Girls First: Empowered, Encouraged, Engaged
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So prepare to follow your academic passions here at Roedean…
Biology deals with the foundations of life. It surrounds us in every moment. It is fascinating to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of this subject. At A Level, you will build on what you have learnt up to this point. You will develop essential knowledge and understanding of different areas of Biology and how they relate to each other. Biology will help you appreciate how society makes decisions about scientific issues, and how the Sciences contribute to the world we live in.
BTEC Sport is a course which combines a variety of methods of learning, using both theoretical and practical teaching. The sport and fitness industry is always moving and changing, making it essential for learners to have the drive and resilience to adapt. At all stages of their academic career, the practical base of a BTEC in Sport will help learners excel as team players, coaches, and leaders of the future. This course is equivalent to one A Level and is assessed with a Pass, Merit, Distinction and Distinction* criteria. These are then assigned UCAS points when applying for university in the same way as A Levels.
Chemistry allows us to make sense of the material world. It develops curiosity, problem-solving abilities, practical competency, independent thinking, numeracy, and the confidence to take academic risks. Chemistry gives you knowledge and skills which are transferable to many areas. Universities and employers look very favourably on success in A Level Chemistry, as they value it as evidence that a candidate possesses a range of desirable skills.
Our A Level Computer Science qualification helps you understand the core academic principles of computer science. Classroom learning is transferred into creating real-world systems through the creation of an independent programming project relevant to the modern and ever-changing world of technology. You will develop a technical understanding and ability to apply the fundamental concepts of computer science, including abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms, and data representation. Creativity is important when applying computational thinking principles to a problem. Programming is a fundamentally creative skill – whether it is used to create a search algorithm, build an app or design a website.
Mathematics offers you the chance to challenge yourself and face complex problems that will require perseverance and dedication to solve. In the Sixth Form, we use the ideas and techniques taught previously to discover links between the different mathematical disciplines and push your understanding of all areas. You explore not only how to solve different problems, but why those methods work and how you can adapt methods to solve new styles of problems. Proof, discussion, discovery, and investigation are all skills that you will develop, enabling you to approach other subjects with greater analytical technique.
Physics encompasses the study of the universe from the largest galaxies to the smallest subatomic particles and is crucial to understanding the world around us. It is the most basic and fundamental science. Physicists are problem–solvers and their skills are invaluable in every area of our lives. From engineering and technological advances to medicine and the Arts, there is no area that is untouched by Physics.
With the sports industry being one of the fastest growing sectors in modern society, a study of sport allows you to explore a broad range of topics that have contributed to this trend. You will analyse the physiological and psychological factors that underpin sports performance as well as exploring the roles that sport has in society.
A level Business is about debating and decision-making in a business context and as such it develops invaluable skills whatever you want to do next. If you have enjoyed watching the Apprentice or Dragon’s Den, like the idea of buying shares or if you want to manage a business then this is the subject for you. The Business course is designed to encourage a critical understanding of organisations, the markets they serve and the process of adding value. If you study Business, you will investigate real businesses (many of which you are already familiar with) and the global and changing world in which businesses operate in. You will learn the practicalities, such as the numbers behind the business, but also why some succeed when others fail.
Economics is a fascinating, skill-based, highly regarded A-level. Gain a deep, cohesive insight into the ever-changing, modern world you see around you. Understand, judge, and find solutions to the multitude of national and international issues and events that affect us all. Explain and evaluate what influences our lives as students, consumers, workers, house-buyers, taxpayers, and human beings on this planet. Gain in-depth, critical knowledge into the strategies, successes, and failures of large, dominant firms, such as Apple, compared to small, local businesses. Evaluate for yourself government policies on the NHS, education, and benefits. Discover the inside story on international trade wars, immigration, Bleak Wednesday, The Financial Crash, the Covid recession, BREXIT, and the Cost-of-Living crisis. Most importantly, be one of the young, aspiring, female Economists determined to make the future world a better place for everyone.
This course is offered to native speakers only. It caters to those with a deep understanding and fluency in the specified language. Students will have one compulsory lesson every Wednesday afternoon.
Classical Civilisation will introduce you to ideas and concepts that will make you re-evaluate your life and the world around you. Studying the Classical World is an introduction to people, philosophy, art, language, history, literature, politics, and an established way of life. Ancient Greeks and Romans controlled the Mediterranean world for centuries. The Athenians invented democracy, Alexander the Great’s soldiers have left modern descendants in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, while the Romans changed the face of city life in Western Europe for ever. Their literature, art and beliefs have influenced every aspect of modern European and American culture. When you study Classical Civilisation, you gain a real understanding of the origins of modern politics, culture, and the way in which the world works today.
English Literature is an exciting A-level that allows students to move beyond the limitations of GCSE and discover more challenging texts that allow for discussion of issues that challenge society, both at the time of writing and today, including racism, relationships, mental health, pressures on the individual from consumer-capitalist ideology and social judgement. The course allows students much more space to be critical of what they read, seeing texts not as final works of genius but as reflective of the time and individual psychology that produced them. There is plenty of space in the course for bringing students’ own ideas to the table, including through the choice of and approach to the coursework texts.
Learning languages offers countless benefits, not only opening doors to new societies and cultures but also building self-confidence. Challenging yourself to communicate in a different way has been proven to boost memory, multi-tasking, and problem-solving abilities. In today’s connected world, languages also give you an advantage when looking for a job, with research in 2021 showing that around 90% of employers seek a multilingual workforce.
Geography’s scope is wide, encompassing the geophysical forces that created our landscape to the human forces that have shaped our societies. As a subject that bridges both the social and physical sciences, Geography has been named by the Russell Group of universities as a key facilitating subject. For those wanting to follow careers in the sciences or arts, or those who are undecided about their university focus, an A Level in Geography will provide a broad range of transferable skills that will be valued by both Higher Education courses and future employers.
The historian David Thomson said that the study of History is the best liberal education that a student can have in the modern world. Such a study not only provides a context for your own life but also helps you to develop an understanding of the world into which you have grown up and delivers a set of invaluable transferable skills. At a time of growing fundamentalism and intolerance in the modern world, the study of History will enable you to view complex problems objectively, thus promoting tolerance, the ability to see different sides of disputes and a growing understanding of the complexity of world events.
Latin A Level will enable you to develop your linguistic skills and introduce you to some of the best literature you will ever read. In addition, it will train you rigorously in key skills including analysis, logic, communication, and literary and historical skills. The Classics program aims to provide courses which complement many combinations of A Level subjects. We offer a vibrant co-curricular program: the Classics department always takes a day trip to the British Museum each year for Sixth Form and a Classics Trip is taken to either Greece or Italy each October. We also try to attend A Level education days in London for enrichment, as well as local theatre trips.
Media Studies is an exciting and ever-changing subject that responds to development in media practice and requires students to analyse texts and design, understand debates surrounding regulatory practice (such as film classification and press regulation), and research, plan and create their own cross-media products. Media Studies provides an excellent grounding for practical, design-based, and creative careers, which account for more of the job market than ever before, and the course allows students excellent flexibility in choosing their next education or career step. Media Studies also involves engagement with key cultural theories of the last few decades, allowing students to contribute in an informed and supported way to complex and nuanced arguments and debates.
Philosophy is a diverse and fascinating subject which allows you the chance to explore the history of ideas and challenge your own conceptions of the world. We often do not realise how applicable philosophical theory is to our own lives, but this course allows us to consider the implications of the big questions that we did not even realise we could ask. With a focus on the contemporary ideas in each of the four subject areas below, you will get a chance to explore your own ideas and, most importantly, push the limits of your own critical thinking.
Politics is about power. Who has power? How did they acquire it? How are they exercising it? Could they do so better? How these questions are answered is of enormous consequence to us all. This course will develop your understanding of the political institutions, processes and ideas that fundamentally shape the world we live in. Equipped with a sharper understanding of the political landscape, you will be empowered to think critically about the forces driving change in the world.
Psychology gives students a broad introduction to the study of human behaviour in all its manifestations. It could easily be broken into three or more separate “A” Levels, given the six major schools it considers, and for this reason students should be aware that its content base significantly exceeds that of other “A” Levels. Successful students enjoy both the sciences and the humanities, as a confident grasp of the scientific method is required along with fluent written skills. In the second year or the course there is a wide choice of topics for students to consider and the major questions of existence and (moral) behaviour are addressed, if not necessarily answered.
Do we have a soul that is separate to our body? Is it always morally right to make people happy? How feminist is the Bible? If these sorts of question interest you, if you enjoy arguing, exploring, and discussing, then Religious Studies A Level is the subject for you. This is a subject unlike any other and it is not what most people expect: it is exercise for the brain: challenging but rewarding! It will lead to you think deeply about and question right and wrong, it will give you a deeper understanding of the way religion and society influence each other.
No doubt, having proficiency in Russian stands as a distinctive asset on any resume or job application. Its reputation for difficulty, more than it truly is, works in favour of those who undertake the challenge. If you are someone with a logical mindset and an inclination for code-breaking, learning the Russian alphabet, especially in the initial stages, can be a rewarding experience. You will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can become proficient in writing in the Cyrillic alphabet.
Languages encourage you to embrace diversity, to become more versatile, tolerant, and able to mediate and negotiate. Speaking more than one language boosts cognitive development. The debate about language shaping thought is alive and well, and it can certainly change your perception. Spanish is a global language, and it is the second most widely spoken language in the world. Feel the fear and do it anyway; life begins where your comfort zone ends! There is no doubt that conversational ability builds rapport when you are in a foreign country.
Three-dimensional design involves using creativity and practical skills to create functional and aesthetically pleasing products, objects and built environments. Three-dimensional design combines creativity and practical skills to create functional and aesthetically pleasing products, objects, and built environments. If you enjoy designing, problem-solving, and working with various materials in a workshop setting, this course will provide you with access to a range of media, materials, processes, and equipment.
The Art Department offers a range of courses and routes to allow you to tailor your A Level Art experience towards a broad range of Higher Education courses and exciting creative careers. We pride ourselves on the breadth of study on offer, within a small department, where pupil centred learning is still at the core of our practice. In Year 12 all students follow an introductory course, exploring, media, techniques and reviewing ways of working. In Year 13 students are supported in portfolio preparation and undertake a Personal Investigation, which is directed towards producing work relating to the area they wish to study at university. Practical curriculum lessons are supported by a range of supra curricular courses, life drawing classes and artist led workshops.
Students who study Dance at A level will not only enhance their choreography and performance skills but will also be able to fully appreciate the cultural significance of dance today.
The Foundation Year will only be accessible to students who have successfully completed a one-year Art A Level to a high standard. This Level 3 award will give you direct access to a range of BA courses. The aim of the Foundation Year is to develop your independent enquiry into a subject of your choice. You will engage in a range of creative and explorative activities, before focusing on developing work tailored to create an appropriate portfolio for the degree for which you wish to apply.
This subject is both musically and academically demanding at A Level but is also extremely rewarding. It is a natural choice for students who are competent on their instruments and who wish to gain a deeper musical and historical perspective. Music is constantly evolving, inspiring creativity and expression in a way that no other subject can. As an A level musician, you will have the opportunity to broaden your musical experience and knowledge, and to hone your practical and creative musical skills to an elevated level.
Students will experience practical training and the academic study of classical and contemporary dramatic art forms. This will not only improve their acting and design skills but will also enable students to appreciate the cultural significance of drama today. Drama is concerned with the human condition and, as such, covers a broad range of topics and issues, forges connections with many other subjects and helps you gain invaluable life skills.
Please note: A Level subjects will be offered conditional upon pupil numbers
Underpinning the Sixth Form experience at Roedean is our Pathways Programme. The aim of the Sixth Form Pathways is to extend your knowledge and understanding beyond the curriculum in one of four areas in a way that is exciting, relevant to career pathways and/or the development of skills. Each Pathway is bespoke and complements your choice of A Levels.
