Curriculum
At King James’s Sixth Form we are rightly proud of our strong academic tradition, supportive learning environment and happy, vibrant community. Ours is a comprehensive Sixth Form and we put the individual at the heart of all we do. Every student is with us to learn, to progress and to plan their next step – whatever this may be. We know there is more to Sixth Form than qualifications and university and we have an experienced and dedicated team on hand to support our students and encourage them to get involved in a full range of enriching experiences.
What courses are available to me?
Our Sixth Form curriculum has been developed to provide a wide choice of subjects and qualification types to suit each student’s needs and aspirations. This wealth of choice allows students to follow a curriculum tailored specifically for them, which helps meet their individual needs through personalised learning – which we see as a key factor in the Sixth Form’s continued high levels of achievement.
How do I choose between courses?
Research what type of course it is and if it suits how you learn. Some of the courses are Applied A Level, which means that your studies will involve more investigation, coursework and links to the workplace. Others are BTEC or vocational courses, which again are focused on skills, ongoing assessment and linked to a particular vocational experience. A Levels are more traditional, academic courses which require a greater understanding of ideas and are usually examined rather than assessed through coursework.
Look ahead! If you think you will go to university and have an idea of what you want to study there, look at what courses are accepted. If you are looking to the more competitive universities (these are known as the ‘Russell Group’), then make sure your course choices are accepted by them. If you have a particular subject in mind, check out what is needed for it.
Although some subjects may be familiar from GCSE, they will be different at Sixth Form, and some courses will be totally new to you. Make sure you ask the subject teaching staff lots of questions; whether it is about what Psychology actually involves or how Maths is different at A Level.
If you have not studied the subject at GCSE, we will want to see you have the right skills, for example a grade 5 in English to be able to study Sociology, or a design-based GCSE at grade 4 or above to study textiles.
If you need further advice about subject choices, please ask someone from the Sixth Form team.
If you would like to find out more about each of the courses we offer at our Sixth Form please read our prospectus or find the relevant department page on the website.
