Key Stage 4

Subject areas:

Art

This course gives students opportunities to:

• develop and explore ideas
• research primary and contextual sources
• experiment with media, materials, techniques and processes
• present personal response(s) to theme(s) set by the centre.

Students work within one of the following areas:

• Fine Art
• Graphic Communication
• Photography
• Textile Design
• Three-dimensional Design

Students create a personal portfolio of work that demonstrates the knowledge,

understanding and skills for the selected areas, as well as present a personal response(s) to an externally set (by the exam board) broad-based thematic starting point.

Biology

This course covers the following content:

• The nature and variety of living organisms
• Structures and functions in living organisms
• Reproduction and inheritance
• Ecology and the environment
• Use of biological resources

Assessment consists of two exams, Paper 1 (2 hours) and Paper 2 (one 1 hour and 15 minutes). Students taking double science will only take paper 1, students taking Triple sciences will take both.

Chemistry

This course covers the following content:

• Principles of chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry
• Physical chemistry
• Organic chemistry

Assessment consists of two exams, Paper 1 (2 hours) and Paper 2 (one 1 hour and 15 minutes). Students taking double science will only take paper 1, students taking Triple sciences will take both.

Computer Science

The aims and objectives of this course are to enable students to:

• Understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms and data representation
• Analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems, including designing, writing and debugging programs
• Think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically
• Understand the components that make up digital systems, and how they communicate with one another and with other systems
• Understand the impacts of digital technology to the individual and to wider society
• Apply mathematical skills relevant to computer science

Assessment consists of two exams, Paper 1: Principles of Computer Science (2 hours), and Paper 2: Application of Computational Thinking (3-hour practical exam)

English Language

The aims and objectives of this course are to enable students to:

• Develop skills to analyse how writers use linguistic and structural devices to achieve their effects.
• Explore links and connections between writers’ ideas and perspectives.
• Develop transactional and imaginative writing skills for a variety of purposes and
• audiences and to engage the reader.
• Use spelling, punctuation and grammar accurately.

Assessment consists of one 3-hour exam

English Literature

The aims and objectives of this course are to enable students to:

• Engage with and develop the ability to read, understand and respond to a wide range of literary texts from around the world
• Develop an appreciation of the ways in which writers achieve their literary effects
• to develop the skills needed for literary study
• Explore, through literature, the cultures of their own and other societies
• Find enjoyment in reading literature and understand its influence on individuals and

Societies

The course comprises one mandatory component (Poetry and Modern prose, one 2-hour exam) and an additional component (Modern Drama and Literary Heritage Texts) that can either be assessed by an exam (1 hour 30 minutes) or by a portfolio of coursework.

French

The course is designed for students who are studying French in order to enhance their future education or employment prospects. Achievement is broadly equivalent to Levels A2 and B1 of the CEFR. Students will be expected to communicate formally and informally in a range of contexts, and to understand a wide range of texts and styles. The aim of the course is to test French language competence through realistic and contextualised tasks based on authentic texts.

They will learn about the following topics:

• Home and abroad
• Education and employment
• Personal life and relationships
• The world around us
• Social activities, fitness and health

Assessment consists of 3 exams- Listening (30 minutes), Reading and Writing (1 hour 45 minutes) and speaking (8-10 minutes)

Geography

This course covers the following content:

• River environments
• Coastal environments
• Hazardous environments
• Economic activity and energy
• Rural environments
• Urban environments

Assessment consists of 2 exams- Paper 1 (1 hour 10 minutes) and paper 2 (1 hour and 45 minutes)

History

The aims of this course are to enable students to:

• Develop and extend their knowledge and understanding of specified key events, periods and societies in history; and of the wide diversity of human experience
• Engage in historical enquiry to develop as independent learners and as critical and

reflective thinkers

• Develop the ability to ask relevant questions about the past, to investigate issues critically and to make valid historical claims by using a range of sources in their historical context
• Develop an awareness that different people, events and developments have been

accorded historical significance and how and why different interpretations have been

constructed about them

• Organise and communicate their historical knowledge and understanding in different ways and reach substantiated conclusions

Assessment consists of two exams, Paper 1 and Paper 2 (both 1 hour and 30 minutes)

Mathematics

The aims and objectives of this course are to enable students to:

• develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts and techniques
• acquire a foundation of mathematical skills for further study in the subject or related areas
• enjoy using and applying mathematical techniques and concepts, and become confident in using mathematics to solve problems
• appreciate the importance of mathematics in society, employment and study.

The following topics are covered:

• Number
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Statistics

Assessment is by two 2-hour exams.

Physics

This course covers the following content:

• Forces and motion
• Electricity
• Waves
• Energy resources and energy transfers
• Solids, liquids and gases
• Magnetism and electromagnetism
• Radioactivity and particles
• Astrophysics

Assessment consists of two exams, Paper 1 (2 hours) and Paper 2 (one 1 hour and 15 minutes). Students taking double science will only take paper 1, students taking Triple sciences will take both.

Religious Studies

This course covers the following content:

• The Universe, Creation and the Place of Human Beings
• Life and Death
• Peace and Conflict
• Rights, Equality and Social Justice
• The Origins and their Impact on the Community. Celebration and Pilgrimage and Worship and Practice of a chosen religion

Assessment consists of two exams, Paper 1 (1 hour and 45 minutes) and Paper 2 (one 1 hour and 30 minutes).

Spanish

The course is designed for students who are studying Spanish in order to enhance their future education or employment prospects. Achievement is broadly equivalent to Levels A2 and B1 of the CEFR. Students will be expected to communicate formally and informally in a range of contexts, and to understand a wide range of texts and styles. The aim of the course is to test French language competence through realistic and contextualised tasks based on authentic texts.

They will learn about the following topics:

• Home and abroad
• Education and employment
• Personal life and relationships
• The world around us
• Social activities, fitness and health
• Assessment consists of 3 exams- Listening (30 minutes), Reading and Writing (1 hour 45 minutes) and speaking (8-10 minutes)