Most pupils are advised to study three A Level subjects and an additional fourth option of one of our Lower Sixth-only courses:
An exciting opportunity for pupils to extend their abilities beyond the A Level syllabus and prepare for university-level study. It is worth more university entrance points than an AS qualification, with the top grade of an A* valued at 28 points compared to 20 points for the top grade of an A at AS level.
There is no restriction on the topic chosen or the mode of final exposition: it can be a dissertation, investigation/field study, performance or artefact.
There is huge emphasis on the whole EPQ research ‘journey’, rather than just the final outcome. Pupils will write a 5000-word dissertation or present an artefact accompanied by a 1000-word report. Everyone will give a 10-minute presentation on their work.
An EPQ should enhance a UCAS application: universities are looking for evidence which demonstrates a facility for independent and innovative work and an increasing number of universities are including the EPQ in their offers to pupils.
Designed to give students the Maths skills that are necessary to access the Sciences at A Level. It is intended to allow pupils a greater flexibility of subject choice by removing the need for them to take Maths to support a Physics A Level. It should be noted that the course content will still be demanding and not designed for pupils who struggle with Maths. This is a one-year course that will be taught for one double lesson a week throughout the Lower Sixth. It does not lead to a formal qualification, but should help pupils with their Sciences.
Please be aware that ‘Maths for Science’ would not be a suitable substitute for university courses that require a full Maths A Level. For instance, studying Physics and Maths together remains the preferred model for courses such as Engineering.
We also offer our very own LSA course for pupils interested in a more vocational option.
This course is designed for pupils who would like to study three A Level subjects and a fourth additional subject. While the EPQ is recommended for most pupils doing three subjects, especially due to its recognition by universities both in the form of UCAS points and for the skills that it teaches, the LSA course is a good alternative for those who are not particularly interested in the EPQ or who would be better suited to a more vocational fourth option.
It is jointly run by the Adventure Education and Sports departments. It is timetabled as two double lessons a week and requires students doing some additional work in their own time. In addition, there are a number of events that happen outside the timetable, such as a High Pressure Leadership day
The Award has six modules, the focus of each is developing useful behaviours such as organisation, leadership, communication, problem-solving and teamwork. The six modules are:
Sports Organisation of sports and sporting events
Adventure Experiencing adventure activities and challenging yourself
Leadership Understanding and experiencing leadership
First Aid A recognised first aid qualification
Volunteering Giving time to worthwhile causes
Project Planning, managing and completing a substantial project
Each module has success criteria that students must meet in order to pass the Award.
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
International pupils are advised to take the essential IELTS qualification for non-native English speakers as one of their timetabled options, although it can also be taken outside of the normal timetable if preferred.
These options are timetabled for either two or four periods each week rather than the usual eight periods for an A Level subject. They are usually completed at the end of Year 12. We recommend that most pupils follow this course of study.
