Humanities

AQA A Level - exam board website.

This course reflects the geography of the world we live in today. Students will extend their learning on some topics they have studied at GCSE and will be stretched to analyse more abstract concepts which until recently were not studied until university. This is an exciting A Level that will challenge perceptions and stimulate students’ investigative and analytical skills.

Topics studied

Year 12 Term 1-2: Water and Carbon cycles. Do humans value the role that water and carbon cycles play in supporting life on earth?

Changing Places. How and why do places change over time?

Term 3-4: Coastal System and Landscapes. What is the best course of action for sustainable management of the coastal system?

Contemporary urban environments. Why is urbanisation happening at different speeds across the world and what impact does this have? Why do cities have their own microclimates? How can cities be sustainable?

Term 5-6: Independent investigation (NEA)

Year 13 Term 1-3: Ecosystems Under Stress. What are the characteristics of an ecosystem? Why are ecosystems important? What challenges do ecosystems face? How can ecosystems be managed?

Global systems and governance. What is the impact of globalisation? How successful is governance of global affairs? Can the use of Antarctica ever be sustainable?

Choose this course if...

You have a lively and enquiring mind, an interest in the environment and current affairs, a willingness to explore new ideas and an ability to communicate your ideas effectively. 

The material you have studied at GCSE and the skills you have learned will prove a valuable foundation for further studies at this level

Where this course could take you

Students with A Level Geography have access to a wide range of possible career and higher education opportunities. You learn and use a variety of transferable skills throughout the course. These include collecting, analysing and interpreting data, communicating your findings in different ways, and identifying and developing the links between different parts of the subject. These skills are in great demand and are recognised by employers, universities and colleges as being of great value

Skills and experience you will need

Success at GCSE Geography is not essential but is recommended and most students will have a grade 6 or higher. Good literacy and numeracy (English and maths GCSE grades) are also important.

OCR A Level - exam board website.

TOPICS

British Period Study (Unit group 1): England 1547-1603: The Late Tudors
Non-British period Study (Unit group 2) – Russia 1894-1941
Thematic study and historical interpretations (Unit group 3): Civil Rights in the U.S.A. 1865-1992
Topic Based essay: 3000-4000 word essay on a topic of your choice.

TAKE THIS COURSE IF...

History will suit people who enjoy reading and have an interest in the past. A fascination for people and examining their actions and motives is also important. By studying history, you will learn to apply your knowledge of the past in order to develop a better understanding of the pre- sent. You will need to be able to discipline yourself to carry out individual research, sometimes from several different sources, in order to prepare for lessons or essays. This necessarily involves a lot of note-taking. It will provide a challenge for students who like to gather information and use it to support a particular argument or point of view both orally and in writing.

WHERE IT COULD TAKE YOU

History is well regarded by universities and employers alike as it develops many skills and is academically rigorous. History is particularly valuable to those wishing to pursue a career in law, journalism, The Police, The Civil Service, business, archaeology and education because of the skills it helps to develop.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE YOU WILL NEED

History at GCSE (grade 6 or higher), though desirable, is not an absolute pre-requisite for studying History at A Level. Students with good GCSE profile including performance at grade 5 or higher in a range of literacy based subject such as English Language and Literature, Geography, Business Studies and Religious Studies / Philosophy and Ethics will also be considered and have in the past done very well at A Level.

AQA A Level - exam board website.

TOPICS

Component 1 - Philosophy of religion and ethics.
Section A Philosophy of religion:
Arguments for existence of God, evil and suffering, religious experience, religious language, miracles and self, and life after death.
Section B 2: UK Ethics and Religion
Ethical theories, issues of human life and death, issues of animal life and death, introduction to meta-ethics
Free will and moral responsibility, conscience, and Bentham and Kent

Component 2 - Study of religion and dialogues.
Students will study the following component option: 2B Christianity

TAKE THIS COURSE IF...

Are you fascinated by the world’s different religions and how they have come to shape human societies throughout history? Do you want to study the diversity of human beliefs and religions' role in helping humans understand different aspects of spirituality and the concepts of life and death?

Studying RPE will expose you to these questions as you develop an understanding of how different societies have embraced different religions in searching for life’s most essential and complex questions. You will take advantage of many thought-provoking questions, case studies and philosophers to examine how and why religion has played a fundamental role in humanity’s collective history.

WHERE IT COULD TAKE YOU

The 'big questions' considered in this course will prepare you for further study in a broad range of future courses and career paths, including: religious roles such as chaplain, law, history, journalism, and education.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE YOU WILL NEED

Most students will have been successful on GCSE Religious Studies / Philosophy and Ethics courses (with at least a grade 6) but this is not essential. Strong performances (at least grade 5) in a range of literacy based subjects such as English Language and Literature, Geography, History and Business Studies is required.

Edexcel A-Level - exam board website

TOPICS

Component 1: UK Politics (9PL0/01)
Political Participation: Democracy and participation, political parties, electoral systems, voting behaviour and the media. Core Political Ideas - conservatism, liberalism, socialism.

Component 2: UK Government (9PL0/02)
UK Government: The constitution, parliament, Prime Minister and executive, relationships between the Branches
Optional Political Ideas:  One idea from the following: anarchism, ecologism, feminism, multiculturalism, nationalism

Component 3: Comparative Politics (9PL0/3A )
The US: The US Constitution and federalism, US congress, US presidency, US Supreme Court, democracy and participation, civil rights

TAKE THIS COURSE IF...

• You enjoy debating current affairs
• Appreciate the need to participate in decision making
• Like studying a subject that affects your everyday life
• Want to keep your options open – Politics can be combined with a wide range of science, social science and humanities subjects

WHAT SKILLS WILL I LEARN?

The key skills you can develop during this course are:

• Communication
• Working with others
• Information Technology
• Application of number
• Problem solving
• Improving own learning and performance

WHERE IT COULD TAKE YOU

Students of Government and Politics have access to a wide range of possible career and higher education opportunities. It combines well with a range of science, social science and humanities subjects, to lead to University courses in areas such as business, economics, law, media, philosophy, etc.

Whatever your chosen future career, an understanding of the political system, key issues for government, and our relations with Europe, will prove to be invaluable. The knowledge and transferable skills that you have acquired, will allow you to explore a wide range of employment opportunities, such as Business Management, Journalism, Advertising, Civil service, etc.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE YOU WILL NEED

History at GCSE (grade 6 or higher), though desirable, is not an absolute pre-requisite for studying Government and Politics at A Level. Students with a good GCSE profile, including performance at grade 5 or higher in a range of literacy based subjects such as English Language and Literature, Geography, Business and Religious Studies / Philosophy and Ethics will also be considered and have in the past done very well at A Level.