CONTENTS
FOREWORD / 2CRITERIA FOR ENTRY INTO 6TH FORM / 3
6TH FORM SUBJECT CHOICE, GENDER STEREOTYPING AND EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY / 5
THE POST-16 CURRICULUM / 6
WHERE COULD MY A-LEVELS LEAD TO? / 12
WHO CAN GIVE ME GUIDANCE ABOUT MY SUBJECT CHOICE? / 15
HOW IS THE SIXTH FORM DIFFERENT FROM SENIORSCHOOL? / 16
SIXTH FORM CURRICULUM IN OUR LADY & ST PATRICK’S COLLEGE / 17
COURSES OFFERED / 20
- ART & DESIGN
- BIOLOGY
- BUSINESS STUDIES
- CHEMISTRY
- COMPUTING
- DRAMA & THEATRE STUDIES
- ECONOMICS
- ENGLISH LITERATURE
- FRENCH
- GEOGRAPHY
- GERMAN
- GOVERNMENT & POLITICAL STUDIES
- HISTORY
- HOME ECONOMICS
- ICT
- IRISH
- MATHEMATICS & FURTHER MATHEMATICS
- MUSIC
- PHYSICAL EDUCATION
- PHYSICS
- RELIGIOUS STUDIES
- SOCIOLOGY
- SPANISH
- TECHNOLOGY & DESIGN
- KEY SKILLS
- KEY SKILLS PROGRAMMES
- STUDENT MENTOR PROGRAMME
- SIXTH FORM COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMMES
FOREWORD
Recently, Government introduced significant changes to the Post-16 curriculum with a view to broadening provision for young people. Here at Knock we have always offered considerable choice in the 6th form and this will continue to be the case. Our GCE Options Booklet is designed to provide you with detailed information about subjects available to you in Lower Sixth in September.
Before making your choice read carefully what the various Heads of Departments have written about specific subjects. Please talk over the issues surrounding ‘choice of subjects’ with your parents, teachers and careers advisers. I would suggest you also talk to those students who are now in Upper 6th and have experience of Advanced level work. Discussion is very important. Your choice of subjects now may affect your whole future.
Can I also stress the importance of our criteria for entry to Sixth Form. All students will sit modular examinations at the end of Year 13. This has major implications in terms of attendance and commitment to study - hence the importance of these criteria, in addition to a requirement for good grades at GCSE level.
We hope that the next two years of your academic life here will be enjoyable, eventful and beneficial. All that we ask is that you do your best. For our part we will give you all the help and support possible to ensure your success.
John Allen
Principal
CRITERIA FOR ENTRY INTO YEAR 13
Please read carefully and ask for clarification if necessary
You should talk to subject teachers, tutors and Careers staff before choosing your Sixth Form courses. You should be realistic about your individual capabilities, interests and academic strengths. You should also understand that the academic pathway of AS-levels and A-levels might not be the best option for you. Perhaps a combination of Vocational A-Levels in a Further Education College would be a more appropriate choice.
You should only choose four AS-Level subjects in Year 13 if your GCSE grades and motivation are good. Approximately 80% of returning students choose to study four AS-Levels in Year 13, and the vast majority of these students will progress to A2 with three of these subjects in Year 14.
A student is expected to conform to the Code of Discipline as formulated by the Board of Governors and interpreted by those in charge of discipline. In addition a student must be prepared to accept timetable and curriculum arrangements. This will include being involved and present at Religious Education, Careers Education, Life Issues and Tutorial classes, morning assemblies and the College celebration of the Eucharist. (Arrangements relating to exceptions from above can be made on behalf of those students who are registered as members of other mainstream denominations).
It is important to ensure that students embarking on Sixth Form study have the right attitude as well as aptitude. Where a student wishes to transfer from another school GCSE results will be used as evidence of academic ability. The advice and opinions of the Principal and teachers of the previous school(s) will also be taken into consideration.
Normal minimum requirements for entry include the following in terms of Academic Criteria and Positive Attitude.
ACADEMIC CRITERIA
Five GCSE passes with three at grade B.
In most cases grade B at GCSE is required if the subject is to be studied at AS or A2 Level.
- Government & Politics requires grade B in GCSE English.
- Economics requires grade B in GCSE Mathematics or grade C in Additional Mathematics.
- Physics requires an AA grade in Double Award Science or B in Physics Triple Award plus grade A in Mathematics or grade C in Additional Mathematics.
- Sociology requires grade B in English.
POSITIVE ATTITUDE
A student is expected to have a positive attitude towards discipline, study, religion and school attendance. This will involve the signing of an agreement accepting the rules and standards set by the College and the obligations and restraints resulting from accepting these standards. This agreement includes a commitment to be present in the College for the whole of the school year as a full-time student and to refrain from going on vacation during term time. We will focus on attendance, behaviour and commitment in Year 12 before accepting a student into Sixth Form.
Attendance
It should be 95%+ in Year 12.
Behaviour
Evidence of positive attitude will be a lack of detentions and/or suspensions for serious or recurring misdemeanours in SeniorSchool.
Commitment
Prospective 6th Form students must have demonstrated commitment to their studies in Year 12 e.g. completion of all coursework on time. Where a student opts for Additional Mathematics - Grade C is expected as evidence of commitment. This latter point is to deter students from opting out or switching off Additional Mathematics in Year 12 after completing GCSE Maths in Year 11.
ENTRY INTO YEAR 14
If you wish to progress into Year 14, you should also be attentive to the following information and advice:
- You mustpass an AS-level subject (Grade A – E) if you wish to take that subject at A2 in Year 14.
- In some cases, if you pass an AS-level subject at grade E, you will be advised not to continue with that subject to A2.
- You mustpass a minimum of two AS-level subjects if you wish to return as a Year 14 student to take A2 subjects.
- If your performance in Year 13 falls below reasonable expectations, you and your parents will be advised to reassess your academic and career options by consulting with the Vice Principal in charge of the curriculum, subject teachers, pastoral and Careers staff in the summer term of Year 13 and/or after the publication of your
AS-level exam results in August.
- After the AS-level exam results have been published, at the start of the new school year, you will be expected to attend an advice morning to help you finalise your course choices.
N.B.College recommendations regarding part-time employment and study
Although part-time employment can be beneficial in preparing sixth form students for life after school, it can also impact negatively on examination results. We would strongly recommend that students do not work part-time during the school week.
6TH FORM SUBJECT CHOICE, GENDER STEREOTYPING
AND EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY
What’s Stopping You?
The right of access to an effective education
“Every individual has a right to an effective education which allows them to the greatest extent possible to develop intellectually, spiritually, physically, emotionally, morally, creatively and aesthetically and to achieve independence, social and occupational integration and to participate in the life of the community”.
(N. Ireland Human Rights Commission)
What is gender stereotyping?
It is making assumptions that men and women play different roles in society. Such assumptions restrict individual choice, which leads to wasted talent and unfulfilled potential, to skills gaps and to lower pay for those jobs which are seen as ‘women’s work’. In short, gender stereotyping results in discrimination against both women and men.
So you think inequality is a thing of the past?
- By the age of 20, young women will already be earning on average 10% less per hour than the young men they used to sit next to in the classroom.
- There is a skills shortage in the computer industry, yet the number of women entering this industry is falling.
- In some parts of Northern Ireland, industries that were traditionally dominated by men simply don’t exist any more. But the new jobs that are being created, such as those in the service sector, are not seen as ‘men’s’ jobs’ so male unemployment persists.
- At A-level in Northern Ireland, 72% of students who took English Literature in 2004 were female, 72% of those who took Technology & Design were male.
How can it be challenged?
Year 12 pupils should consider all of the available 6th form subject choices and career options, and should not limit their opportunities because they are male or female. Are you really picking optional subjects that you like and are good at, or are you simply following the crowd. For example, if you are male, are you refusing to choose Home Economics because you think that it’s a ‘girls’ subject?’ If you are female, have you decided not to choose Computing because you see it as a ‘boys’ subject?’ Remember that you are unlikely to fulfil your potential unless you consider all of the options!Parents are the single most important influence on pupils’ subject choices.They should encourage their sons and daughters to widen their subject choices at school and beyond, and provide a home environment where girls and boys are encouraged to share all tasks equally,
Teachers and Careers advisers at Knock also have a duty to present unbiased information and to support those pupils who step beyond traditional 6th form subject and career choices.
THE POST-16 CURRICULUM
1. INTRODUCTION
In recent years, government has introduced a number of reforms to post-16 qualifications in the light of advice from CCEA, QCA and ACCAC, the regulatory authorities for qualifications in Northern Ireland, England and Wales.
The underlying purpose of the reforms is to address undue narrowness and lack of flexibility in the post-16 curriculum. The developments are designed to lead to broader Advanced Level programmes and improved vocational qualifications that are underpinned by rigorous standards and key skills.
Students following A-Level programmes will be able to broaden their programmes by studying additional subjects using the new Advanced Subsidiary (AS) qualification or, if they wish, by adding a vocational dimension and studying one or more of the new smaller six-unit GNVQ qualifications in a further education college (e.g. BIFHE or N. Down Institute). Students on vocational programmes will be able to broaden their studies by using one or more of the smaller GNVQ qualifications and the new Advanced Subsidiary. Measures to ensure that units are the same size, and the use of a common grading system for advanced level qualifications, will lead to greater choice and flexibility in selecting qualifications to meet individual needs. All students will have the opportunity to broaden their studies through the development of key skills leading to national certification.
These reforms need to be set against a wider agenda. The commitment to the needs of lifelong learners, the construction of a qualifications framework, the exploration of models for overarching certificates, modern apprenticeships, Jobskills traineeships and changes to the higher education admissions process are important developments. These all provide a context for improvements to individual qualifications.
The reforms provide schools and colleges with an opportunity to review their approach to post-16 education and training. They are an important step on the way to achieving a system that will serve 16-19 year-olds well into the next century while enhancing opportunities for a wider group of learners.
2. GCE A-LEVEL
Structure
GCE Advanced Levels (A-Levels) are designed mainly for post-16 students who are following a two-year full-time course of study. A-Levels will normally consist of six assessment units of approximately equal size. Three of these will make up an Advanced Subsidiary (AS)qualification, representing the first half of an advanced level course of study. The additional three will be known as A2, representing the second half. A-Level and AS courses may be assessed either in stages or at the end of the course.
This model offers considerable flexibility for teachers to develop a range of approaches to teaching and learning. Those who prefer to link teaching programmes with the facility for students to take their examinations in stages will normally be able to do so. It will also be possible for all assessment units to be undertaken at the end of the course. In a few small entry subjects, where the regulatory authorities accept that it is uneconomical for awarding bodies to offer both staged and end-of-course assessment, only the latter option will be available. In most of these cases, the option of taking the AS halfway through the course will be available.
Assessment
A key feature of the new A-Levels is the emphasis on demanding and rigorous assessment, including a substantial external element. For some subjects with
criteria, there has been some modest increase in the proportion of internal assessment(coursework).
All A-Levels will include an element of synopticassessment designed to test candidates’ ability to make connections between different aspects of the subject. The nature of the synoptic assessment will vary according to the nature of particular subjects.
In line with the intention that A-Levels should be predominantly two-year full-time courses, only one resit of each assessment unit will be allowed. It will be possible to retake the whole examination more than once. The shelf-life of assessment units will be limited by the life of the specification (syllabus).
Grading
The A-Level will be graded A to E for pass grades, with U (unclassified) for fail.
3. GCE ADVANCED SUBSIDIARY (AS)
Structure
The reformulated GCE Advanced Subsidiary (AS) was a key recommendation arising from Lord Dearing’s review of qualifications for 16-19-year-olds. The AS consists of three assessment units of approximately equal size which form the first half of the A-Level course. The AS qualification is designed to support progression and encourage breadth in post-16 programmes. Those students who, having started an A-Level programme, and who decide not to continue beyond the first year with one or more subjects, will have the opportunity to have their attainments to that point recognised through the AS qualification. Students will also be able to use the new AS to broaden or enhance their A-Level studies.
Assessment
The coursework and external assessment requirements for the AS are part of the requirements for the full A-Level. There will be no synoptic requirement in the AS, but in all other respects - resits, certification and shelf-life - the AS requirements are the same as those for A-Level.
Grading
The new AS is graded on an A to E scale, with U (unclassified) for fail. Achievement on the AS will, with the A2, contribute equally to the full A-Level.
4. GNVQ
Structure
A new style of unit has been introduced in all GNVQ subjects at foundation,
intermediate and advanced levels. The new units set out the knowledge, understanding and skills required in clear, jargon-free language. At all levels, the
consists of a combination of compulsory and optional units. At foundation and intermediate levels, three out of six units are compulsory; at advanced level, six to eight of the units studied will be compulsory, appropriate to the vocational area.
At advanced level, a new six-unit GNVQ has been introduced. Three or four of the units are compulsory, appropriate to the vocational area. The six-unit GNVQ has been designed to meet progression needs in different vocational areas, and offer choice and flexibility to schools and colleges. Evidence from piloting indicates that this new qualification is being used to add to the breadth of students’ programmes.
At advanced level, a new three-unit GNVQ has been introduced in a very limited range of titles in specific vocational areas where the demand from employers, schools and colleges is clear, and where the award represents a coherent qualification.
Assessment
The new assessment arrangements for the GNVQ are designed to increase rigour and manageability. Normally, one-third of the assessment is external. External assessment may take a number of forms, such as set assignments or tests administered by awarding bodies, depending upon the unit being assessed. The two-thirds of the assessment that is internal will be moderated by the awarding body. Assessment and grading will be based on performance in each unit, using assessment criteria based on the unit’s requirements.
Grading
Each unit will be graded. Unit grades will be converted into points, which will be aggregated to produce a grade for the whole qualification. At intermediate and foundation level, pass, merit and distinction grades will be used. At advanced level, A to E grading will be used in line with the A-Level system. This will give selectors in higher education and employment more information and make it easier for them to compare candidates’ performances across different qualifications.
Part One GNVQ
Part One GNVQ consists of three compulsory units at intermediate and foundation levels. It will also be available post-16 although Part One GNVQ is aimed primarily at the 14-16 age group.
5. KEY SKILLS
The development and application of key skills are essential features of government plans for the education and training of 16-19 year-olds. Key skills are those generic skills that can help you to improve your own learning and performance in education and training, work and life in general.
Key skills are important in your learning because they help you to focus on what and how you are learning so you can get better results.
Key skills are important in your career because they enable you to be flexible in whatever kind of work you do. Employers look for key skills when recruiting and promoting people. These skills are relevant to all levels of an organization, including self-employment.
Key skills are important in your personal life because they can help you to organise yourself, manage your money, handle information and get on with others.