Curriculum

In Years 12 and 13 students move to the sixth form block and begin an independent learning programme. They have a study and library area with internet access and a bank of lap tops to enable them to use their study time productively. At Key Stage 5, subjects are offered in option blocks for the pupils to choose from. Each year these subjects form five option blocks tailored to meet the students’ needs.

The option list offers a balance between traditional, new, academic and more practical subjects. Students can take either three of four AS options in Year 12, the norm being four. In exceptional cases pupils can take five subjects in Year 12. Students then continue with three choices in Year 13.

Curriculum enrichment is continued into the sixth form with speakers, workshops and visits timetabled to broaden their experiences beyond their subject choices. The role of prefect is given to allow students to take on positions of responsibility and build skills towards their university applications.

Students are also given the opportunity to continue with skills such as: LAMDA, Duke of Edinburgh, choir, orchestra and public speaking.

Subjects available

We offer a wide variety of subjects at AS/A2 level including:

• Art
• Biology
• Business Studies
• Chemistry
• English Literature
• Geography
• History
• Health and Social (BTEC Level 3)
• Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Modern Foreign Languages
• Music
• Performing Arts
• Physics
• Psychology
• Religious Education/Philosophy
• Sociology

Please see our Sixth Form Curriculum Booklet for further information.

Sixth Form booklet 2018-19 final

Please e-mail Miss Malik our Admissions Secretary, at secretary@stdominicsgrammarschool.co.uk for further details.

Exam Reform 2016/17

Source ISC

What should I say to my Year 11 pupils and parents about the reformed A-levels?

Some subjects will be reformed for the AS exams in 2016/A-level exams in 2017. Other subjects will not be reformed until a year or even two years later. The first set of reformed subjects are Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English language, English literature, English language and literature, Art and design, Business, Computer science, Economics, History, Sociology and Psychology. The reason not all A-levels are being changed in the same year is that some subjects were easy to reform while others (like maths) are taking longer.

The reforms have two elements: first, the AS is being ‘decoupled’ from the main A-level. In unreformed A-levels the AS marks contribute towards the whole A-level (50%). In the reformed subjects the AS is a stand-alone qualification and the marks do not contribute to the A-level. The reason for this reform is that the Secretary of State believed that it was important for students to have learnt the whole two-year syllabus for examination at the end of the course rather than being examined on half of it at the end of Year 12 and the other half at the end of Year 13.

Secondly, the syllabuses of the reformed AS and A-levels have been modernised by a panel of university lecturers so they provide a good basis for university study.

Will the reformed subjects be harder? 

Yes and no. The AS-level should be no harder than the current AS. The A-level will be slightly more demanding because it will examine the whole two-year course. But Ofqual will ensure that the number of good grades given in the reformed subjects is similar to the number of good grades given before those subjects were reformed. They have committed to ensuring a level playing field during the period when a mixture reformed and unreformed subjects are being sat in the same year.

What’s the point of the reformed AS level?

If you take the AS-level in 2016 and decide to continue with the same subject to A-level in 2017 you will face questions on the same material in June 2017. Why bother with the AS? There are a number of reasons why some schools may require their pupils to take the reformed AS-levels in 2016 even though they no longer count towards the final A-level. If you do well, it will strengthen your university application. It will be a useful benchmark to tell you and the school how well you are doing in each subject. As happens now, this will allow you to make wise decisions about which subjects to take into Year 13 as full A-levels. If you drop the subject at the end of Year 12 you will have achieved a qualification in it (the AS). AS results will highlight students who need to work harder if they are to succeed at A-level. It will mean you have already revised work which will be needed for the main A-level.