Year 13 Curriculum

Autumn Term

Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

This is an externally assessed unit. It will involve a three hour practical session where students follow a planned investigation. This unit also has a 90-minute exam where the students will use there practical results to answer a series of questions, they will also be expected to plan a short investigation. This assessment will take place in January or April in Year 13. This unit is worth a third of the overall grade.

Unit 8: Physiology of Human Body Systems

This is an internally assessed unit. It consists of three assignments. This assignments in this unit are related to the impact of disorders of the musculoskeletal system, the physiology of the lymphatic system and the physiology of the digestive system. This unit is worth a sixth of the overall grade for the course.

Spring Term

Students continue to work on Units 3 and 8, with opportunities to sit Unit 3 in January and March.

Summer Term

Students will complete Unit 8 and prepare for a re-sit of Unit 1 if necessary.

Autumn Term

With one teacher, students will be studying the carbon and nitrogen cycles. They will then move onto inheritance, looking at genetic crosses and how to calculate allele and genotype frequencies using Hardy-Weinberg. They will complete Unit 4 by investigating natural selection and speciation.

With their other teacher, students will be learning about respiration and photosynthesis as biochemical pathways and processes; this includes the role of ATP.

Students should begin Unit 5 in December where they will study protein synthesis and the nervous system.

During lectures, students will continue to develop their assessment skills which includes preparation for essay writing (terminal exam) and statistical tests for the ISA.

Assessment – Unit 4 mock in November.

Autumn – Spring Term

Unit 3 Personal and Business Finance

Learners study the purpose and importance of personal and business finance. They will develop the skills and knowledge needed to understand, analyse and prepare financial information. Personal finance involves the understanding of why money is important and how managing your money can help prevent future financial difficulties. This unit will also give students an insight into where you can get financial advice and support. The business finance aspects of the unit introduce students to accounting terminology, the purpose and importance of business accounts and the different sources of finance available to businesses. Planning tools, such as cash flow forecasts and break-even, will be prepared and analysed. Measuring the financial performance of a business will require you to prepare and analyse statements of comprehensive income and statements of financial position.

Assessment: This unit is assessed by a written examination set by Pearson. The examination will be two hours in length. The number of marks for the examination is 100. (Section A contains questions on the personal finance unit content and approximately one-third of the marks, and Section B contains questions on the business finance unit content and approximately two-thirds of the marks).

Unit 14 Investigating Customer Service

Learners will study how excellent customer service contributes to business success. The unit gives learners the opportunity to develop their customer service skills. In this unit students will learn that attracting new customers costs a business more than keeping existing customers, so it is important to keep existing customers happy. They will investigate how a business can do this by building relationships with internal and external customers and giving them excellent service that exceeds their needs and expectations.

Assessment: This unit is assessed by two unit assignments and marked internally.

Autumn Term

The Chemical Industry (CI)

The storyline opens with a look at crop production and the nitrogen cycle, which leads into consolidation of redox concepts from the first year and introduces nitrogen chemistry. The industrial production of nitric acid and sulfuric acid – both used in the fertiliser industry – then form the context for developing understanding of rates, including determination of rate equations and equilibria, consolidating Kc and the introduction of how to determine units. These ideas are finally drawn together by looking at the industrial production of ethanoic acid. Overall, the three industrial processes allow for an overview of the effects of factors on the rate and equilibrium yields of reactions, leading to a consideration of the best conditions for an industrial process. The processes also allow learners to look at the costs of an industrial process, including hazards and the effect of these processes on society.

The chemical ideas in this module are:

• Aspects of nitrogen chemistry
• Kinetics
• Equilibrium and equilibrium constant calculations
• Effects of factors on the rate and equilibrium yields of reactions; consideration of the best conditions for an industrial process
• Analysis of costs, benefits and risks of industrial processes

Polymers and Life (PL)

The storyline begins with the uses of condensation polymers such as nylons and polyesters, introducing the chemistry of carboxylic acids, phenols, esters, amines and amides, as well as naming of other organic groups. Surgical stitches that ‘disappear’ in the body then form the context for discussing hydrolysis of polymers. The storyline then turns to the chemistry of proteins. Amino acid chemistry, optical isomerism and the structure of proteins are introduced in relation to the structure of insulin. The storyline then moves to testing for glucose in urine as a basis for introducing enzyme catalysis. Various examples of medicines that work as enzyme inhibitors are then used to discuss molecular recognition. The storyline continues with the development of models of the DNA and RNA structures and a description of the Human Genome project. Finally, aspirin – discussed in WM – is revisited as the context for a more detailed discussion of mass spectrometry, as well as introduction of proton and carbon-13 NMR and the use of combined techniques in structural analysis.

The chemical ideas in this module are:

• Condensation polymers
• Organic functional groups
• Amines and amides
• Acid–base equilibria
• Amino acid and protein chemistry
• Optical isomerism
• Enzyme catalysis and molecular recognition
• The structure and function of DNA and RNA
• Structural analysis

Developing Metals (DM)

The storyline begins with metals in ancient times and their subsequent use in coinage and weaponry, moving on to modern uses of metals including dental alloys. Transition metals and their properties are introduced in this context. The storyline continues with redox chemistry and electrochemical cells, studied in the context of cells from Volta through modern-day usage of cells to electrochemistry in the mouth. Finally, the topic of pigments leads into discussion of transition metal chemistry and complexes. The storyline ends with a review of biologically important complexes such as haemoglobin and cis-platin and the role of metals as catalysts in car exhaust systems.

The chemical ideas in this module are:

• Redox titrations
• Cells and electrode potentials
• D-block chemistry
• Colorimetry

Spring Term

Oceans (O)

The storyline begins by looking at how the oceans have been and are surveyed, and what we know about their composition. This leads into a discussion of the solution of ionic solids, focusing on the energy changes involved. A study of the role of the oceans in redistributing energy from the Sun next forms the context for introducing the greenhouse effect. The absorption of CO2 by the oceans also provides the basis for introduction of acid–base equilibria, including Brønsted–Lowry theory, pH calculations, strong and weak acids, and buffers. The role of calcium carbonate in seashells as a carbon store then leads into understanding of solubility products. Finally, the storyline returns to the redistribution of energy by the oceans, forming the basis of an in-depth discussion of ideas relating to entropy.

The chemical ideas in this module are:

• Dissolving and associated enthalpy changes
• The greenhouse effect
• Acid–base equilibria and pH
• Solubility products
• Entropy

Colour by Design (CD)

A study of dyes and dyeing and the use of chemistry to provide colour to order. The storyline begins by looking at biological pigments, such as found in carrots, to examine the origins of colour in delocalised systems in organic molecules. This discussion moves into the structure of benzene, where the storyline touches on how scientific ideas develop. The storyline then moves on to synthetic dyes, including picric acid, chrysodin and mauveine. The concepts explored in this context includes electrophilic substitution reactions of benzene, and formation of diazonium compounds. At this point, the storyline also takes a look at the overall structure of dye molecules and how dyes attach themselves to fibres. Food dyes and food testing then form the context for studying the structure of fats and oils and the principles of gas–liquid chromatography. The storyline ends with reactions of carbonyl compounds, and case studies to illustrate the synthesis of organic molecules.

The chemical ideas in this module are:

• The chemical origins of colour in organic compounds
• Aromatic compounds and their reactions
• Dyes and dyeing
• Diazonium compounds
• Fats and oils
• Gas–liquid chromatography
• Carbonyl compounds and their reactions
• Organic synthesis and polyfunctional compounds

Summer Term

Revision and Review

Autumn Term

Half Term 1 (September – October)

Virgil’s Aeneid Books 2 – 4: analysis and study.

• The fall of Troy and Aeneas as a hero.
• The tragedy of Dido and suffering of man. How far is Aeneas responsible for Dido’s death?
• Roman History: Overview of the Emperors and their reigns from Augustus to Domitian.
• Tacitus and Suetonius as sources: history and biography as genre.

Half Term 2 (November – December)

Aeneid Books 5-8: The pursuit of Rome.

• How far does Aeneas’ visit to the Underworld where he sees the vision of the future greatness of Rome spur him on to accept his mission and quest?
• The shield of Aeneas and a comparison with the shield of Achilles.
• Roman history: Structure of Roman society. The emperors’ relationships with the senate, equites, freedmen and plebs. To what extent does the evidence help us to understand how emperors gained and maintained the support of the various classes in Rome?

Spring Term

Half Term 3 (January – February)

Aeneid Books 9-12: Duels and Death. ‘There are tears for the suffering of all’.

• How successful is the ending of the Aeneid? How effectively does Virgil portray the sense of loss in war? To what extent does Aeneas act with the qualities of ‘piety’ and ‘clemency’? Is Aeneas a model Roman hero?
• Roman History: The administration of the city of Rome. How consistent were the emperors in their policies during the period relating to water supply, policing, fire-fighting, management of the grain supply and housing regulation? How well organised was the city and did living conditions improve in the course of the 1st Century AD?
• ‘Bread and circuses’: is this all that mattered to the people of Rome?

Half Term 4 (March – April)

Homer’s Iliad: a study and analysis of Books 6, 18, 22 and 24.

• The portrayal of women in Homer and Virgil: wives and mothers.
• A comparison of similes and characterisation in Homer and Virgil.
• The importance of the father/son relationship.
• Fate, Jupiter and the gods.
• Roman history: Buildings and religion in the city of Rome. How far were building projects designed to benefit the people of Rome, or were they merely an act of self-indulgence and self-interest on the part of the emperors?
• How far did the 1st century AD witness a development in religion, with Eastern mystery religions becoming more popular and being promoted by the emperors? What evidence is there to suggest that the emperors were intolerant of certain religions?

Summer Term

Half Term 5 (April – May)

Preparation for exams

Brief summary of the course:

To complete the Extended Certificate, students complete two units in addition to the units completed in Year 12.

• Unit 8: Responding to a Commission. 
• Unit 10: Film Production – Fiction

Autumn Term

Unit 08: Responding to a Commission

• Course Introduction
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media production processes and related considerations when responding to a brief
• Apply knowledge and understanding of media production processes in context, demonstrating how constraints affect decisions and the ability to adapt to changes in requirements
• Analyse and interpret information related to purpose, technical and logistical requirements of the brief and evaluate solutions for implementation with appropriate justification
• Be able to respond creatively to a brief demonstrating the ability to synthesise a range of ideas

Spring/Summer Term

Unit 10: Film Production – Fiction

• Understand codes and conventions of fictional film production
• Produce material for a fictional film of a specified genre
• Apply post-production techniques to a fictional film utilising codes and conventions of a specified genre

Summer Term (Start of Year 13)

Half Term 1 (June to July)

Component 1: Principles of design and technology

The students will undertake a practical-based exercise where they develop their knowledge of digital technology including the advantages and disadvantages of computer aided manufacturing machines and the safe and accurate operation of computer-aided design and manufacture.

The students will study the effects of technological developments covering current and historical developments and the features of manufacturing industries.

Component 2: Independent design and make project (Identifying and outlining possibilities for design)

The students start the non-examined assessment unit (previously referred to as coursework). Each student will identify his or her own context where designing solves a problem. The students analyse their chosen design context to identify the potential user groups and assess their needs. The students will conduct detailed research into relevant existing products, materials and other information to help inform their design work. Students should work closely with a client to reflect how a professional designer would work. Finally, the students will write a design problem, design brief and a design specification for their chosen product.

Coursework Deadline this H/T: All sections up to and including the design specification.

Autumn Term

Half Term 2 (September to October)

Component 1. Principles of design and technology

Students will investigate current legislation concerning consumer rights and the Sales of Goods Act.

They will gain a working knowledge of health and safety regulations associated with the manufacturing industry that ensure the safety of employees and their rights.

They will review the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and all relevant aspects of PPE, signage, warnings symbols and training requirements.

Students will also gain an understanding of COSHH regulations and volatile organic compounds.

Component 2: Independent design and make project (Designing a prototype)

The students use their findings from their research to produce a range of design ideas that meet the specification and the user’s needs. It is important that students work closely with their client to gain feedback on the designs they produce. Students will use a range of drawing techniques to present their ideas. The students may conduct further relevant research. Finally, students will start to develop a chosen design idea or elements of their design ideas into a final design proposal.

Coursework Deadline this H/T: Design ideas and design idea review

Half Term 3 (November to December)

Component 1. Principles of design and technology

Students will explore the collection and analysis of raw data and use of information to make informed decisions in marketing. This will lead in to associate topics of innovation management and cooperation between management, designers and production engineers.

The students will then study the use of feasibility studies for the manufacture of proposed design solutions. Students model the costings of projects, study financial forecasting and its implications on employees, materials, scale of production and the selection of appropriate tools, machines and manufacturing processes.

Students will develop an understanding of the various means of protecting intellectual property through patents, copyrights and trademarking legislations.

Component 2. Independent design and make project (Designing a prototype)

The students continue to develop their chosen design into final prototype. Students are encouraged to take an iterative approach to designing by modelling and testing to continually improve their design through a process of identifying and eliminating problems and weaknesses in their work. We expect students to have regular contact with a client or user in order to gain useable feedback about their design work and inform the decisions they need to make. The designing section of the project concludes by planning the manufacture and materials requirements for the project.

Coursework Deadline this H/T: Designing development section completed and materials requirements finalised.

Spring Term

Half Term 4 (January to February)

Component 1: Principles of design and technology

Students will investigate the influence of a “systems” approach on commercial activity to enable all elements of a manufacturing environment to work together. Students will understand the creation of waste and pollution and how it can be eliminated.

The students will also study the applications, characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the following project management strategies:

Critical path analysis – the handling of complex and time sensitive operations

Scrum – how flexible, holistic product development cab be achieved

Six Sigma – the improvement of output quality of a process by identifying and removing the causes of defects and setting value targets of reduced process cycle time, reduced pollution and increased customer satisfaction. Students research the cost, sales, profit and market implications to the designer and manufacturer of the stages of a product’s life cycle, including:

• Introduction Stage
• Growth Stage
• Maturity Stage
• Decline Stage

Component 2: Non-examined assessment (Making a final prototype)

Students dedicate this term to the manufacture and realisation of the final prototype. Students will need to independently select and use suitable tools and equipment and workshop techniques. Practical work needs to be manufactured safely with skill and accuracy. Their final prototype must be fully functioning and meet the design specification.

During this half term, students will sit their mock examination.

Half Term 5 (February to April)

Component 1: Principles of design and technology

Final preparations for the final examination. Revision sessions and exam question practice.

Component 2. Non-examined assessment (Making a final prototype/Evaluating own design and prototype)

Students conclude the manufacture of their prototype. The final section of the non-examined assessment is concerned with the testing and evaluation of the final prototype and the design process. The last task for the non-examined assessment is the compiling and printing of the final design folders ready for sending to the external moderator.

Coursework Deadline this H/T: Final deadline for all sections of the non-examined assessment.

Summer Term

Half Term 6 (April to May)

Component 1: Principles of design and technology

Final preparations for the final examination. Revision sessions and exam question practice.

Autumn Term

Component 2: Performance Exam (20%)

Rehearsals in groups and on individual monologues will continue during lesson time. The teacher will structure this process with regular show-back of rehearsed work, character exploration tasks, improvised acting tasks, etc. Extra rehearsals (at lunchtime and after school) will be strongly recommended throughout this term leading up to the exam. The rooms are available to be booked through the department.

Component 3: Written Exam (40%)

Students will continue to explore and study the set texts Woyzeck by Georg Buchner and Colder Than Here by Laura Wade. This will involve study of the texts, practical exploration, practice questions, quizzes, etc. Students will be expected to complete tasks during lesson time and for homework. Extra revision sessions will take place from half term onwards.

Component 1: Devising (40%)

Students will receive the marked first draft of the portfolio and have the opportunity to improve this work. The final submission will happen before Christmas. This work will then be sent to the exam board for external moderation. The results of this component will be given to students by the exam board in August along with the exam results (Components 2 and 3).

Spring Term

Component 2: Performance Exam (20%)

Students will continue rehearsals and preparations for their performance exam which must take place before the end of March. The visiting examiner will contact us to negotiate a date which will be mutually suitable. We will let you know when this date is at the earliest possible opportunity. Extra rehearsals outside of lesson time (lunchtimes and after school) will continue and are strongly recommended.

Component 3: Written Exam (40%)

We will arrange a theatre visit to enable students to prepare for this element of the written exam (worth a quarter of the marks). Class time will be allocated to the evaluation of the production, practice questions and exam technique.

Students will complete a full mock exam which will assess their ability to evaluate live theatre, and their understanding of the set texts, Woyzeck by Georg Buchner and Colder Than Here by Laura Wade. Preparation work will continue in class and during revision sessions. This will include practice questions, practical and written exploration, short quizzes and tests.

Summer Term

Component 3: Written Exam (40%)

Students will complete the final preparations for their component 3 written exam. This will involve revision sessions outside of school.

A Level Economics (Edexcel – 9EC0)

There are two themes studied in Year 13. Both themes are taught by Mr Keay. There is no coursework in Year 13. Three external examinations covering all four Themes from Year 12 and Year 13 (each paper is two hours) are taken at the end of the academic year in Year 13.

Suggested course reading list:

• Edexcel AS/A Level Economics Student Book (Publisher: Pearson) ISBN 9781447990550
• Economic Review magazine (available via school subscription)

Autumn Term

Theme 3: Business Behaviour and the Labour Market

• Business Growth
• Revenue and costs of firms
• Business objectives
• Types of profit
• Economies of scale
• Market structures: perfect competition and monopolistic competition
• Market structures: Oligopoly and Monopoly
• Types of efficiency
• Contestable markets
• Monopsony

Theme 4: A Global Perspective

• Globalisation
• Trading blocs
• Free trade and Trade protectionism
• Balance of payments
• Exchange rates
• Distribution of income
• Poverty
• Measures of economic development
• Constraints on economic development

Internal assessment: w/c 22 October 2018

Spring Term

Theme 3: Business Behaviour and the Labour Market

• Preparation for the mock exam
• Regulation of markets
• Labour markets: wage differentials and determination
• Demand and supply of labour
• Labour market failure
• Review and revision of course
• Exam technique

Theme 4: A Global Perspective

• Preparation for mock exam
• Economic development: growth models
• UK: public expenditure, taxation and public sector finances Macroeconomic policies in a global context
• Review and revision of course
• Exam technique

Internal assessment: w/c 4 February 2019

Summer Term

All Themes 1-4:

• Review and revision of course
• Exam technique

External assessment: June 2019

Autumn Term

This term will students will be working on their coursework unit. They will be continuing to study the texts for their WW1 and its aftermath unit and will learn how to respond to questions on these texts and also begin to practise responses to unseen literature.

Spring Term

Students will prepare/revise for their mock examination at the end of the first half of the spring term, where all units of the course are assessed.

Summer Term

The examination texts will be revised. A more detailed programme for revision will be available just before Easter.

Year two of a two-year linear A Level (AQA GCE Art and Design – Fine Art)

Autumn Term

Students will build on prior knowledge gained in Year 12 and work on a contextual unit of work, researching the work of other artists and designers and art movements. Students must plan and deliver their own self-directed project supported by teachers through one to one tutorials. Students must be self-motivated and explore ideas in a way that makes the project personal to them. They will make visual and written responses in connection with their research and develop their own comprehensive theme from this.

Spring Term

Students will continue to use analytical techniques and apply them when completing a final outcome, which will be supported by a 1000 to 3000-word synopsis (60% of the overall marks).

On 1 February, all students will be issued an exam paper with approximately seven starting points. Students must select one of these and complete preparatory work, ensuring they undertake contextual research, visual research and development work for their final exam (40% of the overall marks).

Summer Term

Students will sit their 15-hour final exam (over three days), they will conclude their assignment from start to finish under exam conditions. Students will hand in their preparatory work at the start of the 15-hour period (they will be allowed to refer to this work during the exam period). Students will then present a final exhibition in early May 2020.

There are two units at A2 level: Spoken Expression & Response (oral examination) and Research, Understanding & Written Response (two essays, one prose translation). There is no coursework.

Unit 3 represents 30% of the total marks and unit 4 represents 70%. Both units are examined in May/June of Year 13.

Autumn Term

• Environmental issues
• Grammar
• Essay-writing focus
• Prose skills
• Research-based essay work
• Foreigners and racism
• Poverty and developing countries

Spring Term

• Crime and punishment
• New technology
• Grammar, essay and prose skills
• Culture, history, literature
• Preparation for oral exam

Summer Term

• Exam practice

Autumn Term

In Year 13 pupils continue the two modules (Further Pure 2 and Mechanics 2) that they started with their teachers after Year 12 exams (one teacher per module). Pupils will do topic tests throughout the term. Pupils will work towards doing full mock papers in the February mocks.

Further Pure 2: Hyperbolics, approximation and errors, polar coordinates, series and integrals.

Mechanics 2: Projectiles, work, energy, power, rigid bodies in equilibrium, centres of mass, impulse and restitution.

Spring Term

Pupils will now move onto Further Pure 3 with both teachers.

Further Pure 3: Vectors, differential equations, group theory, complex numbers

Mechanics 2: Circular motion and impulse and restitution.

Summer Term

This term will be used for revision for all modules.

Autumn Term

Students will continue to be taught by two teachers each focusing on a different exam paper.

• Paper 1 – Topic 5 – The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity
• Paper 2 – Topic 7 – Superpowers

Spring Term

• Paper 1 – The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
• Paper 2 – Topic 8: Global Development and Connections – Migration, Identity and Sovereignty

Students will also prepare for Paper 3 which will involve revisiting the topics covered and focusing on the three synoptic themes covered by the specification:

• Players
• Attitudes and actions
• Futures and uncertainties

The synoptic investigation will be based on a geographical issue within a place-based context that links to the three synoptic themes and is rooted in two or more of the compulsory content areas.

[German content]

Year two of a two-year linear A Level (AQA GCE Art and Design – Graphic Communication)

Autumn Term

Students will start a personal investigation into an area of graphic study to create a contextual project researching the work of other graphic designers, brands and art movements. They will make visual and written responses to their research and develop their own theme from this.

Spring Term

Students will continue to use analytical techniques and apply them when completing a final visual response backed up by a 1000-3000 word essay.

On 1 February 2019 all students will be issued an exam paper with approximately 7 starting points. Students must select one of these and complete preparatory work, ensuring they undertake contextual research, visual research and develop designs for their final exam.

Summer Term

Students will sit their 15-hour final exam in which they will create outcomes for their project in exam conditions. At the end of the final exam period, students will return to their personal investigation project. They must then prepare all work (both exam and coursework) to be hung in the art department summer exhibition in early May 2020.

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Health and Social Care (exam board: Edexcel Pearson)

Autumn – Summer Term

Students will complete two further units of work in Year 13.

Unit 2: Working in Health and Social Care (externally assessed, written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes)

This unit will give students a broad overview of the health and social care sector. The unit will serve as an introduction to working practices in health and social care, and how they are influenced by codes of practice and regulation. As an introductory unit, it has been designed to apply to both the healthcare and social care sectors in order to be relevant to students who have not yet decided to which area they need to progress. The unit covers roles and responsibilities of people who work in the health and social care sector, the role of organisations in the sector, and working with people with specific care and support needs.

Unit 14: Physiological Disorders and their Care (internally assessed)

In this unit students will explore different types of physiological disorders, how they are diagnosed by doctors and the types of appropriate treatment and support that users may encounter.

Autumn Term

The Making of a Superpower: USA, 1865-1975

Crisis of Identity, 1920-1945

• Domestic politics: Harding, Coolidge and Republican conservatism; Hoover and the Depression.
• FD Roosevelt and the New Deals: conflict of ideas over the role of the Federal Government
• The economy: boom to bust and recovery; structural weaknesses and the impact of the New Deals and the Second World War on economic recovery.
• Social and cultural developments: ‘the Jazz Age’ in the 1920s; new social values and the role of women; the failure of prohibition and its significance; social impact of the Depression and the Second World War.
• Social, regional and ethnic divisions: countryside versus city; divisions between North, West and South; African-Americans and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan.
• The USA and international relations: the extent of isolationism; FDR and the end of isolationism and the Second World War.

The Making of Modern Britain, 1951-2007

The Impact of Thatcherism, 1979–1987

• The Thatcher governments: Thatcher as leader, character and ideology; ministers; support and opposition; electoral success; internal Labour divisions and the formation of the SDP; Northern Ireland and the troubles.
• Thatcher’s economic policies and their impact: monetarism; privatisation; deregulation; issues of inflation, unemployment and economic realignment.
• Impact of Thatcherism on society: sale of council houses; miners’ strike and other industrial disputes; poll tax; extra-parliamentary opposition.
• Foreign Affairs: the Falklands; the ‘special relationship’ with USA; moves to end the Cold War; Thatcher as an international figure; attitudes to Europe, including Thatcher’s policies; divisions within the Conservative Party over Europe.

Towards a New Consensus, 1987–1997

• Fall of Thatcher and her legacy; Major as leader; economic developments, including ‘Black Wednesday’ and its impact; political sleaze, scandals and satire; political policies; approach to Northern Ireland; Conservative divisions.
• Realignment of the Labour Party under Kinnock, Smith and Blair; reasons for Labour victory in 1997.
• Social issues: the extent of ‘social liberalism’; anti-establishment culture; the position of women and race-relations.
• Foreign affairs: relations with Europe, including the impact of the Single European Act and Maastricht Treaty; interventions in the Balkans; contribution and attitude to the end of the Cold War.

Spring Term

The Making of a Superpower: USA, 1865-1975

The Superpower, 1945-1975

• Domestic politics: Truman, Eisenhower and post-war reconstruction.
• Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon; New Frontier; the Great Society; Nixon and Republican revival.
• Economic change and developments: the rise of the consumer society and economic boom.
• Ideological, social, regional and ethnic divisions: McCarthyism; civil rights; youth culture; protest and the mass media.
• The USA and international relations: the Cold War and relations with the USSR and China; the Vietnam War.
• The USA by 1975: its place as a Superpower; the limits of social cohesion; new cultural developments, including the role of women and the position of African-Americans.

The Making of Modern Britain, 1951-2007

The Era of New Labour, 1997–2007

• The Labour governments: Blair as leader, character and ideology; constitutional change; domestic policies; Brown and economic policy; Northern Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement.
• The Conservative Party: leaders and reason for divisions; reason for electoral failures in 2001 and 2005.
• Social issues: workers, women and youth; the extent to which Britain had become a multicultural society.
• Foreign affairs: attitudes to Europe; the ‘special relationship’ with USA; military interventions and the ‘war on terror’; Britain’s position in the world by 2007.

Summer Term

The Making of a Superpower: USA, 1865-1975

Overviews of the course will be undertaken by students in class covering the following key questions.

• How did government, political authority and political parties change and develop?
• In what ways did the economy and society of the USA change and develop?
• How did the role of the USA in world affairs change?
• How important were ideas and ideology?
• How united was the USA during this period?
• How important was the role of key individuals and groups and how were they affected by developments?

This will form part of their in class revision programme until the students leave for their study leave.

The Making of Modern Britain, 1951-2007

Overviews of the course will be undertaken by students covering the following key areas:

• Key political, economic, social and international changes which combined to mould Britain in the second half of the 20th century.
• Concepts such as government and opposition, class, social division and cultural change.
• Britain’s changing place in the world as well as the interrelationship between political policies, economic developments and political survival.

This will form part of their in class revision programme until the students leave for their study leave.

BTEC IT (exam board: Edexcel)

Autumn Term

Students will complete the theory unit and prepare for the external exam in January.

Internal Assessment: October, December (mock).

Spring Term

Students will start the final unit of coursework: Website Development. They will learn about the importance of good design and execution, and then go on to develop a functioning website for a specified client.

Some students may also prepare for the resit of the year 12 exam.

External Assessment: Unit 1 exam – January (results March)

Summer Term

Students will complete the final parts of the Website Development unit.

Some students may also prepare for the summer resit of the two external assessments.

Internal Assessment: coursework, final submissions by late April

External Assessment: unit 1, unit 2 resits – May/June.

Autumn Term

In Year 13 pupils continue the two modules (Core 3 and Mechanics 1) that they started with their teachers after Year 12 exams (one teacher per module). There will be lessons and lectures. Pupils will do topic tests throughout the term. Pupils will work towards doing full mock papers in the January Assessment week.

Core 3: Trigonometry, numerical methods, functions, exponential growth and decay, transformations.

Mechanics 1: Force and motion, vertical motion, resolving forces, friction, motion due to gravity, Newton’s third law, combination and split forces, forces in equilibrium, vectors and scalar products.

Lectures: Simpson’s rule, modulus, momentum, rational functions.

Spring Term

Pupils will now move onto Core 4 with both teachers. Core 4 should be finished before the mock week in March and will do a full C4 mock then.

Core 4: Trigonometry, integration, parametric, scalar product, implicit differentiation, rational functions and binomials.

Summer Term

This term will be used for revision for all modules.

Year two of a two-year linear A Level (AQA GCE Art and Design – Photography)

Autumn Term

Students will be working on Unit 1 – Personal Investigation. Students must plan and deliver their own self-directed project supported by teachers through one to one tutorials. Students must be self-motivated and explore ideas in a way that makes the project personal to them. Teachers will introduce the written task , a 1000 to 3000 word essay. There will be staged deadlines to provide drafts for feedback, with final deadlines for both practical and written work at the end of January. 

Spring Term

Students complete their Unit 1 work, including the required essay. This work will be the summation of their coursework and is finished to a very high standard with a clearly identified ‘final outcome’. The final exam paper (Unit 2) will be given out, normally in the first teaching week of February. Students will have a set number of weeks to research their exam question which they can choose from eight provided by the examiner.

Summer Term

Students will complete preparations for their exam. They must ensure that their sketchbook shows thorough research into artists and photographers, it must also include a number of photoshoots and lots of experimentation with the techniques learnt over the previous two years. Students will have a final 15-hour exam (over three days) to create their final pieces. At the end of the final exam period all work has to be complete and ready to hang on the walls for exhibition. Students will then present a final exhibition in early May 2020.

A Level PE (Exam board: OCR)

During Year 13, students will complete Component 02: Psychological factors affecting performance – topic area 2: Sports psychology:

Students will study Component 3: Socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport (03)

3.1 Sport and society

3.2 Contemporary issues in physical activity and sport

Students will work towards providing evidence towards Component 4 during Year 12 and Year 13 of the course.

Component 04: Performance in physical education (Non-Examined Assessment) comprises two separate components:

4.1 Performance or coaching of an activity taken from the approved lists*.

(*The approved lists can be found in section 2e of the ‘OCR AS and GCE guide to NEA in Physical Education’)

Students can be assessed in the role of performer or coach in one activity. Students are required to demonstrate effective performance, the use of tactics or techniques and the ability to observe the rules and conventions under applied conditions.

4.2 The Evaluation and Analysis of Performance for Improvement (EAPI). The content of this specification allows for practical examples from physical activities and sports to show how theory can be applied and to reinforce understanding. Students will observe a live or recorded performance by a peer in either their own assessed performance activity or another activity from the approved list. Through observation, learners will provide an oral response analysing and critically evaluating their peers’ performance.

During the summer term of Year 13, students will prepare for the final external exams and practical moderation in the summer term.

External Examination – May/June

External Practical Sports Moderation – April

Autumn Term

With one of their teachers, students will complete their study of further mechanics, including circular and simple harmonic motion. They will then move on to the topic of nuclear physics. With their other teacher, students will complete their study of thermal physics, including ideal gases and specific heat capacity. They will then move on to the topic of fields, including gravitational, electric and magnetic fields.

Spring Term

Students will finish their study of fields and move on to the optional unit called Turning Points in Physics, this includes the discovery of the electron, wave-particle duality and special relativity.

Summer Term

Students will complete revision and past paper practise in preparation for their exams.

Autumn Term

In the autumn term, students will begin the topic of forensic psychology, which includes offender profiling, biological and psychological explanations for why people commit crime and how we should best deal with offending behaviour in terms of custodial sentencing, behaviour modification, anger management and restorative justice.

Students will also begin to explore the topic of gender. This includes looking at the concepts of sex and gender, androgyny, and the role hormones and chromosomes play in gender development, the psychodynamic and social learning approaches. We will conclude the topic by considering the influence of culture and media on gender roles and finally atypical gender development.

Spring Term

Students will continue research methods with one teacher, covering data handling and analysis, including the different types of statistical testing used to analyse psychological research, the use of correlations and how psychological investigations are reported.  

With the other teacher, the topic of biopsychology will be covered with an exploration of the brain, including its plasticity and recovery after trauma, split-brain research and how the brain is investigated. The topic will also cover biological rhythms, including the circadian rhythms and infradian and ultradian rhythms. On completion of this, some additional research methods will be covered, including reliability and validity, the features of science, distributions and content analysis.

Following on from this is the topic of schizophrenia. This provides a fascinating insight into this mental disorder, including its diagnosis and classification, the biological and psychological explanations for its cause and their associated treatments, including CBT and drug therapy and finally the role stress can play in the onset of this disorder. 

With the second teacher, students will look at a number of very important issues and debates within psychology, including gender and culture bias, nature vs nurture, free will vs determinism, holism and reductionism, idiographic and nomothetic approaches and the ethical implications of both psychological research and theory. This will enable students to apply what they have learnt in the various topics to these important elements of psychology.

Summer Term

Students will complete any outstanding research methods and for the remainder of this term, lessons will be focused on revision of the material throughout the year in preparation for external exams.

Autumn Term

Year 13 students will consider a range of topics related to Crime and Deviance. They begin with Interactionism and labelling theory and then consider ethnicity and crime, exploring the relationship between the criminal justice system process and ethnicity.

Later on in the term sociological theories of crime and deviance will be explored, as well as the relationship between gender and crime exploring reasons for differences in male and female crime and the theoretical explanations for this. The topic of control, punishment and victims will then follow leading on to how globalisation has changed the nature of crime and the relationship between the two.

Students will also consider different types of green crime and the sociological explanations of environmental harm. They will also study the relationship between state crimes and human rights. 

During this term students will also start to study Beliefs in Society. In this module, students consider various theories of religion and also organisations, movements and members. After half term students explore religion and social change, religion in the global context and examine alternatives to secularisation theory and postmodernity. They will explore secularisation and consider ideology and science. 

An assessment will take place in November.

Spring Term

Students will consider the final topics of Crime and Deviance: class, power and crime, focusing on why Marxists see crime as inevitable in a capitalist society, and understanding the nature and extent of white collar and corporate crime. Finally they will explore Realist theories of crime, investigating the causes of crime according to key theorists and the various ways of tackling it.

Students will also cover the final topics of Beliefs in Society.

Theory and methods will then consider types of research methods and the distinction between qualitative and quantitative data.

Other topics in this section include: sociology and science; feminist theories; globalisation; modernity and postmodernity; objectivity and values in sociology. 

A mock exam will take place in February.

Summer Term

This term will focus on intensive exam preparation and key skills. Students will be coached in answering the different format and types of questions on the three papers. Intensive revision of the course content from Year 12 will also take place.

There are two units at A2 level: Spoken Expression & Response (oral examination) and Research, Understanding & Written Response (two essays, one prose translation). There is no coursework.

Unit 3 represents 30% of the total marks and unit 4 represents 70%. Both units are examined in May/June of Year 13.

Autumn Term

• Environmental issues
• Grammar
• Essay-writing focus
• Prose skills
• Research-based essay work
• Foreigners and racism
• Poverty and developing countries

Spring Term

• Crime and punishment
• New technology
• Grammar, essay and prose skills
• Culture, history, literature
• Preparation for oral exam

Summer Term

• Exam practice

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate in Sport (Exam board: OCR)

Autumn – Summer Term

Students will complete the following units of work in Year 13:

Unit 3: Sports organisation and development (60 guided learning hours) (assessed via external assessment – exam date set by the exam board)

The organisation of sport in the UK can be quite complex with multiple agencies and organisations, both inside of and outside of the UK, working together at different levels on different agendas. One of the key areas which most, if not all, of the organisations involved in sport in the UK are concerned with is sports development and the increase of participation in sport and physical activity, both to improve the health of the nation but also to aid the development of elite athletes who can compete and achieve on an international level.

In this unit students will gain an understanding of the organisations involved in sport in the UK, their roles and responsibilities and how they work together. They will also gain an understanding of sports development, including the organisations involved, who sports development is targeted at and why, how sports development is carried out and how the success of sports development initiatives can be measured.

Unit 17: Sports injuries and rehabilitation (60 guided learning hours) (assessed via internally assessment coursework)

If considering a future as a sports coach or leader, a fitness instructor or a leisure recreation assistant, students will need to know the different causes, types, signs and symptoms of sports injuries. They will also need to know the possible long-term effects of these injuries on the injured participant, both physical and psychological. This will allow them to support the injured participant appropriately, whether as part of the immediate response or a long-term rehabilitation programme, to avoid causing them further harm and speed up their safe return to participation. However, prevention is better than cure and so an understanding of risk factors and how to minimise risks will help maintain a safe environment, helping participants to stay injury free in the first place.

This unit will teach students how to recognise and treat common sports injuries both immediately and through long-term rehabilitation programmes, the possible psychological impacts of sports injuries and how to minimise the risk of sports injuries occurring in the first instance.

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma in Sport (Exam board: OCR)

Autumn – Summer Term

Students will complete the following units of work in Year 13:

Unit 3: Sports organisation and development (60 guided learning hours) (assessed via external assessment – exam date set by the exam board)

The organisation of sport in the UK can be quite complex with multiple agencies and organisations, both inside of and outside of the UK, working together at different levels on different agendas. One of the key areas which most, if not all, of the organisations involved in sport in the UK are concerned with is sports development and the increase of participation in sport and physical activity, both to improve the health of the nation but also to aid the development of elite athletes who can compete and achieve on an international level.

In this unit students will gain an understanding of the organisations involved in sport in the UK, their roles and responsibilities and how they work together. They will also gain an understanding of sports development, including the organisations involved, who sports development is targeted at and why, how sports development is carried out and how the success of sports development initiatives can be measured.

Unit 17: Sports injuries and rehabilitation (60 guided learning hours) (assessed via internally assessment coursework)

If considering a future as a sports coach or leader, a fitness instructor or a leisure recreation assistant, students will need to know the different causes, types, signs and symptoms of sports injuries. They will also need to know the possible long-term effects of these injuries on the injured participant, both physical and psychological. This will allow them to support the injured participant appropriately, whether as part of the immediate response or a long-term rehabilitation programme, to avoid causing them further harm and speed up their safe return to participation. However, prevention is better than cure and so an understanding of risk factors and how to minimise risks will help maintain a safe environment, helping participants to stay injury free in the first place.

This unit will teach students how to recognise and treat common sports injuries both immediately and through long-term rehabilitation programmes, the possible psychological impacts of sports injuries and how to minimise the risk of sports injuries occurring in the first instance.

Unit 19: Sport and exercise psychology (60 guided learning hours) (assessed via internally assessed coursework)

Not only do participants in sport and exercise need to train their bodies but it is becoming increasingly important that they also train their minds. Failing to attend a coaching session through a lack of motivation, a fall out with a teammate or an overly aggressive response to a bad challenge could mean the difference between winning and losing. Equally as important, participation in sport and exercise is proven to have positive impacts on mental health and wellbeing and can help improve a person’s overall quality of life.

In this unit students will learn different motivations that people have for participating in sport and exercise and how performance can be managed through an understanding of attribution theory, stress and group dynamics. Students will also learn the impacts that participation in sport and exercise can have on a person’s mental health and wellbeing, whether an elite performer or a member of the general public.

Unit 11: Physical activity for specific groups (30 guided learning hours) (assessed via internally assessed coursework)

Sport and physical activity isn’t just for those that are good at it. The benefits of participating in sport or physical activity can be huge, for some more than others. Unfortunately, sometimes it is those that would benefit from it most that are the hardest to get involved and engaged in participation.

This unit will allow students to develop a knowledge and understanding of the different groups of individuals who would benefit physiologically, psychologically and sociologically from participating in physical activity and why these particular groups are targeted by initiatives. This knowledge and understanding will then support students in planning suitable physical activity sessions for the groups identified and the considerations that need to be taken into account for each of them.

Unit 18: Practical skills in sport and physical activity (60 guided learning hours) (assessed via internally assessed coursework)

Most people who work in sport and physical activity do so because they are passionate about their particular sport or activity, a passion that is usually borne out of participating themselves. An effective coach or leader is able to demonstrate skills accurately or offer detailed explanations of tactics and strategies because they have experienced them themselves through their own participation. Knowing the technical and tactical demands of a sport will also help to inform if it is appropriate for other individuals to participate in.

This unit gives students the opportunity to participate in a number of different sports and outdoor and adventurous activities which allows them to experience first-hand situations that participants you may later be coaching or leading will come across. In this unit students will learn how to apply skills, tactics, techniques and knowledge in individual sports, team sports and outdoor and adventurous activities which will allow them to participate effectively, safely and enjoyably.