will also be subject induction sessions at the start of each A Level, to help you understand them and make sure they are the right ones for you. At the end of your induction we will have an individual discussion with you to confirm your course choices.
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RESULTS DAY AGAIN!
When you receive your results at the end of your courses, we will be there to celebrate with you and to provide advice on what to do next if you need it.
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COURSES
Your courses will start in September. Most students are with us for two years and take three or four subjects in the first year and three in the second. There is more information about our courses on pages 16 to 65 and on our website, www.norwichsixthform.co.uk
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WORKING WITH YOUR TUTOR
You will have a group tutorial every week and will discuss your progress in regular individual tutorials. Your tutor will also help you move on to the next stage of your career, at the end of your courses. This will include helping you write the best possible UCAS application if you decide to go on to university.
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!
This bit’s up to you, but whatever you decide to do, we will do everything we can to help you get there.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
A LEVELS A Levels are among the most interesting and useful qualifications around. By focusing on three or four subjects in depth, you will be able to study things you really enjoy and develop advanced knowledge and skills that will be relevant to both higher education and employment. A Levels are also challenging. To succeed, you will need to have academic ability, choose the right courses and be willing to work hard. You will also need to be able to cope well with end of year examinations, as all A Levels include them and many don’t have any coursework at all. Many of our former students who have gone on to university tell us that their A Levels were as demanding as the first year of their degree courses. In spite of these challenges, our results are good, with an average pass rate of 97% and 100% in many subjects in recent years.
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A Levels are divided into an AS (first) year and an A2 (second) year. The AS year will help you move on from GCSE to more advanced study and is a stepping stone to the full A Level standard of the second year. Each course has two or three modules per year. Work in A Level courses can vary widely and includes traditional classes, practical work and field trips and visits. Choosing the right subjects can be complicated, but we will help you decide. We recommend subjects that: • you will enjoy • you will have a good chance of succeeding in • will help you move on to the next stage in your chosen career. If you are thinking of applying later on for highly rated academic degree courses, we will recommend taking at least two of the ‘facilitating subjects’ most often expected by the Russell Group of selective universities, such as English, Maths, Geography, History, Sciences and Modern Foreign Languages.
DOING A LEVELS WITHOUT A GRADE C IN GCSE MATHS Our entry requirement of five GCSEs at grade A*-C includes English but not necessarily Mathematics. We know that some students with very good GCSEs in other subjects may still find Mathematics more difficult. If you think this could apply to you, please talk to us about A Levels you may be able to do without an A*-C grade in Mathematics GCSE. These include more than half of the subjects we offer. If you do take A Levels with us but don’t have an A*-C grade in Mathematics GCSE, we will ask you to attend classes to help improve your Mathematics and work towards a better GCSE grade.
City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS The entry qualifications for different A Levels are explained in their subject descriptions on the pages that follow. All require grades A*-C in five full GCSEs including English. This is less than some sixth forms ask for, but we know that if you meet this entry requirement, choose the right subjects and work hard, you will succeed. Our entry qualifications do not include ones which are not full GCSEs such as: • Short course GCSEs • Applied GCSEs • BTEC qualifications • OCR National qualifications • Edexcel DiDA qualifications • Adult Literacy and Numeracy (ALAN) qualifications
These are all useful qualifications but we believe that full GCSEs are the best evidence that you have a good chance of being successful on A Level courses. Some subjects also require minimum average GCSE points scores. These take account of national statistics from the A Level Information System (ALIS) based at Durham University that tell us if you have a good chance of succeeding in each subject with a particular GCSE score. Average GCSE scores are calculated by adding up the points for all your GCSEs, using the scale on the right, and then dividing the total by the number of subjects taken.
GRADE
POINTS
A
8
A
7
*
B
6
C
5
D
4
E
3
F
2
G
1
U
0
For example, if you have a grade C in all of your GCSEs, your average would be 5.0. If half are at grade C and half at grade B, it would be 5.5.
CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 At the time of writing this prospectus, we are expecting a number of changes in some AS and A Level courses starting in September 2015. These changes have been decided by the government and are likely to be implemented in all schools and colleges in England. The subjects affected are: • Art • Biology • Business Studies • Chemistry • English Language & Literature • English Literature • Graphics • History • Photography • Physics • Psychology • Sociology • Textiles
The main changes will be: •A ll assessment in A Levels courses will be at the end of the second year •A S qualifications will still be available but they will be separate from A Levels and AS marks will not count towards A Level grades •T here will be more emphasis on examinations and less on coursework with a majority of subjects being assessed only through examinations The Sixth Form Centre will continue to enter all students for AS examinations at the end of the first year of courses. We believe this will have several advantages: •T he new AS courses will cover half the content of the new A Level ones, so students will still be doing A Level work in the first year
• AS examinations will give students, parents and teachers some very useful feedback on progress in the first year • AS grades will help students decide which university courses to apply for and give universities a clear indication of the final A Level grades applicants are likely to achieve • Having AS grades will allow students to transfer to other courses or move on to employment with recognised qualifications after a year if they want to
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
ARCHAEOLOGY Archaeology is the study of the physical remains and environmental effects of human behaviour. These can range from buried cities to microscopic organisms and cover all periods from the origins of human beings millions of years ago to the remains of 20th and 21st century industry and warfare. It provides us with information about many aspects of our development. Some, such as the beginning of agriculture, the origin of towns, or the discovery of metals, can only be understood through the examination of physical evidence; for others, archaeological evidence is used alongside written records. Archaeology incorporates elements of art, religion, history, sociology, anthropology, biology, chemistry, geography, geology, maths, biology, chemistry, physics and technology.
This multi-disciplinary approach makes Archaeology suitable for students of both Sciences and Humanities and an excellent choice to support applications to higher education in a wide range of subjects. The course looks in depth at ‘Ritual and Religion’ (at AS Level) and ‘Themes in World Archaeology’ (at A2 Level). It combines classroom-based learning and practical fieldwork, including excavation activities, and covers methods of discovering, excavating and recording archaeological sites.
Further details of the specification and its content can be found here: http://www.aqa.org.uk/ subjects/archaeology/a-level/ archaeology-2010 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English, Mathematics and Science • A GCSE average points score of at least 5.0 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated).
At the end of the first year all students will sit the AS examinations and will be given the opportunity to continue to A2 if they wish to do so. Assessment for the AS is through two examinations totalling three hours. A2 students take a two hour examination and complete a 3500 to 4000 word piece of coursework.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
ART Art A Level will develop your ability to think and work as an artist. During the course, you will use a range of activities and processes to explore the use of visual language. Your work will be linked to your own personal themes and to the work of other artists and art movements. You will learn to think and write analytically about your own work and that of other artists. Practical work begins with a structured course, in which drawing and painting are covered extensively using a range of materials such as inks, charcoal, watercolours, acrylics and oil paint. You will then move on to printmaking and explore drypoint, collograph and relief techniques such as lino cuts. Basic sculptural methods using card and wire follow, and then a range of collage and mixed media techniques are explored. You will be able to use photography equipment and experiment with darkroom processes such as photograms, which can form a useful addition to more traditional techniques. As part of the course, you will visit galleries and exhibitions
– locally and in London. These have included the Turner Prize exhibition, as well as shows featuring the work of Gauguin, Rauschenberg and Joseph Beuys. Each year there is also a visual arts trip abroad to a city renowned for its artistic heritage. Recent destinations have included Paris and New York. In Paris, students experienced an outstanding exhibition of women artists at the Pompidou Centre and also a magnificent collection of postimpressionist art at the Musée D’orsay. The trip to New York included the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, the International Museum of Photography, the Rockefeller Center and visits to the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Grand Central Station. Each June there is an annual Visual Arts show, where Art, Photography and Textiles students show their best work in a gallery-style environment, which is open to the public. To be successful on the course, you will need to have an interest in art and in the world around you and be able to work independently and with enthusiasm. You should also enjoy visiting galleries and exhibitions.
Assessment is through: • A range of practical work including experiments contained in a work journal, finished pieces of coursework and a response to a theme set by the exam board • A written personal study. An A Level in Art can lead to related courses at a college, art school or university, and then on to a very wide range of careers in art and design and other creative industries. Art can be taken with any subjects, but students often choose to combine it with other visual disciplines such as Textiles, Photography, Media Studies or Film Studies. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English and Art or a related subject, or a suitable portfolio of art work. CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
Biology is taught by Rose Niescierowicz whose observed lesson was rated as outstanding by Ofsted in 2013
BIOLOGY Biology is the study of life including you and all other living organisms, from the molecular level right through to entire ecosystems. Essential principles are taught in the context of today’s themes and issues, such as how our actions enhance the antibiotic resistance of bacteria and studying lifestyle factors that increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. Humans are part of the ecological balance and their actions affect it both directly and indirectly. Should we try to prevent malaria by breeding and releasing mosquitoes that carry a gene that is lethal for their offspring, or cull harriers to increase the survival of red grouse chicks? In the AS year, the main areas of study are: • Biology and disease • Variety of living organisms.
In the A2 year, the main areas of study are: • Populations and environment • Control in cells and organisms.
research science, marine biology, healthcare and forensic science, as well as medicine, dentistry and veterinary science.
The course combines detailed theoretical knowledge with practical research including laboratory work, interpreting data to solve scientific problems and writing in a scientific way. The course includes field studies to Holkham and Anglesey, in Wales.
Biology is identified by selective universities as one of the subjects they prefer applicants to have studied at A Level.
Biology is challenging, not only because of the content that is covered, but also in the scientific skills you will need to develop, such as in practical work and interpreting data. You will also need to understand chemical processes within organisms, so knowledge of chemistry is also useful. Assessment is through a mixture of written exams and practical work. An A Level in Biology can be the first step towards careers in fields such as;
JESSICA STOREY PREVIOUSLY AT: Norwich High School for Girls A /AS LEVELS: Biology A*, English Literature A*, History B, Chemistry C, AS Geography A NOW STUDYING: Human Sciences, University College London (UCL)
Biology can be taken with any subjects, but students often choose to combine it with Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE at grade A*-B in Biology or Science and Additional Science • A GCSE at grade A*-B in Mathematics • A GCSE average points score of more than 5.8 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated). CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
BUSINESS STUDIES This subject introduces you to the challenges and issues of starting a business and then goes on to explore the management of people, operations, finance and marketing. The course is divided into four units covering: •p lanning and financing a business • managing a business • strategies for success • the business environment and managing change. During the course, you will draw on general business principles and current events in the world of business to understand and evaluate the decisions organisations make. There is a strong emphasis on the practical application of what you learn. A lot of the work is based on data and case studies, where you will be asked to analyse a variety of business problems and situations. To succeed on the course you will need to have an enquiring
and logical mind and a general interest in what goes on in business, as well as good communication skills and confidence in handling data and numbers. Assessment is through exams with varied question types, including data response and essays. There is no coursework. An A Level in Business Studies can lead on to a degree or foundation degree at a Higher Education institute or careers in any industry, including general management, with specialisms such as accounting and finance, marketing or human resources. You could also start up your own business using the skills you have learned during the course. Business Studies can be combined with a wide variety of other subjects. Some students take it with subjects that can be useful in business such as Law, Psychology or Media Studies, while others prefer Mathematics or Science courses.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English and Mathematics • A GCSE average points score of at least 5.0 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated) • You do not need to have studied Business Studies before, but if you have, you will need to have a GCSE at grade A*-C or equivalent. CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
ROSIE DICKENS PREVIOUSLY AT: Rosemary Musker High School, Thetford A LEVELS: Business Studies A*, Government and Politics A*, Psychology A NOW STUDYING: Music and Entertainment Industry Management, University of Hertfordshire
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
CHEMISTRY Are you fascinated by chemical reactions? Do you want to explore the world of atoms and molecules? If so, then Chemistry is for you. from medical discoveries to microscopic organisms, Chemistry is central to our understanding of the universe. Topics include: • The structure of atoms and how they form bonds • Chemical reactions • The periodic table and groups within it • Quantities and the mole concept • Groups of organic chemicals • Making new chemicals • Analysing the structure of unknown substances. Work includes lectures, note taking, question and answer sessions, problem solving, written work and model building. Classes include demonstrations and practical laboratory work.
You will develop a range of skills such as making observations, collecting data, titration and organic synthesis. Links with the University of East Anglia allow college students to work alongside undergraduates, such as on a spectroscopy day. You are likely to enjoy and do well in this subject if: • You are intrigued by the science that you have studied so far and want to know more • You can understand and remember lots of facts and abstract concepts • You enjoy practical laboratory work • You can cope fairly easily with mathematics and like to use it in problem solving • You are prepared to work hard and have a go at any questions you are set. Assessment is through two written exams and practical work in each year.
SHAINA FORD PREVIOUSLY AT: Dereham Northgate High School A LEVELS: Biology A*, Chemistry A, Physics B, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) A* NOW STUDYING: Biomedical Science, Kings College, London University
An A Level in Chemistry can lead to careers in fields such as research science, healthcare and forensic science, as well as medicine, dentistry and veterinary science. Chemistry is identified by selective universities as one of the subjects they prefer applicants to have studied at A Level. Chemistry can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose to combine it with Biology, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE at grade A*-B in Chemistry or Science and Additional Science • A GCSE at grade A*-B in Mathematics • A GCSE average points score of more than 5.8 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated). CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
CREATIVE WRITING This subject will give you an opportunity to develop your creative writing abilities, introducing you to the range of skills required to express yourself forcefully and effectively in both fiction and non-fiction formats.
You will also acquire the practical skills needed to edit and redraft your written work.
You will explore the methods of other writers through the study of published texts and regular, focused writing practice will help you learn the discipline of writing to a specific brief and reflecting on the intentions and outcomes of your work.
The study of Creative Writing will help develop a range of key skills that can be applied in the real world, including thinking and writing clearly, critical and analytical skills, team working and creative problem solving. It will also help you learn to write for a range of audiences and purposes, a skill that can be applied to a wide range of writing tasks across the professional and the academic world.
As the course progresses you will develop your expertise as a writer by exploring your preferred formats and genres, gaining the confidence to share your ideas, critique your own work and give constructive feedback to other budding writers on the course.
As well as preparing you for further study of Creative Writing in higher education, this course is ideal if you to intend to progress to further study in English Literature or English Language and Literature, and can be studied alongside either
of these subjects. The Creative Writing A Level also works well in conjunction with other creative subjects, such as Media Studies and Film Studies, and is good preparation for those intending to pursue a career in journalism. A genuine enjoyment of writing and reading is essential if you are to succeed on this course. You will also need to be curious, imaginative, enthusiastic and committed. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A* - C, including English.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
DRAMA AND THEATRE STUDIES “When an actor is completely absorbed by some profoundly moving objective so that he throws his whole life being passionately into its execution, he reaches a state we call inspiration.” - Constantin Stanislavski The Drama and Theatre Studies course focusses on practical work with devising, rehearsing and performing taking place in the A Level drama studio. There is a strong focus on contemporary theatre influencing and inspiring your work, with trips to see live performances of both AS and A2. Past trips have included seeing the award winning production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the Apollo Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Julius Caesar at Norwich Theatre Royal and tours of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
You will learn how to deconstruct, analyse, interpret and perform play texts from a wide range of influential writers, as well as having the opportunity to devise your own original piece of theatre. You will acquire and develop movement, vocal, communication and characterisation skills as well as learning to use drama language and terminology. You will have the opportunity to study plays from the point of view of a director, designer, performer and critic. The course includes various workshops on additional skills such as stage combat, puppet making, lighting operation, budgeting for performance companies, and Q&A with professional actors. You will also learn about theatre history and look in detail at the work and theory of significant theatre practitioners.
Assessment is through practical work, coursework and one written examination at the end of the two years of study. Classes are high-energy and physical with a combination of both group work and the development of individual skills. It is essential that students can work well in groups and have a high level of attendance, as well as having a genuine passion for the subject and enjoy learning about the theoretical aspects of theatre. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • You do not need to have studied Drama before, but if you have, you will need to have a GCSE at grade A*-C or equivalent.
CHLOE FLATT PREVIOUSLY AT: Bethlehem College, New Zealand A LEVELS: Drama and Theatre Studies B, English Language and Literature A, Psychology A, Extended Project Qualification A NOW STUDYING: Drama, University of Exeter
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE This course explores a wide variety of texts from different historical periods and genres, written for different audiences and purposes. These will include novels, newspapers, journals, plays, speeches, poems, short stories and diaries. You will think about the nature of language and how it works and consider how writers and speakers are affected by the context in which they live and the medium and genre through which they have chosen to communicate. You will look at dialogue and narrative voices in literature and compare them with the spontaneous speech of everyday life.
You will explore how speech conveys information about character to the reader or listener and how things that are left unsaid can be just as important as those revealed through dialogue. You will learn the critical skills needed to talk and write confidently about writers and their work and will develop your creative writing skills by writing from different perspectives and by adapting existing texts. You will study revered writers from the literary canon, such as Tennessee Williams and modern authors like Alice Sebold and Khaled Hosseini. This year, students have visited the National Theatre to see Henry V.
COLETTE ARMITAGE PREVIOUSLY AT: Langley School A LEVELS: Biology B, English Language and Literature A, Sociology A* NOW STUDYING: English and Society, University of York
Assessment is through written exams and coursework. An A Level in English Language and Literature can lead on to related degree courses and any courses or careers that require good language, communication and analytical skills. English Language and Literature can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose to combine it with Drama and Theatre Studies, Media Studies or Film Studies. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English. CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
ENGLISH LITERATURE This subject gives you the enduring pleasure of reading and getting to know in detail a wide range of literary texts and plays, from the Renaissance to the present day. As well as reading the texts themselves, you will consider the social, literary and historical context of the time they were written and examine some critical responses to them. During the course, you will: • explore the role of narrative in literacy texts and the distinctive nature of literary genres • develop your reading, writing and analytical skills • become a more independent learner and thinker • apply critical ideas to literary texts To succeed on the course, you will need curiosity, enthusiasm, creativity and commitment, and above all a desire to read literature.
Recent texts have included: • The Kite Runner • The Great Gatsby • Poetry by Robert Browning and Alfred Lord Tennyson • Comedies such as Twelfth Night and The Importance of Being Earnest • Gothic texts such as Frankenstein, Doctor Faustus and The Bloody Chamber. Assessment is through written exams and coursework. An A Level in English Literature is an ideal preparation for a wide variety of degree courses and careers that require good communication and thinking skills. English Literature is identified by selective universities as one of the subjects they prefer applicants to have studied at A Level. English Literature can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose to combine it with; Drama and Theatre Studies, Media Studies or Film Studies.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English Language; at least a C grade in English Literature if taken. CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
NATASHA PALMER PREVIOUSLY AT: Norwich High School for Girls A LEVELS: English Literature A, Film Studies A*, Photography A NOW STUDYING: Film Production, Arts University Bournemouth
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
FILM STUDIES A Level Film Studies will develop your understanding of films and their social, historical and artistic importance. You will learn about the film-making process, from the early pioneers through to modern day mainstream and non-mainstream cinema. The focus in the first year is on British and American films and how they often embody societal concerns and anxieties. Students complete a series of research projects and case studies that investigate the producers of film and the shifting nature of film spectatorship. World Cinema and the silent movie era are studied in year two. Students also complete a single film study and a research project on a film style, film actor or director of their choice.
The course will also enable you to put theory into practice. You will make films in both years of the course, working to briefs agreed with your teacher. You will have creative freedom to experiment in a range of different film styles and genres, from Wallace and Gromit style Claymation, to documentary film, single camera drama pieces and avant-garde films. You will have access to High Definition digital video cameras, the College’s TV studio and the Adobe Creative suite for post-production effects, including Adobe After Effects. Experienced staff will offer technical and production advice and guidance throughout the course. You are likely to do well in this subject if you enjoy watching films, not just for their content
but also for the meanings behind them, and if you are keen to learn about films from the entire history of cinema. You will also need to be creative and well-organised to complete your practical work successfully. Assessment is through coursework and written examinations. A Level Film Studies is useful for anyone wishing to take an arts or humanities subject at degree level, and can lead to careers in the film industry. Film studies can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose to combine it with: English Literature, Drama and Theatre Studies or Photography. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English.
JENNY FENNELL PREVIOUSLY: Sprowston High School A LEVELS: Drama and Theatre Studies A*, English Literature A, Film Studies, A NOW STUDYING: Script Writing and Performance, University of East Anglia (UEA)
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
FURTHER MATHEMATICS Further Mathematics is a course that broadens and deepens the maths covered in A Level Mathematics. It develops your mathematical ability and introduces you to new topics, which are vital if you are intending to study a mathematics degree. Further Mathematics is studied alongside Mathematics A Level. See page 47 for details of our Mathematics A Level course. When you study Further Mathematics at A Level, you will not only learn new mathematical skills, but will also apply them to solving problems. You will see how the subject can be used to show what is happening and what might happen in different real life situations. Each year of the Further Mathematics course includes a compulsory core (pure) mathematics unit and two
optional units in areas such as pure mathematics, statistics and mechanics. Options may vary from year to year, depending on demand. Core mathematics extends your knowledge of topics such as algebra, trigonometry and geometry as well as learning some new ideas such as calculus. These ideas are interesting in their own right, but they also serve as a foundation for other work you will do. In statistics you will learn how to analyse and summarise numerical data to arrive at conclusions and predictions about it. Mechanics describes mathematically the motion of objects and how they respond to forces acting on them. Many of the ideas studied here form an introduction to modern fields of study
such as robotics and biomechanics, as well as the more traditional ones of engineering and physics. There is a total of six modules to be completed. Assessment is mainly through written examinations, although there is also a small amount of coursework. Further Mathematics A Level is essential if you are intending to go on to a degree rich in mathematics, and it could lead to degrees in other subjects such as Science, Economics, Engineering or Computing. The skills you will learn, such as thinking clearly and logically, will be useful in a wide range of careers. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE at grade A* or A in Mathematics • A GCSE average points score of more than 5.8 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated).
AARON SMITH PREVIOUSLY AT: Long Stratton High School/ City of Norwich School (CNS) A LEVELS: Chemistry A, Mathematics A*, Further Mathematics B, Physics A Sociology A NOW STUDYING: Physics, Nottingham University
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
GEOGRAPHY Geography is the study of the earth’s surface and atmosphere, human responses to them and, increasingly, the effects of human activity upon them. It will give you an insight into issues that affect your everyday life, from coastal erosion and global warming to rising global population and food supply. As well as working in class, you will carry out practical fieldwork and take part in events such as the biodiversity conference held at Norwich Castle each year. Assessment is through two written exams in each year. Topics include: • Forces influencing our natural environment, from global tectonic processes to the smaller scale landscape processes of coasts and rivers • Issues affecting people and the places where they live, including how cities and the countryside are changing
• How people are affecting the environment • Decisions about the use of resources and who makes them • Current events and problems such as natural disasters, the plight of refugees and the problems of food supply • Fieldwork investigation, including collecting and analysing evidence. An A Level in Geography could lead on to a related degree, but the skills you will learn such as thinking and writing clearly and logically and interpreting different kinds of data will be useful in a wide range of other subjects. Geography is identified by selective universities as one of the subjects they prefer applicants to have studied at A Level.
Geography can be taken with any other subjects, but Geography goes particularly well with; Mathematics or Science subjects as well as; Business Studies, Government and Politics, Sociology and other Humanities and Social Science subjects. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English and Mathematics • A GCSE average points score of more than 5.0 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated) • You do not need to have studied Geography before, but if you have, you will need to have a GCSE at grade A*-C or equivalent.
Geography can also help you move on to a variety of careers, such as; conservation and environmental management, town planning, teaching or international development.
BETHANY PLUMMER PREVIOUSLY AT: Norwich High School for Girls A LEVELS: Biology A, Chemistry A, Geography A, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) A NOW STUDYING: Medicine, University of East Anglia (UEA)
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS Is the Government right to raise tuition fees? Are tougher sentences the way to solve crime? Does it matter if politicians lie to the people? To what extent is the government to blame for the economic crisis? Government and Politics is the study of how the UK Government works and how it affects ordinary people; it is also the study of UK government policy and its effectiveness. The first year of the course focuses on the politics in UK with units on People and Politics and Governing the UK. Second year options are agreed each year between the teacher and students on the course and can include: • UK political issues • EU political issues • Political ideologies • American politics • Global politics and political issues
You are likely to enjoy and do well in this subject if you are interested in how government works, enjoy discussing current issues and are good at developing logical, reasoned arguments.
and logically and interpreting and evaluating evidence, will be useful in a wide range of other subjects as well. They will also help you in a variety of careers such as in the civil service, law or journalism.
You will need to keep up-to-date with current events by reading quality newspapers and watching the television news on a regular basis, as well as doing independent research using the internet and other sources.
Government and Politics can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose; Business Studies, History, Law, Sociology or English.
Assessment is through written exams in each year, with a mixture of structured, short, mid-length and source response questions in the first year. The second year has mid-length questions and essays.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE average points score of more than 5.0 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated).
This A Level is likely to be especially useful if you are thinking about going on to related university courses such as; politics, international relations, history and public policy, but the skills you will learn, such as thinking and writing clearly
ALBERT GORDON PREVIOUSLY AT: Thetford Academy A LEVELS: English Literature A, Government and Politics A*, History A*, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) A NOW STUDYING: Politics, Durham University
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
GRAPHICS In an interactive and digital age, graphic design and communication through images has become a universal language of our time and a growth industry in the UK. With the endless possibilities of digital manipulation and the free flow of quick and interactive media offered by the internet, there has never been a more exciting time to study this subject. As one of the Art and Design suite of courses, Graphics has a strong grounding in illustration and drawing, using both traditional and industry standard digital production methods. Each year of the course has two units and for each unit you will create a product that communicates your visual ideas along a given theme. As well as practical workshops and skills development, you will learn and become familiar with the critical and theoretical side of the subject, exploring the relationship between client, producer and audience. Areas of study include, advertising, illustration, packaging, typography and interactive media. The course is based in a wellequipped classroom with the resources needed for hand illustration and PCs and printers for digital work. You will also be able to use our darkroom and drawing and painting equipment in other specialist rooms. Film and digital SLR cameras are available to borrow if you need to.
As part of the course, you will visit galleries and exhibitions, locally and in London. In recent years, our Visual Arts students have been to Norwich’s Sainsbury Centre and Castle Museum, the Tate Modern, the Haywood Gallery, the Royal Academy, the Photographers’ Gallery and the Whitechapel Gallery. Each year, there is also a trip abroad to a city renowned for its artistic heritage. Recent destinations have included Paris and New York. In Paris, students experienced an outstanding exhibition of women artists at the Pompidou Centre and also a magnificent collection of postimpressionist art at the Musée D’Orsay. The trip to New York included the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, the International Museum of Photography and the Rockefeller Center as well as visits to the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and Grand Central station. At the end of year, we hold a Visual Arts Summer Show, where students show their best work in a gallery-style environment, open to the public. Assessment is through: • A range of practical work including experiments contained in a work journal, finished pieces of coursework and a response to a theme set by the exam board • A written personal study investigating ideas in Graphic Communication.
To succeed on the course, you will need investigate and analyse images and develop your own ideas, thinking and working independently and using your own initiative. You will also need to be persistent and hardworking. The course can be taken with any other subjects but students often choose to combine it with other visual disciplines such as Art, Photography, Textiles, Film Studies and Media Studies. An A Level in Graphics can lead to related courses at university or art school and a wide range of careers from art and design to the media, publishing and digital industries. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE at grade A*-C in Graphics or another Art-based subject or a suitable portfolio of graphics work. CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 As a result of national changes in some AS and A Levels, some aspects of this course will change from 2015-16 onwards. These may affect the topics taught in the course and will include assessment of the whole A Level at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
HISTORY This subject covers modern European and British history, with themes including nationalism, war and its impact on society, revolution and fascism. It helps to explain our present and collective past as a story, or a series of stories, whose content shifts according to the storyteller. As George Santayana said, “A country without a memory is a country of madmen.” Themes of study include nationalism, the impact of war on society, Nazi Germany and the development of British democracy. A typical class will include reading, analysing and evaluating historical sources and discussion. History is academically challenging. To succeed you will need to enjoy reading, think logically and be good at evaluating evidence and opinions. You must also be prepared to read widely and deeply, to work at developing essay writing skills and to think analytically and independently.
Assessment is through exams with essays and there is coursework in the second year. This A Level could lead on to a related degree course, such as History, Politics or Law, but the skills you will learn, such as thinking and writing clearly and logically and interpreting and evaluating evidence, will be useful in a wide range of other subjects. History is identified by selective universities as one of the subjects they prefer applicants to have studied at A Level. The skills you will learn at A Level will also help you in a variety of careers such as in the civil service, law, journalism, teaching, archaeology and museum work.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE average points score of at least 5.0 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated) • You do not need to have studied History before, but if you have, you will need to have a GCSE at grade A*-C or equivalent. CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
History can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose Government and Politics, Law, Sociology or English.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
LAW This subject answers questions such as, ‘Where does our law come from and how does it change?’ and ‘how does the legal system work?’ It can be related to most aspects of everyday life and will help you to understand your legal rights and participate in discussions and debates on topical issues.
Classes will help you understand the law in detail and to apply it to a variety of situations. It is often contentious and there are plenty of opportunities to discuss and debate. Guest speakers, such as magistrates and police officers, will be invited into classes and there will be an opportunity to visit the local Magistrates’ and Crown Courts to see the law in action.
The AS course covers sources of law and the English legal system, giving an insight into how the law works in the UK. It includes case law, statute law, the court system and the legal profession, and provides a fundamental knowledge for any further study of law.
The subject is challenging and requires hard work and concentration, but is rewarding and stimulating. To succeed, you will need to have good listening skills and a good memory, be able to think logically and coherently and to express yourself clearly in essays.
At A2 level you will study criminal law, including the elements of a crime (the act and the intent) and types of crimes, and will complete a special study of one area of criminal law.
Assessment is through two written exams in each year.
but the skills you will learn, such as thinking and writing clearly and logically and interpreting and evaluating evidence, will be useful in a wide range of other subjects, and will also help you in a variety of careers such as in the civil service, law or journalism. Law can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose; Government and Politics, History or English. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE average points score of more than 5.0 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated).
This A Level could lead on to a related degree course, such as Law, History or Politics,
ROSA EVANS PREVIOUSLY AT: Framingham Earl High School/ Notre Dame High School A LEVELS: English Literature B, Government and Politics A, History, A NOW STUDYING: Law, University of East Anglia (UEA)
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
MATHEMATICS When you study mathematics at A Level, you will not only learn new mathematical skills, but will also apply them to solving problems. You will see how the subject can be used to show what is happening and what might happen in different real life situations. If you are intending to study mathematics or another maths-rich degree at university, we strongly recommend you combine a Mathematics A Level with a Further Mathematics A Level to give a deeper insight into the subject. See page 37 for details of our Further Mathematics A Level course. The course includes core (pure) mathematics plus statistics and/or mechanics. Core mathematics extends your knowledge of topics such as algebra, trigonometry and geometry as well as learning some new ideas such as calculus. These ideas are interesting in their own right, but they also serve as a foundation for other work you will do.
In statistics, you will learn how to analyse and summarise numerical data to arrive at conclusions and predictions about it. Mechanics describes mathematically the motion of objects and how they respond to forces acting on them. Many of the ideas studied here form an introduction to modern fields of study such as robotics and biomechanics, as well as the more traditional ones of engineering and physics. Mathematics can be challenging at this level. To succeed, you will need to be able to think clearly and logically and, just as importantly, to persevere when you can’t immediately see the solution to a problem. There is a total of six modules to be completed. Assessment is mainly through written examinations, though there is also a small amount of coursework. Mathematics can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose; Physics,
Chemistry, Biology, Psychology, Business Studies or Geography. Mathematics A Level could lead on to a related degree course, such as in mathematics, science, economics, engineering or computing, but the skills you will learn, such as thinking clearly and logically, will be useful in wide range of other subjects. Mathematics is identified by selective universities as one of the subjects they prefer applicants to have studied at A Level. Mathematical knowledge is also essential in a wide range of careers including ones in science, engineering, computing and management. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE at grade A*-B in Mathematics • A GCSE average points score of more than 5.8 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated).
HAOCHEN ZHU PREVIOUSLY AT: City College Norwich, doing GCSEs A LEVELS: Biology B, Chemistry B, Mathematics A*, Physics B NOW STUDYING: Biochemistry,York University
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
MEDIA STUDIES The media affects us all in many ways. We use media technology to connect, investigate, learn and play. This course will develop your understanding of the media and your practical media production skills. At AS Level, you will study a range of contemporary and historical TV dramas and complete a case study on a key area of the media. Practical work will include designing and writing the front page, contents page and a double page spread for a new magazine. This will teach you the fundamentals of digital photography and Photoshop design and help you sharpen your journalistic writing skills. At A2 level, you will study a range of contemporary media issues and debates as well as completing an extensive cross-media promotion project.
This involves working with local musicians and bands to produce a promo package that includes a music video. Past students have worked with Ed Sheeran and The Crookes. Throughout the course you will be supported by experienced staff and have use of HD cameras, digital SLRs (Canon 600D), a TV studio and Adobe Creative Suite. Completed magazine designs and films are shown at our annual Oscars Night at The Forum in Norwich. You are likely to do well in this subject if you are interested in the media, not just for their content, but also for the meanings behind them. You will also need to be creative and well-organised to complete your practical work successfully. Assessment is through exams and coursework.
A Level Media Studies is useful for anyone wishing to take a Humanities degree or to pursue a career in the industry. The course will also develop skills of critical analysis and interpretation, essay writing and debating. Media Studies can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose to combine it with Art, English, Film Studies, Photography or Sociology.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • You do not need to have taken Media Studies before, but if you have, you will need to have a GCSE at grade A*-C or equivalent.
MAISIE HALL PREVIOUSLY AT: Paraparaumu College, New Zealand A LEVELS: English Literature A*, History B, Media Studies A NOW STUDYING: English, Queen Mary College, London University
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES The French, German and Spanish A Level courses that we offer will enable you to speak, read and write confidently, clearly and effectively in the language you study. They will also widen your knowledge and understanding of the countries where your chosen language is spoken. A Levels in French, German and Spanish continue to be highly regarded in the world of work and can open many doors to future employment prospects. Students who continue with a language at university often combine it with another subject to further increase their chances of securing a good job. There are career opportunities in journalism, law, banking and finance, teaching, translating and interpreting and leisure and tourism, to name but a few. Examinations will be as follows: Unit 1: AS Reading, writing and listening You will answer a range of questions based on approximately five minutes of heard material and on a selection of written texts. You will also
respond in writing to a question based on one of the AS topics. Unit 2: AS Oral examination conducted by an external examiner You will discuss a targetlanguage stimulus card based on one of the AS topics and take part in a conversation covering three further AS topics. The speaking test will be conducted by an external AQA examiner. Unit 3: A2 Reading, writing, listening and translation You will answer a range of questions based on approximately 6 minutes of heard material and on a selection of written texts. You will also respond in writing to a question based on one of the four A2 cultural topic areas. You must study two different cultural topics and will be informed of these either at the end of year 12 or the start of year 13.
A2 topic areas and take part in a conversation covering three further A2 topics. You will also be asked about the Cultural Topics you have studied. As at AS level, the speaking test will be conducted by an external AQA examiner.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE average points score of at least 5.4 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated) • A GCSE at grade A*-B in the relevant language
NOTE: These subjects are taught in the sixth form at City of Norwich School (CNS), a few minutes walk from City College Norwich. The information about them has been supplied by the school.
Unit 4: A2 Oral examination conducted by an external examiner You will present a point of view based on a target-language stimulus card from one of the
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS This is one of the most fascinating subjects it is possible to study. Philosophy of Religion is all about how we look at the world and try to make sense out of universal questions that have fascinated human minds for thousands of years. It can help you make sense of life and give life some meaning and purpose. Religious Ethics is all about how we decide what is right and what is wrong. You will look at practical issues like war, peace, abortion and at the morality of these issues. In both areas of the course there are very few right answers – it appeals to those who have a questioning mind and can argue their case. You will need to discuss and debate your views on euthanasia, conscience, free-will, the nature of God, the right to have a child,
life and death. These are truly fascinating areas of discussion and as well as putting your own views forward you will consider the views of other students and the great philosophers. As well as these topics you will have the opportunity to go on A Level conferences and visits to places of philosophical and ethical interest. This course provides a suitable foundation for the further study of Religious Studies, Philosophy or Theology. Past students have gone on to study Philosophy at Cambridge and York Universities. Some have studied other degree subjects as students acquire a great range of skills, such as analysis, interpretation, critical thinking and the ability to produce extended evaluative pieces of writing. These are skills
that will prepare students well for a range of courses in higher education and, beyond that, in employment generally. The skills it develops are of particular relevance to the following careers for example: teaching, law, management, minister, medicine, civil servant, journalism and business. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE average points score of at least 5.0 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated) • You do not need to have taken Philosophy and Ethics before but, if you have, you will need a GCSE at grade A*-C or equivalent
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
PHOTOGRAPHY Photography is the pre-eminent visual medium of the age, especially since digital photography has made it more available and added even more to its expressive potential.
Each year there is an annual Visual Arts show, where Art, Photography and Textiles students show their best work in a gallery-style environment, open to the public.
By exploring themes such as ‘Light’, ‘Capturing the moment’ and ‘the truth’, this course will teach you digital and traditional darkroom photography skills, how to express yourself and communicate ideas through photographs and how to understand different layers of meaning in images.
To succeed you will need curiosity, independence and initiative, and have an eye for a good picture. You will be willing to develop ideas and to investigate and analyse images and you will be persistent and hardworking.
As part of the course, you will visit galleries and exhibitions – locally and in London. These have included the Tate Modern, the Haywood Gallery, the Royal Academy, the Photographers’ Gallery, the Whitechapel Gallery, the Sainsbury Centre in Norwich and Norwich Castle Museum. Each year there is also a visual arts trip abroad to a city renowned for its artistic heritage. Recent destinations have included Paris and New York. In Paris, students experienced an outstanding exhibition of women artists at the Pompidou Centre and also a magnificent collection of post-impressionist art at the Musée D’orsay. The trip to New York included the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, the International Museum of Photography, the Rockefeller Center as well as visits to the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and Grand Central station.
Assessment is through: • A range of practical work including experiments contained in a work journal, finished pieces of coursework and a response to a theme set by the exam board • A written personal study investigating ideas in photography. The course is taught in a well-equipped, specialist room, with PCs and printers for your digital work and a traditional darkroom dedicated to the A Level course. We provide essential equipment and materials for the course including digital SLR cameras for loan. However, you are recommended to have your own camera as well. An A Level in photography can lead to related courses at a college, art school or university, and then on to a very wide range of creative careers, such as in art and design or the media. Photography can be taken with any subjects, but students often choose to combine it with other visual disciplines such as; Art, Film Studies or Media Studies.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE at grade A*-C in Photography or another Art-based subject or a suitable portfolio of photographic work. CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
ANNALISE TAYLOR PREVIOUSLY AT: Thorpe St Andrew School, Norwich A LEVELS: Media Studies B, Photography B, Psychology C NOW STUDYING: Photography, Falmouth University
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
Physics is taught by Simon Duggan whose observed lesson was rated as outstanding by Ofsted in 2013
PHYSICS Physics is a fascinating theoretical subject about how the real world (and the rest of the Universe) works. It asks about everything from what existed before the Big Bang to how cars can use less petrol.
to persevere when you can not immediately see the solution to a problem. It includes some mathematical concepts and theories, so it will also help if you enjoy and are good at mathematics, especially algebra.
Topics include: • Particles • Quantum phenomena and electricity • Mechanics • Materials and waves • Fields and further mechanics • Nuclear and thermal physics.
You will be assessed through written exams and practical work.
The course combines learning about theories in physics with practical laboratory work and analysing data. You are likely to do well if you can think logically, critically and imaginatively and are willing to work hard. The course can be challenging and you will need
This A Level could lead on to related degree courses and careers, such as; science, engineering or computing, and the skills you will learn, such as thinking clearly and logically, will be useful in a wide range of other fields. Physics is identified by selective universities as one of the subjects they prefer applicants to have studied at A Level. Physics can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose; Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology or Geography.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE at grade A*-B in Physics or Science and Additional Science • A GCSE at grade A*-B in Mathematics • A GCSE average points score of more than 5.8 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated). CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
ALEX JANTZEN PREVIOUSLY STUDIED IN DENMARK A LEVELS: Physics A*, Maths A*, Chemistry A NOW STUDYING: Physics, Southampton University
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
PSYCHOLOGY Psychology tries to answer the questions of why people behave as they do, how they think and how they feel. It looks at these questions using a variety of scientific methods such as experiments, interviews and questionnaires. During your AS course, you will study memory, attachment between children and their parents, stress, obedience, abnormal behaviour and research methods.
This is a popular course taken by students who are keen to engage with a new subject and be taught by experienced, enthusiastic subject specialists. The course is assessed through exams, there is no coursework. You will have plenty of practice in exam techniques and help from your teachers who have themselves worked as examiners in the subject.
The topics you will investigate in your A2 year are perception, relationships, eating behaviour, depression, addictive behaviour and advanced research methods.
The exams have short answer questions, essays and interpretation of data. To do well you will need to be able to remember factual information, interpret questions and be able to write concisely.
Classes will allow you to undertake research into these topics and introduce you to a wide range of interesting studies that psychologists have carried out in trying to understand these behaviours.
Students who have studied psychology often go on to university to study it further, but may also study or work in related areas such as teaching, business, social work or the police.
Psychology can be taken with any other subjects, in particular science subjects, especially Biology, but also History, Geography, Law, Business Studies and Sociology. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE average points score of at least 5.4 (see page 17 for details of how this is calculated) • You do not need to have studied Psychology before, but if you have, you will need to have GCSE at grade A*-C. CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
ELLA STEPHENSON PREVIOUSLY AT: City of Norwich School (CNS) A LEVELS: Biology A, Photography A, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) A*, Psychology A NOW STUDYING: Zoo Biology, Nottingham Trent University
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
SOCIOLOGY Sociology is the study of society using a range of different perspectives. We look critically at how different features of society work, such as the family, the media and education, opening ourselves up to new ideas and questioning our own experiences. There is really no right and wrong in sociology, only different points of view, and critical thinking is encouraged. Sociology will enable you to question social organisation, understand people’s experiences in different social positions and social groups and become more articulate and fluent in expressing your ideas and opinions. Students come to sociology from a wide variety of backgrounds and with a range of different experiences and work with a subject specialist with a real commitment and belief in the value of sociology. This makes for lively and stimulating sociological discussion and debates.
Classes include using topical visual material, news articles, interactive textbooks and more. Sociology is an academically rigorous subject, combining theoretical perspectives and real world problems. To succeed, you will need to enjoy reading and writing, should have a keen interest in society and social issues and should be prepared to question common sense understanding. You will learn to compare different ways of understanding society so should be open to different arguments. Assessment is by modular exams in the form of data response papers.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English • A GCSE average points score of at least 5.0 (see page 16 for details of how this is calculated) • You do not need to have studied Sociology before, but if you have, you will need to have a GCSE at grade A*-C. CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
Sociology goes well with other social sciences and humanities subjects and is a good subject for a range of occupations such as medicine, policing and social work.
LAUREN BURROWS PREVIOUSLY AT: Sewell Park College, Norwich A LEVELS: Business Studies B, Psychology B, Sociology A NOW STUDYING: Business Management, University of East Anglia (UEA)
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
TEXTILES This subject will help you develop a working knowledge of materials, practices and technology. You will use these to interpret and express your ideas and feelings using textiles, craft and design. You will also develop a knowledge and understanding of the place of textiles, craft and design in history and in contemporary society. Practical work will include printing, machine embroidery, hand stitching, felt making, paper making and weaving. As part of the course, you will visit galleries and exhibitions – locally and in London. These have included the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Textile Museum in Norwich, the Sainsbury Centre, the Louvre Textile Museum and the Hub Museum at Sleaford. Each year, there is also a visual arts trip abroad, to a city renowned for its artistic heritage. recent destinations have included Paris
and New York. In Paris, students experienced an outstanding exhibition of women artists at the Pompidou Centre and also a magnificent collection of postimpressionist art at the musée D’orsay. The trip to New York included the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, the International Museum of Photography, the Rockefeller Center as well as visits to the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and Grand Central Station. Each year there is an annual Visual Arts show, where Art, Photography and Textiles students show their best work in a gallery-type environment, which is open to the public. To be successful you will need an interest in and understanding of the basic elements of design and the position of art, craft and design in the world. Above all, you should have an interest in creating and understanding textiles and the determination to develop that interest.
SASKIA HADLEY PREVIOUSLY AT: Stradbroke School, Eye A LEVELS: Textiles A, History B, English Language & Literature B NOW STUDYING: BA in Fashion, Norwich University of the Arts (NUA)
Assessment is through: • A range of practical work including experiments contained in a work journal, finished pieces of coursework and a response to a theme set by the exam board • A written personal study investigating ideas in textiles in the second year. An A Level in textiles can lead to related courses at a college, art school or university, and then on to a very wide range of careers in art and design and other creative industries. Textiles can be taken with any subjects, but students often choose to combine it with other visual disciplines such as; Art, Photography, Media Studies or Film Studies. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: • Five GCSEs grades A*-C including English • A GCSE at grade A*-C in an Art-based subject or a suitable portfolio of Textiles work. CHANGES IN AS AND A LEVEL COURSES IN 2015 The information given here reflects the course taught in 2014-15. Some aspects of it will be different from 2015-16 as a result of national changes to AS and A Levels. These may affect the topics taught in this course and will mean that this A Level will be assessed wholly at the end of the second year. However, students will continue to be entered for AS qualifications at the end of the first year.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
EXTENDED PROJECT QUALIFICATION (EPQ) This is a one year course, designed to make you into a skilled researcher, someone who can discover information and evaluate its importance and credibility. You will then apply these core research skills in producing either a 5,000 word report on a subject of your choice or an artefact such as a piece of artwork, music or video plus a report of around 1,000 words. You will also compile a detailed production log as you go, showing how you carried out your project.
Key areas that you will learn about on the EPQ course include: • Project management • Searching and collecting information • The importance of the peer review process • Evaluating information • Data analysis • Referencing and citation • Report writing and presentation skills. Examples of students’ projects have included: • How the creatures of mythology are portrayed in modern society • As part of a pluralistic society, should Sharia Law exist within the British legal system? • The history and key developments in the sport of snowboarding.
A key challenge of the EPQ is to manage your time effectively, balancing the need to do research for your EPQ with the demands on your time made by your A Levels. An EPQ is equivalent to an AS Level, although, unlike AS courses, an A* grade may be awarded. If you are considering applying to go to university, it will both give you extra UCAS points and demonstrate that you have developed valuable independent research skills.
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City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
HOW TO FIND US We are a few minutes walk from the City Centre on Ipswich Road. From the St Stephens Street roundabout (near the bus station), follow signs to Ipswich. A few hundred metres south of the roundabout the A11 and A140 divide: take the left fork and the College is about 300 metres further along on the left.
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alk pswich ens the bus pswich. outh 11 and t fork 300 the left.
display we also nd ride Council out /A47 ell tails.
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There is limited pay and display parking on campus, but we also offer a subsidised park and ride scheme from the County Council site on Harford roundabout (near Tesco on the A140/A47 junction).
APPLICATION
FORM
APPLICATION
FORM
We can help you go further
Please complete all sections of this form with BLOCK CAPITALS and black ink and return to: Applications City College Norwich Ipswich Road Norwich NR2 2LJ
e: applications@ccn.ac.uk t: 01603 773 008 www.ccn.ac.uk
at www.ccn.ac.uk
Please complete all sections of this form with BLOCK CAPITALS and black ink and return to: Applications City College Norwich Ipswich Road Norwich NR2 2LJ
e: applications@ccn.ac.uk t: 01603 773 008 www.ccn.ac.uk
A – YOUR DETAILS TITLE GENDER FORENAME (IN FULL) SURNAME CURRENT ADDRESS (This is the address we will use for correspondence)
DATE OF BIRTH
POSTCODE TELEPHONE NUMBER MOBILE NUMBER EMAIL ADDRESS Are you an existing or past student at the College? If so, please enter your student reference number from your ID card. STUDENT REF NUMBER How would you like your application acknowledged? (please tick one) EMAIL TEXT MESSAGE POST EMERGENCY CONTACT/NEXT OF KIN DAYTIME TELEPHONE NUMBER MOBILE NUMBER Please tick if you are a:
Looked after child by Social Services or Foster Carer
Care Leaver Are you happy for City College Norwich to release information to and take updated information from your emergency contact/s? YES
NO
B – YOUR RESIDENCE DETAILS Have you been living in the United Kingdom (UK)/European Union (EU) for the last 3 years)? YES
NO
Are there any immigration restrictions on how long you can stay in the UK?
YES
NO
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NORMAL COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE
DATE OF ARRIVAL IN UK/EU
C - YOUR SCHOOL DETAILS Please give the name and county of your present or last School/College. NAME COUNTY DATE OF LEAVING
D – YOUR EMPLOYMENT DETAILS If you are in employment, please give the name of your employer NAME OF EMPLOYER ADDRESS OF EMPLOYER
Is your employer supporting your application?
YES NO
E – YOUR COURSE DETAILS Please list the courses you wish to apply for in order of preference. If you apply for A levels or GCSEs please list subjects.
MY FIRST CHOICE PREFERENCE IS: 1. MY OTHER CHOICES ARE: 2. 3. 4. 5.
F – YOUR QUALIFICATION/S What are your actual/predicted grades? (This includes GCSE, AS/A Level, NVQs, degrees etc.) Please list your highest qualifications first. SUBJECT 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
LEVEL
MONTH/YEAR COMPLETED
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G - DECLARATION BY APPLICANT In signing this document you are authorising the College to pass the information you provide on this form to the to the Chief Executive of the relevant Funding Agency or organisation and, when needed, the Department for Education, including the Education Funding Agency, which are registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. You are also authorising the College to release information for statistical, research and other purposes as set out in the College’s data protection registration. This may also include contacting you and your parent/guardian by post, email or telephone (inc SMS) from time to time in connection with your application. It may also include contacting your school, or sponsor where your school or employer has facilitated your application. A more detailed explanation and further information on data confidentiality is available on request from Applications or online at www.ccn.ac.uk.
The Funding Agency and the College value your views on the education you receive and will use any information provided by you to make improvements for learners. If you want to be contacted in respect of surveys and research, please tick this box. If you want to be contacted about other courses or learning opportunities please tick this box.
Your personal information will not be passed to organisations for marketing or sales purposes. A full detailed statement listing all the partnerships and organisations we share information with can be produced and made available by the Policy and Communications Department. I confirm that the details on this form are accurate and complete. If offered a place I agree to comply with the College policies and procedures. SIGNED DATE
H - WHERE DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US? Where did you hear about the course you are applying for? (Please tick one.) Advice Shop
Trade union
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Employer
I – FOR OFFICE USE ONLY DESCRIPTION DATE Application entered onto EBS Acknowledgement sent out Sent to review (if applicable) Interview arranged Offer entered Fees processing complete Convert to enrolment
INITIAL
DESCRIPTION Enrolment completed (short course only) Fee Status Check UCC Inclusive Support identified Inclusive support actioned Qualification check
DATE
INITIAL
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FORM Please complete all sections of this form with BLOCK CAPITALS and black ink and return with your application form. This information will be treated as confidential.
1. YOUR ETHNICITY The College regards all staff and customers as being of equal value and will strive to promote equality of access and opportunity to courses and facilities. To help us monitor this please indicate your ethnic origin. (For statistical purposes only.) Arab
Mixed – White and Asian
Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi
Mixed – White and Black African
Asian or Asian British – Chinese
Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
Asian or Asian British – Indian
Mixed – Any other
Asian or Asian British – Pakistani
White – British
Asian or Asian British – Any other
White – Irish
Black or Black British – African
White – Gypsy or Irish Traveller
Black or Black British – Caribbean
White – Any other
Black or Black British – Any other
Any other
2. CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS Do you have any criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands, final warnings or charges pending? (You do not have to disclose those offences that are ‘spent’ under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 unless you are applying for a course that involves working with children or vulnerable adults).
YES
NO
e: applications@ccn.ac.uk t: 01603 773 008 www.ccn.ac.uk
3. ADDITIONAL STUDENT SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS The College can offer a range of support to help students succeed on their course. We welcome students with disabilities and learning difficulties. (For example; dyslexia, epilepsy, mobility difficulties and mental health problems.)
Do you consider yourself to have a learning difficulty, disability or medical condition that may affect your studies? (e.g. use of wheelchair, have dyslexia etc.) YES
NO
If yes, how would you describe your condition? Please tick below as appropriate. DISABILITY Visual impairment
Temporary disability after illness or accident
Hearing impairment
Profound complex disabilities
Disability affecting mobility
Meares-Irlen
Other physical disability
ADHD
Other medical condition
Asperger’s Syndrome
Emotional/behavioural/social difficulties
Multiple disabilities
Mental health difficulty
Other
DIFFICULTIES Moderate learning difficulty
Other specific learning difficulty
Severe learning difficulty
Autistic spectrum disorder
Dyslexia
Multiple learning difficulties
Dyscalculia
Other
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YES
NO
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If English is not your first language please indicate if you would like support. YES
NO
What is your first language?
I agree that my details can be passed to appropriate staff in order to assess possible additional support requirements.
SIGNED DATE
City College Norwich – Sixth Form Centre
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THE SIXTH FORM CENTRE, YOUR BEST POSSIBLE START AFTER SCHOOL HOW TO APPLY There is no deadline but you should apply as soon as possible because some of our popular courses fill up quickly. On line: www.ccn.ac.uk www.norwichsixthform.co.uk On paper: Complete the form on page 67 of this Prospectus, ask our Advice Shop for an application form or download and print a PDF from: www.ccn.ac.uk OR www.norwichsixthform.co.uk
ENROLMENT AND THE START OF COURSES Enrolment for A Level courses will be from 21st to 28th August 2015.
Return your completed application form to: Applications City College Norwich Ipswich Road, Norwich NR2 2LJ Don’t worry if you are not completely sure about your subjects as we will give you all the help and advice you need to make the right choices. If you can’t find what you are looking for in this prospectus, contact our Advice Shop on 01603 773 773 or by email at information@ccn.ac.uk. An Adviser will then direct you to an appropriate member of Sixth Form Centre staff.
Your enrolment appointment will be sent to you in late July or early August. If you miss it, you may not be able to join your chosen courses. It is also very important that you attend your courses from 1st September 2015 onwards. If you can’t do this, we may not be able to accept you as a student.
IMPORTANT DATES Thursday 20th August 2015 GCSE results day Monday 24th August to Friday 28th August 2015 Sixth Form Centre enrolment Tuesday 1st September 2015 Start of term
Cover image by: Charlotte Barnard, A Level Photography student
City College Norwich Ipswich Road, Norwich NR2 2LJ Telephone 01603 773 311 Textphone 01603 773 678 www.ccn.ac.uk www.norwichsixthform.co.uk
part of the