A CURRICULUM OF DEPTH AND BREADTH Dartford Grammar School for Girls has very high expectations of its students. In return we offer a dynamic A Level curriculum of both depth and breadth and a learning environment which will give you the opportunity to:
Extension 1: Students can choose ONE of the following courses to complete in Year 12:
• develop personal skills through enrichment activities as part of the wider curriculum;
• The highly regarded Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), an AS Level equivalent which allows students to study their own area of interest and develop key skills of independent research and analysis.
• participate in activities which support your learning;
Or
• be intellectually stretched to achieve the best standards possible.
• Certificate in Financial Studies (CeFS), a Level 3 qualification which develops an understanding of practical everyday finance and financial services.
• select from a wide range of A Level subjects;
WHY A LEVELS? A Levels offer the flexibility and challenge to students who relish the opportunity to study what they want and at greater depth. No subject is compulsory; you will have a completely free choice of three A Levels with no requirement to study certain subjects thus allowing you to work to your strengths. If you wish to specialise then this free choice allows you the flexibility to tailor the A Level offer to your aspirations and strengths. Also, if you want to keep your options open and are an ‘all-rounder’ you can choose a variety of subjects across the disciplines. Well taught A Levels provide the surest foundation to university study and provide essential skills for the world of work. As our world becomes more globalised and competition for jobs increases, being excellent in three core subjects is going to be essential. The level of subject knowledge is deeper and extremely thorough, providing a solid foundation to these subjects at degree level. They are a qualification that employers recognise and they appreciate their value. At DGGS you will be taught by an enthusiastic team of outstanding subject specialists who will work closely with you to ensure that you are able to reflect on your personal potential and aspire to some of the best courses in the field you are interested in. The majority of our Year 13 students attain their first or second choice university through A Level study, including Oxbridge and the prestigious Russell Group. For those seeking an apprenticeship, our students are highly valued by many key London firms such as KPMG, Transport for London and Deloitte.
THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMME The heart of the programme of study at DGGS is the subject courses. You will undertake three full A Levels to study over two years. As there is a completely free choice of subjects, please take guidance and advice about the courses that will help you progress to the types of degree and/or careers you aspire to. You will have 25* A Level subjects to select from including all the facilitating subjects and a range of other highly regarded subjects. Subject entry criteria exists to help you assess if the course is best suited to your strengths and potential. * All subjects need a number of students to be viable to run. If, on the rare
occasion, there is not enough interest, then a subject may be withdrawn from the curriculum on offer.
In addition, you will choose ONE of three extension options. These are designed to offer the flexibility needed to enable all students to personalise their programme and develop skills in an area that will enhance their success at university or interview.
Extension 2: Students can choose the following courses to complete in Year 12: • Mathematics AS Level, allowing those students who have not chosen this subject as part of their core three A Levels to continue with this for a year. Particularly beneficial to students who have chosen subjects where mathematical knowledge is embedded into the syllabus. Or • Further Mathematics AS Level, allowing students who have achieved grade 8 in GCSE Mathematics and are studying A Level Mathematics to develop a wider range of mathematical skills. Extension 3: Students can choose ONE further full A Level to take over the two years. Whilst universities stress that they only want and need to see three excellent A Level grades (and university offers will only be based on three A Levels), we recognise that for some students having the opportunity to take four A Levels would be of benefit. This will allow the further breadth and/or depth of an additional subject to be studied and will work well with some subject combinations. Further Mathematics, for example, could be a logical extension for a student who has a passion for Mathematics but would not have considered using two of their three A Level options on one curriculum area.
THE ENHANCED CURRICULUM Finally, we believe students should have opportunities to develop leadership skills and have experiences that relate to the world of work, university and community service. You might work with the elderly, learn how to cook on a student budget or get involved with a local community project or primary school. Many of our students have a leadership role, for example as Prefects or House Leaders. Dartford Grammar School for Girls prides itself on balancing academic success with wide ranging enrichment opportunities which allow students to develop their interests and support their community. Trips and visits take the curriculum into museums, to concerts, plays, art galleries and different landscapes. The school has an excellent reputation for its involvement in the wider community, developing successful links with local organisations and businesses. Work experience is supported and we encourage students to take the initiative to apply for summer schools, or attend conferences targeted at specific subject or career areas. We believe the key to success in the Sixth Form is ensuring that the curriculum framework is flexible enough to support you as you explore your future choices in Years 12 and 13. Academic rigour, underpinned by a caring pastoral system, ensures students are offered a balanced, imaginative and personal educational experience in our Sixth Form.
3 A LEVELS
2
EPQ / CeFS (YR.12)
OR
MATHS AS LEVEL (YR.12) / FURTHER MATHS AS LEVEL (YR.12)
OR
1 ADDITIONAL A LEVEL (2 YR.)
