A Level Courses
Art and design technology
Art: fine
If you have enjoyed studying art at GCSE level and want to extend your skills, this is the course for you! You will explore working with a broad range of media, including traditional and new media and technologies.
Art & design: photography
Photography is a way of exploring, recording and analysing the visual world. Photography is a practical course that requires students to demonstrate independence and initiative.
Art & design: textiles
You should take textiles if you wish to develop your interest of, and enjoyment in, the subject. As an endorsement of art and design the course encourages creativity, experimentation and the realisation of ideas and investigations.
Design & technology: product design (3D design)
Design and technology offers you the opportunity to gain personal satisfaction and a positive experience in design and manufacture. You will study product design and designer influences and undertake projects that allow you to explore materials to design and manufacture quality products.
Food Technology
If you have a strong passion for food and creating innovative, interesting food products you should consider this course.
Business
Business studies
This course will get you started in business and give you the skills and knowledge to progress to higher education.
Economics
Economic issues are all around us and we all make economic decisions every day. The course will help you understand how the economy works and how it shapes our lives. In addition, it will improve your understanding of current affairs and give you the tools to make sense of the most pressing issues of our time.
English and media
English language
Our language is at the heart of so much of that we do: talking, thinking, reading and writing. A close study of language will encourage you to think deeply about yourself, about relationships with others, and about the way the world around you is constructed through spoken and written texts.
English language & literature
The study of English language and literature together allows you to develop your interest in both as interconnecting and mutually supportive disciplines. The course encourages you to develop into an independent, confident and reflective reader.
English literature
Close reading of a variety of literary texts will encourage you to think deeply about yourself, your relationships with others and the way the world about you has developed and changed. This highly respected A level shows you can communicate well and think clearly.
Film studies
If you have a passion for films and really want to understand how they create meaning for an audience then this is the course for you.
Media studies
Studying the media means you will start to look differently at the culturally shared products of our everyday lives. It involves analysing and producing media products, which will allow you to think more deeply about the world around you.
Health and sport
Physical education
This course is valuable to anyone with a passion for sport and the factors that affect sports participation and performance. It is suitable for anyone interested in a career in the leisure industry and the perfect qualification for anyone considering a sport-based course in further education.
Humanities
Ancient history
Ancient history offers you the opportunity of acquiring the skills of a historian through the study of documents and other sources relating to ancient Greece, ancient Rome and, at A2, ancient Persia.
Classical civilisation
If you are interested in Greek history and culture you should consider this course. Greek ideas, flowering through contact with the East and North Africa, have played a major part in shaping Europe and the West.
Geography
An understanding of the causes and solutions to all of the major challenges facing the world today can be found through the study of geography. Being informed is crucial if you are going to be able to contribute to the debate about the future of our unique planet.
History: 20th century
The twentieth century options look into the collapse of monarchy and its replacement by new representative systems. You will look at the growth and collapse of socialist Russia. You will learn about and understand some of the dominant ideas in politics today.
Philosophy & ethics (religious studies)
If you are interested in philosophical and ethical questions and want to enhance your moral, cultural and spiritual education, as well as your communication skills, this subject is for you.
ICT and computing
Computing
You should choose this course if you want to learn computer programming and further your understanding of how computers work. You are likely to have aspirations to study computer science at university or to enter employment within the IT sector.
ICT
In today’s world where ICT is constantly changing, individuals will increasingly need technological and information literacy skills that include the ability to gather, process and manipulate data. This course is for you if you want to understand these technologies for the benefit of individuals and organisations.
Mathematics and science
Biology
This course will enable you to explore both the frailties and the wonders of living organisms and the environments and ecosystems they occupy.
Chemistry
Chemistry lies at the heart of everything: from research into new pharmaceuticals, to the development of cleaner energy and the creation of a sustainable environment. This course will enable you to understand more about the physical and chemical properties of materials around you.
Further Mathematics
This course broadens the range of mathematical studies available to study and for some elements (pure mathematics and mechanics) there is also greater depth. It is excellent preparation if you are interested in studying a degree with a high mathematical content or if you are simply wishing to develop further your capability in mathematics.
Mathematics
If you have a clear and logical mind and enjoy the challenge of working throughproblems and calculations you should study mathematics. You will extend your range of mathematical skills and techniques and these are then applied to mathematical models and ‘real world’ problems.
Physics
A level physics is an impressive qualification for entry into almost any career or university course e.g. engineering, medical courses, veterinary medicine, teaching, scientific research and computing.
Modern foreign languages
French
French is a major European language and France is Britain’s closest neighbour, with strong cultural and commercial links. French combines well with either arts or science subjects.
German
German is a major European language and Britain has important commercial and financial links with Germany, a country which is playing a leading role in the European Union. German combines well with either arts or science subjects.
Spanish
As the third most spoken language in the world, Spanish offers many opportunities. If you enjoy Spanish and Latin American culture, are good at languages, may want to live abroad and have better career prospects, Spanish should be one of your choices.
Performing arts
Dance
This course will focus on the development of your own solo and group choreography and performing within a solo and duet or trio. You will receive training on practical and choreographic technique and the health and safety of a dancer to support and enhance all performance work.
Drama & theatre studies
The course combines exploring plays, creating theatre, the performing of plays, the analysis of theatre and the critical evaluation of all these elements.
Music
This course provides an excellent basis for lifelong learning and for higher educationcourses in music. You will experience all three main musical disciplines of performing, composing, and listening and understanding.
Music technology
If you are a musician whose primary interest lies in popular music then this course will provide you with a range of music technology and musical skills, developing your composition technique through the use of technology and your wider awareness of popular music.
Social sciences
Government & politics
Who gets what, when, where, how and why is the business of government and politics. As well as being exciting to study and stretching you intellectually, it will increase your understanding of how we are governed.
Psychology
This subject offers the chance to try to understand ourselves as people in the modern world and provides an opportunity to reflect on and consider human behaviour and the workings of the human mind.
Sociology
If you are interested in studying an exciting, lively and relevant subject, which encourages you to question some of the ways that society is organised, then sociology is certainly for you.
Core programme
Critical thinking
AS level critical thinking is all about the construction of logical arguments – it helps to develop your higher order thinking skills. Critical thinking is not a debating and discussion class – it looks at the more technical aspects of logic in arguments and the process of drawing conclusions from evidence.
Extended project
The extended project gives you the opportunity to be in control of your own studies to a greater extent than a standard AS level. You can choose to explore a further aspect of a subject you’re studying, or another subject, or simply choose a topic that you have a personal interest in.