Curriculum Extension Programme
September 2025
CURRICULUM EXTENSION PROGRAMME
The Curriculum Extension Programme (CEP) runs alongside A levels and adds breadth and depth to the academic offering in the Sixth Form. There are many options from which to choose, but all give boys the opportunity to develop new skills and, in most cases, to do so without the limitations imposed by having to prepare for an examination. All options are taught by Radley dons and, with the exception of AS Art, timetabled for three lessons per two-week cycle throughout the 6.1 year.
Apart from the EPQ, there are no CEP lessons in the 6.2 year.
In a world increasingly dominated by high stakes public examinations, boys sometimes struggle to see the point of subjects which do not result in a qualification. Whilst A level results are the most important measurable academic outcome of Sixth Form life, the breadth of education to which the CEP contributes is also tremendously important. In different ways, all CEP subjects promote and develop independent learning and the kind of study skills that are needed to flourish at university. They are an opportunity for boys to try something new that will broaden their horizons and make them a more interesting person as a result!
The wide range of options available should, hopefully, allow all boys to choose options that they will enjoy and that will enrich their academic life in the Sixth Form.
K A Mosedale Head of Curriculum Extension kam@radley.org.uk
THE SIXTH FORM CURRICULUM
In the 6.1 year all boys have five pillars to their academic life as shown in the diagram below:
The majority of boys will follow Route 1 and take two CEP options.
Boys who choose Further Maths will follow Route 2 and only choose one CEP option.
Many boys start the Sixth Form having chosen four A levels - following Route 3 - with a view to dropping one A level in the first few weeks of term. Those who do drop an A level will choose a second CEP option just before the first exeat weekend of the Michaelmas term. Those who continue with four A levels beyond the Michaelmas Weekend will be expected to continue with all four for the remainder of the term. If they drop to three A levels for the Lent or Summer term, they will pick a second CEP option at that point.
CEP OPTIONS FOR 2025/26
The proposed CEP options for the academic year starting in September 2025 are shown below, along with a short description of each. For timetabling reasons, some are not available to boys studying Further Maths. Art AS also counts as two CEP options so boys who opt for it do not take a second CEP option. Some options require a minimum number of boys before they can run, and CEP options may also need to be reassessed if insurmountable timetabling complications arise.
CEP Blocking
The CEP is timetabled in two blocks. In each block, some options are taken for all three terms of 6.1. Others offer the opportunity to change to a different option at the end of the term, although boys will be able to continue with the same option if they wish.
Y block – All boys will choose a CEP option in this block. The choice will be made in the Lent term of the Fifth Form. Options can be changed subsequently, subject to there being space in groups once the timetable has been written.
X block – Boys taking three A levels will choose an option in this block. Most will be chosen after the first two weeks of the Michaelmas term and start after the long weekend towards the end of September. For planning purposes and because they involve people or organisations beyond Radley, boys planning to choose the mini-MBA or LAMDA acting will be asked to indicate this when they choose their Y block option in the Lent term of the Fifth Form.
ACTING ( LAMDA )
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) exams are practical exams where boys perform a selection of duologues from theatre or film. They are also questioned on the wider context and preparation of the pieces. Prior to the exam (early in the Summer term) there is an evening showcase event in the studio theatre.
It cannot be stressed strongly enough that this is NOT just for those who already have experience of acting. Some of the boys who have gained most from the qualification had never acted before, but LAMDA is a wonderful opportunity to improve speaking skills, understand and improve body language and develop self-confidence. For boys with a heavy academic schedule, it can also be a welcome change of pace and a completely different challenge.
In timetabled lessons, all boys will work in groups with a member of the drama department, but one session per week is timetabled with an experienced external LAMDA coach. These sessions are billed at £20 per session and the total cost over the year (including exam entry fees), is around £400.
ART
The Art AS course is a wonderful way for boys to develop their creativity if the full A level doesn’t fit in with their other subject choices. Because it leads to an AS qualification and is done over one year, it is timetabled for 8 lessons per fortnight. Boys who opt for it do not take a second CEP option.
Different themes are used to stimulate ideas and boys then can choose from a wide variety of artistic media for their final pieces. Exam results from boys in previous years have been excellent and the support from the Art department is outstanding. Boys can choose this option even if they did not study Art for GCSE.
Art can also be taken in only one CEP block as an option called Art & Creativity, but this will not lead to an AS qualification. Instead, the focus will be on developing creativity and producing pieces of work for an end of year exhibition.
BIOLOGY/CHEMISTRY/PHYSICS RESEARCH
This option is only suitable for boys studying A level Biology/Chemistry/Physics.
In these CEP options, boys undertake projects that develop both their understanding of concepts and their practical skills. Physics projects include astrophysics or particle physics research. Biology projects are ecology based, and most involve work to understand and develop the biodiversity of the Radley campus. Some boys may work on projects with the Institute for Research in Schools. When experiments require extended periods of time, boys also work in the Science department after games on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
CREATIVE WRITING
Compelling communication - from applications, to articles, to arguments - is always a form of storytelling. This is a chance to develop your creative writing skills not as a way to score well in an exam, but as a craft: personal, genuine, and practical. Required to sign up: enjoyment of stories and characters; imagination, opinions, and ideas of your own; and the willingness to repeatedly put quite a lot of words onto a page. Not required: experience with creative writing, or fondness for GCSE English. Students who already write stories, scripts, or poems as a hobby are especially encouraged to take this CEP, but enthusiastic newcomers to creative writing are also welcome. Expect to be challenged, to have fun, and to come out with greater writing confidence and sharpened practical skills.
DESIGN ENGINEERING ADVANCED CAD & RAPID PROTOTYPING
Boys do not have to study A level Design Technology to take this CEP option but, if they are, it will further develop and enhance their skills. For boys not taking A level Design Technology but thinking about studying Engineering at university, it will be a valuable way to demonstrate their interest in the subject. The focus will be on developing advanced CAD skills and generating designs that can be 3D printed to allow rapid prototyping to inform the design process.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
An increasing number of Radleians are starting their own companies and this CEP option gives boys the chance to develop some of the skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur. After an initial skills development package based around a lecture programme and planning exercise, the remainder of the time is spent developing business ideas and starting a business as part of the Tycoon Enterprise competition.
EXTENDED PROJECT QUALIFICATION ( EPQ )
The EPQ is an independent research project which involves:
• Writing a dissertation of at least 5000 words on any suitable subject
• Creating an artefact, which might be anything from an art object to an app or a screenplay (with supporting evidence of planning and the creative process in action), or
• Staging a play or musical performance (with supporting evidence of planning and the creative process in action)
It is a significant piece of work that is recognised by UCAS, and some universities make lower offers to students with at least an ‘A’ grade in the EPQ. It will take about 80 hours of work to complete an EPQ and a significant amount of time outside lessons and in the holidays will be needed for a top grade project. For boys with genuine academic curiosity, it is a wonderful opportunity to become an expert in a field that interests them and to produce a significant piece of academic work. Boys who have not completed the project in the 6.1 year will continue to have lessons in 6.2 until the project is complete, unless they decide not to include it on their UCAS form and withdraw from the exam board submission.
FILM STUDIES/EUROPEAN CINEMA
Most boys watch a lot of films, but their knowledge and understanding of the history of film and the visual literacy aspects of cinema are often less well developed or even completely absent. This option aims to remedy that by offering boys the opportunity to watch, analyse, discuss and write
intelligently about the films that are studied.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
This course offers an introduction to International Relations through a variety of themes and case studies. These are explored and discussed in class and reading materials are provided to allow exploration of subjects in greater depth. Boys are expected to give short presentations as part of the course and some written assignments are also set.
LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS
This option is intended for those who are considering a degree in modern languages or linguistics as well as anyone who is keen to explore the field. During the first term, you will have the opportunity to start learning a new language such as Italian or Portuguese from scratch, doing so at a brisk pace and with a high level of independence. You will then be introduced to a range of linguistic theories (eg determinism versus relativism, descriptive versus proscriptive grammar, first and second language acquisition) as well as the most important principles of phonology and phonics. Reading, presentations and seminars on sociolinguistics will cover power, ideology, slang, status and issues of gender. Finally, in the summer term there will be time to prepare for Modern Language Admissions Tests (MLATs) – which typically assess grammatical knowledge and translation skills into and out of the respective target language – or a more general language aptitude test (LAT).
LITERARY STUDIES/ENGLISH LITERATURE ENRICHMENT
This option is open to all boys with an interest in literature. For those taking the English Literature A level, it will add depth and breadth to those studies, which is particularly important for those planning to study degrees with a literature component. For everyone, it will offer an opportunity to think critically and find enjoyment in debating and discussing literature in all its forms. In the Summer term, some time will be spent preparing for the Oxford English Language Aptitude Test (ELAT), where relevant.
MEDIEVAL HISTORY
Medieval History will be taught by the Chaplain and is based on a course (The Early Medieval World) that he taught as an academic at Cambridge University. It will broadly cover the history and culture of early medieval Europe from the fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest (476-1066) but mainly focus on the eighth and ninth centuries. There will be some lecture-style lessons but most of the classes will be discussions of key texts such as Beowulf and some Norse sagas. Whilst obviously of interest to any boy thinking of studying History at university, it would also be ideal for anyone thinking of studying a humanities subject. Owing to the nature of early medieval studies, this CEP option will touch on material and concepts from classics, English, theology, politics, French, German, and social anthropology and even early medieval economics. In the summer term, some time will be spent preparing Oxbridge candidates for the Oxford History Aptitude Test.
This option will be available to 6.1 boys in the Lent and Summer terms. The focus will be on preparing for the Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) and other university maths aptitude tests, where appropriate.
MINI - MBA
Radley has partnered with the world renowned Hult Ashridge business school to develop a miniMBA course that has now been running for six years. It is taught by Radley dons using material developed by Hult Ashridge on their online learning platform and offers an excellent introduction to the world of business. The Michaelmas term is all about personality types, self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses, building effective teams and leadership. After the soft skills of the Michaelmas term (including a psychometric test and seminar delivered by Ashridge personnel), the Lent and Summer terms focus on the basics of financial management, accountancy and understanding balance sheets, marketing and strategy.
The mini-MBA attracts an additional cost of £1500 which is billed in three termly instalments. This covers the Hult Ashridge costs and Radley does not make a profit from running the course.
MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
The Music Technology option can work for boys with considerable musical experience or for those starting from scratch. Boys will be taught and guided so that they are able to create musical pieces using the considerable technological resources of the Music department. These can be pieces for a group with which the boys already play, or they can be standalone compositions. There is a concert to showcase the work of boys taking this CEP option towards the end of the academic year.
PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy, the ‘love of wisdom’, is a fascinating and exciting subject which enables students to wrestle with the greatest questions known to mankind. The aim of the CEP Philosophy course is to introduce a number of different philosophical traditions and encourage thoughtful reflection on what it is to be human. Wider reading around the subject will be very much encouraged. In the Summer term, some time will be used to prepare students applying for PPE at Oxford for the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA).
PUBLIC SPEAKING
The ability to speak confidently in public is a vital skill that is required in virtually every career and it is one that many boys do not get much chance to practise whilst at Radley. This course will develop public speaking skills leading to a grade 8 LAMDA Speaking in Public qualification. To achieve this qualification, boys will have to:
• Deliver a 4-minute speech on a subject of their choosing (without visual aids)
• Deliver a 4-minute speech on a subject of their choosing (with visual aids)
• Deliver an impromptu speech on one of three topics presented at the start of the exam. Fifteen minutes is then allowed for preparation after which a three-minute speech is delivered (without visual aids)
ROBOTICS AND CODING
This CEP option will allow boys to participate in Vex Robotics, a competitive robotics pursuit in which teams design, build and operate robots to play a game on a 12ft square pitch. This game is changed each year. In a short, intense match, the robots compete as an alliance with one other team, against an alliance of two opposition teams, to score points. The alliances change through a competition and score averages through a competition day seed teams towards a final round. The matches have elements of autonomous coded operation as well as human control. There are therefore outlets for design, mechanical engineering, coding and collaboration. The competition season runs from the end of the preceding World Championships in the early Summer, but competitions do not generally start until late in the Autumn and run through Spring. The season builds through regional competitions which are a route to the national finals, in turn leading to the world championships where competitors from across the globe compete. In 2024 and 2025, Radley teams competed at the UK National finals and performed well enough to qualify for the world championships in Dallas.
