Short Courses

Short Courses

Our aim for you in the Sixth Form goes beyond just exam qualifications or university entrance. Through Adventurous learning – which is motivating, rewarding, stimulating and challenging – we hope that you develop a genuine love of learning.

Those students studying three Alevels also take Short Courses in other subjects during the Sixth Form. Each Short Course lasts for one term, and introduces a new subject. This gives breadth to your studies, to complement the depth you achieve in each A level. You will be encouraged to try something new, maybe something you would not have con sidered before, to be open -minded and curious. The Short Courses are designed to be stimulating, engaging and challenging. At the end of the term, each course is internally assessed and certificated.

Short courses change from term to term, subject to sta ffing and pupil numbers, but previous courses have included those on:

Politics Animal Cognition Randomness History of Art History of Architecture Campaigning and Advocacy Creative Writing A Modern Language Communication Skills Research Skills

English as an Additional Language (EAL) – IELTS Course Head of Department: Mrs Sagastuy, sagastuyp@ashfordschool.co.uk

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) course is suitable for internati onal students who wish to study at an English -speaking university and who do not already have an English language qualification acceptable for British or American uni versities. It is also suitable for international students who have already gained an Engli sh language qualification and are seeking to improve their academic English.

During this course, wewill help you develop your Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking skills in order to raise your IELTS scores and improve your chances of gaining access to your university of choice. The EAL department will conduct level assessments and mock exams in or der to advise you when it is best for you to take the exam, and we will review your results to help you meet your English language requirements.

The formal IELTS qualification is assessed in four examinations: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. Th ese will be examined first in the Lent Term of Year 12, but can be repeated in Year 13 in order to improve your marks.

Co -curricular Activities Head of Co -curricular and community partnership, wildet@ashfordschool.co.uk

The co -curriculum is an essential feature of Ashford School and sets us apart from others. We deliberately use the term co -curricular and not extra -curricular because it is not an extra for students or teachers. It is at the heart of developing all those valuable and hard to measure personal qualities such as teamwork, perseverance, self -discipline, empathy, resilience and leaders hip.

Activities take place before morning lessons, at lunchtime, between 15: 55 -16: 40 and from 16: 40 – 17:30.Year 12 pupils will either be selected for one or more of the many representative music, drama or sport groups (e.g Orc hestra, school production, hockey 1st XI) or will sign up for and attend at least 1 of the following;

A representative sports activity that extends beyond 17:00. Expectations for representative sport is that a student trains and competes in all the sess ions and fixtur es. A music activity that extends beyond 17:00 School drama production Debating Young Enterprise Combined Cadet Force Duke of Edinburgh Award Amnesty International Academic enrichment Eg – Biology Olympiad or Maths Society

Pref erred Subject Entry Requirements – At a Glance

The recommended entry requirements for each subject are shown below. Each pupil will be considered individually for their chosen subjects. Please email Mrs Miller, Director of sixth Form if you have any questions.

Art & Design GCSE Grade 6 in Art (if studied), orMrs Rayner Drawing test & interview (portfolio of work raynern@ashfordschool.co.uk useful ) BiologyGrade 7 or higher in GCSE Biology or Grade Mrs Miller 77 in GCSE Combined Sciences Dual Award millerc@ashfordschool.co.uk (with high scores in the Biology units).Owing to the mathematical content of the course, a good understanding of Mathematics is also important: we recommend GradeA or above at IGCSE. Business GCSE Grade 5 in English Language and Mr Kendall IGCSE Grade 6 in Mathematicskendallj@ashfordschool.co.uk Chemistry Grade 7 or higher in GCSE Chemistry or Mrs Peric -Crnko Grade 77in GCSE Combined Sciences Dual Perici@ashfordschool.co.uk Award (with high scores in the Chemistry units).Owing to the mathematical content ofthe course, a good understanding of Mathematics is also important: we recommend Grade 7 or above at IGC SE. Computer S cienceGrade6 in GCSE Computer Science. Miss Thompson A Grade7 in Maths and/or a clear interest thompsonc@ashfordschool.co.uk in the subject, particularly those who already have programming experience . Design & GCSE Grade 6 in DT, but other students Mr Barnett Technologyconsideredbarnetta@ashfordschool.co.uk Drama & T heatreGCSE Grade 6 in English Literature and Mrs Dinsdale Grade 6 Drama (if taken); ability to work dinsdalel@ashfordschool.co.uk well in teams EconomicsGCSE Grade 6 in English Language and Mr Kendall IGCSE Grade 6 in Mathematicskendallj@ashfordschool.co.uk English LanguageGCSE Grade 5 in English Language Mrs Smith smithr@ashfordschool.co.uk English Literature GCSE Grade 7 in English Literature and Mrs Smith Grade 6 in English Languagesmithr@ashfordschool.co.uk Geography GCSE Grade 6 in Geography (if taken) Mrs Craddock GCSEEnglish Grade5 or abovecraddockr@ashfordschool.co.uk PoliticsGCSE Grade6 in English Language Mr Liston GCSE Grade6 in History (if taken)listonc@ashfordschool.co.uk HistoryGCSE Grade 7 in History (if taken) Dr Quinton Good standard of written English , a Gradequintone@ashfordsc hool.co.uk 5 or above Mathematics & IGCSE Grade 7 in Mathematics Dr Britton Further (Grade 8 for Further Mathematics)brittons@ashfordschool.co.uk

Mathematics

MFLGCSE Grade 7 in the language for study Mrs Saga stuy sagastuyp@ashfordschool.co.uk

MusicGCSE Grade6 in Music, Grade5 Theory , Mrs Hall and an instrument/singing to Grade 5 Halle@ashfords chool.co.uk standard. PhysicsGrade 7 or higher in GCSE Physics or GradeMs Martin 77in GCSE Combined Sciences Dual Award martini@ashfordschool.co.uk (with high scores in the Physics units).Owing to the mathematical content of the course, a good understanding of Mathematics is also important: we recommend Grade 7 or above at IGCSE. Psychology GCSE Grade6 in English Language and Ms Ball recommended Grade 6 in Mathematicsballr@ashfordschool.co.uk RS: Philosophy , GCSE Grades 6 in English Language and Mrs Hall EthicsEnglish Literature , Grade5 or above in hallk@ashfordschool.co.uk & TheologyMathematics GCSE Grade 6 or above in Religious Studies (if taken) BTEC Sport Grade4 in GCSE PE and Grade 4 inGCSE MrBubb English Languagebubbp@ashfordschool.co.uk