Core Subjects

English, with its core skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening, is the foundation of learning. Students enjoy the subject for a number of reasons. The freedom granted to the exploration of classic and contemporary literature and literary non-fiction allows students unique opportunities to analyse and discover original interpretations of texts and concepts. Through creative writing, where students engage with their imagination, we explore different ways to construct sentences and shape the thoughts and feelings of readers. With the spoken language element of the course, students enjoy considering real-life scenarios and enjoy flexing their debating and discussion skills, sharing ideas and collaborating with their peers.

Students will use English in all aspects of their studies and working life, beyond GCSE. The IB Language and Literature course is a perfect transition to Level Three at Sixth Form. Within the IB course students will develop their understanding of writer’s viewpoints and travel back through literary history to explore how texts are shaped by context. In addition to English at Level Three, students can study Humanities subjects, such as History and Geography, as well as Social Science subjects like Sociology, Psychology and Criminology.  Performing Arts subjects also link well to English as they encourage similar levels of creativity and flair.

English Literature is an exciting subject to study, in part, due to its focus on developing the thoughts and opinions that students form when reading texts. It is also engaging for students because they can fully immerse themselves in a whole novel or play, deepening the level of exploration that you might achieve with a short extract. Another aspect of the course that students enjoy is the focus on academic writing skills which encourages them to consider how to approach and present clear and developed arguments and evaluations of texts.

Students will use English Literature in subjects where analysis and evaluation are central skills. Courses such as psychology, sociology, criminology, drama and History.  Further studies in English Literature at degree level is also an option. Literature can also take you into the world of work, with jobs such as journalism, editing, publishing and university lecturing all possible occupations.

Through the tasks and examinations undertaken, students gain the confidence and competence they need to apply mathematical concepts flexibly to solve problems and they recognise the importance of mathematics in our lives and society.

Students are able to use and apply standard techniques to accurately recall facts, terminology and definitions, use and interpret notation correctly, and accurately carry out routine procedures or set tasks requiring multi-step solutions.

Students’ ability to reason, interpret and communicate mathematically vastly improve. By the end of the course, they are able to make deductions and inferences and draw conclusions from mathematical information. They know how to construct chains of reasoning to achieve a given result and how to interpret and communicate information accurately when presenting arguments and proofs. Students are also able to assess the validity of an argument and critically evaluate a given way of presenting information.

Finally, students are able to solve problems within mathematics and in other contexts. Translating problems in mathematical or non-mathematical contexts into a process or a series of mathematical processes is a key skill in a range of areas. Making and using connections between the different parts of mathematics and interpreting results in the context of the given problem allows students to apply their skills to problems they’ll encounter in their future career or day-to-day life.

These valuable logical thinking and problem-solving skills can be applied to any number of scenarios, making them extremely desirable and valued by employers in all industries.

Students will use Mathematics in all aspects of their studies and working life, beyond GCSE. 

The IB Applications and Interpretations course is a perfect transition to Level Three at Sixth Form. This course emphasises the applied nature of the subject and is designed for students who wish to understand how mathematics relates to the real world and to other subjects. This course is suitable for students who may go on to further study in subjects that utilise mathematics in this way such as social sciences, natural sciences, statistics, business, psychology or design. 

In addition to the IB Applications and Interpretations course students can choose from the following qualifications:

• Core Maths is a new Level 3 qualification which develops the mathematical skills gained at GCSE. It focuses on using and applying maths to solve problems drawn from other subjects, work and real life. The Core Maths course includes new content such as statistics, financial maths and using algebra. Core Maths helps with the maths needed for a broad range of other subjects.
• AS or A level Mathematics supports the study of a wide range of other AS/A level subjects. Physics, chemistry and biology rely on good algebraic and graphical skills, statistical techniques and the use of a range of functions including logarithms and trigonometry. In addition, economics, psychology, business, computing and geography all benefit from students having fluent and confident numerical, algebraic, graphical and statistical skills. 
• Further Mathematics provides a great opportunity for enthusiastic mathematicians to broaden and deepen their subject knowledge. If you plan to apply for a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) degree you should consider taking Further Mathematics to at least AS level. Further Mathematics is also a fantastic qualification for those students who love maths and want to devote more time to studying wider aspects of the subject.

Science is a practical subject that allows students to inquire and question the world in which they live through the specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.  Science tries to explain the natural phenomena students see on a daily basis. Science has changed our lives, is key to the world’s future prosperity, and this course covers all the essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science in the real world.

As a core subject that allows students to use their creativity and imagination to solve real life issues,  science allows students to apply their mathematical skills for scientific applications. 

Additionally, students are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about the natural world. They are encouraged to use their scientific knowledge to explain what occurs in the world, predicting how things will behave, and analysing the causes and consequences of this.

On completing this course students are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and in the future. They therefore have a wide range of options for further study.  This course will allow students to access vocational and academic courses at Sixth Form, including: BTEC Applied Science, IB Biology, IB Chemistry, IB Physics, and A level Sciences. All of these courses allow you to study sciences at university and at a higher apprenticeship level. This would then open the door to a number of careers including: medicine, ecology, pharmaceuticals, engineering, carpentry, architecture, product design, management, finance, marketing and IT. 

Importantly, the study of science complements the analytical and thinking skills that students develop in taking arts based subjects like English Literature, History, Sociology and/or Geography.