Sixth Form Guide

SIXTH FORM

King Edward VI School Southampton

Contents

From the Director of Sixth Form 5 New Sixth Form Concourse 6 Facilities 8 Admissions 10 Financial Assistance 12

The Academic Curriculum 14

The Extended Project Qualification 17 Your Day as a Sixth Former 18

Sixth Form Support and Guidance 20 Sport at Sixth Form 22

The Creative Arts at Sixth Form 24 Clubs and Societies 26

Charity Opportunities 26

Duke of Edinburgh Award 27 Trips 28

Leadership Opportunities 29

A Level Examinations Results 30

A Level Subject Options 33 Art and Design – Fine Art 34 Art and Design – Photography 35 Biology 36 Business 37

Chemistry 38 Classical Civilisation 39 Computer Science 40 Design and Technology 41 Drama and Theatre Studies 42 Economics 43 English Language 44 English Literature 45 French 47 Geography 48 German 49 History 50 Latin 51 Mathematics 52 Further Mathematics 53 Music 54 Philosophy 55 Physics 56 Politics 57 Psychology 58 Spanish 59 Sports Science 60

From the Director of Sixth Form

It is with enormous pleasure that I welcome you to this latest edition of our Sixth Form Guide. I hope that the pages that follow inspire you to join us for the most exciting two years of your education so far. The Sixth Form at King Edward’s is full of young people that are full of enthusiasm, that are unafraid of challenge and care enormously about the people and environment around them.

The King Edward’s Sixth Form is unashamedly academic. Classes are small and taught by subject specialists. You will be encouraged to debate and challenge ideas, have open-minded discussions and explore your subjects in both breadth and depth. We recommend that most pupils start on four A Levels; the majority will narrow to three during their course of study. Many of these will choose to maintain a wider curriculum by embarking on an Extended Project Qualification.

Our academic curriculum is complimented through the Foundation Studies programme. Here all our pupils develop the wider skills needed for future success; a core programme ranges from delivering presentations to personal finance, politics to road-readiness for young drivers while optional modules include cookery, art-appreciation and travel safety. Additionally, we welcome a diverse range of external speakers through

the Open Forum programme. All Sixth Formers are expected to attend these carefully curated weekly talks that seek to widen their understanding and challenge their preconceptions through speakers with interesting and inspiring stories to tell.

Many of our Sixth Formers choose to stay well beyond the end of the school day; to work in the Concourse or the Library, to take part in sport or rehearse for a drama production, to use the gym facilities or the Art Studios. Being a Sixth Former at King Edward’s means being inquisitive, ambitious, caring and inclusive. It is the time where you get to specialise academically, develop your independence and challenge yourself personally.

Through all this we seek to support you with outstanding pastoral care. A team of dedicated tutors work with each pupil individually to support their progress during the Sixth Form, and supported by the Careers and Higher Education team, we work to support you and help you realise your next steps beyond our gates.

We are incredibly proud of our Sixth Form and welcome you to come and visit us, to see for yourself the opportunities on offer.

Dr Emma Thomas Director of Sixth Form

New in September 2022

We are delighted to open a completely redeveloped concourse for all Sixth Formers in September 2022. The refurbishment took place during the summer holidays, and provides our Sixth Form students with a modern, versatile and purpose designed hub from which students can work, socialise and relax.

Brand new café

The exciting addition of our brand-new café provides students with the chance to make themselves drinks and snacks whenever they’re in need of a pick-me-up. The café also operates a ‘grab and go’ lunch service, providing those who sign up to school lunches the choice of delicious street food options.

The large, open and modern area surrounding the café, provides students with the space to socialise, relax and spend some time away from the rest of the school.

Study Area

There is a large dedicated study area. Students can use this during free periods, before and after school and for private study sessions.

The space is completely laptop friendly, with printing facilities, ample desk space, individual booths and group tables, perfect for collaborative working.

Facilities

Hill Lane

King Edward’s has occupied the Hill Lane site since 1938. With over thirteen acres it comprises an extensive range of facilities including a number of additions and major refurbishments completed over the last few years. The site also has a games field, a sports hall, netball courts and a full astro pitch.

Wellington Sports Ground

Situated in Stoneham Lane, just ten minutes from the main school site, the Wellington Sports Ground was purchased in 2004 from the University of Southampton. It contains thirtythree acres of grounds, six tennis courts, four netball courts and a water based astro pitch. A large pavilion with eight changing rooms, a kitchen and catering facilities for over one hundred students is also available.

Lovaton

The Lovaton Rural Study Centre was purchased in 2004. Located near Yelverton on Dartmoor, it has easy access to the moor, and was converted to provide an offsite facility for twenty-four students including accommodation, a refectory, a study area and a drying room. It is used as a base for the Duke of Edinburgh Award as well as for academic study weekends and fieldwork.

Library

The library is the heart of the school. Recently fully renovated, this bright, popular space can be used for study, reading, meeting like-minded peers and joining our Library Leader team. Spread over two floors, the library area provides a mix of formal work space and comfortable quiet reading areas, home to over 15,000 books, including fiction, non-fiction, magazines and academic texts.

The Dobson Theatre

Opened in 2017, the Dobson Theatre is a modern, versatile space designed to host a diverse programme of events for the school. The Dobson Theatre is frequently used for theatre, music, dance and presentations/ lectures.

Classrooms

There are 92 classrooms available to students at our Hill Lane site. All classrooms are large and fully equipped with technology and facilities to assist students’ learning, including science labs, dedicated music practice rooms, recently extended art studios and ICT rooms.

Fitness Suite

Sixth Formers have the opportunity to develop physically through the use of our fitness suite. All students are inducted on how to use age appropriate movements and equipment in the facility and this gives them the opportunity to attend the fitness suite during lunch times, in free periods and after school. Students are educated on how to develop their own training programmes, as well as having access to specialist 1:1 advice from the Head of Strength and Conditioning. There are also weekly fitness classes run in the suite that aim to challenge students to ensure they reach their physical ambitions.

Wellbeing Centre

The Wellbeing Centre connects all of the relevant areas of the school for enhancing the students’ wellbeing: learning support, the counsellor, the chaplain, the nurses, and a dedicated wellbeing room. The wellbeing room has been designed to be a quiet, safe space in the heart of the school where any student can go when they need to get away from the hustle and bustle of school life. The extra comfy chairs and bean bags are ideal for our Peer Support programme, in which students offer their time to talk to younger students and offer support.

Admissions & How to Apply

Internal Candidates

If you have successfully completed your GCSE courses of study in the Upper School here, we expect you to be able to make the transition to our Sixth Form.

However, in making your A Level choices, remember to choose subjects that you enjoy, that you are good at and that are in line with your intentions for higher education.

All students must have at least three GCSEs at grade A/7 and at least three at grade B/6 or higher. Additionally, we expect all students to have achieved a minimum of C/4 grade in both English Language and Mathematics.

If you intend to take a new subject in the Sixth Form, you should have done well at GCSE level in an equivalent subject.

The school’s policy is that we would normally expect a student to have a B/6 or higher at GCSE in the relevant subject or its near equivalent unless there are mitigating factors. An A/7 is preferable, however, and in a number of subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Modern Foreign Languages it is the expectation of the school that a student achieves at least an A/7 at GCSE. This is to ensure that the student’s knowledge and skills are at a sufficient level to allow access to the subject in the King Edward’s Sixth Form and to offer the realistic prospect of a successful outcome at A Level.

Advice

Talk to your subject teacher before committing yourself to a particular A Level, and talk to your tutor about your intended combination of Sixth Form courses.

Transition from Lower to Upper Sixth

The continuation of a subject into the Upper Sixth is dependent on achieving a pass grade in the Lower Sixth examinations. Students must study a minimum of three courses to full A Level.

General queries about the Sixth Form curriculum should be addressed to Dr Waymark either by emailing bmw@kes.hants.sch.uk or by calling 023 8070 4561

External Candidates

If you have successfully completed your GCSE courses of study at your present school, we expect you to be able to make the transition to our Sixth Form.

However, in making your A Level choices, remember to choose subjects that you enjoy, that you are good at and that are in line with your intentions for higher education. All students must have at least three GCSEs at grade A/7 and at least three at grade B/6 or higher. Additionally, we expect all students to have achieved a minimum of C/4 grade in both English Language and Mathematics.

If you intend to take a new subject in the Sixth Form, you should have done well at GCSE level in an equivalent subject.

The school’s policy is that we would normally expect a student to have a B/6 or higher at GCSE in the relevant subject or its near equivalent unless there are mitigating factors. An A/7 is preferable, however, and in a number of subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Modern Foreign Languages, it is the expectation of the school that a student achieves at least an A/7 at GCSE. This is to ensure that the student’s knowledge and skills are of a sufficient level to allow access to the subject in the King Edward’s Sixth Form and to offer the realistic prospect of a successful outcome at A Level.

The Admissions Process

Senior members of staff and subject specialists will interview Sixth Form candidates at the beginning of March. As a result of these interviews, and on the basis of a candidate’s potential GCSE results, either conditional or unconditional offers of a Sixth Form place may be made.

To learn more about joining our Sixth Form and to request an application pack, contact our registrar, Mrs Sheppard by emailing registrar@kes.hants.sch.uk.

Transition from Lower to Upper Sixth

The continuation of a subject into the Upper Sixth is dependent on achieving a pass grade in the Lower Sixth examinations. Students must study a minimum of three courses to full A Level.

General queries about the Sixth Form curriculum should be addressed to Dr Waymark either by emailing bmw@kes.hants.sch.uk or by calling 023 8070 4561.

Key Dates

Sixth Form Information Evening Thursday 20 October 2022

Sixth Form Tea Tuesday 29 November 2022

Closing Date for Applications Friday 3 February 2023

Sixth Form Interviews Saturday 11 March 2023

Sixth Form Offers Emailed Friday 17 March 2023

Deadline for Acceptances

Wednesday 29 March 2023

Financial Assistance

Sixth Form Fees Fees

The fee for 2022-2023 is £18,645 per annum all-inclusive with a 5% reduction for brothers and sisters who are not receiving any bursary awards. For the convenience of parents, this annual fee is divided into three termly payments of £6,215. All sports, sport fixtures, societies and clubs are included within the fee. The only exception is Sailing Club, which requires a £60 yearly membership fee, Paddle Boarding, which is pay as you go and curriculum trips, which are subsidised. Optional extras include: lunches, school bus, insurance, instrumental tuition, residential trips and tours.

Lunches

For 2022-2023, the cost of lunch is £5.30 per day. For that price, students have a choice of salads, soups, sandwiches, hot dinners, vegetables and desserts.

Financial Assistance in the Sixth Form

External Candidates Bursaries

The school offers a number of means-tested bursaries each year to pupils entering the Sixth Form. Bursaries will have a maximum value of 100% of the full fee which would value them at £18,645 in 2022-2023. In addition to taking account of all relevant sources of income, the school takes account of relevant capital assets. Applicants should note that subject to your capital assets, if your gross family income is below approximately £35,000 you may qualify for a full bursary. If your gross family income is in excess of approximately £80,000 you would not qualify for any assistance. Between these two figures a sliding scale will operate. This scale is subject to annual review. Once awarded, the entitlement to a bursary will remain with a pupil throughout his or her time at the school subject to the standard bursary terms and will be reviewed annually.

Frank Misselbrook Award for Economics and Business

This award will, in the first instance, be awarded to an applicant who will be studying Economics and/or Business in the Sixth Form at King Edward’s and can be up to 100% of the fee for both years. The family income need not come within the requirements for a formal bursary but we will need to establish with parents that financial assistance is justifiable.

Sir Edward Abraham Memorial Award for Chemistry and Biology

Awards of up to 25% non means-tested can be allocated to a student from the maintained sector who is studying Chemistry and/or Biology in the Sixth Form at King Edward’s. This can be in conjunction with a means-tested bursary and the bursarial element of the award will be calculated in accordance with the income levels already quoted.

Internal Candidates Academic Scholarships

Academic scholarships are awarded to limited number of internal pupils moving into the Sixth Form. These are awarded to pupils of the highest academic merit and carry an annual value of up to 10% of the fee. There is no need to apply for an academic scholarship as all Fifth Year pupils are automatically eligible for consideration.

Studentships

A number of studentships, with an annual value of up to 20% of the fee, will be available on entry to the Sixth Form for internal candidates. To qualify, a student should be assessed by the school as likely to qualify for entry to the Sixth Form on both academic and personal grounds. The family income need not come within the requirements for a formal bursary but we will need to establish with parents that financial assistance is justifiable. A studentship could be awarded in addition to a scholarship. If you wish to apply for a Sixth Form Studentship of up to 20% fee remission, please contact the Bursar for an application form.

External & Internal Candidates Sports Scholarships

Scholarships up to £700* are available for talented sports performers at entry into the Sixth Form. Candidates will have competed at regional level or higher in their chosen sport(s) and will be invited for interview. Members of the Sports Faculty may also ask to observe a fixture or training session. Successful candidates will be invited into the Elite Sports Performer programme and will be expected to demonstrate a high level of commitment to school sport as well as being a role model to other students.

Music Scholarships

Sixth Form Music Scholars reflect our most able and highest achieving performers. Scholars gain a wealth of benefit as we prepare young musicians for performance careers and university study. Scholarships up to £1,000* are awarded on audition to successful candidates who will be taking A Level Music. Scholarships will differ depending upon a range of circumstances. Auditions will take place in March. Applicants will be invited and should be performing at grade 8 standard on one or more instruments. The candidates would be required to perform a piece on their first instrument, alongside some oral tests and sight-reading.

*The amount will be awarded once, and will be credited over the two years of Sixth Form study.

The Academic Curriculum

All students study three or four A Level subjects in the Lower Sixth, with the option to continue all four into the Upper Sixth. Alternatively, Upper Sixth students can focus on three subjects for A Level examination which form the basis of nearly all university offers.

A Level study is very different to GCSE, and starting with four subjects not only allows for greater breadth of study, but ensures that students can cherry-pick the right combination of three subjects to continue through to the Upper Sixth. Beginning Lower Sixth with three subjects reduces options available to the student, should the A Level subject not match their expectations from GCSE, but is available as an option with additional time spent in supervised study.

The majority of students opt to focus their energies on three subjects in the Upper Sixth. Very few university courses require four subjects, although students taking Further Mathematics, which is recommended for the most competitive Mathematics and Engineering courses, will need to continue all four to allow for sufficient academic breadth.

The Sixth Form at King Edward’s aims to deliver consistently excellent results in a wide range of subjects. A favourable teacher to student ratio allows us to focus on the individual, and promotes class discussion. Positive relationships with teachers are a feature of the Sixth Form experience, making it an important stepping stone to the world of university and work.

The Extended Project Qualification

Why should you take the Extended Project Qualification?

The EPQ will allow you to research an area of interest in some depth, give you a foretaste of undergraduate study and also demonstrate to universities that you have many of the skills and aptitudes they require.

For example, it shows admissions tutors that:

What is it?

In addition to the core A Level subjects, students are encouraged to undertake an Extended Project, especially when students drop down to three subjects.

The Extended Project Qualification offers an opportunity to use your study periods to explore in depth an area of academic interest to you, leading to an AS Level qualification graded up to A*.

Students can start researching ideas for an EPQ at any point, but will receive an introduction in January of their Lower Sixth year. From this point they are encouraged to work independently, guided by online resources and lunchtime or after school workshops. In the Upper Sixth year curriculum time of two periods per week, supported by an EPQ Supervisor, is made available and the final deadline is the February half term of the Upper Sixth year.

Any student can apply to study for the Extended Project, and the school strongly recommends it for those applying to competitive universities who are not continuing with four subjects in the Upper Sixth. The EPQ usually takes the form of dissertation but it is also possible to base it around a performance, work of art, experiment or field study. There are very few restrictions on the subject matter, and the choice is down to the individual student in consultation with their appointed supervisor or the EPQ coordinator.

Most often students decide to take further an area of one or more of their existing academic subjects. Alternatively, the EPQ is an excellent way of proving interest in an area that a student wishes to study at university but that is not being taken at A Level, for example Law, Medicine or Architecture.

You are interested in your subject and academic work in general

You are willing and able to take on additional study

You have developed important undergraduate study skills: research skills, independent study, planning, critical thinking, reflection / self-evaluation

The Director of Admissions at Cambridge has praised the EPQ for developing insight, clarity of thought, and analytical ability, and he, along with many senior admissions tutors, encourages candidates to undertake one. Some universities will also make modified Higher Education offers to students, for example accepting a lower than usual grade in an A Level subject, when accompanied by a strong EPQ result.

What is involved?

During the Lower Sixth year, students will have specific Foundation Studies lessons in reading, research and academic referencing. From January, students will have access to online resources and be guided through independent tasks to help choose a suitable project. In the Autumn Term of the Upper Sixth, students are assigned a supervisor and attend EPQ sessions in place of Foundation Studies. Students are expected to work independently towards specific deadlines set by their supervisor. On completion of the project all students also deliver a short presentation, usually to a small group of peers. The work is marked internally and moderated externally by Edexcel, the awarding body. 100% of students have achieved A*-C in the time the project has been running; since the project requires high levels of personal interest and motivation to undertake it, the majority of students who complete the project achieve grades of A*-A.

‘The Director of Admissions at Cambridge has praised the EPQ for developing insight, clarity of thought, and analytical ability’

Your Day as a Sixth Former

Classroom Lessons

Typically, A Level subjects will have 12 class periods per fortnight. These classes are usually small, allowing students to benefit from high teacher support. Depending on the subject and curriculum, students can expect to engage in presentations, debates, group work and challenges.

Games

Your day will be quite different from the school day you are used to. The majority of your timetable will be scheduled classes for your chosen subjects, but you’ll also have set periods for Games, Open Forum and Foundation Studies. The rest of your time is for private or supervised study. The management of these study periods is down to you and will help you to succeed in your subjects. Remember, the timetable doesn’t account for the work you should be doing outside of the classroom.

An active lifestyle is key to our well-being and yet we know that there is a societal trend showing a reduction in physical activity, particularly amongst teenage girls, as they get older. At King Edward’s, we make time for sport, knowing the huge value it has for our pupils in terms of physical health, mental well-being, stress relief and team building. Therefore, every Sixth Former takes part in our Wednesday afternoon games programme, which includes a wide range of activities, including: Hockey, Rugby, Canoeing, Climbing, Football, Cricket, Netball, Weights, Basketball, Golf, Squash, and Sailing. Many of the Sixth Formers, who wish to play at a more competitive level, are members of the senior sporting squads, playing fixtures during the Wednesday afternoon games sessions, and also on Saturdays. We have a full fixture list in all the major sports, and Sixth Formers are encouraged to challenge themselves to contribute to these squads.

Private Study

The aim of Private Study is to provide time for you in school to build on what you do in class in a relatively independent manner - by reading around your subjects, researching topics in depth or preparing written or other assignments. Of course, it’s not expected that you will spend every minute of every such period working: you need to take time to have a break and have a coffee, read the paper or talk with friends. But you will be expected to manage your time sensibly and organise your independent work effectively.

You will find the Sixth Form study area, the Library and Resources Centre are good places for this kind of study. It may be possible to use other areas, e.g. Art, DT, Music or IT facilities by arrangement with the appropriate staff.

Your teachers may set you particular pieces of work to be completed in those periods or expect you to have done some reading or research in them. The key thing is that they - and you - will expect there to be an outcome, which might be a completed piece of work or evidence that you have increased your knowledge or skills.

Additional Study

The teacher-guided nature of supervised Additional Study for those taking three subjects in the Lower Sixth will help you work on additional subject specific skills. If you are uncertain about how best to manage your Additional Study time, your tutor and subject teachers will be able to give you good advice.

Open Forum

Open Forum is a programme of presentations, usually given by guest speakers, to the entire Lower and Upper Sixth. These take place in the Dobson Theatre throughout the Autumn and Spring Terms. The Open Forum guest list is continually updated every year to provide a mixture of reliable favourites and exciting new speakers. Informative, entertaining and inspiring, Open Forum provides students with the opportunity to see the world through the eyes of some extraordinary individuals.

Open Forum recent speakers include:

• Felicity Aston - Leader of the largest all female group to ski to the South Pole.

• Martha Holmes - Series producer with the BBC wildlife unit in Bristol.

• Mike Hurst - Guitarist and pop producer.

• Francis Benali - Saints legend.

• Steve Bull - Olympic Sports Psychologist.

• Martin Taylor - Stage hypnosis without hypnotism.

• Erwin James - Former convict now a successful writer and prison reformer.

• Emma Cole - Living with HIV for nearly 20 years.

• Jeremy Hunter - Life in North Korea.

• Rick Finder - War photographer.

Foundation Studies

The Lower Sixth Foundation Studies programme consists of a series of short courses designed to equip students with the key skills necessary for Sixth Form success and to help prepare them for life after school.

The sessions include:

• Presentation Skills

• Exploring Health and Social Issues

• Finance and Budgeting

• Introduction to Politics

• Reading for pleasure and research

• Road Ready; a guide to car ownership

• Applying to University

• Into work; getting a job

• First Aid

• Living Sustainably

In the Upper Sixth, Foundation Studies is less about the delivery of what we judge to be vital key skills and is more about offering students the chance to learn something new whilst enjoying a break from academic work. Depending on other timetable commitments, students may undertake as many as five Foundation Studies courses in the Upper Sixth year. Each course usually takes place over a period of four Tuesday afternoon sessions in the Autumn and Spring Terms. Students choose courses from a wide range; some are practical in nature and some more intellectual, but they all are intended to be stimulating and fun.

The courses on offer this year include cookery, dance, digital photography, team and leadership skills, model rocketry, robotics, philosophy, power boating and self-defence.

Sixth Form Support and Guidance

Counsellor

We have an experienced counsellor on-site throughout the school day. Students can book a confidential slot with the counsellor for support, whether it’s school related or not.

School Nurses

We have a team of school nurses on-site throughout the school day. Students can pop in and see the nurses at any point.

Chaplain

Our Chaplain, Mr Robinson, offers the opportunity for an informal chat for those of all faiths and none.

Tutors

Your tutor will play a key role in your time at King Edward’s Sixth Form. Your tutor will get to know you well, monitor your progress and support and guide you. You’ll have time with your tutor four mornings a week.

Curriculum Support

All students at King Edward’s have, as a matter of principle, equal access to the school’s curriculum, notwithstanding any disability or identified learning difficulties. Sixth Form students, who have been assessed with a Specific Learning Difficulty and are on the Curriculum Support Register, will be monitored and their provision based around their SEN reviewed annually. Examples of support that can be offered by Curriculum Support include: study skills, literacy and social emotional intervention.

Sixth Form Pastoral Team

Your Head of Year has an office in the Concourse and is available every day before school, and at numerous points throughout the day, to talk to you about any aspect of your school life or academic, personal and social development. They will offer practical and emotional support throughout your two years in the Sixth Form.

Careers & Higher Education Support

We have an experienced team dedicated to supporting each student during their time with us.

A flexible work experience programme is available to all students, providing an insight into an array of possible careers; subject-specific and career-specific Careers Conferences are advertised regularly; Sixth Form Careers lunches provide students with the opportunity to meet people in different occupations (medicine, law, IT, engineering, science, finance, media, etc) and begin networking, whilst the Foundation Studies programme of short courses offers insight into different aspects of preparation for life after King Edward’s such as presentation skills and basic budgeting.

The annual HE and Careers Fair provides students with the chance to meet representatives from most of the top 25 UK universities, plus the Armed Forces, gap year companies, Apprentice Organisations and employers. Representatives are available for information and advice on choosing both a higher education and specific subject options at university.

We also hold a Careers Day for all Lower Sixth students, offering external support for building CVs and a digital work profile. All members of the Sixth Form will undergo a

‘work-place’ practice interview and more tailored practice interviews are offered to all those requiring them for university applications or work experience.

In the Summer Term, University Open Day visits are arranged. Students considering Higher Education are strongly urged to view potential institutions.

Towards the end of the academic year the Lower Sixth are introduced to the central UK university applications programme, UCAS APPLY and are encouraged to research various courses or other options that appeal to them. Students are also able to attend Personal Statement workshops to gain a better understanding of how to write the best personal statement of their own and advice is given to all members of the Lower Sixth on the whole application process. Through the year students are also introduced to other possible HE routes other than attending a UK university - such as studying abroad or doing a Higher or Degree level apprenticeship.

Informal careers advice continues to be given throughout the Upper Sixth Year as students progress through the university application process and during the Summer holidays, a Post Results Clinic is available to offer advice to those candidates on receipt of their A Level results.

Sport at Sixth Form

Taking part and competing in sporting activities is a big part of life at Sixth Form, and we believe it’s important to follow a path of commitment, preparation and hard work.

Beyond the two weekly timetabled games lessons Sixth Formers participate in, students have the opportunity to represent the school in sport. Competitive fixtures usually take place on Saturdays at Wellington, or at the competitor school’s location. Students involved in competitive fixtures are expected to attend after school training sessions, and will practise the sport during games lessons.

The major competitive sports are rugby, hockey and cricket for boys, and hockey, netball and cricket for girls. Each of these sports also enter national cup competitions and have had good success in recent years. There is also a boys’ football team, that competes in the local Sixth Form College league, with fixtures taking place in the timetabled games lessons. There are also opportunities to compete in other sports, including badminton, tennis and basketball, although these are less frequent.

Elite Sports Performer Programme

There are over 50 students at King Edward’s who are competing in their chosen sport at a regional level or higher. The Elite Sports Performer Programme aims to provide these students with an additional support system, to assist them in achieving their potential in their sporting field whilst also fulfilling their academic potential.

Students who are invited on to the programme will receive mentoring support that works alongside the whole school pastoral system as well as access to the fitness facilities, tailor-made training programmes (if required) and an invitation to a series of talks from visiting speakers that cover a wide range of topic areas that are relevant to sports performance at a high level. Students will also have the chance to present to younger students in the school about their sporting achievements.

Our Elite Performers are fortunate to receive expert Strength and Conditioning advice in the form of a series of workshops and personalised 1:1 sessions. Mr Richardson teaches the students to move effectively in Strength and Conditioning sessions and provides the athletes with a personalised training programme.

The Elite Sports Performer Programme supports our Elite Sports Performers in achieving both their sporting and academic potential, through:

• Assisting our Elite Sports Performers in managing their time between training, competing, resting and studying

• Liaising with their coaches

• Communicating with their subject teachers at King Edward’s and making them aware of their commitments to their sport throughout the week / weekend

• Assisting in their short term and long-term goal setting

• Offering students Strength and Conditioning workshops to help minimise risk of injury

• Supporting the Elite Sports Performers throughout their potential rehabilitation processes

• Increasing awareness of sporting issues through a series of talks and visits

The Creative Arts at Sixth Form

The Creative Arts Faculty champions opportunity in the arts. Engaging creatively, building core strengths and qualities. Enabling our community to expand intellectual curiosity through the Creative Arts and embedding the value of creativity in the culture of King Edward’s is what we celebrate!

“Creativity is now the number one soft skill companies are looking for three years in a row.”

Julia-Cristina Uta, Brand Minds

Creative Arts will give you skills like resilience; problem solving; confidence through performing; critical thinking; community and social collaboration; well-being; organisation; team work and creative thinking, the list goes on and on. Our programme offers exceptional choice and opportunity to match intellectual curiosity. Whether you have a passion for photography, musical theatre, or dance, we encourage everyone from enthusiasts to experts to get involved.

The Drama department boasts fantastic opportunities in Sixth Form for productions and a dedicated Sixth Form play in the Spring Term. The Dobson Theatre is well equipped for those not only with an interest in dramatic performance to engage but production, behind the scenes lighting and sound tech.

The Dobson Theatre also houses our Steinway concert grand piano, used for our many concerts, recitals and masterclasses as part

of the Music Department’s annual programme. With three orchestras, a big band, chamber choir and many chamber ensembles classical and jazz musicians can immerse themselves in our programme. Rock and pop performers too can make the most of our recording studio and Battle of the Bands annual competition.

The newly expanding and vibrant Dance Department has a purpose-built dance studio. Promoting inclusivity and encouraging selfexpression through the dance programme. The spectacular annual Dance Gala is a showcase of solo and group talent. Clubs offer a diverse range to suit interests from Tap, Street to Music Theatre.

Art has a purpose-built studio, with an opendoor policy, inventive imagination is greatly encouraged and Sixth Form have opportunities for Life Drawing as well as the rich art and photography clubs available.

The Creative Arts make links with charity and local primary school partnerships. It can open the door for Sixth Form to get involved in community projects, or using projects for the Duke of Edinburgh Award skills section.

Always a highlight in the school calendar is the Arts Festival, a biannual celebration of the arts in the form of a three-day festival. With workshops, concerts, lectures, plays, professional visitors and so much more it is the perfect opportunity for Sixth Form to gain skills in organisation and promotion by joining the management team.

Music Scholarships

Sixth Form Music Scholars reflect the most able and highest achieving of our performers here at King Edward’s. Scholars gain a wealth of benefit unique to King Edward’s as we prepare young musicians for performance careers and university study.

Scholarships are awarded on audition to successful candidates who will be taking A Level Music. Scholarship offers comprise of financial support towards the cost of instrumental or vocal lessons. Scholars receive showcase concert opportunities, masterclasses, trips and lecture series invitations for elite musicians.

Destination of A Level musicians and Scholars have included: Birmingham Conservatoire (Jazz Performance), Oxford, Cambridge, Royal Academy of Music, Trinity College of Music, Royal College of Music, Royal Northern College of Music, KCL, Brunel and Bristol.

“I came to KES only knowing a few people, but through music soon became friends with people who share the same passion”.

- King Edward’s pupil

Clubs & Societies

There is something to suit everyone in the clubs and societies offering at King Edward’s. Sixth Formers, particularly, take a leading role in running our engaging offering. You can run clubs, choose guest speakers, give presentations, dress up as historical figures, you name it!

Opportunities for leadership outside the classroom through clubs and societies is your chance to explore passions and talents whilst growing your skill set. If you want to try your hand at podcasting, now is your chance. Where a society does not yet exist, we will support you in setting one up.

Clubs & Societies include: Big Band, Cactus Club, Chamber Music Ensembles, Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Choir, Charities Commission, Chemistry Club, Classical Society, Debating & Public Speaking Society, Digital Leaders, Diversity Society, Drama Club, Feminist Society, Economics Discussion Group, Economics Society, Football, French Conversation Club, French Film Club, Geography Society, German Conversation Club, Green Team, Historical Society, Hockey, Linguistics Olympiad, Literary Society, Booker Prize Reading Challenge, Lunar Society, Medical Society, Paddleboarding Club, Politics Society, Psychology Society, Sailing Club, School Council, Spanish Conversation, Spanish Film Club, Stage Crew, Stage Makeup Club, Sustainability Action Group, Swing Band, Symphony Orchestra, Tycoon Competition, Wargaming, Yoga and Meditation.

Charity Opportunities

The commission runs a myriad of events throughout the academic year and in recent years they have raised c.£10,000 annually. It is a part of school life in which everyone gets involved, but where the Sixth Form take the helm.

There are three Sixth Form charity projects that take place at King Edward’s. Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association (PDSA). Summer Camp, which is a residential camp run by the Sixth Form for children who are young carers. Lastly, the Partnerships Project (POP) where the Sixth Form run a range of exciting activities for the students from local Primary Schools with special educational needs.

The student-led Charities Commission is a huge part of school life, with a flourishing number of members at any one time, they encourage the entire school to be involved in awareness campaigns and fundraising activities. The students are active members of the school community, willing to use assemblies as an opportunity to educate their fellow students on topical issues and campaigns the school should be aware of.

All three of these opportunities create unforgettable memories for both Sixth Form students and the children involved. These projects are a two-year commitment, and students are required to be creative and come up with successful fundraising ideas so these projects can go ahead. Summer Camp’s residential camp and the Partnerships Project’s day activities take place in July. PDSA activity days take place at the end of August. All projects allow firm friendships to build and invaluable life skills to be established.

Duke of Edinburgh Award

Within the Sixth Form there will usually be around 100 students engaged in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards; some completing their Silver Award, and others already making progress on their Gold Awards

The Duke of Edinburgh programme is hugely valued at King Edward’s, and plays a big part in the co-curricular programme. We actively encourage pupils to engage with the scheme, to stretch and challenge themselves in ways that help them develop personal qualities that will serve them so well in adult life.

School clubs and societies help participants achieve their Volunteering, Physical and Skills sections and we have a well-stocked, and free to loan equipment store, to support students. This means that with your own boots and clothing, we can equip you with the best quality outdoor gear, so that you are ready to get out there and achieve!

We have a full time Duke of Edinburgh Manager to facilitate students’ progress, and the school’s Rural Study Centre at Lovaton is often a support base for Silver expeditions on Dartmoor. Our Gold expeditions will venture further afield to the mountains and hills of Wales and the Lake District, all staffed in-house by our qualified and dedicated staff.

If you are coming to King Edward’s already armed with a Silver Award, you can enrol straight away onto the Gold programme (we do not place a ceiling on numbers), otherwise the Silver award is easily within your grasp during your Lower Sixth Year.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a pathway to leadership, teamwork, communication, independence, growth, confidence and achievement. It is also highly valued by Universities and employers.

Trips

Language students have the opportunity to go and practise their language skills in France, Germany and Spain.

We’ve taken Music students on tours in Paris, Prague, Austria, New York and Italy.

Students studying any of the art subjects frequently visit Museums, Galleries and Theatres internationally and locally, from Greece to Brighton, London to Southampton!

In addition, there is a comprehensive Sports Tour programme. Recent tours include hockey in Holland, netball in the Caribbean, hockey in South Africa, rugby in the USA and Canada, and cricket in India, Sri Lanka and Spain.

There’s also a regular Ski and Snowboarding trip for anyone to attend and frequent expeditions, which have previously taken place in India, Thailand, Cambodia and Alaska. Biologists, and anyone interested can join Operation Wallacea for two weeks of scientific research. Previous locations have included Indonesia, Mexico, Honduras, Madagascar and the Galapagos.

Biology and Geography students will have a few residential days of fieldwork in the Lower Sixth. Lastly, students taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh award will take part in a residential trip, which is detailed on page 27.

Every year our Sixth Form students get multiple opportunities to go global, to learn outside of the classroom and enhance their understanding of chosen subjects and the world.

Leadership Opportunities

Throughout Sixth Form, students have the chance to build and practise leadership skills. There are formal and informal roles of responsibility for students to get involved with.

Leadership positions such as Head and Deputy Heads of School, Senior Prefects (known as ‘Prepositors’), Lower School Prefects, Wellbeing Prepositors, and Heads of Houses are open to all by application. Different roles have different responsibilities attached, and all students are encouraged to put themselves forward for those roles where they think they can build skills, add value and have some fun.

Some Prepositors will be attached to specific year groups in the school, working closely with staff to support and mentor young students as well as helping organise events such as parents’ evenings. Other Prepositors take a leadership position in a whole school area, such as Charities, Partnerships, Sustainability, or Creative Arts.

Lower School Prefects join in and lead group base activities for younger students and may accompany them on team building trips. Heads of House take responsibility for galvanising the House, picking teams and encouraging participation in the best spirit.

All Sixth Formers in positions of responsibility get to work closely with teaching staff; including regular meetings with senior staff to provide a student voice in the school’s decision-making process.

Sixth Formers also take the lead in a host of activities, from heading up academic societies to helping run and organise school events. Training days take place for those with formal leadership positions, and all students benefit from developing a range of soft skills during their time in Sixth Form.

An important part of the selection process for leadership roles is to what degree students take up opportunities to help the school community in their Lower Sixth year. For example, Lower Sixth students are invited to train as peer supporters and offer up their time to younger students in the Wellbeing Centre. Lower Sixth students can also patrol as part of the Sixth Form Duty Team, checking on the younger students and showing a friendly face. Additionally, there are activities like the Charities Commission and Diversity Society that help promote worthy causes and offer opportunities to deliver assemblies.

A Level Examination Results

2022 A Level Results

i. 69.3% of all exams taken were awarded a A* or A grade in 2022 ii. 96.1% of students achieved A*-C at A Level in 2022

SUBJECT

Ent A* A B C D E U A*- A% A*- B% A*- C% A*-E%

Art & Design  1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Biology  42 13 15 8 3 1 2 0 66.70% 85.70% 92.90% 100.00% Business  7 0 4 3 0 0 0 0 57.10% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Chemistry  40 15 16 7 2 0 0 0 77.50% 95.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Classical Civilisation  2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 50.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Computer Science  6 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 66.70% 83.30% 100.00% 100.00%

Design & Technology  5 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 80.00% 80.00% 100.00% 100.00% Drama  3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 66.70% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Economics  25 9 10 5 1 0 0 0 76.00% 96.00% 100.00% 100.00% English Language  7 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 71.40% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% English Literature  6 0 4 2 0 0 0 0 66.70% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

French  5 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Further Mathematics  8 4 2 1 0 1 0 0 75.00% 87.50% 87.50% 100.00% Geography  24 7 4 5 6 2 0 0 45.80% 66.70% 91.70% 100.00% German  4 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% History  19 7 7 4 1 0 0 0 73.70% 94.70% 100.00% 100.00% Mathematics  54 22 18 1 9 3 1 0 74.10% 75.90% 92.60% 100.00% Latin  2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Music  2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Philosophy  3 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 33.30% 66.70% 100.00% 100.00% Physics  26 9 9 5 2 1 0 0 69.20% 88.50% 96.20% 100.00% Politics  10 5 3 1 1 0 0 0 80.00% 90.00% 100.00% 100.00% Psychology  27 8 4 10 3 2

Art and Design - Fine Art

Entry Requirements

Course Overview

The AQA Fine Art course at King Edward’s offers a step up from GCSE into a world where you will experiment and try new ways of working, hopefully to broaden your approach to the subject. This might be through our life drawing classes or simply working on a scale never attempted before.

The Lower Sixth course is experimental in design and leads to a more specialised approach at full A Level. Flair is vital

Lower Sixth Upper Sixth

During the first year of this course, you will have the opportunity to experience drawing, painting, printmaking and photography.

This phase provides the basis for one extensive experimental project. Alongside this work, you will be expected to build up evidence of your critical awareness of the wider context of art within culture to complement and inform your practical work.

(worth 60%)

Why take this course?

We welcome the opportunity to see students’ past work in the form of a portfolio. Pathways to further study of Art, Design, Photography, Radiography, Surveying. Careers in Fine Art, Curating, Journalism, Radiography, Surveying, Web Design, Graphic Design, Photography.

as is a willingness to try new things and a broad minded approach to the creative process.

Throughout the Art A Level course, students will have the opportunity to visit London galleries and masterclass talks. We also frequently invite artists into the school, to give insight into working as a professional artist.

Personal Investigation

This is a practical investigation, supported by written material. Students are required to conduct a practical investigation into an idea, issue, concept or theme, supported by written material. The focus of the investigation must be identified independently by the student and must lead to a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes.

The aim is to produce a significant ‘body of work’ such as you might produce for a gallery exhibition.

Head of Department: Mr G Piggott - glp@kes.hants.sch.uk

Externally-set Assignment

(worth 40%)

Students are expected to respond to an externally set range of questions.

This involves a preparation period from February and 15 hour supervised time.

Both portfolios of work are then curated by the students with help from the department in preparation for external moderation.

‘Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not’. – Pablo Picasso

Art and Design - Photography

Course Overview

The AQA Photography course will certainly try and do this as well as looking at the social, cultural and artistic context of photography. We have an extensive art and design library with over 3,500 titles. The department has its own IT suite running Adobe Creative Studio as well as an A1 printer and dedicated film scanner. There are also DSLR cameras as well as a range of film cameras including a 5x4 plate camera and a darkroom.

Throughout the Photography A Level course, students will have the opportunity to visit London galleries and masterclass talks. We also frequently invite artists into the school, to give insight into working as a professional artist.

Entry Requirements

It is not a requirement to have studied Art at GCSE, but you will need to be self-motivated, as many photographs needs to be undertaken out of school time.

You do not need your own digital or 35mm film camera, although both would be useful.

Why take this course?

Pathways to further study of Art, Design, Architecture, Engineering, Interior Design, Art Foundation, Ceramics. Careers in Commercial Art, Sculpting, Interior Design, Theatre Design, Architecture, Animation, Conservation, Restoration.

Lower Sixth Upper Sixth

During the first year of the course, you will have the opportunity to experience both digital and chemical photographic processes and explore and understand the different genres. This phase provides the basis for one extensive practical project.

Alongside this work, you will be expected to build up evidence of your awareness of the context of photography within culture to complement and inform your practical work.

Personal Investigation (worth

60%)

This is a practical investigation, supported by written material. Students are required to conduct a practical investigation into an idea, issue, concept or theme, supported by written material. The focus of the investigation must be identified independently by the student and must lead to a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes.

The aim is to produce a significant ‘body of work’ such as you might produce for a gallery exhibition.

Externally-set Assignment

(worth 40%)

Students are expected to respond to an externally set range of questions.

This involves a preparation period from February and 15 hour supervised time.

Both portfolios of work are then curated by the students with help from the department in preparation for external moderation.

Head of Department: Mr G Piggott- glp@kes.hants.sch.uk

‘Photography is all around us and has documented the world and how we interact with it for 170 years. The American documentary photographer Dorothea Lange wisely said “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera”.’

Biology

Virus structure and the specific immune response; vaccination and the science of clinical trials; the importance of peat bogs in the global climate –these are all part of our A Level among many other topics.

Course Overview

This is a course that has been kept up-to-date, dealing with topics in ways that are easily seen as relevant to everyday life. We teach Edexcel Biology A, which maintains the best of the Salters Nuffield approach. The course aims to: use topical contexts; be accessible, yet intellectually demanding; emphasise application of knowledge; integrate activities and practical work throughout the course; make use of a full range of teaching and communication approaches and use student-centred, novel activities that show how biologists think and work in their professional lives.

Each student has an individual account with ‘Pearson Active Learn’ which allows you to work at your own pace, using interactive resources. Students can easily follow interests using the links and resources provided. The department also uses a range of data-logging equipment to go along with more traditional practical work, including dissection.

Practical work is fully integrated into the units, with the use of living materials as a central focus of the activities. It includes practical study of a variety of living organisms, including humans and other animals, plants and microorganisms. The approach mirrors the aims of the course, where investigation and process are emphasised rather than prescriptive methods.

Methods of Assessment

Paper 1

Covers material from the Lower Sixth course and two A Level units.

“The Natural Environment and Species Survival”

Paper 2

Covers material from the Lower Sixth course and two A Level units.

“Energy, Exercise and Co-ordination”

Skills Required

You will find, with other subjects, that A Level is more demanding than GCSE. We ask you to achieve a grade 7 or above in Biology to progress to A Level and you will find a good grade in Maths and Chemistry a real help too. If you are interested in the subject and want to stretch your intellectual and practical skills then Biology is for you.

Paper 3

Covers material from the whole course and includes questions based on a pre-released article.

“General and Practical Applications in Biology”

Fieldwork remains an important aspect of Biology and several core practicals require it. We complete a residential course at the end of the Lower Sixth. You will be expected to attend this field trip and there will be a cost for accommodation, meals and transport which is around £180.

Head of Department: Dr NC Wortham – ncw@kes.hants.sch.uk

‘If you need a reason to think A Level Biology relevant you have not been paying much attention for the last couple of years’.

Business

Skills Required

During the A Level course you will be introduced to a number of business theories and models, and you will be expected to apply them to real world examples and case studies. You will require a range of skills including decision making and problem solving and where appropriate, the quantification and management of information. You will be expected to read around the subject matter, and to build up a portfolio of examples of current business behaviour.

The ability to construct logical arguments and to write essays will necessitate sound analytical and evaluate skills. The mathematical and data handling aspects of the course require no more than a competent performance at GCSE Mathematics.

Course Overview

The provision of this course should enable you to develop a critical understanding of the internal workings of a business, and of its role in the economy and broader external environment. You will become aware of the effects of business behaviour from a range of perspectives and a variety of organisations.

The course being followed is the AQA Business Specification (7132). During the course, we will cover: ‘what is business?’, managers, leadership, decision making to improve marketing performance, operational performance, financial performance and human resource performance. We will also look at analysing the strategic position of a business, choosing strategic direction, managing strategies change, strategic methods and how to pursue strategies.

The material studied in the Business course will be suitable preparation for a range of degree courses and careers, especially those related to the worlds of finance and business.

Business draws material from a range of academic disciplines and with its emphasis on applying knowledge to the real world it adopts a more practical approach than many subjects. The subject has a relevance to our lives that make its study both accessible and useful.

Methods of Assessment

Students will be required to sit three papers, which cover all aspects of the course content.

Paper 1 2 hours

Multiple-choice questions, short answer questions and two essays from a choice of four titles.

Paper 2 2 hours

Data response questions.

Paper 3 2 hours Questions based on a business case study.

‘Business is a subject that is centred in the world around you: in the news, in the choices you face when shopping and when searching for, or working in, a job or when running your own business’.

Chemistry

From the moment you are born, and throughout your life, you are surrounded by Chemistry - the air you breathe, the food you eat and the clothes you wear are just a few examples.

Chemistry is the study of substances; what they are made of, how they interact with each other and the role they play in living things. If you have a passion for discovering how things work, using logic and analytical skills, then Chemistry may be the subject for you.

Course Overview

A Level Chemistry gives you the opportunity to develop your appreciation of the topics that you were taught at GCSE level and a chance to find out about new themes and ideas that may have significant impact on society today. Like all A Level subjects, the two-year course will be demanding and rigorous but this should allow you to develop a genuine in-depth understanding of this fascinating science.

The specification that we teach at King Edward’s is neatly organised into topics with core practicals embedded into the teaching. These practicals will cover a variety of experimental techniques and should allow you to gain confidence in your ability to manipulate apparatus and handle hazardous substances. We have five specific Chemistry laboratories that allow us to complete a significant number of practicals during the two-year course.

Methods of Assessment

Paper 1 (30% weighting)

Advanced Inorganic and Physical Chemistry.

Topics covered over the two years include:

• Atomic Structure

• Amount of Substance

• Bonding

• Redox

• Energetics

• Organic Chemistry

• Transition Metals

• Equilibrium

• Kinetics

• Analytical Techniques

Paper 2 (30% weighting)

Advanced Organic and Physical Chemistry.

Papers 1 and 2 are topic based. Paper 3 will assess across the whole subject and have a practical focus. The three papers will contain the following types of question:

• Multiple choice

• Short response (2 or 3 marks)

• Extended response (5 marks or more)

Head of Department: Mrs LA Millington – lam@kes.hants.sch.uk

Skills Required

The course is undoubtedly rigorous but also hugely rewarding as you learn more about how reactions work. Because of this, we ask that students obtain a minimum grade 7/A in GCSE Chemistry or Combined Sciences.

Paper 3 (40% weighting)

General and Practical Principles in Chemistry.

Science Practical Endorsement

(Internally assessed and externally moderated).

Calculations will make up about 20% of the whole A Level assessment. 15-20% of the total marks will be on practical based questions.

‘There’s much more to Chemistry than white coats, men with beards, stinky laboratories and explosions’.

Classical Civilisation

Skills Required

Classical Civilisation can be taken by anyone from scratch, since no knowledge of the classical languages or any previous study of Classical World is necessary.

Course Overview

A wide range of material is read, all in translation. This is a flourishing subject and we have been greatly encouraged by the response it has received since its introduction. A considerable number of students have chosen to continue this subject at university. Several have been surprised to find something so old can be so lively and so relevant to the study of humanity, which remains remarkably unchanged over a few thousand years!

The course offers you the opportunity to study the archaeology, architecture, art, history, literature, philosophy, politics, social history and religion of the Classical World.

We like to broaden our students’ experience of the ancient world wherever possible, taking trips to plays and museums and using a wide range of exciting multi-media material. There is also the opportunity to attend relevant lectures and local talks organised by the Southampton branch of the Classical Association.

Methods of Assessment

Assessments involve shorter questions, commentaries and longer essays. Three modules are taken:

Module 1 30%

The Imperial Image

A study of the rise and success of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus, using a range of primary sources, focussing on the propaganda surrounding his rule.

Module 2 30%

The Politics of the Later Republic

A study on the year leading up to the Roman civil war, focussing on the orator Cicero.

Module 3 40%

The World of the Hero

A study of both Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid, looking at the nature of both works, their themes such as heroism and ancient values, and the literary devices.

Head of Department: Mrs JM Meredith –

‘This is a wide and interesting A Level, good for those who enjoy literature and would like to read some of the greatest works ever produced which have had such an influence upon later writers, and good also for those with an interest in Ancient History’.

Computer Science

‘Computing and digital technologies are part of every aspect of our lives. The modern world and our society are being shaped by computers. More than ever we need computer scientists to step up and make the world a better place. Computer science is, above all else, the science of solving problems. No single subject offers more of an opportunity to change the world’.

Course Overview

The OCR Computer Science A Level qualification allows students to understand core academic principles of computer science. Academic principles learned in the classroom are transferred into creating real-world systems in an exciting and engaging manner. Our A Level will develop students’ technical understanding and ability to analyse and solve problems using computational thinking.

In Lower Sixth, students will be introduced to the fundamental technical principles of computing, computational thinking and problem-solving.

In Upper Sixth, students will progress to study data exchange, software development, data types, legal and ethical issues. Students will also be able to build on their computational thinking and problem-solving introduced in Lower Sixth, to include algorithms, programming and thinking abstractly.

Every year students get the chance to take part in the Oxford University Computing Challenge.

Lower Sixth

Paper 1: (50% weighting)

Computing Principles

1 hour 15 minutes

Paper 2: (50% weighting)

Algorithms and Problem Solving

1 hour 15 minutes

Upper Sixth

Paper 1: (40% weighting)

Computing Systems 2 hour 30 minutes

Paper 2: (40% weighting)

Algorithms and Programming 2 hour 30 minutes

Skills Required

The following are features that make a good computer scientist:

• Imagination

• Logical thinker

• Someone who’s not afraid to be challenged

It is also helpful, but not essential, to have some programming experience and/or a solid understanding of mathematics.

Programming

(20% weighting)

Project

Internally assessed, externally moderated.

Design and Technology

‘The A Level in Design and Technology will offer any student the chance to develop a wider range of both academic and practical problem-solving skills along with project management’.

Skills Required

Students will be expected to exercise initiative, imagination and resourcefulness in both design and manufacture. The A Level course is available to pupils who have studied a GCSE in Design and Technology, regardless of the individual specialism (resistant materials, textiles, graphics products or any other course). Students who have not studied the subject at GCSE are not excluded; however, they are subject to interview with the Head of the Design and Technology Department.

Course Overview

Design Technology is recognised as providing an opportunity to broaden all academic and personal skills, however, an A Level qualification in the subject is considered a distinct advantage when applying for; design, engineering, architecture, fashion or costume design or a foundation year or similar courses. The course aims to develop and stimulate creativity, and innovation in all areas of design and technology.

Methods of Assessment

Assessment in the Lower Sixth is through ongoing practical and written assessments. In the Spring Term students will be given the chance to complete a reduced design and complete a project of their choice.

Assessment in the Upper Sixth consists of the NEA (Non-Examined Assessment), which is 50% of the final grade. Students have a free choice on both the problem and material area. Additionally, students sit two final written papers to produce the other 50% of the final grade.

Head of Department: Mr SH Barker –

Drama and Theatre Studies

Skills Required

During the course you will undertake practical performance work, as well as studying significant plays and relevant theatre practitioners and genres. You will develop your ability to analyse contemporary productions from the perspectives of actor, director and designer. You will acquire skills such as lighting, set and costume and make-up design. We prefer you to have a good grade at GCSE Drama to take this course but we do not insist on it. More important is that you have an open and enquiring mind, a genuine interest in theatre, be willing to work collaboratively and have a good sense of humour and are prepared to have a go at any challenge we throw at you!

Course Overview

Drama and Theatre Studies allows students to develop theatrical skills that will allow them to perform on stage and create innovative relevant contemporary theatre from a directorial and design perspective. Students studying Drama and Theatre Studies will also hone important life skills such as negotiation, cooperation and time management and improve their abilities in public speaking; presenting information in varied and engaging ways and commanding the attention of an audience. Pupils have gone on to study subjects at degree level including, Medicine, History, English and Philosophy, Drama and to top drama schools.

Please note that the department will organise a variety of theatre trips throughout the course, of which some will be compulsory to meet the requirements of the examination, and to which students will be asked to make a financial contribution. It is also our expectation that Theatre Studies students will visit the theatre as often as they can in their spare time and will be prepared to read widely around the subject. There will also be extra workshops organised to connect students with contemporary theatre practitioners and professionals.

Methods of Assessment

Component 1 Devising Original Drama

Non-examination assessment 40% of the qualification

This component is made up of a portfolio and a devised performance / design.

Component 2 Text in Performance

Non-examination assessment 20% of the qualification

This component consists of a group performance and an individual performance, both assessed by a visiting examiner.

Component 3 Theatre Makers in Practice

Written examination 40% of the qualification

Section A: Live Theatre Evaluation

Section B: Page to Stage: Realising a Performance Text

Section C: Interpreting a Performance Text

Head of Department: Mrs LA Gilmour – lag@kes.hants.sch.uk

‘A vibrant, creative, challenging and stimulating course’.

Economics

Economics is a contemporary, thought-provoking and evolving subject. It is always in the news, unearthing new problems and proposing new remedies. Economics is one of the social sciences: a group of subjects that study various aspects of human behaviour. The challenge of learning about something that exerts a significant influence over your behaviour and life should be given serious consideration.

Skills Required

During the A Level course, you will encounter the underlying models and theories of Economics and be expected to apply them to various real-world situations. In addition to acquiring a sound knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, you will also need to develop your powers of logical analysis and evaluation. To be successful, you will have to read widely and keep abreast of current affairs. The statistical and data handling aspects of the work require no more than a competent performance at GCSE Mathematics.

Course Overview

It concentrates on how we behave when faced with the economic problem that the world has too few resources to produce enough goods and services to satisfy all of its people. Given this economic problem, choices have to be made about what, how and for whom to produce goods and services. Economists study how people, businesses and governments make choices and the consequences of their decisions.

The course being followed is the AQA Economics Specification (7136) and covers the following topics:

Individuals, firms, markets and market failure (microeconomics)

• Economic methodology and the economic problem

• Individual economic decision making

• Price determination in a competitive market

• Production, costs and revenue

• Perfect competition, imperfectly competitive markets and monopoly

• The labour market

• The distribution of income and wealth: poverty and inequality

• The market mechanism, market failure and government intervention in markets

Methods of Assessment

Paper 1 2 hours

Microeconomics data response and essay questions.

Paper 2 2 hours

The

national and international economy (macroeconomics)

• The measurement of macroeconomic performance

• How the macroeconomy works: the circular flow of income, aggregate demand/aggregate supply analysis and related concepts

• Economic performance

• Financial markets and monetary policy

• Fiscal policy and supply-side policy

• The international economy

Macroeconomics data response and essay questions.

Paper 3 2 hours

Multiple-choice questions and a case study covering all aspects of the course content.

English Language

‘Language is interlaced throughout every aspect of our lives’.

Course Overview

As a subject, English Language offers an opportunity to develop a detailed analytical understanding of the way language works, the way it is used and the ways in which it is closely intertwined with social values.

The A Level course will enable you to develop a range of skills essential for further education and employment. As a result of studying English Language you will acquire a greater technical understanding of how languages work. You will consider the relationship between language and the development of ideas, beliefs and attitudes; society and social interaction; and the construction of identity.

Methods of Assessment

Skills Required

Successful English Language students are inquisitive and open-minded, with an interest in exploring how language is used in the world around them. An ability to write creatively is beneficial and students must be prepared to engage in debates and discussions with their peers.

Critical awareness of language not only helps you understand how you express yourself, but also how others use language and for what purposes. You will become a more active and discerning reader and listener, as well as a more skilled, confident writer.

Studying English Language at A Level is excellent preparation for Higher Education courses in Linguistics, English Literature, Modern Foreign Languages, Humanities, the Social Sciences and Information Technology. It provides a perfect foundation for careers in journalism and the media, ICT, law, politics, the civil service, teaching and research.

During this two-year course, you will prepare for two examination papers and undertake two different pieces of coursework.

Paper 1 Language, the Individual & Society

In this part of the course you will develop your skills of linguistic analysis by exploring a wide range of spoken, written, electronic and multimodal texts.

You will consider how language is used to create and convey meanings; how language is manipulated to achieve particular aims, and how ideas, people, places and events can be represented in different ways through language.

You will also study how young children develop both spoken and written language, exploring the different ideas and theories about how and why this remarkable process takes place.

Paper 2 Language Diversity & Change

This part of the course explores the two inter-related strands of Language Diversity and Language Change. You will develop your understanding of how language varies according to factors such as gender, ethnicity, social background, geographical location and profession.

For language change, you will study how and why the English language has changed over time and consider how it may continue to change in the future. Additionally, you will learn about attitudes to controversial issues relating to language diversity and change, and explore contemporary debates surrounding language use today: you will develop your own views through discussion and debate and learn how to express your opinions in writings, in both an informative and entertaining manner.

Coursework Language in Action

The coursework element is vital in enabling you to pursue your individual interests and refine your research and writing skills.

There are two projects; a language investigation and original writing. You will design and conduct a language investigation on a subject of your choice, collecting and analysing your own data independently. In addition, you have the opportunity to create an original piece of writing such as a short story, feature article or blog post, reflecting on your expertise in the analytical commentary.

English Literature

Course Overview

A thorough grounding in literature automatically provides knowledge of our literary heritage while at the same time increasing the student’s awareness of cultural values, history, sociology, psychology, and almost every branch of human knowledge.

Literary study expands our capacity to sympathise with other human beings, enhances our ability to see and imagine human complexity, and broadens our intellectual horizons by enlarging our power to experience life vicariously.

Studying English Literature at A Level allows students to explore texts in more depth than at GCSE. You will be with like-minded students, people who have chosen to do the subject because they enjoy it, which makes the level of debate more intense.

Methods of Assessment

At King Edward’s we take the AQA Literature B Specification.

Paper 1

Literary Genres

2 hours 30 minutes

closed book 40% of A Level 75 marks

Aspects of tragedy (from Othello, King Lear, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, The Monk’s Tale, poetry of John Keats, The Great Gatsby, Death of a Salesman, Richard II)

Section A: One passage-based question on set Shakespeare text.

Section B: One essay question on set Shakespeare text.

Section C: One essay question linking two texts.

Paper 2 Texts & Genres

3 hours open book 75 marks 40% of A Level

Skills Required

You need to have an interest in words, an enquiring mind, and be prepared to share your thoughts with others in the class. An enjoyment of reading is obviously going to be an advantage. You will learn more about texts within genres and cultural contexts.

Study of 3 texts. Exam will include an unseen passage. Elements of crime writing (from Ian McEwan, Graham Greene, Charles Dickens, George Browning, Agatha Christie, Samuel Taylor Coleridge).

Coursework: Theory and Independence

50 marks 20% of A Level

Study of two texts: one poetry and one prose text, informed by study of the Critical Anthology (students have a free choice of one poetry and one prose text).

Two essays of 1250 -1500 words.

Head of Department: Dr AJ Schofield –

‘Reading literature increases knowledge in an active, intellectually challenging way that other more passive activities cannot do’.

Skills Required

You should aim to begin the course with a firm knowledge of the major verb tenses and forms for both regular and irregular verbs. A working knowledge of the bulk of GCSE vocabulary will also be assumed.

Course Overview

French adds to the overall profile of a student and improves a student’s chances of getting into a good university and later into an interesting career. Over the last few years many King Edward’s students have gone on to study French at university or to combine French with an additional subject, ranging from business and economics to management and law.

The size of our French classes allows for considerable individual attention and a great deal of lively interaction. Each class has a team of teachers, and students have a 25 minute lesson with our French assistant every week. There are numerous opportunities available to develop linguistic skills, be it in lunchtime workshops, borrowing a French DVD or book, or by taking part in the Sixth Form trip to France.

The French Department is a lively and welcoming place to be and the French teachers are dedicated and positive in their approach to students, offering their time generously.

The language facilities are outstanding. The classrooms have interactive whiteboards and there is a multi-media centre where students can practise and develop their oral and aural skills. Students work with their own iPads

Methods of Assessment

or laptops and use these in lessons to have access to their digital courses for Lower and Upper Sixth and a wide range of additional information and resources to help support their studies. Students are encouraged to keep up to date with what is going on in the French-speaking world.

The two main areas of study during the French A Level are; social issues and trends and political, intellectual and artistic culture.

Paper 1

Listening, Reading & Writing

Students will listen to and read passages from a range of contexts and sources, and answer questions in French as well as non-verbally. There will be text summaries and translation both into and out of French.

Paper 2

Writing

Students will answer an essay question in French on both a film and a literary text studied in class.

Coursework Speaking

Students will have a 20 minute speaking assessment, where they will have a discussion around a card based on a theme from the course, and then present and discuss their own research project.

French‘Studying French in the Sixth Form is extremely rewarding. Students can combine French with a wide variety of subjects and will explore Francophone culture and its rich language through a range of topics and sources’.

Geography

Geography’s all the rage”. – The Guardian

Course Overview

A Level Geography provides a contemporary and dynamic opportunity for students to engage with the world around them. The aim is to inspire a love of Geography for lifelong learning, drawing on issues that are relevant to a student’s own learning of the subject in a variety of contexts. The A Level specification has been designed to strengthen geographical and fieldwork skills gained at GCSE and delve more deeply into content.

Geography offers students the opportunity to develop their debating and discussion skills, and their statistical and analytical skills as well as applying an evaluative approach in extended writing. There are numerous transferable skills gained through Geography which can be utilised by students across all subjects as well as in their future careers.

Methods of Assessment

Skills Required

Geography can be taken in combination with either Arts or Science subjects and it is not necessary for students to have studied the subject to GCSE level, although such study does convey certain advantages.

Geography is studied by many in order to develop an array of skills, and a depth of knowledge and understanding, which prove essential in the workplace and at university. Students who have studied Geography will have the ability to compose a logical argument and debate issues with confidence and determination. They will approach problems in an investigative and analytical manner, allowing them to look at all aspects of the issue, before drawing supported conclusions, whilst also evaluating any limitations encountered. Those who continue to study Geography as an undergraduate are able to develop these skills further and more than 60% of geography graduates are in full-time employment within six months of graduating, with the most popular areas of work including marketing, the environment, management consultancy and business analysis.

There are three examination papers which include a mixture of short-answer, medium tariff and extended response questions. There is also an internally-assessed & externally-moderated independent investigation.

Paper 1

1 hour 30 minutes - 22%

Physical Systems

This involves the study of: Landscape Systems: Coastal, Glaciated or Drylands. Earth’s Life Support Systems: Tropical Rainforests and Arctic Tundra and the importance of water and carbon to life on earth.

Paper 2

1 hour 30 minutes - 22%

Human Interactions

This involves the study of: Changing Spaces; Making Places: Contrasting places at a local scale and understanding economic change and social inequality. Global Connections - Global Systems: Trade in the contemporary world or Global Migration; Global Governance: Human Rights or Power and Borders.

Paper 3

2 hours 30 minutes - 36%

Geographical Debates

This involves the study of two of the following debates:

Climate Change; Disease Dilemmas; Exploring Oceans; Future of Food; Hazardous Earth.

Non-Examined Assessment Investigative Geography

3,000 - 4,000 words - 20%

This is an internallyassessed and externallymoderated assessment, which is an independent geographical investigation conducted by each candidate based on primary and secondary data. This element of the course includes a compulsory residential field trip.

“Geography: it’s the must-have A Level… it is inherently multidisciplinary in a world that increasingly values people who can work across the physical and social sciences…

Skills Required

The successful A Level student will make full use of our excellent facilities and resources and will embrace all opportunities available in school: borrowing DVDs or library stock and taking part in study trips. Independence and commitment outside the classroom are a great help.

Course Overview

There is a strong emphasis on fluency and oral competence and authentic materials are used on topic areas that are chosen to be relevant to young people in a social, vocational, educational, literary or political context.

Students receive tuition from two or three teachers in the Lower Sixth. There is full access to IT facilities on the school’s network and the internet. In addition, students are given time for Directed Study in which they are expected to undertake independent research. There is also a weekly lesson on an individual basis with a language assistant to enhance oral competence. These arrangements allow for thorough coverage of all skill areas and flexibility in meeting the varied needs of the individual student.

The more complex grammatical structures required for the Lower Sixth are supplied in an intensive structured programme especially designed to bridge the gap between the less rigorous nature of GCSE and the demand for independence expected of the more mature student.

The German A Level course is recommended for a variety of students: not only those who wish to make languages the focus of a Higher Education course but also for those who wish to study German in combination with other disciplines. For interested students this is a rewarding and stimulating A Level choice.

Methods of Assessment

The two main areas of study during the German A Level are; social issues and trends and political, intellectual and artistic culture.

Paper 1

Listening, Reading & Writing

Students will listen to and read passages from a range of contexts and sources, and then answer questions in German. They will also translate from both German to English and vice-versa.

Paper 2 Writing

Students will answer two essay questions in German on a book and a film studied in lessons.

Coursework Speaking

Students will have a 20 minute speaking assessment, where they will have a discussion on a certain theme and present and discuss their own research project.

German‘The German Advanced Level course at King Edward’s is aimed at keen, successful GCSE students who wish to develop their existing knowledge of the language to a high degree of fluency and to explore a wide variety of aspects of the modern culture of German-speaking countries’.

History Skills Required

We live in a dramatically changing world and the opportunity that the study of History provides to ground our understanding of the present in the context of the past, and thus to reach a more profound understanding of contemporary issues, is more important than ever. The A Level History course is designed both to engage and excite through the choice of material to be studied and also to encourage contemplation over issues that are immediate to us today.

Course Overview

Students study three units for the linear History A Level. All students study the same topics.

1) A “depth study” of American History from 1945-1980. This covers hugely interesting and meaningful topics such as the struggle for Civil Rights, the impact of the Vietnam War and the effects of Watergate.

2) “A “breadth study” covering the history of the British Empire from c. 1857-1967. This allows pupils to consider the motivating forces behind British imperialism, the impact of imperialism from the perspective both of the British and those they governed and, finally, the story of decolonisation after 1945.

3) A piece of guided coursework, 4,500 words long, on either the French Revolution, Tutor Rebellions or the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire in 1807.

These topics have been deliberately chosen to appeal to, and matter to, our students. The British Empire topic has never been more relevant to the present day, given the current Black Lives Matter protests and the debate over the Empire that this has created, whilst the issues surrounding Civil Rights in the USA are of universal significance. In addition to this, the American topic fits in well with the US section of the Politics A Level.

Methods of Assessment

The aim of the History Department is to present the study of the past in a manner that is both enjoyable and academically stimulating. Above all, A Level candidates must have a real interest in the study of different aspects of the past and a willingness to read both widely and deeply into a period. A generalised knowledge of a period is not sufficient to do well at A Level; you need to read so as to get into the minds, and to understand the motives, of those you are studying.

Outside of the syllabus, the department offers regular and structured preparation for the EPQ and Oxbridge entry. There is also a popular, pupil-directed Senior Historical Society, now known as the Coundley Historical Society, which meets every fortnight to hear presentations given both by members of the Sixth Form and external speakers. We also offer a very popular series of evening lectures on a range of topics, offered by leading university academics. To broaden pupil experience of different topic areas, we run a Sixth Form reading group for the most able A Level historians that meets every term to discuss a book on an issue not covered in the normal A Level themes. In addition, the department runs regular trips to places such as Canterbury, Hampton Court, and the Tower of London.

The British Empire and American topics are assessed by 2.5-hour exams at the end of the course. The coursework unit is introduced in the summer term of the Lower Sixth and is completed by the Spring half term, with a series of guidance seminars and one-to-one tutorials being offered.

“A People without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”. – Marcus Garvey

Latin

Skills Required

To study Latin, you will need to have taken the subject at GCSE.

Course Overview

Latin offers a variety of work, which some students find a relief from solely essay-based subjects. Essays are written, but less frequently than in some subjects, and students often like the more self-contained assignments such as translations or preparation of the text. Such assignments train you in a variety of skills which are highly valued: they refine your linguistic ability, stimulate logical thought and sharpen your perceptions in response to the literature.

Each text is translated and discussed in class, to develop an understanding of the language, style, background and historical context, as well as to test your own reactions to it as literature. Study of the text spans out into details of history, society and mythology, and it is far from the narrow study that some assume it to be. It has rightly been said that it is an excellent subject for those who are interested in everything!

Each text studied has a useful commentary to help you, and you are encouraged to read more widely in translation around the text to broaden your experience of the Classical World. You will be surprised at how relevant it is to the world today. Do not imagine that universities or employers will be unimpressed by this A Level. The real situation is quite the reverse.

If you choose to study Latin at A Level you will gain a greater understanding and appreciation of our own civilisation and heritage, and the skills acquired - communication, working with others, problem-solving and improving learning and performance - will be of great benefit, whatever career you may follow.

Methods of Assessment

The linear A Level gives an opportunity for broader reading of texts, both in the original and in translation to the background understanding.

Paper 1

1 hour 45 minutes - 33%

An unseen translation

To prepare for this examination we will cover a range of prose and verse authors for language practice and grammar teaching.

Paper 2

1 hour 15 minutes - 17%

A prose composition / comprehension test

Preparation for this paper is similar to paper 1.

Paper 3

2x 2 hours - 25% each paper

Prose literature paper & Verse literature paper

We will be studying two prose literature texts in depth for these papers.

Head of Department: Mrs JM Meredith –

‘If you want a great brain trainer as well as a challenging and fascinating study of some the most influential European literature, then Latin is your subject. It is also a highly regarded A Level, and works well with any combination of subjects, including the sciences, dealing with both the logical and the imaginative’.

Mathematics

Mathematics is the most studied of all A Level subjects, both here at King Edward’s and nationally. Not only is it a challenging and interesting subject to get involved in, it gives students the skills and knowledge to access a wide range of courses for further study. So, not only will it help you get where you’re going, the journey itself is part of the attraction. The more maths you know, the better it gets!

There are two types of A Level Mathematics courses on offer at Sixth Form, Mathematics and Further Mathematics. Both courses follow the OCR B (MEI) linear specification.

Course Overview

These courses have been developed by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI) and are assessed by OCR. This is a well-established partnership that provides a firm foundation for curriculum and qualification development.

The specifications;

• Encourage students to develop a deep understanding of mathematics and an ability to use it in a variety of contexts.

• Encourage students to use appropriate technology to deepen their mathematical understanding and extend the range of problems they can solve.

• Use pre-release data in statistics to enable students to develop an understanding of working with real data to solve real problems.

• Include mathematical comprehension in the assessment to prepare students to use mathematics in a variety of contexts in higher education and future employment.

OCR A Level in Mathematics B (MEI) builds from GCSE Level Mathematics and introduces calculus and its applications.

Methods of Assessment

It emphasises how mathematical ideas are interconnected and how mathematics can be applied to model situations using algebra and other representations, to help make sense of data, to understand the physical world and to solve problems in a variety of contexts, including social sciences and business. It prepares students for further study and employment in a wide range of disciplines involving the use of mathematics.

This is a two-year linear qualification with no optional content. The course can be split into three main areas:

Pure Mathematics includes proof, algebra, graphs, sequences, trigonometry, logarithms, calculus and vectors.

Mechanics includes kinematics, motion under gravity, working with forces including friction, Newton’s laws and simple movements.

Statistics includes working with data from a sample to make inferences about a population, probability calculations, using binomial and normal distributions as models and statistical hypothesis testing.

Assessment takes place at the end of the course in the form of three two-hour examinations.

Head of Department: Mr GA Eyssens – gae@kes.hants.sch.uk

Further Mathematics

OCR A Level in Further Mathematics B (MEI) is both deeper and broader than A Level Mathematics. It is designed for students with a real enthusiasm for Mathematics.

Course Overview

As well as building on the algebra and calculus introduced in A Level Mathematics, the A Level Further Mathematics core content introduces complex numbers and matrices, fundamental mathematical ideas with wide applications in mathematics, engineering, physical sciences and computing. Choosing Further Mathematics means that you do a double A Level course in Mathematics requiring you to commit to continuing with four A Levels.

Skills Required

A Level Further Mathematics prepares students for further study and employment in highly mathematical disciplines that require knowledge and understanding of sophisticated mathematical ideas and techniques. If you are considering the Further Mathematics course you must not only be very able in Mathematics, but also have a great commitment and enjoyment of the subject.

Methods of Assessment

The qualification comprises of one mandatory Core Pure examination of two hours and forty minutes which makes up 50% of the total marks.

The non-core content includes different options that can enable students to specialise in areas of mathematics that are particularly relevant to their interests and future aspirations. These include additional mechanics, statistics or pure options as well as numerical methods and modelling with algorithms. Candidates have the choice of one major and one minor optional paper or three minor papers giving them the choice between breadth or depth.

Head of Department: Mr GA Eyssens –

Music

Skills Required

Instrumentalists and singers Grade 6 and above are well suited to this course regardless of having taken the subject at GCSE.

Course Overview

The A Level Music course imaginatively explores the three musical disciplines: performance, composition and analysis. It is tailored to your strengths as coursework is weighted to the skills you most enjoy. We follow the OCR specifications with 60% coursework and 40% examination. It ranges from classical to jazz and covers diverse musical interests.

Methods of Assessment

Unit 1

Performing

Students will give a recital in Upper Sixth, for a duration of 6 to 12 minutes depending on your coursework weighting. The recital can be solo or include ensemble works giving you the best experience. The recital is assessed by audiovisual recording.

Unit 2

Composing

Over the course you will complete two compositions, and the coursework accounts for 25% of the A Level. Students will have dedicated composition lessons throughout the course, and for those wanting to showcase their composition, you can include an additional technical exercise to increase the weighting of the coursework to 35%.

Unit 3 Historical Study

This is the only examination aspect of the course assessment, and it represents 40%. Students will study a range of music, focusing on 20th century jazz, jazz musicians and 19th century music. Students well also study two works, one classical and one jazz, providing invaluable insight and analytical skill that is a huge benefit to performing musicians.

“Without Music, life would be a mistake”.

– Friedrich Nietzsche

“I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve gained that I wouldn’t have been offered elsewhere, they’ve prepared me for the adult world in a way normal academia wouldn’t have”. – Music Scholar

Philosophy

Course Overview

The religious and philosophical questions of mankind remain as important today as ever. Through the exploration of theology, philosophy and the world’s major religious traditions, a deeper understanding emerges of culture, humanity and of ourselves.

The questions that philosophy investigates are the most profound questions that we can ask. It investigates the deepest aspects of what it means to be human.

• Are we simply animals that have evolved, or do we have a spiritual dimension that will survive the death of our bodies?

• Does God exist, and if so, what does God expect of us?

• What can we know about the world we live in, and is certainty important?

• Is there one moral code for all people to live by, or is right and wrong ‘simply’ a matter of culture?

• How far can you take this idea – could it really ever be right to sexually abuse someone, whatever your culture says? Whether you study these questions in a religious context or not, they are questions that get to the heart of our existence.

Students at King Edward’s will be studying the AQA A Level in Philosophy and this means that students will be schooled in the art of thinking critically. Studying this subject is not simply about learning a body of knowledge, it is also about learning an invaluable skill - how to recognise, evaluate and construct arguments, whether on the page or in classroom debate. The department aims to promote honest and robust discussion and to provide students with a stimulating, enjoyable and academically rigorous study of philosophy.

Philosophy is a rigorous and demanding academic discipline in its own right. It develops critical thinking and rigour in the search for truths in uncertain fields.

An A Level in Philosophy can be extremely valuable. An understanding of ethical issues is required in many professions such as Law, Chartered Accountancy, Banking, Medicine (particularly the Medical Ethics unit) and the Armed Forces. It is also an excellent subject for any pupil who wants to go on to work with people. If you are interested in studying medicine, the examination of medical ethics and the question of the sanctity of life in relation to abortion, genetic engineering and euthanasia would be invaluable.

Skills Required

The syllabus moves logically on from the GCSE Religious Studies syllabus which we also teach at King Edward’s but is also open to all regardless of whether they have studied Religious Studies or not. The only prerequisite to the A Level course is a willingness to engage in debate and to have one’s views held up for scrutiny.

Methods of Assessment

Paper 1

3 hours - 50%

Epistemology and Moral Philosophy

Paper 2 3 hours - 50%

The metaphysics of God and the metaphysics of mind

“Many people would sooner die than think; in fact they do so”. – Bertrand Russell

Skills Required

Physics requires a problem-solving approach and a good level of mathematical ability. Students will commonly take Mathematics A Level concurrently, however, this is not essential. We would expect students undertaking Physics A Level to obtain a minimum grade 7 in GCSE Physics or Combined Sciences.

Course Overview

The course followed at King Edward’s is the OCR Physics B, Advancing Physics course. According to a Russell Group study, Physics is one of the top A Levels that keeps more doors open to a variety of degree subjects, more so than Chemistry or Biology. It is therefore an ideal choice for those still uncertain as to future degree choices.

Physics is a practical subject and thus gives students many opportunities to develop the fundamental skills needed to collect and analyse empirical data. In the Upper Sixth, students have the opportunity to work independently to design and undertake their own practical experimental investigation over a two-week period.

These skills are essential for any future study or career in science, but such transferrable skills of data analysis are highly sought after and can be applicable in many disciplines.

Lower Sixth - Physics in action and Understanding Processes

During the first year, students study the fundamental aspects of Physics, some of which follow directly from GCSE Physics, with areas that overlap significantly. The Lower Sixth course also includes new areas of study including Quantum Physics. Students will recognise links with these exciting new areas

and their previous studies of areas such as waves at GCSE level. In Lower Sixth, students will also learn how to model the motion of objects according to Newton’s laws, a skill that could be applied to areas as diverse as computer game design to climate study.

At the end of year one students will have the opportunity to go to CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, to tour the facilities of the world’s largest particle physics laboratories.

Upper Sixth - Rise and Fall of the Clockwork Universe and Field and Particle Physics

As students progress to the second year of Physics A Level they encounter some of the ground-breaking work done by the some of the world’s most famous scientists. Newton’s Universal Law of gravitation is covered in detail, and Einstein’s work on special relativity is covered including counter-intuitive consequences such as time dilation.

Other topics covered include the fascinating world of electro-magnetism, radioactivity and particle physics, illustrating how successive models have been refined over the past 120 years to give us the understanding we have today. Throughout Upper Sixth, students learn how to model physical phenomena using simple mathematical models, skills which could be applied to areas as diverse as finance and predicting the spread of disease.

‘Physics is the study of the most fundamental aspects of the world and universe in which we live, it forms the foundations upon which every other science is ultimately built’.

Politics Skills

‘With an incredible series of unexpected and unpredictable events at home and abroad in recent years, the study of politics has never been more relevant or more fascinating. This is a great subject for those with enquiring minds and a desire to find out just what is going on in the world today and why’.

Required

Other than the school entrance requirements, there are no formal expectations. You are recommended to have a reasonable standard in written English and have a clear interest in contemporary events.

Course Overview

The A Level course studies the implications and practice of different political systems, as well as in-depth studies of different political ideologies. Politics deals with such ideas as power, authority, rights, liberty and justice and examines contemporary politics as it occurs today.

Through your study of contemporary politics, you will develop a strong understanding of the factors shaping both the British and American systems. You will also gain insight into some of the great political ideas which have shaped the world we live in. This subject helps in the development of discussion and debating skills and encourages you to think beyond the constraints of a textbook.

Whether you wish to indulge your intellectual curiosity or simply become more aware of the world in which you live, the study of Politics will certainly provide ample opportunity for you to become a more knowledgeable and critical thinker.

Methods of Assessment

Paper 1

2 hours

UK Politics and Core Political Ideas

Paper 2 2 hours

UK Government and Non-core Political Ideas

Paper 3 2 hours

Government and Politics of the USA

Psychology

An interest in ‘people’ is essential to the study of Psychology. Students can succeed in Psychology if they have strengths in Science or Humanities subjects, as it incorporates skills from both areas.

Course Overview

Psychology is the second most popular A Level and degree course in the UK, demonstrating that although Psychology is a new subject for many at A Level it often becomes a passion that develops into a lifelong career. Students are encouraged to become independent thinkers who can critically analyse. The course is broad, for example the many facets that make someone ‘them’ is taught, including the influence of genes, upbringing and the environment on behaviour. Key historical events that changed the world are explored and students analyse how these can be explained from a psychological perspective. The causes and treatments of mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, phobias, OCD and schizophrenia are also investigated. All students have the opportunity to carry out and analyse their own research throughout the course, for example in the FLower Sixth students visit Marwell Zoo to observe animal behaviour. Other course events include visiting the Freud museum and an interactive ‘Brain Day’ for which an acclaimed neuroscientist helps students to understand the influence of the brain on behaviour.

Lessons are interactive and varied, incorporating many pedagogical methods. Students become independent learners who have confidence in their abilities and understand their learning style. Booklets are used to aid organised note taking. Lunchtime workshops are available for anyone who would like extra help, including ‘drop-in’ workshops for those who would like to discuss a topic one-on-one with a teacher and taught workshops where students can revisit topics or skills in small groups. There is also a weekly Psychology Society where areas beyond the specification are explored and speakers are invited to talk about their specialism. These sessions are invaluable for those who want to study Psychology at university.

Psychology is recognised by universities as a rigorous and demanding Science A Level, and is valuable for students who may wish to progress to degree courses in clinical subjects (medicine, physiotherapy, veterinary sciences, nursing), social work, and education. A Psychology degree is essential for Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology and Forensic Psychology, and can lead to many other specialist fields such as Sports Psychology and Human Resources. It is also very useful for other careers such as business, journalism and law.

Methods of Assessment

We follow the AQA specification. There are three examination papers, all taken at the end of the Upper Sixth. They include a mixture of multiple choice, short and longer questions, with the longest requiring about 500 words of writing. There is no assessed coursework but students undertake their own psychological research, with guidance, during the Lower Sixth.

‘The scientific study of the mind and behaviour’. Skills Required

Spanish Skills Required

Course Overview

As the language course progresses, more advanced structures are introduced, and these require a sound understanding of the more basic structures if they are to be effectively added to your linguistic armoury. By the end of the first term, you should find yourself beginning to cope successfully with understanding and communicating in genuinely advanced Spanish. By the end of the two-year course to A Level, our best students achieve nearnative fluency in a wide variety of topics and situations.

Work will be done mainly in Spanish. Your teachers will speak to you in Spanish for the great majority of the time and you will be expected to conduct yourself, even for the most routine issues, in Spanish. You will be expected to undertake a good deal of independent work as well as the work set.

A lot of the language work is based upon the reading of a variety of texts and listening to recorded authentic material, often from internet sources. All you do will improve your ability to communicate in speech and in writing, develop your ability to construct a convincing argument and use evidence appropriately, and as you do so, you will also gain confidence in defending your arguments against those of others. All these skills are needed when performing successfully at an advanced level.

The department offers students the opportunity to travel to Salamanca during February half-term. The week-long trip involves staying with families (normally in pairs) and attending daily culture and language classes at a local language school (4 hours/day). Although this is not a compulsory trip, it is highly recommended as it helps greatly with fluency, comprehension skills, confidence and gives a real insight into Spanish life and culture.

Methods of Assessment

The two main areas of study during the Spanish A Level are; social issues and trends and political, intellectual and artistic culture.

Paper 1

Listening, Reading & Writing

Students will have to respond (in Spanish) to passages from a range of contexts and sources as well as translate a short text into English.

Paper 2 Writing

Students will answer an essay question in Spanish about the film and book studied studied in lessons, as well as translate some sentences into Spanish.

Paper 3 Speaking

Students will have a 20 minute speaking assessment, where they will have a discussion around one of the themes studied in class and also present and discuss their own research project.

You should aim to begin the course with a firm knowledge of the major verb tenses and forms for both regular and irregular verbs. A working knowledge of the bulk of GCSE vocabulary will also be assumed. Head

‘Spanish in the Lower Sixth builds on the foundations laid at GCSE. Familiar topics form the basis of the first parts of the language course, but a lot of new vocabulary is added’.

Sports Science

Skills Required

You don’t necessarily have had to study GCSE Physical Education or Sports Science to study this subject at A Level, however it is an advantage. Solid foundations in Biology would also be advantageous. 30% of the course is assessed through practical skills and therefore students will need to perform at a sufficiently high level in one sport that is on the AQA specification.

Course Overview

Studying Sports Science at A Level will give you a fantastic insight into the amazing world of sports performance. Not only will you have the chance to perform or coach a sport through the non-examined assessment component, you will also develop a wide range of knowledge into the how and why of physical activity and sport.

The combination of physical performance and academic challenge provides an exciting opportunity for students. You can perform, and then through the academic study improve your performance or coaching though application of the theory. Physical Education is studied through a range of different contexts and the impact it has on both ours and others’ everyday lives. You will learn the reasons why we do things, why some people out perform others, mentally and physically. You will also delve into the ethical considerations behind the use of drugs and also the influence that modern technology is having in and on physical activity and sport.

Internally assessed and externally moderated. This section of the course contributes to 30% of the A Level. Students will be assessed as a performer or coach in the full sided version of one activity and then will be assessed in an analysis and evaluation coursework.

‘If you love playing sport and enjoy learning how your body works for sport… this is the course for you!’

Curriculum FAQs

How do I choose my subjects for the Sixth Form?

You will be studying a much narrower range of subjects than in the past and spending more time on each of them, so it certainly makes sense to choose subjects you know you enjoy! Equally, your results in these subjects will be your passport to Higher Education, so they should also be subjects in which you can reasonably expect to achieve good results. A combination of subjects offering a degree of variety of study is often a good idea.

If you have clear future intentions for university and beyond, check if you should take certain subjects at A Level. If you are not sure what you want to do beyond the Sixth Form, it’s best to choose a range of subjects that keep your options open. Take advice as widely as possible and visit the HE and careers centre to talk to our dedicated HE staff.

Should I do 3 or 4 subjects?

In the Lower Sixth our advice is to start on four subjects and consider reducing to three mid-way through the year or at the start of the Upper Sixth.

In the Upper Sixth, Further Mathematics, Mathematics, plus two other subjects is the traditional four-subject combination, but you can take all four of your subjects forward to A Level if you wish, whatever combination you are studying. It is important not to underestimate the potential demands of any four-subject Upper Sixth course of study, and to take advice as widely as possible.

Universities are generally looking for the three best A Level grades, and focusing on three subjects can increase your chances of obtaining the highest grades.

Which subjects are the best preparation for university later on?

The school believes that all the subjects offered at A Level have good academic credentials and are suitable for study by Sixth Formers intending to enter Higher Education. Some HE courses have specific subject requirements, very many do not. Students who are concerned whether their A Level subjects are appropriate preparation for their intended course of study at university should consult the websites of the universities concerned or look at the entry profiles for courses featured on UCAS Course Search. The HE and careers department can also offer guidance and advice.

When do I have to decide which subjects I want to carry on to full A Level?

Having chosen four subjects for your Lower Sixth year, you don’t have to decide which three you will carry on with in the Upper Sixth until the Spring Term of the Lower Sixth year, or after the Lower Sixth exams in the Summer Term. Requests to change your choice of subjects after that will be considered but will be subject to considerations such as staffing, set numbers and timetabling implications. Internal exams held at the start of the Summer Term in the Lower Sixth will help you with this process.

Will I have the same teachers in both years in the Sixth Form?

Continuity of teaching cannot be guaranteed, as we will need to make some rearrangements to teaching sets in the light of choices for Upper Sixth, but we will do our best to provide continuity for as many sets and

students as possible.

Can I drop my fourth A Level subject in the Upper Sixth?

If you decide to keep with four subjects in the Upper Sixth, this is fine. You should consider the demands of four A Level courses carefully before embarking on this route. If, however, you later decide to reduce to three subjects, you will be allowed to drop the fourth subject. Making such a change in the Upper Sixth year itself may, however, involve changes of teaching set.

Will subjects be examined in both the Lower and Upper Sixth?

Yes. All subjects will be examined in the Summer Term of the Lower Sixth year internally. In January of the Upper Sixth year, mock examinations are arranged by subject departments and A Level subjects will be externally examined in May of the Upper Sixth year.

What is Open Forum and Foundation Studies?

In Lower Sixth, every student will enter the Foundation Studies programme and attend a series of weekly sessions designed to equip students with key skills and to extend their education beyond the examined curriculum. In Upper Sixth, the programme evolves into a series of five short courses chosen from a wide-ranging list. Full details of these will be made available in the Spring Term of the Lower Sixth year. In addition, all Sixth Form students will attend Open Forum, a series of weekly presentations by staff and guest speakers, intended to interest, inspire and broaden the experience of all students.

Any questions you might have which are not answered above should be addressed to Dr BM Waymark - Deputy Head (Academic) Tel. 023 80704561 Email. bmw@kes.hants.sch.uk

King Edward VI School . Wilton Road . Southampton . Hampshire SO15 5UQ www.kes.hants.sch.uk