Sixth Form Course Information

Introduced by Mr John Foulkes - Director of Sixth Form

The Faiths Partnership - Extending Opportunities

St Margaret's is a member of the Faiths Partnership, which is a collaboration at Sixth Form level of St Margaret's C E High School, Archbishop Blanch C E High School, Bellerive FCJ Catholic College, St Hilda's C E High School and Shorefields Technology College. The Partnership enjoys a common ethos and approach and aims to extend opportunities to all its students by offering a wider range of courses at Levels 1, 2 and 3. The first full year of operation of the Faiths Partnership led to nearly one hundred students moving between Centres to extend their opportunities at Level 3.

What's on Offer in 2007/8?

Individually arranged courses of one/two/three/years

Vocational Studies Level 1 BTEC Leisure & Tourism Level 2 8 Level 2 Courses

AND / OR

Academic Studies Level 3 33 Advanced Courses

WITH Core Studies & Activities

Recreational Activities, Careers Guidance, Further/Higher, Education Advice, General Studies, Aim Higher Opportunities, Religious, Moral and Cultural Education, Enrichment Opportunities, Personal/Social/Health Education, Citizenship, Key Skills, Work Experience

Sixth Form Curriculum

I Core Studies and Activities

II Sixth Form Courses

• Levels 1 and 2 - NVQ, BTEC, DIDA, Applied Science
• Level 3 - AS/A2

Core Studies and Activities

In addition to their academic or vocational courses, students take part in the programme of Core Studies and Activities, which is made up of the following components:

• Personal, Social, Health and citizenship Education Key Skills
• General Studies
• Work Experience/enrichment opportunities

The aim of the Core Studies programme is to provide support, enrichment and skills for life.

Key Skills enable students to develop expertise in the areas of Communication, Number and Information Technology. General Studies AS and A2 not only enable our students to gain an additional A Level but also to develop a wider appreciation of current affairs. The Aim Higher programme also provides additional enrichment opportunities.

II Sixth Form Courses

Levels 1 & 2

Membership of the Faiths Partnership has greatly expanded opportunities for St Margaret's students. BTEC courses are available at St Margaret's, Archbishop Blanch, Bellerive, Shorefields and St Hilda's. Courses at Levels 1 and 2 are full time in the Centre in which they are based. Accordingly students will register with that Centre for the duration of the course. At the end of the one year course, if successful, they may then wish to return to their home school to continue their studies, continue in their existing Centre, choose another base within the Partnership for their studies or enrol at another centre.

Courses currently on offer are as follows:-

At Level 1

SHOREFIELDS BTEC Level 1: Leisure and Tourism

At Level 2

St MARGARET'S BTEC Level 2: Engineering
ARCHBISHOP BLANCH NVQ Level 2: Customer Service & Administration
BELLERIVE BTEC Level 2: Leisure & Tourism | NVQ Level 2: Dental Nursing | NVQ Level 2: Children's Care, Learning & Development

SHOREFIELDS BTEC Level 2: Business | BTEC Level 2: Health & Social Care

St HILDA'S BTEC Level 2: Business | DIDA

II Sixth Form Courses

Advanced Level Studies. Level 3

Details of each of the Advanced courses on offer may be obtained from the departmental staff on Open Evening or from Mrs C. Barrie, the Sixth Form Administration Officer.

All courses are modular in construction; most of the Lower Sixth courses are examined in June. The publication of AS results in August is followed by a Parents’ Consultation in September which confirms subjects for the Upper Sixth. Students have the opportunity to resit modules in January and the following June of their second year. Some of the second year units in both academic and vocational A Levels are sat in the January of Upper Sixth. Departmental policies on sitting examinations do vary and prospective students should consult departmental heads.

A Level Courses 2007/8

The A Level courses available to Year 12 students are laid down in the Option Blocks below:

Option A DT Product Design DT Systems Control Geography Applied ICT Music Biology History

Option B Art Physics Geology German PE Psychology

Option C Maths Biology History

Option D Applied ICT English French Psychology

Option E Chemistry Business Studies English Religious Studies

Option F General Studies

The Six Option Blocks represent our current thinking regarding the most likely combinations of choices, given past experience. However, these groupings of A Levels may be subject to change according to demand. The Option Blocks are student driven wherever possible. All students will participate in Option Block F which comprises General Studies and Core Studies and Activities. Further Maths is available for Mathematicians as a distance learning subject with school support.

Additional Subjects available in Option Block A through the Faiths Partnership are: Classical Civilisation, Sociology, Law, Performing Arts, Spanish and Textiles

In Option Block B the following additional subjects are available: Theatre Studies, Applied Science, Theology, Travel and Tourism and Sociology.

Prospective students of A Level German should note that the teaching is shared between St Margaret’s and St Hilda’s Centres and spanish is shared between St Hilda’s and Bellerive.

Transport will be arranged for students who elect to study on two sites. It is not expected that students will choose subjects which will entail travelling to three different teaching centres.

Choosing Your Subjects

Prospective A Level students should choose their three main subjects with care as they are likely to be the Advanced subjects they intend to pursue into the Upper Sixth. During the consultation process all students will receive appropriate advice and guidance which they are encouraged to share with their parents. Attention will be drawn, where appropriate, to the advantages of subject combinations for Higher Education, or to where mutual support can be obtained by taking certain combinations of subjects.

At all times, subject requirements must be met for acceptance on to a course and the Director of Sixth Form, whose decision is final, must ratify all subject-based acceptances.

How Many Subjects?

Each student will be taking four subjects as a minimum in the Lower Sixth, made up of General Studies from Option Block F together with the three Advanced subjects which the student intends to take into the Upper Sixth, thereby completing the A Level. Experience has shown that our Option Block system offers students a large combination of subject choices and it is rare that students are disappointed.

Some students may wish to take a fifth subject; if so, it is suggested that, where possible, this additional subject should provide either a contrast to the main three choices or additional support. The choice of the additional subject should be appropriate to the ability of the student and he or she should meet the entry requirements. In addition, the student will have to accept that those choosing the subject as a potential A2 would take priority.

The student will also be required to accept and follow the professional guidance offered. This fifth subject would not usually be taken beyond AS. As with General Studies, entry will depend upon success in the AS in Lower Sixth.

Katie:
"There are great opportunities in St Margaret's to achieve your full potential in all aspects of school life."