St Bede's College

Sixth Form Options Booklet in PDF format

I am delighted to introduce you to the exciting range of Sixth Form opportunities open to you at St. Bede’s College for 2009-2011. I know that there are few comparable institutions offering such a variety of choice and all my colleagues will work very hard in partnership with you to make the next two years stimulating, successful, productive and above all greatly enjoyable.

What are the Sixth Form courses?

Courses for the Lower VI are known as AS (Advanced Subsidiary) and are targeted somewhere between GCSE and full A(dvanced) level standard. Courses in the Upper VI are designated A2 and complete your courses to A level standard.

We are offering you a programme of four AS subjects when you enter the Sixth Form in September 2009. Most students will then take three of these subjects forward for the final year.

To retain the Bedian emphasis on the spiritual, moral and physical you will also take part in the General Studies programme, together with our highly successful General Religion course as well as enjoying the relaxation of games where a very wide range of options is now open to you. Instead of games, we also offer the possibility of Community Service beyond the college. Finally there is private study time as preparation for the university years of independent study.

A personal tutor will act as a mentor to you for two years, guiding you through the natural adjustment to Sixth Form life and through the university applications procedure.

What choices do I have?

The college aims to offer a very flexible choice, allowing you to combine almost any group of subjects. In 2009-11, the following 27 subject options will be available:

Ancient History: Fine Art: Biology:
Business Studies: Chemistry:
Design and Technology, Graphics:
Design and Technology, Resistant Materials:
Drama and Theatre Studies: Economics: English Language:
English Literature: French: Geography: German: Geology: Greek:
History: ICT: Latin: Mathematics:  Further Mathematics: Music
PE: Physics: Politics: Spanish: Religious Studies

All subjects in the Lower Sixth are taught on twelve periods a fortnight in groups of not more than fourteen students and often less. For the Upper Sixth, group sizes reduce and subjects are taught for fourteen periods per. fortnight.

Entry to the Sixth Form

We are proud that our outstanding results at AS and A level are achieved for all our students. Providing you are prepared to give of your personal best and have 7 passes A*-C, you will be welcome in our Sixth Form.

Some subjects do not require you to have studied the subject before to be allowed to take it for AS or A level, they are:

Ancient History: Fine Art: Business Studies: Drama and Theatre Studies: Economics: Geography: Geology: History: ICT: PE: Politics: Religious Studies

For Mathematics, we require you to obtain a grade A at GCSE in order to study the subject for AS. For Further Mathematics an A* is required and for any science subject at least a grade B at GCSE is essential.

Making choices

Given the choices open to you, you will no doubt feel that the problem lies with too many subjects being appealing. The aim of this new booklet is to aid that choice. In the pages which follow, you can read more details of subjects, many of which will be new to you. There is always a contact name for you to speak to someone for more details.

What must guide your choice is simple: do what you enjoy. For what you enjoy, you are likely to work hard at, do well at, and ultimately feel that the Sixth Form has been a success. There are no ‘wrong’ combinations and no subjects which have greater value than others. Do not be led into believing that some subjects are more credible.

There are a few careers and Higher Education options which have specific A level requirements. These are specifically Medicine, Veterinary Science, Dentistry and some branches of Engineering. The BMA website at http:// www.bma.org.uk/ provides entry requirements for all medical schools

Other very popular options such as Law, Business, Journalism and the Finance Sector are open to well-qualified students offering almost any combination of subjects.

It is important that you consult widely with your tutor, parents and subject teachers but for impartial advice you are strongly recommended to consult myself as Deputy Headmaster: Director of Studies. Use the internet, contact university departments, and read widely.

We look forward to seeing you at Options evening on 10^th. November, but you are welcome to consult me at any time about the content of the booklet and questions which it may well raise with you.

We are sure that you will have a very happy and successful career in our Sixth Form here at St. Bede’s and we are proud to have you joining us for your Sixth Form education.

Matthew Bartlett
Deputy Headmaster & Director of Studies