Sherborne Girls Sixth Form Booklet

Sherborne Girls

THE SIXTH FORM A guide to A Levels and the International Baccalaureate

Contents Sherborne Girls Learner Profile

2

Welcome to the Sixth Form

3

The Sixth Form Team

4

Higher Education and Careers

5

Subject Choices

6

The Subjects

7

A Levels

8

The International Baccalaureate (IB)

10

IB Core Programme

11

Academic Enrichment

13

Co-curricular

17

Subjects: Art & Design

26

Visual Arts

29

Biology

30

Business/Business Management

31

Chemistry

32

Classical Civilisation

34

Computer Science

36

Design Technology

37

Drama and Theatre Studies

38

Economics

40

English

41

Environmental Systems and Societies

42

Film Studies

43

Geography

44

Classical Greek

45

History

46

History of Art

47

Latin

48

Literature and Performance

49

Mathematics

51

Modern Languages

52

Music

54

Philosophy

55

Photography

56

Physical Education (Sports Science)

57

Physics

58

Psychology

59

Religious Studies

60

November 2017

The Sherborne Girls Learner Profile Communicative

They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language, and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Our aspiration is that all members of our Sixth Form should be described as:

Openminded

They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the Inquiring perspectives, values and traditions of They develop their natural other individuals and communities. They curiosity.

They acquire the skills Thinkers are accustomed to seeking and necessary to conduct enquiry and They exercise initiative in evaluating a range of points of view research and show independence in applying thinking skills and are willing to grow from the learning. They actively enjoy learning critically and creatively to experience. and this love of learning will be recognise and approach complex sustained throughout their lives. problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Risk-taking Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the individual, groups and communities.

They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

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Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Knowledgeable

They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In doing so, they acquire knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

A Very Warm Welcome to the Sixth Form

6th Form The Sixth Form is the most exciting time to be at Sherborne Girls, whether you have been here for many years already or are new to the school. This is because, in the Sixth Form, girls have more opportunity than ever before in their lives to make individual decisions about what they spend their time studying and how they use extra-curricular time.

In consultation with girls and their families, the Sixth Form team will guide them as they approach this new phase, helping them to make these important choices so that each girl will be stimulated to become the best version of herself that she can be as she develops her ambitions for future study or work. We will monitor each girl’s progress at every point of her two years in the Sixth Form, reacting to changes as they happen and responding to her needs as she matures; we continue to offer guidance for as long as girls need it, sometimes years after they have taken their last school exams. Perhaps partly because there is always plenty of help available at every stage, our Sixth Formers tend to become more and more confident and self-reliant, volunteering for challenging roles and taking responsibility for themselves and others.

One of the first choices they have is between the International Baccalaureate and A Levels - and whichever of the two systems one chooses, there are then further options to be considered. There are hundreds of combinations of subjects available, so each Sixth Former has a bespoke programme to suit her interests, talents and plans for the future. Academic work is complemented by a vast range of activities outside the classroom: some to develop girls’ creativity; some to hone their minds; some to keep them fit or enhance teamwork skills or self-reliance; some that build one’s confidence to lead others, both in public or in a quieter arena. In fact, there are plenty that do all of these at once! Some of our most popular clubs in the school are founded and organised by

Sixth Form girls themselves, whilst others are staffed by adults who are experts in their field.

Our academic record is exemplary and this year’s Sixth Form results were impressive, with 47% of A Levels gaining A* or A grades. 12% of IB students scored over 42 out of 45. We are also extremely proud of the seven Sherborne girls who were offered and achieved places at Oxford or Cambridge Universities this year.

Regardless of statistics, what really counts is the people our Sixth Formers become. We want them to develop into outward-looking adults who are eager to challenge themselves and aim high in whatever spheres of life they find themselves.

Because they enter the Sixth Form as the most senior pupils in mixed-age houses, they have plenty of opportunity to establish themselves as role models from the start: from overseeing prep to saying ‘goodnights’, from directing and acting in House Drama to organising Sports Day, our Sixth Form is at the heart of everything the school does and we are very proud of the Sixth Form girls.

Mrs Florence Corran Director of Sixth Form

3

Team

The Sixth Form

Mrs Rachel Allen Assistant Head of Sixth Form EPQ Coordinator

Mrs Penelope Utting Head of Higher Education and Careers

Mrs Kate Scorer Oxford and Cambridge Preparation Advisor

4

Mr David Banks Assistant Head of Sixth Form IB Coordinator

Miss Caitlin Howell-Evans Housemistress Mulliner (U6 Boarding House)

Dr Jane Hopper Medical Courses Advisor BMAT preparation

&

&

Higher Education & Careers Sherborne Girls is thoroughly committed to helping our students make successful choices about the most appropriate path for them to follow after school. The needs of the individual must be paramount and, although in most cases the girls do progress on to traditional degree courses at competitive universities in the UK and abroad, this is definitely not the right option for everyone and there are many other exciting options for students to consider.

60% of university applicants won places at Russell Group and other highly competitive universities in 2017 including seven to Oxbridge.

The Head of Higher Education and Careers, Mrs Penelope Utting, is on hand to see girls and parents at any time on either a drop-in or pre-arranged basis.

A comprehensive Higher Education Programme is embedded into the Sixth Form curriculum and delivered at appropriate moments throughout the two years. Up-to-date advice is essential and the girls are therefore given the opportunity at the start of the L6 to complete the ‘Centigrade’ Higher Education Questionnaire that provides the focus for a 20 minute discussion with an experienced adviser from Cambridge Occupational Analysts about the courses they have expressed an interest in and how they can best start researching and making decisions about the right route for them.

Through this individual advice, students are well prepared for the challenges they will face when they leave Sherborne Girls. There is a variety of interesting lectures throughout the year covering a wealth of life experiences. The girls are kept up-to-date about forthcoming events and opportunities and are encouraged to gain relevant work experience and attend Taster Courses and Open Days. Those who are applying to Oxbridge, Dentistry, Veterinary Science or Medicine are assigned a mentor and attend weekly sessions to help them prepare for this highly competitive process.

In the Trinity Term there is a series of Higher Education Days for the L6 when a university Admissions Tutor visits the school to talk about the UCAS process from a university’s perspective. The girls attend a University Open Day so they can see a university campus, and Personal Statement writing workshops are organised so their UCAS application is well underway before the summer break.

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Our aim is to prepare Sherborne girls thoroughly for the many challenges and exciting opportunities which will come their way so they can have a fulfilling life.

Head of Higher Education and Careers: Mrs Penelope Utting pau@sherborne.com

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Subject Choices

Tutors and teachers offer advice and Mrs Utting and Mrs Corran will both be available to discuss options further at any stage in the decision-making process.

In order to support girls as they approach to these choices, we offer a range of opportunities for guidance: • Sixth Form Information Evening: end of Michaelmas term • Individual interviews with Housemistress/master and Senior Staff: start of Lent term • Careers Testing and interviews: completed by the end of January • Tutorials with personal tutor: ongoing • U5 Parents’ Meeting and Seminar: January

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The deadline for the submission of subject choices will be 19 February 2018 and your daughter will be given details of how to do this online.

We are lucky to be able to increase the range of subjects offered in the Sixth Form by working in partnership with Sherborne School (SS) and The Gryphon School (GR) and we have listed the courses that we are planning to offer, although if there is insufficient demand for a course then it may not run. At IB there may be some courses that we will not run at both Higher and Standard Levels but we will see what students would like in the first instance and, as usual, accommodate as many options as possible.

A Level

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Three or four subjects taught over two years

Six Subjects taught over two years Three at Higher Level, three at Standard Level

The Extended Project Qualification MOOCS Arts Award Gold

The Core subjects taught throughout: Creativity Activity Service (EAS) Extended Essay Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

If you want to be busy, enjoy a challenge and a holistic approach to study and learning, then the IB is for you. It has many advantages, not least ‘the Core’ that binds all subjects together through TOK and ensures an international outlook and experience through CAS: European, US and many British universities are especially interested in IB candidates.

follow when you leave school, then the A Level programme could be for you.

A Levels often appeal to the specialist, the student who is certain she wants a limited subject combination and one that will lead her in a specific direction post Sixth Form. If you are certain that you know what direction you want to

Universities are familiar with IB and A Levels, making very achievable offers for both programmes. A Level and IB exams are all taken at the end of U6.

Both programmes are regarded highly by universities and whichever programme you choose, you will be thoroughly prepared as a very strong candidate for application to Higher Education or work.

The Subjects A Levels:

IB Diploma:

Three A Levels (or four if intended to be studied over two years) plus EPQ

Six Subjects (three Higher Level and three Standard Level) plus Theory of Knowledge and Community Action Service (CAS) Select at least one subject from each of the groups 1-5 and a sixth subject from any of the groups 2-4 or 6.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Art Biology Business Chemistry Classical Civilisation (SG) Computer Science (GR) Design Technology (DT or Textiles) Economics English Literature Film Studies (GR) French Further Mathematics (only with Mathematics) Geography German (SG) Classical Greek History History of Art (SG) Latin Mathematics Music Photography Physical Education Physics Religious Studies Spanish Theatre Studies

It will only be possible to choose one of the subjects shared with other schools (these subjects are in bold).

Group 1 o English Literature HL o English Language and Literature SL o Literature and Performance SL Group 2 o Classical Greek HL/SL o French HL/SL o German HL/SL o Italian ab initio (beginners) SL o Latin HL/SL o Mandarin HL/SL o Spanish HL/SL Group 3 o Economics HL/SL o History HL o Philosophy HL o Psychology SL o Geography HL/SL o Art History HL/SL o Business Management HL/SL Group 4 o Biology HL o Chemistry HL o Environmental Systems and Societies SL o Physics HL/SL o Design Technology HL/SL Group 5 o Mathematics HL/SL o Mathematical Studies SL Group 6 o Drama HL/SL o Music HL/SL o Visual Arts HL/SL Select at least one subject from each of the groups 1-5 and a sixth subject from any of the groups 2-4 or 6.

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A Levels

Choosing A Level Subjects When you make your subject choices, it is wise to bear in mind any plans for Higher Education.

Opposite are some common requirements for popular university degree courses.

‘Facilitating subjects’ is a term used by the Russell Group of universities. It is not essential to do three facilitating subjects – even Oxbridge have said they are happy with two.

Facilitating subjects are only relevant if a student is not sure what they want to do; they keep options open. If they do know, it may be that they need to do subjects that are not on this list, particularly if they are going down a creative route.

Universities look for students who not only have good grades, but grades in the right subjects for which they want to apply. If you already know what you want to study at university, you should think about choosing subjects which give you the best possible preparation for your chosen degree course. If you are not sure what you want to study at university yet, it’s important to choose subjects that will leave as many options open as possible.

The facilitating subjects are: • Biology • Chemistry • Physics • Maths and Further Maths • English Literature • Geography • History • Modern and Classical Languages If you don’t know what you want to study at university then it’s a good rule of thumb that taking two facilitating subjects will keep a wide range of degree courses open to you.

A Level: The Supra-Curricular A Level pupils attend a series of lessons to prepare them for an EPQ and train them in skills needed for extended academic projects at university level.

Topics covered include: research skills using books, journals and online resources; essay structuring; referencing skills; writing an abstract; time managment; note taking and many others.

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DEGREE COURSE

POSSIBLE REQUIREMENTS

Art Foundation courses

Art A Level plus a good portfolio. Some institutions may accept DT, depending on the course. Check with the colleges you are interested in. Applications are made direct to your chosen Art College(s) not via UCAS.

Biology

Biology and another science (normally Chemistry) or Maths.

Business Studies

Any – but Maths, English and Economics may be preferable at some institutions.

Chemistry

Chemistry and sometimes Maths and/or another science.

Dentistry

Chemistry and one or two other sciences (Chemistry and Biology are advised to give access to the widest range of courses)

Economics

Many universities require Maths A Level – please check carefully.

English

You must have English A Level

Engineering

Maths and Physics (or Maths and Chemistry for Chemical Engineering)

History of Art

Nothing specified but the following are useful: Art, Religious Studies, History, English Lit, Classical Civilisation

Modern Languages

The language you wish to study. Uncommon for a 2nd language to be an essential requirement but is preferred by some universities.

Law

Any but preferably “academic” – high grades will generally be necessary.

Medicine

Chemistry and usually Biology. Maths and Further Maths will not count as two subjects or three.

Natural Sciences

Maths required at most institutions.

Physiotherapy

One science – usually Biology. Some universities ask for TWO sciences.

Psychology

A science subject is usually required.

Sports Science

Some universities require Biology and another science.

Participation in sport at county level or above is helpful.

Veterinary Science

Chemistry and one or two other sciences. Like Medicine, Vet Schools will not accept subjects that overlap as two subjects eg Maths and Further Maths 9

The International Baccalaureate Choosing IB Subjects

IB Diploma students are required to study six subjects concurrently over two years.

Of the six subjects, three must be taken at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL). Within a broad curriculum, subject choices are as flexible as possible, offering a breadth of disciplines, whilst Higher Level subjects encourage study in depth. This deliberate combination of breadth and depth equips students with the skills and attitudes demanded in a world of international mobility and global communications.

Students must choose one subject from each of the groups 1-5 and a sixth from groups 2-4 or 6. (See subjects list on page 7.)

For example, if you wish to study Medicine you will want to study both Chemistry and Biology in group 4; you can do this by electing not to use group 6.

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The Award of the Diploma The Diploma is internationally recognised and respected. It is highly valued by universities in the UK and in many other countries.

A maximum of 7 points is awarded for each subject.

A score of 6 or 7 is generally considered to equate to a grade A or A* at A Level.

In addition, up to 3 points are awarded for the combined performance in the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge components. An acceptable standard must be achieved in both of these elements for the overall Diploma to be awarded.

The minimum number of points required for the Diploma to be awarded is 24 out of the maximum of 45, although there are other requirements to be met, including an average score of 4 points at Higher Level and 3 points at Standard Level, with no score of 1 point in any subject.

IB Core Programme The Extended Essay

Theory of Knowledge

Every student must submit an Extended Essay. The essay is an in-depth study of a limited topic within a subject and its purpose is to provide students with an opportunity to engage in independent research.

The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) requirement is central to the educational philosophy of the Diploma Programme.

It offers students and their teachers the opportunity to reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and consider the role and nature of knowledge in their own culture, in the cultures of others, and in the wider world.

The upper word limit of the essay is 4000 words (excluding abstract, bibliography, maps, etc.) and it should be written in a clear, correct and formal style.

The IB attaches importance to the formal presentation of the essay. Of the marks available, two-thirds are awarded for this formal structure and the School will support students in understanding the appropriate requirements.

It is essential that the essay is a student’s own work and that any research sources are appropriately acknowledged.

The subject of the essay is a student’s own choice, with help in defining the choice of essay title being provided by a Supervisor with appropriate experience.

The essay provides an exciting opportunity for students to explore a subject that is of real interest to them in more detail than is usually possible.

It is expected that students will begin work on the essay in the February of the L6 year and complete it by the end of September of the first U6 term.

In addition, it prompts students to: • Be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity of knowledge.

• Recognise the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected but uncertain world.

Assessment The assessment of the Theory of Knowledge component is two-fold. The internal assessment is based on a presentation, dealing with the application to a real-life situation of some aspect of knowledge, given individually or in groups; the external assessment is an essay of 1200 – 1600 words on a topic from a chosen set list provided by the IB. The presentation takes place in the Trinity term of L6 and the essay is produced early in the Michaelmas term of U6.

Creativity, Activity and Service One of the most rewarding elements of the IB Diploma course, and arguably one of the noblest intentions of the qualification, CAS is truly at the heart of the IB ethos: Creativity, Activity and Service.

CAS is a framework for experiential learning, designed to involve students in new roles. The emphasis is on learning by doing real tasks that have real consequences, and its intention is to instil a reflective approach to all such experiences.

CAS is a fundamental part of each student’s programme. The Creativity element might, for example, include a language club, debating, drama, participation in projects run by Sherborne’s twinning association, or working on a school magazine. Activity reflects the ethos of maintaining physical health and well-being in order to thrive academically. Service might involve teaching, or running a club, in a primary school; work with Amnesty International or even participation in an overseas community-based project. A wide range of appropriate activities can be followed, and it should be easy for each student to construct a balanced programme that covers all three of the strands.

A CAS diary, in a format chosen by the student, will be used to record and monitor activities together with selfreflections. IB students will meet regularly to discuss and reflect on their various CAS activities.

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Academic Enrichment

We place enormous value on a holistic, individualised academic experience: from entries in formal essay competitions to carefully planned work experience; from Extended Projects to presentations at Turing Society. Personal study that goes over and above working for examinations adds significantly to girls’ understanding of how their knowledge fits into the world and is invaluable for helping to define university and career aspirations as well as being essential training for later life. To support girls in their academic independence, we have designed programmes to foster their developing research skills and to inspire them to find out more about whatever sparks their curiosity.

A Level pupils attend a series of lessons to prepare them for an EPQ and train them in skills needed for extended academic projects at university level.

Topics covered include: research skills using books, journals and online resources; essay structuring; referencing skills; writing an abstract; time managment; note taking and many others. IB girls have this training too, as it is covered by the Core.

In addition to this, all our Sixth Formers are educated in ways that will help them grow into humane, thinking adults in the modern world, cross-fertilising with the Lecture Programme and weekly PSHEE lessons in L6.

We provide all our girls with life-skills that supplement and extend what they will be learning in their A Level or IB courses, from how to vote to how to ‘read’ a painting; from the state of the economy to the Booker Prize shortlist. Girls’ mental, physical and spiritual health is boosted, helping them grow into resilient, resourceful women, whichever paths they take in later life.

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Arts Award Gold If you are already taking part in some of the extracurricular Drama offered, then you might want to use that to go towards an Arts Award Gold. As well as taking part in an Arts activity (such as one of the school productions or choreographing House Dance) you would also need to research the arts sector; review a performance you have seen; debate an arts issue and run your own arts project – such as directing house drama, writing a play, teaching younger years how to make their own clothes or putting on a musical theatre night. This is a great way of getting accreditation for the work you are already doing in any creative subject at Sherborne Girls.

If Drama is important to you, but studying Drama in the Sixth Form is not an option, you need not worry: there are many opportunities to get on stage and perform! Our thriving Drama Department puts on productions throughout the year, with a major senior production at the end of the Michaelmas term. Our close links with Sherborne School will ensure that you have the chance to audition for their senior production as well: many girls take this opportunity each year. There are also chances to perform on local professional stages; write your own plays; attend drama lectures or direct your own productions.

House plays are very important too and as a Sixth Form student, you will have every opportunity to help produce, act, or work backstage for both your house or school productions, at both Sherborne Girls and Sherborne School.

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) We encourage a large proportion of our A Level candidates to take an EPQ. This is an externally assessed, publicly recognised qualification certified by the AQA exam board, consisting of a research-based project entirely designed and undertaken by the individual student within an academic discipline of their choice.

The ‘product’ of the research is usually a 5,000 word essay, complete with bibliography, presented in a recognised academic format. This is supplemented by the Logbook, a journal of the process – including any difficulties or stumbling blocks – and the Presentation. These three parts are equally weighted in terms of marks and make the qualification a very valuable learning achievement for anyone going on to higher education.

Each girl undertaking an EPQ will be given appropriate guidance by her own individual supervisor, as well as study skills training and tailored advice from the Sixth Form team. Ultimately, the project is entirely her own and a completed EPQ is something to be extremely proud of. At the end of the months of planning, researching, reflecting and writing, EPQs are presented to parents, teachers and pupils at a prestigious Presentation Evening of celebration.

EPQs are valued by universities because they demonstrate academic independence, time-management and degree-level research skills.

They are worth the same as an AS Level in terms of UCAS points. Some universities choose to make lower A Level grade offers for candidates if an EPQ is also offered.

IB students write an equivalent piece of independent research in their compulsory Extended Essay, which is also celebrated at the Presentation Evening.

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Academic Enrichment The Sixth Form asks much more of students than the Lower School. As they move from September of the Lower Sixth to their final exams, they are expected to respond to tasks in more depth than ever before. Teachers, tutors, house staff and the Sixth Form team work together to help girls manage their time and study effectively.

Candidates for Oxford and Cambridge Universities and other high achievers, including aspiring medics and vets, meet regularly with subject specialist academic supervisors to stretch and inspire them. They attend a regular discussion group with very able students from The Gryphon School, and the weekly Turing Society shared with boys from Sherborne School. These groups are inclusive, so all are welcome and the standard of presentations and debate is equivalent to what one might see at undergraduate level in the most competitive universities.

Each girl whatever her university aspiration, is expected to stretch herself academically and this has been evident in recent years in the Sixth Form’s outstanding contributions to the thinking life of the school. Girls are warmly supported by their peers, so even the least confident have felt able to make fascinating presentations of minutely researched subject matter or written insightfully for a range of publications.

Seminars As well as the Friday Lectures, a wide variety of workshops and presentations to Sixth Formers ensure that the programme is always fast paced and engaging. Speakers have included:

•

Sue Couper: Resilience, wellbeing and potential

• •

Safe Drive, Stay Alive Adrian Dwyer: What to do in a terrorist attack

Extended Essay and EPQ Last year girls wrote about an amazing range of topics for Extended Essays and EPQ qualifications EPQ

To what extent has Social Darwinism evolved since its origin and how is this concept presented in ‘The Age of Innocence’ and ‘Portrait of a Lady’?

EPQ

To what extent should the law protect minors who commit crimes such as murder and manslaughter in England and Wales?

EPQ

How far does social media such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook affect a teen’s self-esteem?

EPQ

How has the impact of six English swear words changed? An etymological study.

EPQ

Does hunting help or hinder conservation in northern Tanzania?

EPQ

Clothes against Conflict - creating three outfits for a fashion show (Artefact)

EPQ

Do the physical and psychological benefits of vegetarianism in late adolescents in the 21st century outweigh the negatives?

EPQ

To what extent is Airbnbs’ pricing strategy the reason behind its success with the millennial generation in New York?

EPQ

To what extent can Nigeria’s population be sustained?

EPQ

How far has Bogota in Colombia come since the late 1980s in terms of public safety relating to the drugs industry?

EPQ

What are the social consequences associated with extreme inflation rates in Venezuela (June 2014-July 2017)?

EPQ

To what extent has the role of the burqa changed from before the Iranian Revolution of 1979 to 2017?

EPQ

Should Sarah Kane be considered the most controversial playwright in the style of ‘In-Yer-Face’ theatre?

EPQ

Now that China’s One Child Policy has been abandoned, did the policy leave a positive or negative mark on modern China?

EPQ

Is human cryopreservation a stable industry for companies to rely on?

EPQ

Stem cells and their potential in modern medicine.

EPQ

To what extent did the Communist Party of China improve the lives of women from 1949 to 1976 in China?

EPQ

Were Amazons in literature written in order to dissuade Greek women from behaving inappropriately or to praise the independence of such women as the Scythians?

EPQ

Creation of a sculpture design - a report on the design of a sculpture that encapsulates the intersection between art and mathematics (Artefact)

EPQ

Why is it so hard to be an artist in Kenya?

EPQ

How does social media contribute to eating disorders in teenage girls?

EPQ

To what extent does the low-rent housing policy in Ningbo, China, improve the welfare of low-income groups?

EPQ

Should Hegel be studied only as an ‘inexhaustible theme for laughter’?

IB

To what extent is colonialism the main cause of the Boer war?

IB

To what extent was the economic depression in Germany during 1919-1926 caused by the Treaty of Versailles?

IB

To what extent have misconceptions led to the distrust in ECT?

IB

To what extent do Perrault’s Contes and the explicit lessons they purport to outline reflect positive social progress in the position of women in the court of Louis XIV?

IB

What is the relationship between language, truth and logic?

IB

Zaha Hadid: Transforming the architectural industry through the use of suprematism.

IB

‘French involvement in the American War of Independence (1775-1781) was the main reason for the colonists’ victory.’ Assess this view.

IB

Writing as therapy: How does Virginia Woolf portray different aspects of grief and mental illness in the novel ‘To the Lighthouse’?

IB

To What Extent Did Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First New Deal Bring The Great Depression of 1929 to An End?

IB

How did the European and American interpretations of Balkan history during the Balkan conflict (1991-1995) facilitate the massacre at Srebrenica in 1995?

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There is so much more to Sixth Form life than the classroom. You will have the opportunity to involve yourself in all manner of activities, not just the ones you would expect. Activities range from academic enrichment to adventurous pursuits, and everything in-between. Sherborne Girls has an enviable reputation for music, sport, art and drama: at Sixth Form level, our pupils are expected to lead participation in co-curricular activities. If an opportunity doesn’t yet exist, pupils are invited to set it up for themselves with the guiding hand of a member of staff.

Co-Curricular

Clubs, Societies and so much more

With so much on offer, you are sure to find an activity that suits you. The provision for academic enrichment develops each year; here is a sample of some of the clubs and societies from the current academic year: • Madrigals • Senior Debating Society • Social Committee • Youth Advisors • Model United Nations • Student Exchanges • Warriors • Many Bands and Musical Groups • Charities Outreach • Supporters and Listeners • The Thinkers’ Society • Amnesty Group • Biomedical Society • Turing Society • Sherborne School Epicurean Society • PPE Society • Sherborne Schools’ Maths Enrichment Programme • Leiths • Sculpture Club • Senior History Society • French Film Club • Feminism Society • Classics Society • Chemistry Symposia • Duke of Edinburgh Award • Focus Bible Discussions • School Play • Charity Concerts • Senior Choir • Orchestras AND MORE ...

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Co-Curricular

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A Sporting Life Sherborne Girls strongly believes that sport plays a very important role of the holistic development of an individual. Apart from the long term health benefits associated with physical activity and a healthy lifestyle, sport helps to develop an individual’s well-rounded understanding of teamwork, leadership, honesty, respect, excellence, resilience and more.

Our students have a tremendous opportunity to participate in a wide variety of competitive and recreational sports. Spread over the three terms, our main sports are; Hockey, Lacrosse, Netball, Cross Country, Swimming, Athletics and Tennis. Girls are encouraged to step out of their comfort zone to sample other sports and activities on offer too.

The school also offers an opportunity to receive additional performance coaching from suitably experienced and qualified coaches. These include Tennis, Squash, Badminton, Dance, Fencing, Karate and more.

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All students at Sherborne Girls automatically become members of the Oxley Sports Centre. This gives the girls access to a wide number of activities including Swimming, Yoga, Zumba, Spinning, Boxercise, Junior Gym, Circuits, Boot Camp and Pilates just to name a few.

From entry into Sherborne Girls, it is an expectation that all students play in representative teams throughout the year. As students enter the Sixth Form, many student continue to play in regular representative sports fixtures whilst others opt to participate in a structured physical activity programme run by the Oxley Sports Centre.

As you can see, there is something for everyone and we encourage all girls to maintain a healthy level of physical activity whilst at Sherborne Girls. We aim that the physical activity experience is a meaningful and enjoyable one which the girls will continue to enjoy throughout their life.

Co-Curricular

Drama is for Everyone

If Drama is important to you, but studying Drama in the Sixth Form is not an option, you need not worry: there are many opportunities to get on stage and perform!

Our thriving Drama Department puts on productions throughout the year, with a major senior production at the end of the Michaelmas term. Our close links with Sherborne School will ensure that you have the chance to audition for their senior production as well: many girls take this opportunity each year. There are also chances to perform on local professional stages; write your own plays; attend drama lectures or take a directing course.

House plays are very important too, and as a Sixth Form student, you will have every opportunity to help produce, act, or work backstage for both your house or school productions, at both Sherborne Girls and Sherborne School.

Speech & Drama Speech and Drama is a life skill, bringing with it confidence, selfexpression, and an ability to empathise with a wide variety of character types. In addition, the higher medal grades of both LAMDA and Trinity Guildhall carry UCAS points for some HE courses.

It ties in with Drama as a curriculum subject since, in the process of working on a variety of scripted pieces, we discuss such issues as theatrical style, specific playwrights, theatre practitioners, and periods in theatrical history. Above all, Speech and Drama is fun! It’s certainly not about ‘pretending to be trees’ or making a fool of yourself!

The Music Never Stops Music is in the life-blood of Sherborne Girls. There are so many chances to immerse yourself in music: whatever your level, you will find challenges, rewards and expert teaching.

From Senior Choir to chamber music, String Orchestra to Big Band, there are opportunities to make music every day. We have many joint activities with the boys of Sherborne School, including Symphony Orchestra and Choral Society. If singing is what matters most, then the renowned Madrigal Society may be the ensemble for you. There are regular performance opportunities, both in school and beyond, as well as overseas tours every two years.

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Co-Curricular

The Friday Series

Significantly adding to a student’s educational experience is what sets Sherborne Girls apart and what drives many of our initiatives. At the centre of this is the Friday Lecture Programme: a schedule that has the ambition of presenting our students with extraordinary people who will challenge, inspire and motivate.

A good speaker is worth so much more than the hour they spend with the girls; the value they bring transcends the lecture theatre and demands that those in the audience look beyond themselves to fresh possibilities and other worlds. Recent speakers have fulfilled this ambition admirably. Simon Weston CBE, Lt Col Lucy Giles RLC, Bonita Norris, Rt Hon Maria Miller MP, Peter Tait and Princess Badiya El Hassan have all given our students the clear message “you too can achieve whatever you set your mind to.” We often invite speakers, very often eminent women, who have professional lives in areas of interest to the girls, as well as areas in which they have less experience.

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&

ADVENTURE LEADERSHIP Adventure and Leadership is integral in the development of students at Sherborne Girls. Alongside the excellent academic provision at the school, all Sixth Form girls are encouraged to develop attributes that should enable them to become effective leaders in later life. We do this by providing a range of opportunities both inside and outside the campus.

Adventure The ethos behind all of our adventures is to promote a healthy respect for, and enjoyment of, the outdoors, alongside equipping girls to be confident in dealing with real and challenging situations. This engenders adaptability, courage and resourcefulness. The foundation of all trips is an invaluable shared experience in which strong bonds are developed; girls gain a huge amount of independence and quickly learn how to remain positive in adverse circumstances. All of these skills are transferable, and the experiences give them real perspective when it comes to the pressures of school life and beyond. Furthermore, all of these attributes are critical to being a successful leader.

Leadership

Alongside the clear thirst for adventure, Sixth Form girls are also encouraged to take on many leading roles at the school. When girls enter L6, they are the oldest in their houses and are expected to set an example and encouraged to take on the responsibilities of a House Prefect. As they enter their final year, the opportunities to become a full School Prefect and even Head of School are open to all.

Leadership attributes are promoted within academic and co-curricular groups, with examples including the opportunity to train as a ‘Supporter and Listener’, to take on specialist roles like Head of Choir, or a Subject Ambassador, or represent the school as a ‘Youth Advisor’ on Sherborne Town Council. Not everyone aspires to big and obvious leadership roles within the school, but the development of qualities such as intellectual enquiry, self-motivation and effective communication are critical to building the self-confidence and independence required at university or in the workplace. Mulliner (the U6 house), in particular, is an environment in which this becomes more obvious, providing the transition between school and the next step.Whatever the eventual ambition, Sherborne Girls aims to promote those leadership qualities which will be invaluable to the girls throughout their lives.

Climbing

We have our own fantastic climbing wall, coupled with a new bouldering facility. As a non-team sport activity and as part of a wider and more social climbing club, all girls can take up this pursuit. Sailing is another activity that will soon be available to girls using our own boats on Sutton Bingham Reservoir. Both sports can provide real challenge, great fun and be a welcome opportunity to relax within the school week.

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DofE Gold Award & L6 Expeditions All girls have the opportunity to enrol in the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award when they start in L6, and the uptake has been strong for several years.

Many will have experience of previous levels of the award, but this is not a requirement. The award at Gold level has five sections: volunteering, physical, skills, residential and the expeditions. Some of these sections recognise activities in which many are already involved; others encourage them to take up something new. The award requires weekly commitment to many of the above sections for a period of up to 18 months, and all girls are required to undertake a training programme during which they prepare for and complete their expeditions.

Expedition options are varied and exciting, with walking and canoeing both on offer. Girls travel to various parts of the UK and further afield in conjunction with the award. Recent final expeditions include conquering the Great Glen in Canadian canoes, and a superb mountaineering expedition to the Picos de Europa in Northern Spain. We do not limit all of our trips to DofE girls, and offer some of the more exciting trips as a one-off experience, enabling as many girls as possible to gain the benefits of these ventures.

Co-Curricular

& &

The Library

The Library is a fantastic environment in which to study at Sixth Form level. The space is split into two key areas - a large, traditional Library that offers the opportunity for focused, quiet study as well as a second space in which you can relax with the daily newspapers, magazines and subject-specific journals and work on group projects. The Library holds an excellent collection of academic material in every subject – both essential texts and secondary / tertiary sources too, as well as subscriptions to online resources such as The Economist online and JSTOR. The Librarian and Assistant Librarian can offer personalised help with finding high-quality, reliable information for your Sixth Form work, as well as study skills and referencing advice. The book collection also includes a great selection of fresh and prize-winning fiction. Staff are always available to recommend top reads. We also stock DVDs, both to support your academic work and just for entertainment and fun. Wi-Fi, PCs, colour printing and photocopying are all fully available throughout the day and evening, and the Library catalogue can be accessed remotely from any computer in school, and from home 24/7 during holiday time.

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Co-Curricular

Boarding Life In the L6, you will be in one of our five mixed-age group houses, where you will be one of the most senior girls. In the U6, you will transfer to Mulliner House, an U6 only house that accommodates the entire year group. There are so many advantages to this: the sense of purpose that Mulliner engenders in all students as well as greater freedom and a heightened sense of independence. It really is the first step towards university, and every girl thrives when she gets to Mulliner.

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Co-Curricular New to Sherborne Girls?

&&&&&&&&&& &&&&& && &&&&&&& &&&&&&&& &&&& &&&&& &&&& &&& &&&&&&& &&&&& &&& &&&&& &&& &&&&&& If you are new to Sherborne Girls or considering coming here for your Sixth Form study, don’t worry, you won’t be alone! Each year we welcome an average of 25 new girls to the L6. Out of a year group of 80, that is quite a high proportion, so you will by no means be the only one who is new. We will invite you to spend some time with us in late June when your GCSEs are complete: our post-exams activity programme will provide you with an excellent opportunity to meet your new classmates well in advance of the Michaelmas term, so when September comes, you will already have established some good friendships!

Shortlisted for the TES Awards, Boarding School of the Year 2018.

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Co-Curricular

A Social Life Our relationship with our closest neighbour is very important to us.

Sherborne School (The Boys’ School) works very closely with

Sherborne Girls, be it in the classroom, through joint lectures and activities, and of course many social events. It is not unusual to see boys walking around school: a number of A Level subjects is offered to boys, and this is reciprocated with a number of A Level subjects being offered to girls at Sherborne School.

You will never be bored at the weekend. The Sixth Form social programme involves both schools. Every Saturday night something is happening. You might participate in an ‘Open Mic Night’ in the Tea Crate, or perhaps decide on a quiet supper with friends in a local restaurant. It might be that it’s a Ball, when school bands decide to make themselves heard, or a night at ’The Stick’, Sherborne School’s Sixth Form social club. Whatever it is, you will have every opportunity to socialise with all in your year group as well as the Sixth Form boys at Sherborne School.

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This course will give you one of the most important life skills anyone can have. Not only does it teach you how to cook good, healthy food for yourself, it gives you a step up on the employment ladder should you wish to put your skills to use cooking for families, working in restaurants or delis, ski chalets or any other related cooking work during a gap year, holidays or beyond.

Leiths School of Food and Wine is the most prestigious and respected cookery school in the country and enjoys a reputation for producing practical, professional and well-rounded cooks.

LEITHS at Sherborne Girls

Co-Curricular

The Leiths Introductory Certificate in Food and Wine

This course has been specifically designed to teach the basic skills necessary to become a confident, capable and efficient cook. The dishes prepared are interesting, with an increasing degree of skill required, providing a balance between classical methods and modern recipes.

The course spans five terms, starting in the L6 and finishing at the end of the U6 Lent term. Students will learn the skills needed for meat, fish and vegetable preparation, including full roast dinners and accompaniments, stocks, sweet and savoury sauces, the use of gelatine, various pastries including layered and choux, meringues, ice creams, cakes, bread, scones, buns and canapes.

The dishes range from family-style meals to those of dinner party standard. Along with all of these wonderful cooking skills, the course teaches neat presentation, efficient kitchen method and correct food hygiene.

One of the lessons focuses on wine tasting and how to pair it with food and is conducted by a wine specialist from Leiths.

Assessment: to gain the Leiths Introductory Certificate in Food and Wine, students must pass both practical and theory examinations which are administered and moderated by Leiths. Added to these marks is a system of continual assessment which encompasses food tasting, kitchen method, time plans, tests and one piece of written coursework in the form of a menu planning exercise. Girls will also take the most basic of hygiene examinations, a qualification required for any type of cooking-related employment. The Introductory Certificate carries three levels of Pass: Pass, Merit and Distinction.

There is an additional charge of ÂŁ1,700 for this course which is spread over four termly payments of ÂŁ425.

Leiths Course Trainer: Mrs T Farris tlf@sherborne.com

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A Level (Fine Art)

Art & Design Why Study Art? Art at this level gives students the opportunity to build on their creative and technical skills to a far more sophisticated degree than GCSE. Studying Art A Level develops qualities of self-discipline, independence of mind and the ability to form an insight into the world around them. We encourage visual curiosity, experimentation with a wide range of media and perhaps more importantly encourage students to question why we produce art and what we are trying to communicate to our audience. A Level Art is a course that aims to teach students ‘how to think’ not ‘what to think’.

Course Content A Level The first year of the course is predominantly experimental and involves an introduction to the various disciplines taught within the department in order for students to see the possibilities inherent in the techniques learnt. Painting and drawing, mixed media, textile design, printmaking, ceramics and 3D work and photography are all areas available to explore. As well as developing skills, students need to understand how ideas, feelings and meanings connect to images and artefacts at a personal level and how they are also

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socially constructed over time through genres, styles and traditions. An important part of Art A Level, therefore, is an understanding of context and subjective response to it.

Unit 1 Personal Investigation (60%) (i) Portfolio of Practical Work - This unit is begun in the Trinity term of the first year. Candidates must produce a sustained project that derives from an initial starting point, topic or theme, chosen by the student. At this point we expect our artists to become far more self-directed, and to pursue themes that have a personal relevance to themselves. This Personal Investigation must have a mature and sustained outcome and show evidence of planning, far reaching exploration and refinement of skills and techniques. (ii) There is a written response included in this Unit of between 1000 and 3000 words that can be thoughtfully and creatively presented.

Unit 2 Externally Set Assignment (40)% This Unit starts in February of the second year and is a sustained project based on an externally set range of questions. This project is developed and refined and concludes in a 15 hour period of supervised time in which candidates produce their outcome.

Assessment

Outside the Lessons

What else should I consider?

Lessons are supplemented by life classes and occasional workshops. We visit London exhibitions as well as many local galleries and studios. Specialised workshops occur from time to time (e.g. stained glass, bookbinding, oil painting from life, dyeing yarns). A popular six or seven day foreign study tour is organised jointly with History of Art annually – in past years we have visited Paris, New York, Amsterdam, Rome, Florence, Venice, Madrid and Barcelona.

Will I enjoy it?

If you have a visual curiosity, enjoy experimentation with a broad range of media, like working independently, enjoy developing your own ideas and have an open mind and a tendency to think laterally, then this is a course from which you will gain great fulfilment.

All assessment takes place at the end of the course and is composed of: - Personal Investigation (60%) • Practical Portfolio with written elements - Externally set task - 15 hours (40%)

The Creative Industries are one of the fastest growing contributors to the UK economy and A Level Art is an excellent pathway to a career in this sector. This would include all forms of Art and Design: Photography; Film; Animation, Architecture; Spatial Design, Fashion; Textiles or Advertising; Media to name a few. Art A Level is widely accepted by universities for degree courses, however it is often expected that girls go on to Art and Design Foundation Courses to create specialised portfolios.

Head of Department: Mrs C Mason gcm@sherborne.com Examination Board: AQA 27

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IB Visual Arts has three clear directives at the heart of the programme: ‘Context’, ‘Methods’ and ‘Communication’.

Through these three areas the students are encouraged to create a body of work that challenges them practically, to make art in a variety of materials using a wide range of processes. The ‘Context’ area of study involves students considering the cultural significance of their work and comparing this with the work of other artists. Through class discussion, one- on-one tutoring and group critiques, students are encouraged to critically think about both their own and other artists’ work. ‘Methods’ is where the students have the chance to explore the capabilities of a wide range of artistic media. They are constantly challenged to work with new techniques and processes to build up an exciting and highly refined body of work.

‘Communication’ involves the students having to make decisions about which pieces of work they will choose to display at the end of the course and how they will display it. Students are prepared for this by visiting many exhibitions and private galleries over the two years, to look at how different themes are used in curatorship.

Fundamental questions such as: ‘Can we know anything of the art of the past?’, ‘Can the art of the present be beautiful?’, ‘What right has the artist to a political stance?’ and ‘Is originality possible?, will be considered in detail throughout the course.

Review, modification and refinement in the progress of studio work will be encouraged through individual tutorial engagement and group critical forum. These processes, along with work book annotation, will be the primary means by which course participants will articulate and reflect on the intentions and the communicability of their practice. The context of galleries and museums and other virtual exhibition spaces, such as locomotive media, site specificity, internet and intermedia will be addressed as the contexts in which artistic meaning is negotiated and expressed.

The course allows for a wide range of disciplines to be studied.

Both Photography and History of Art have a prominent role within the course with a Comparative Study, a formally assessed History of Art project, playing a major role throughout.

IB

Visual Arts

1. Comparative Study (written 20%) The newest addition to the VA curriculum is the CS, an independent critical and contextual investigation that explores artworks, objects and artefacts from differing cultural contexts. The CS is one of the three components required by the new curriculum and it constitutes 20% of the final mark. It is a comparative, analytic investigation that strikes a balance between the visual and written, with no prescribed format.

2. The Process Portfolio (40%) The Process Portfolio, or PP, is 40% of the final mark and it is the testimony of the student's artistic journey during the course. It is not intended to be of polished, refined, or even resolved work; final work is presented for the Exhibition component of the course. The PP is a collection of carefully selected materials which document the student’s experimentation, exploration, manipulation and development of a variety of visual arts activities during the two-year course.

3.Exhibition (40%) The final Exhibition is the culmination of the students' IB Art experience. Students present a selection of their best work in the form of a curated final show, and defend and articulate their purpose and intention in a written rationale.

Head of Department: Mrs C Mason gcm@sherborne.com ­29

A Level & IB

Biology Why Study Biology?

Biology is a good pathway to a large number of university courses and hence scientific careers. These include Biological Sciences, Medicine, Microbiology, Veterinary Science, Dentistry, Pharmacology, Physiotherapy, Nursing, Psychology, Agriculture and Environmental Science. For these courses Chemistry and / or Physics and Mathematics complement Biology; for some courses Chemistry is also essential. Some knowledge of Chemistry and Mathematics is required, though not necessarily at Sixth Form level.

COURSE CONTENT: A LEVEL (AQA) • Biological molecules • Cells • Organisms and exchange with the environment, e.g. gas exchange, digestion and transport in animals and plants • Genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms • Energy transfer between organisms, e.g. photosynthesis and respiration • Organisms responding to changes in their internal and external environment, e.g. homeostasis and the nervous system • Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems • The control of gene expression.

COURSE CONTENT: IB (HL ONLY) • Cells • Molecular biology • Genetics • Ecology • Evolution and biodiversity • Human physiology • Nucleic acids • Metabolism, cell respiration and photosynthesis • Plant biology • Genetics and evolution • Animal physiology, e.g. muscles and movement and the kidney, plus the Option D material, which includes: human nutrition, digestion, functions of the liver, the heart, hormones, metabolism and transport of respiratory gases.

Will I enjoy it?

Biology is life! It enables us to explain living organisms from the molecular level to their interactions within communities. If you enjoyed Biology at GCSE, then you should certainly consider it in the Sixth Form. Practical work, including field work, is an essential part of the course and will relate to the theory taught. Analysis and evaluation will also be key elements of the work covered.

Assessment A LEVEL: 3 END OF COURSE EXAMINATIONS Teachers will also assess students’ practical skills (based on a minimum of 12 compulsory practicals) against Common Practical Assessment Criteria. Students reaching the required standard will receive a pass grade for their assessed practical activities.

IB: 3 END OF COURSE EXAMINATIONS (80%) plus a 10 hour investigation (20%) - internally assessed. Only offered at Higher Level.

What else should I consider?

Students who choose Biology include those who wish to pursue a career in Biology, or a related discipline, and those who just enjoy studying the subject for its own sake, alongside other subjects.

Head of Subject: Dr J Hopper

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jch@sherborne.com

Examination Boards: AQA/IBO

Business is an exciting, modern subject that has evolved significantly since it was first introduced many years ago. The subject balances academic theory with an appreciation of ‘real world’ application and many of the students go on to study business related degrees at Russell Group universities. In today’s competitive environment for employment, employers are looking for employees with the ability to make judgements and analyse real scenarios; this subject helps to build a foundation in these critical areas. The surge in demand for business/economic related subjects nationally, both at A Level and degree level, reflects the current turbulent business world and the realisation that to improve the way businesses function you need people who have studied them and the economy in which they function. Students who wish to get a head start in the business world benefit from the foundation this course will build.

Course Content - A Level

The topics lend themselves to studying and engaging with the business world. The specification and assessment should encourage students to follow business developments and think critically about contemporary business issues. Most of the assessment material is based on real business situations. By examining and thinking critically about real business situations as they study the subject, students will gain an insight into different contexts. This will help them to understand the key issues in any situation, compare and contrast them with other situations and apply their understanding.

Assessment: • 3 x 120 minute examinations • Each paper 33.3%

What else should I consider?

Business sits well with most subjects and is commonly studied with Geography, Religious Studies, History of Art, Design and Technology and Modern Languages.

It is a good pathway to university courses in Business, Finance, Management, Marketing and Economics. It will improve your employment prospects in a wide range of careers as companies continue the trend to seek employees with a working knowledge of business.

Head of Department: Mrs E Morray-Jones eam@sherborne.com Subject specialists David Banks dsb@sherborne.com Emma Wimhurst esw@sherborne.com Examination Board: AQA

Specification at a glance:

1 What is business?

2 Managers, leadership and decision-making 3 Decision-making to improve marketing performance 4 Decision-making to improve operational performance 5 Decision-making to improve financial performance 6 Decision-making to improve human resource performance 7 Analysing the strategic position of a business 8 Choosing strategic direction 9 Strategic methods: how to pursue strategies 10 Managing strategic change

Will I enjoy it?

A Level & IB

Why Study Business?

Business Management IB

BUSINESS A Level

The course will be taught with a strong emphasis on current events in the business environment. This means the subject is unpredictable and as we try to make sense of the changes happening daily, there is great opportunity for individual interpretation, diversity and expression. This subject demands creative solutions to business problems and the infinite range of plausible solutions means students are only limited by their own imagination. This course will help you understand many of the functions of friends’ and families’ businesses and bring the subject to life.

Course Content HL/SL IB

The course at IB is a rigorous, challenging and dynamic discipline examining business management theories and including the study of management processes in contemporary contexts. These include strategic uncertainty, decision-making within an organisation, the use of information technology in business contexts and ethically optimising the use of resources in a world with scarcity and concern for sustainability. It also includes the operational business functions of human resource management, finance and accounts, marketing and operations management through six concepts: change, culture and ethics, globalisation, innovation and strategy.

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A Level & IB

Chemistry Why Study Chemistry?

Everything is Chemistry: our food, our clothes, water, air, medicines, detergents and cleaning agents for example; even our emotions are governed by chemical reactions in the body. Chemistry helps you to study and understand the world around you. The course is designed to provide opportunities to consider the applications of Chemistry in the wider environment, such as the development of new forms of energy, the study of climate change and the uses of nanotechnology and analytical techniques.

Course Content A Level

Atomic Structure, Bonding and the Periodic Table, Quantitative Chemistry, Oxidation and Reduction, Organic Chemistry, Energy and Resources, Polymers and Analysis, Rate, Equilibria and pH, Environmental Chemistry, Transition Metal Chemistry.

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Course Content IB

Stoichiometric relationships Atomic Structure, Bonding and the Periodic Table, Quantitative Chemistry and Analysis, Energetics and Thermochemistry, Chemical Kinetics, Acids and Bases, Redox Processes, Organic Chemistry, Equilibrium, Measurement and Analysis

Will I enjoy it?

If you like solving problems, looking at the fine detail and analysing data, then Chemistry is for you. It helps you to understand current events and to explain how things work. It teaches useful skills; you learn how to be objective, how to reason and apply logic, and to make informed decisions. Practical work is an integral part of the study of Chemistry and much of the theory is backed up by the experiments covered.

Assessment

A Level: 3 end of course examinations Teachers will also assess students’ practical skills (based on a minimum of 12 compulsory practicals) against Common Practical Assessment Criteria. Students reaching the required standard will receive a pass grade for their assessed practical activities.

IB 3 papers (80%) all taken at the end of the course; Internal Assessment (20%) a mixture of short investigations and an extended project which is carried out during the course.

What else should I consider?

Chemistry opens up career options; it sits well with a wide range of subjects and is often regarded as the central science; it is complementary to the other Sciences, Geography and Mathematics. It also works well with other subjects such as Religious Studies and Languages because Chemistry extends the range of skills that a student can develop. It is a good pathway to a wide range of scientific courses and careers. It is an essential qualification for the study of Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Forensic Science and Pharmacy; most universities also require it for the study of Biology and Environmental Science. Many other university courses, such as Law, value the rigorous analytical skills gained in the study of Chemistry.

Head of Subject: Mr A Angelosanto afa@sherborne.com Examination Board: OCR

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A Level

Why Study Classical Civilisation?

Classical Civilisation focuses on the civilisations of Greece and Rome and is a wide-ranging subject involving the study of literature, material culture, ancient thought and ideas as well as the ancient historical context. You don't need to know any languages, all the texts are in translation and it doesn't matter if you haven't studied the Greeks and Romans before; all you need is an interest in the ancient world and its cultures. From women in the ancient world, to the study of religious beliefs and ancient acts of intolerance, Classical Civilisation involves interesting discussions that are directly relevant to today’s world. As Dr Peter Jones states: ‘… men grappled with exactly the same issues that we do: life, death, gods, sex, love, family, children, education, the nature of the world, our origins and development, the past, money, health, status, other cultures, friendship, power, patriotism, politics, law, crime, justice, empire, war’. If you are looking to apply to university, Classical Civilisation can be extremely useful. You also acquire important transferable skills such as analysing sources and developing independent, critical and evaluative approaches. You learn to formulate and support an argument and develop a valuable understanding of cultures very different to your own. Classical Civilisation is naturally particularly valued by Classics departments in UK universities, but not only by Classics departments. The study of A Level Classical Civilisation can often lead to the university-level study of Ancient History, Anthropology, Classics, Drama, English, History, History of Art, Philosophy and Politics. This subject is on the lists of preferred A Level subjects of universities such as UCL, Trinity College, Cambridge and the Russell Group. From the proven ability to write a well-structured extended response to the acknowledgement of the views of others and a culturally sensitive approach to these, Classics puts students in an excellent position.

In fact, as Dr Peter Jones states: ‘what Classics has always done is just teach people how to think’.

Classical Civilisation

Course content We study three topics: The World of the Hero, Culture and the Arts and Beliefs and Ideas. The first topic explores both Greek and Roman epic, with the study of Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid. The works of Homer and Virgil are the foundations of the Western literature and have always been considered the cornerstone of classical culture. With their unique composition and exciting tales of gods and heroes, these works of literature form an excellent grounding for exploration of the classical world. The second topic involves the study of visual sources and literary works, focusing on either Greek theatre or Greek art. Finally, in Beliefs and Ideas students explore some of the ideas and ideals important not only to the ancient world but also to the modern one. From ideas about love to those about religion, we will examine thought-provoking and interesting concepts that will develop the ability to evaluate and analyse ideas as well as sources.

Will I enjoy it?

Of course you will. The classes are small and so you will be able to enjoy discussions on classical life and thought and the impact the Greeks and Romans had upon society. The questions we discuss in lessons may also arise in other subjects – what is heroism? What role does fate play in our lives? How do we perceive beauty in broken sculptures?

What else should I consider?

In the past, girls have had the opportunity to attend theatre, lecture and museum visits organised by the department. Classical Civilisation is a wellregarded subject that teaches many skills: you use primary and secondary evidence to construct arguments, you learn to write essays, participate in debates and combine detailed analysis of the texts with an overarching understanding of them as a whole within the society that produced them.

Assessment ­34

• 3 end-of-course examinations

Subject specialists: Mrs R Allen and Ms S Haslam rma@sherborne.com sjh@sherborne.com Head of History and Classics: Mrs S Elliott sel@sherborne.com Examination Board: OCR

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A Level

Computer Science Taught at The Gryphon School Why Study Computer Science?

Computer Science is relevant to the modern and changing world of computing.

THE COURSE WILL ALLOW YOU TO: Focus on your programming and emphasise the importance of computational thinking as a discipline. In turn this will lead to an expanded mathematical focus, much of which will be embedded within the course. We encourage and develop you to examine computational thinking at its core, helping you to develop skills to solve problems, design systems and understand human and machine intelligence. This in time allows you to apply the academic principles learned in the classroom to real world systems in an exciting and engaging manner. The course itself is designed to give you a clear progression into Higher Education, as the course was designed after consultation with members of BCS, CAS and top universities.

Assessment • Computer systems 140 marks 2 hours and 30 minutes written paper 40% of total A level • Algorithms and Programming 140 marks 2 hours and 30 minutes written paper 40% of total A level • Programming Project 70 marks Non-exam assessment 20% of total A level

Computer Science is a practical subject where you can apply the academic principles learned in the classroom to realworld systems. The aims of this qualification are to enable learners to develop: • An understanding and ability to apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including: abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms and data representation.

• The ability to analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems, including writing programs to do so • The capacity to think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically • The capacity to see relationships between different aspects of computer science • Mathematical skills.

The key features of this specification encourage: • Emphasis on problem solving using computers • Emphasis on computer programming and algorithms • Emphasis on the mathematical skills used to express computational laws and processes, e.g. Boolean algebra/logic and comparison of the complexity of algorithms • Less emphasis on ICT.

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Head of Computing and ICT Nigel White - The Gryphon School nigel.white@gryphon.dorset.sch.uk

A Level

Design Technology Why Study Design Technology?

• Have you ever wondered what designers actually do?

• Have you ever wondered how things move or work?

• Have you ever wondered how you can design products to be good for the environment?

• Have you ever wondered how a product continues to stay popular in the market place?

• Have you ever wondered how products are designed with the user in mind?

Course Content Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject exploring a range of material focuses. You will have the opportunity to specialise in one of the following: • Fashion and Textiles • Product Design The courses support progression beyond A Level and the content reflects authentic design practice, giving an insight into the way that creative, engineering and manufacturing industries function. You will develop skills throughout the course, Design and Technology is a pivotal STEM subject.

For further information, contact Mr I McCarthy ijm@sherborne.com Examination Board: OCR

A Level Assessment In both Fashion and Textiles and Product Design materials and components are studied from the perspective of analysing modern consumer products that are designed to meet identified consumer needs, their design, materials and manufacture; taught within the context of product development and industrial and commercial practices within the chosen area of study. In both areas the wider issues affecting design decisions are also explored.

During the two year course you will study a range of materials; you will develop a technical understanding of how products function and how they are made to appropriately support the design and manufacture of your own design solutions. You will learn about wider design principles and the affect of design on users and the world we live in. You will identify market needs and opportunities for new products, initiate and develop design solutions, and make and test prototypes/products; developing your subject knowledge, including how a product can be developed through the stages of prototyping, realisation and commercial manufacture. You will develop a critical mind through enquiry and problem solving, exploration, creation and evaluation of iterative designs.

• A non-examined ‘Design Project’ is a substantial design, make and evaluate project centred on the iterative processes of explore, create and evaluate. It is worth 50% of the A Level qualification.

• The Principles examination paper 25% assesses analysis of existing products, technical knowledge and understanding of materials, product functionality and manufacturing techniques. The paper is 1 hour 30 minutes long.

• The ‘Problem Solving’ examination 25% focuses on problem solving and critical evaluation. The paper is 1 hour 45 minutes long.

IB Assessment • Design Project (40%) design and manufacture a product.

• Examinations: three papers of HL; two for SL.

What are the benefits?

The course will strengthen your critical thinking and problem-solving skills within a creative environment, enabling you to develop and make prototypes that solve real world problems, considering your own and others’ needs, wants, aspirations and values. It will help you to be creative in your approach to work and develop your sketching ability and use of digital technologies in designing and creating quality products.

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A Level & IB

Drama & Theatre Studies Theatre Studies A Level Course Content

For many students, the most rewarding section of the course is Component 2 – the Devised Performance. In groups, students prepare a piece of drama to be staged, with full technical support, based on an issue they find relevant and influenced by a theatre practitioner. Students will also need to see a variety of live performances throughout the two year period, study five set texts from different eras and create work in the style of several important theatrical practitioners such as Stanislavski, Brecht, Frantic Assembly and Alecky Blythe.

Will I enjoy it?

Drama is a subject with an almost infinite number of starting points, style and influences. Whatever your passion, you can explore it through the medium of drama. We aim to make the study of Drama an enjoyable and positive learning experience.

If you are passionate about acting, directing and performance you will enjoy this course.

Assessment • 1 written examination (40%) Four practical pieces: • Presentation of three extracts from different plays (30%) • Presentation of Devised Drama (30%) • Examination Board: AQA

What else should I consider?

You must be prepared to put in the extra time that is required outside class for rehearsals, especially in the lead up to your examined practical work. You will need to work creatively and collaboratively in every lesson and will need to have a selfmotivated approach to each topic. There is an expectation that you will do some reading around the subject and go and see live theatre as often as you can in the holidays, even if just the live streamed performances to local cinemas. There will be opportunities for you to take part in extracurricular drama via one of the joint school productions and in the House Drama competition. You should consider taking up these opportunities as well as looking for chances to stage your own work as the more performance experience you have, the more successful you will be in your examined work.

Examination Board: AQA

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IB Drama (Higher and Standard level) Why Study Drama?

If you enjoy performing and directing, learning about theatre’s history and reading plays you will get a chance to explore a wide variety of styles and genres of theatre. You will discover new theatre practitioners and theatrical traditions from different cultures and eras and be assessed through practical work and written coursework. There is no final written exam for this course!

How is it assessed?

Written Coursework – 35% SL / 20% HL - Director’s notebook Performance – 25% SL / 60% HL - Group devised piece - Solo Performance (HL only)

Course Content 1) Solo theatre piece (HL only) You will study a theatre practitioner and their theories about theatre, leading to a solo performance of about 5 minutes based on one aspect of their practice.

2) Director’s Notebook (SL and HL) You will study a published play text and develop ideas regarding how it could be staged for an audience. This will be mainly taught practically – the best way of working out what works as a director is to try it out!

3) Research Presentation (SL and HL) You will plan and deliver a 15 minute presentation in which you describe and physically demonstrate your research into a convention of a theatre tradition.

4) Collaborative Project (SL and HL) You will devise an original piece of theatre lasting approximately 15 minutes for a specified audience, created from a stimulus of your choice.

Individual Oral Presentation – 30% SL / 20% HL - a 15 minute structured presentation about a theatrical tradition Will I enjoy it?

If you enjoy practical drama, want to learn how to think as a director and don’t want to be assessed via a written exam, this is the course for you!

What else should I consider?

You must be prepared to put in the extra time that is required, outside of class, for rehearsals when leading towards your performance.

There will be opportunities for you to take part in extracurricular drama via one of the school productions, Arts Award, playwriting course or in the House Drama competition. You should consider taking up these opportunities as well as looking for chances to stage your own work as the more performance experience you have, the more successful you will be. You will be expected to attend theatre trips and the occasional workshop in the evenings or weekends so you can build your understanding of theatre and learn from a variety of professionals.

Head of Department: Ms E Nurse ean@sherborne.com Head of Academic Drama: Mrs R Johnson rjj@sherborne.com

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A Level & IB Why Study Economics?

Economics

What will happen to house prices in the future? Why do some countries with huge natural resources have a low standard of living? Should drivers of ‘4x4s’ be charged more than other drivers to drive in towns?

These are some of the questions that could be looked at over the two years. The courses do not expect or require any previous academic study in the subject. They seek to develop the ability to analyse and evaluate events going on in the world today from a scientific point of view. The courses will act as a great starting point for topical discussions and any number of careers. The topics below give a general idea of the content that will be covered. The content becomes interesting and relevant because practical applications of the theory, such as those above, are in the media daily.

Course Content A Level The A Level comprises four themes. Theme 1 focuses on microeconomic concepts and considers how markets work. Students learn how to apply supply-and-demand analysis to real-world situations and offer explanations of consumer behaviour. Theme 2 focuses on macroeconomic concepts. Students are introduced to the aggregate demand/ supply model and examine the use of monetary, fiscal and supply-side policies as a means of improving an economy’s performance. Theme 3 focuses on business economics. Students will examine how the number and size of market participants, and the level of contestability, affect the pricing and nature of competition between firms.

Theme 4 applies macroeconomic concepts to a global context. Students will understand the significance of globalisation, international trade, the balance of payments and exchange rates.

Course Content IB (HL & SL) IB Economics can be studied at Higher or Standard Level. The course includes: Introduction to Economics – foundation of economics, definitions of growth and development, scarcity, choice and rationing systems.

Will I enjoy it?

You certainly will if you enjoy current affairs or analysing problems and applying theory to real world issues.

Assessment • A Level: 3 x 2 hour units examined at the end of the course (100% of final marks) No coursework • IB: Three examination papers at the end of the course plus coursework consisting of a 2000 word personal investigation.

What else should I consider?

If you are a keen mathematician then Economics provides many opportunities to apply mathematical skills, particularly in higher education as most university Economics courses place great emphasis on the mathematical aspects of Economics. Economics is a particularly useful subject to study alongside History or Geography, but can be easily combined with just about every subject.

Microeconomics – demand, supply and elasticity; firms, and when markets fail.

Macroeconomics – national income, macroeconomic models, demand-side and supplyside policies, unemployment, inflation and distribution of income. International issues – reasons for trade, protectionism, economic integration, WTO, balance of payments, exchange rates, balance of payment problems, terms of trade.

Development Economics – sources of economic growth and development, consequences of growth, barriers to growth and/or development, and evaluation of growth and development.

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For further information, contact Mrs K Creswell klc@sherborne.com Examination Board: EDEXCEL

English Literature is essentially the consideration of the very best and most enduring literary works of our culture. It will help you to read more perceptively, more critically and with deeper understanding and appreciation; in so doing, you will be enabled to articulate with greater finesse your response to the predicaments and situations common to us all.

Course Content A Level This course requires the close in-depth study of an absolute minimum (for examination) of six literary texts covering fiction, poetry and drama including Shakespeare in addition to critical analysis, interpretation and evaluation of ‘unseen’ poetry and prose; there will also be an internally assessed independent speaking and writing component.

Pupils taking English Literature at A Level will enjoy immersing themselves in the set of texts and other connected works of literature this year we are studying ‘Howards End’, the play ‘Sweet Bird of Youth’, poems from across several countries, two Shakespeare plays and Chancer’s ‘The Franklins Tale’, among others.

IB English Literature HL English can be studied at both Higher and Standard Level. The Higher Level (Literature) course investigates the basis of our communication and understanding. English is the medium of our interactions with others, of our internal reflections and of our dialogue with cultures of the past through earlier literature; it permeates all aspects of our humanity. Historical change, cultural multiplicity and political conflict are mediated through texts cast in every conceivable form and register, and might include text from newspapers, political speeches or advertisements. Our course seeks to reflect this protean variety and covers a broad range of the best authors from a variety of periods in many styles. It is hoped that students will be able to develop their own enthusiasms and personal critical approach to the subject. As in A Level syllabuses, students will study the canonical authors of the past, such as Chaucer, Shakespeare and some of the major novelists and poets. This course also includes some literature in translation and non-fiction writing.

Reading independently and working with personal initiative are key from the very start.

A Level & IB

Why Study English?

English Language and Literature SL

In the Language course you will study a variety of texts such as newspapers, political speeches, advertisements and extracts from non-fiction books. You examine language in its cultural context and look at language and mass communication. There are four literature texts which cover at least two genres, poetry, drama and the novel. Two texts are used for the in-depth study required for the individual oral commentary; a further two, one of which is a work in translation, you study for the examination.

Literature and Performance SL

The literature and performance course aims to explore the relationship between literature and theatre. The main focus of the course is the interaction between the literary skills of close reading, critical writing and discussion and the practical, aesthetic and symbolic elements of performance.

For more information on Literture and Performance, please see page 47.

Will I enjoy it?

You certainly will if you enjoy current affairs or analysing problems and applying theory to real world issues.

Assessment • A Level: 4 x 2-hour exams • IB (HL & SL) • Coursework 20%, • Oral component 30% • Two final examinations 50%

What else should I consider?

Studying English Literature embraces challenging intellectual disciplines, and so is an excellent preparation for many degree courses, especially in the arts and humanities; girls wishing to read sciences or Medicine at university can also benefit hugely from the study of English Literature in the Sixth Form.

Head of Department: Mrs L Troup lst@sherborne.com Examination Board: CIE

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IB

Environmental Systems and Societies Why Study ESS?

STANDARD LEVEL ONLY This Standard Level course will enable you to adopt an informed personal response to the wide range of pressing environmental issues that are currently facing humans. It uses a systems approach to develop an understanding of the interrelationships between environmental systems and societies so that you can evaluate the scientific, ethical and socio-political aspects of the topics covered. The course uses a systems approach to develop environmental understanding and promotes holistic thinking about environmental issues. This involves considering the scientific, ethical and social political aspects of the topics.

COURSE CONTENT This subject combines the techniques and knowledge associated with an experimental science with those relating to a Group 3 subject. It is offered at Standard Level only. It seeks to provide students with a clear sense of the interrelationships between environmental systems and societies which will enable them to make an informed personal response to a wide range of environmental issues as well as consider those issues on a global scale. There will be constant emphasis on the decisions that they have to make in their own lives. Practical work in the laboratory and in the field play an important part in the course. The course is divided into eight sections.

THE LIST OF TOPICS TO BE COVERED ARE: • Foundations of environmental systems and societies, e.g. the history of the environmental movement • Ecosystems and ecology, e.g. tropic levels and flows of energy • Biodiversity and conservation, e.g. endangered species • Water, aquatic food production systems and society, e.g. managing access to freshwater • Soil systems, terrestiral food production, e.g. inequalities in global food supply • Atmospheric systems and society, e.g. air pollution • Climate change and energy production, e.g. fossil fuels verses renewable energy • Human systems and resource use, e.g. ecological footprints.

Will I enjoy it?

If you enjoyed Biology at GCSE, and have an interest in Geography then this could be the course for you. In many ways, it is a blend of both of these subjects. It will provide you with an opportunity to make a personal response to environmental issues and research these issues in a way most relevant to you.

Assessment • External Assessment (two papers) (75%) • Paper 1 (analysis and evaluation of data relating to a case study) • Paper 2 (short-answer and data-based questions and also two structured essay questions) • Internal Assessment: based on practical work 25%

What else should I consider?

Many universities offer Environmental Science courses, but we would expect a student intending to study for a degree in one of these courses to take a Science at HL as well as Geography. As a SL only course ESS will not necessarily solely satisfy the entry requirements for a science-based course such as Environmental Science. The course does provide an excellent introduction to many of the problems currently facing the world of business, politics and law. As such, it makes an excellent choice of science for those intending to pursue a non-scientific career.

The perspective it provides has been found by previous pupils to be fascinating, informative and useful.

For further information contact: Miss C. Howell Evans che@sherborne.com Examination Boards: AQA/IBO

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Taught at The Gryphon School Why study Film Studies?

Film is a primary source of entertainment but also a mirror that reflects the way society evolves. It is constantly changing and updating, both in terms of how it is made and how we access it. In Film Studies you will be encouraged to explore how different genres are constructed; the industries that produce films and what films can tell us about the culture and context in which they are produced. You will also have the opportunity to develop practical skills and the department also arranges trips and workshops to support the topics being covered in the classroom.

Film Studies is a contemporary, artistic, dynamic and highly analytical subject, perfect for students wishing to combine the academia of English with the creativity and expression of creative arts subjects.

What will I study?

The course is based on an understanding of the key film concepts of language, representation, audiences and institutions.

You will cover a range of topics related to different film industries from around the world. You will explore the history of Hollywood and compare this with American independent films as well as historical and contemporary British films.

You will also study a number of cinematic ‘new waves’, including the silent era and European film, as well as short and documentary films. This work will consist of in-depth, analytical and often comparative case studies. Having watched a film, we will research, discuss, analyze, compare and write about. This work develops many of the skills that you will have learned through the study of English Literature GCSE as you will need to write about each case study in detail in each of the exams.

A Level

Film Studies

How will I be assessed?

The A Level is assessed through the completion of two external exams, making up 70% of the course. The coursework unit will contribute 30% of your overall grade and will consist of either a short sequence from an original film or a screenplay and an evaluative analysis.

Entry requirements You need to have a minimum of a C at GCSE in English and (if studied) Media Studies.

You should also have an active interest in film.

Course expenses No deposit is requested for the use of equipment, but if a student wishes to use camera equipment off site, a parent/guardian must sign a letter agreeing to cover full replacement costs of the equipment if it is lost or damaged.

The only other cost is the cost of any department trips.

The coursework is an opportunity for you to stretch your creative muscles by applying what you have learned about different types of film to a project of your own. You can choose to plan and film a short sequence or write an original screenplay for a film of your design. This work will test your technical skills as well as your imaginative ideas. Your practical work will also be accompanied by a detailed analytical evaluation.

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A Level & IB

GEOGRAPHY Why Study Geography?

Geography is highly valued by universities.

A Level Geography combines well with both Arts and Science subjects. It is a broad-based subject that covers a wide variety of skills. Geography will prepare you for a career in sustainability and green issues, urban regeneration, energy supply, retail location, managing the effects of hazards and climate change. If you are thinking of a career in Law, Human Rights, International Relations or Welfare then Geography gives you the opportunity to consider relevant issues such as; How do we measure development? What are the consequences of migration on societies?

Geography will enhance your essay-writing skills and your confidence in producing well researched extended reports.

Course Content A Level During the two year course you will study 3 Physical topics (Water and Carbon cycles; Deserts or Coasts; Hazards or Ecosystem or Cold environments). You will also study 3 Human topics ( Global systems and Governance; Changing Places; Population or Urban environments or Resources) You will also take part in a residential field trip where you will collect data to support the course to use as the basis for your individual Investigation.

Course Content IB Core (SL and HL) A Geographical perspective including population change, climate change and resource consumption and security.

B Optional themes (SL = 2 themes, HL = 3 themes) • Freshwater • Extreme environments • Urban environment C Core: Geographical perspective extension including power, places and networks, human development and diversity and global risk.

Plus a fieldwork report.

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Assessment A Level:

Two end of course examinations: • Physical Geography (40%) • Human Geography (40%) • Plus investigation of 3 – 4000 words (20%) IB: Three end-of-course exams • Paper 1: (optional themes) 35% • Paper 2: (Geographical perspective) 25% • Paper 3: (Geographical perspective extension) 20% • Fieldwork report 20% Two end of year exams SL • Paper 1: (optional themes) 35% • Paper 2: (Geographical perspective) 40% • Fieldwork report 25%

What else should I consider?

Michael Palin believes that “Geography is the subject which holds the key to our future.” You should consider Geography if you enjoy learning about people and their societies, economies, cultures and the environment.

If you are keen to learn and develop a wide range of skills and you are seeking a broad based academic subject, look no further.

Head of Department: Mrs E Morray-Jones eam@sherborne.com Examination Board: AQA

Why study Classical Greek?

The language of the ancient Greeks has informed people for over 2,000 years and continues to offer endless opportunities for questioning and reflection. You could start with the epics of Homer and the poetry of Sappho and work your way through the philosophical ideas of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle and then move onto the powerful tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. Step outside the classical world and recognise the influence of the Greeks on the works of Karl Marx and on the words of the suffragettes, who quoted Medea’s views on childbirth as they protested. It is difficult to find a part of life that has not in some way been influenced by the ancient Greeks so what better than to read their writings in the original language and to learn how to shine a bright light upon their world.

Course Content A Level There are separate papers in language and literature. For the language, both prose and verse authors are studied (Xenophon and Euripides until 2023). For the literature, we study Thucydides as our prose author and Homer and Euripides as the verse authors.

Subject specialists: Mrs R Allen, Ms S Haslam and Mr A Matthews rma@sherborne.com sjh@sherborne.com adm@sherborne.com

A Level or IB

ΚΛΑΣΙΚΗ CLASSICAL GREEK ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ Course Content IB

The aim of this course is to enable students to appreciate the literary merit of classical texts and an awareness of the issues raised in them, as well as their connections and relevance to our times. At the same time, we aim to build an awareness and appreciation of the different perspectives of people from those cultures.

Learning the grammar, syntax and vocabulary is not an end in itself but enables students to read a variety of literature and, through analysis and interpretation, to try to understand the ancient world from a contemporary viewpoint. The language author is Xenophon and for literature there is the choice of two out of three of Homer, Herodotus and Euripides.

Will I enjoy it?

But of course. There’s no denying that it is a challenging subject and that you will have to develop a passion for grammar (if you haven’t got one already) but the language is in the ascendant once more – just look at the number of Greek plays being performed in London this season? What better way to make your university application stand out than by having an A Level in Classical Greek!

Assessment • 4 end-of-course examinations

What else should I consider?

A qualification in either Latin or Greek is rated highly by universities and can be useful to students intending to study courses such as Medicine, Law, Modern Languages, English as well as more traditional Classics.

Recent students have gone on to study Classics at Oxford and other degrees such as Ancient History, Art, Classical Literature, Medicine and theology at Edinburgh, Newcastle, Falmouth and Durham.

Head of History and Classics: Mrs S Elliott sel@sherborne.com Examination Board: OCR

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A Level & IB

History Why Study History?

This course will be ideal for students who are interested in people and politics in the past and who want to find out why some countries develop through peaceful change whilst others experience revolutions. If you study History you will be able to develop the important skills of source criticism, essay-writing, critical understanding of argument and interpretation. We also hope that students will want to do lots of reading and be able to reflect on the role of the historian in the very process of creating ‘History’.

A Level History Course Content

IB History Course Content

A Level History covers Medieval and Early Modern British and European History as well as some Modern European History. For the British History unit we will investigate Tudor Britain 1485-1558. This includes an enquiry topic: Mid Tudor Crisis of 1547-58. We will also be studying the Crusades 1095-1192 and as a depth study we will look at Russia and its rulers 1855-1964 with a focus on the Alexander II, the ‘Tsar Liberator’. Students will be able to extend their knowledge of one of these three topics when they complete their topic-based coursework essay in the U6.

During the two-year course students will attend at least one major lecture in Central London where they have the opportunity to listen to leading academics. In the past these have included distinguished historians such as David Starkey. There is also the opportunity to listen to lectures at Sherborne School and Sherborne Historical Society. Sherborne Girls has a very popular Senior History Society which meets weekly.

For students who enjoy Modern World History, the IB course builds upon the work done towards GCSE. Students currently study Authoritarian and Single Party States in the 20th century (including Cuba and China), the Cold War in regions such as Africa, the Americas, Europe, South-East Asia and the Middle East. Throughout the course there are plenty of opportunities to attend lectures and participate in annual events such as the Lessons from Auschwitz programme.

Assessment • British period study and enquiry – 1 hour 30 minute paper • Non-British period study – 1 hour paper • Thematic study – 2 hour 30 minute paper • Topic-based course work essay – 3000-4000 words

Assessment • Three examinations for Higher Level and two examinations for Standard Level. All students complete a 2000 word personal investigation.

What else should I consider?

Studying History is a great pathway to many careers including Law, Politics, International Relations and Journalism.

Many careers require the skill of writing and presenting reports; prospective employers consider historians to be particularly accomplished in these areas. Famous History graduates include the BBC foreign affairs correspondent Jeremy Bowen, comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, presenters Jonathan Ross and Melvyn Bragg and former PM Gordon Brown.

Head of History and Classics: Mrs S Elliott sel@sherborne.com Examination Board: OCR

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Why Study History of Art?

History of Art is fashionable, accessible, flexible, challenging, diverse and vocational. It is really relevant to the 21st century and to the lives of young people as cultural consumers. You will study paintings, sculptures and buildings, understanding the reasons why art was made for different peoples at different times, and what art represented to them. You can get an insight into artists’ lives, their patrons, and the historical and social contexts of different ages, from Ancient Greece to London at the dawn of the 21st century. It is the ultimate inter-disciplinary A Level and degree course, fitting so well with other subjects like Languages, RS, English and History and even Mathematics and the Sciences.

In the first year, students will be taken on a journey of Visual Analysis through the history of Western painting, sculpture and architecture using thirty or so examples chosen by the teacher that best illustrate the variety of styles, concepts and themes that can be found in the history of art. Students will be introduced to artistic and architectural vocabulary and methodology needed to evaluate the artworks and develop skills of visual analysis and historical awareness.

A Level & IB

History of Art A Level

We then embark on some Thematic Studies of Nature in Art, Identities in Art and War in Art. It is intended to be an inherently broad-based exploration of the developments in art and connections between movements and periods. Works studied have to come from before and after 1850, and at least one work must come from beyond the European tradition. There is also an expectation that critical texts will be used to create a springboard for discussion and debate, so reading and comprehension of texts is now central to the course.

In the second year we focus on the Period Study of The Renaissance in Italy (1420-1520) and Pop Life: Contemporary art and architecture in Britain and the USA (1960-2015). These are deeper studies looking at wider contexts and also there is an expectation that critical texts will be used to create a springboard for discussion and debate.

What else should I consider?

Not the ‘easy choice’ of yesteryear, History of Art is a rigorous A Level with focused and well-crafted writing at its heart. Exams are demanding in terms of time. However all students can achieve their potential.

Art History IB

Group 3 - Standard Level only Art History is the study of the rich heritage of visual arts produced by human societies. This production, ranging from painting, sculpture, architecture, design, photography and applied arts, to costume and body art, has found expression in human cultures from the earliest times, and has been determined by a range of functions. The art historian is concerned with the formal appreciation of these works and the understanding of their meaning within the culture that produced them, as well as the relationships between one culture and another.

Head of Department: Mr Jonathan Casely jbc@sherborne.com Examination Board: Edexcel 47

A Level & IB

Why study Classical Latin?

‘Latin is the maths of the Humanities, but Latin also has something that mathematics does not and that is the history and mythology of the ancient world. Latin is maths with goddesses, gladiators and flying horses, or flying children.’ So says Llewelyn Morgan, a professor of Classics at Oxford. Latin is an historically significant language that is also embedded in many modern languages and so its study not only gives important insights into ancient and modern languages but also leads to a greater understanding of contemporary literature and cultures.

Fundamentally, the study of a classical language trains the mind, developing skills of critical thought, memory and close analysis, as well as an appreciation of the beauty and power of language. Linguistic skills lie at the heart of the course, since it is through a deep understanding of the workings of a language that true intellectual contact can be made with the peoples of the past. Through the different genres of classical texts, students will be able to examine their ideas and artistry within their historical, political and cultural contexts. At the end of the Sixth Form, students will truly learn what it is exactly that the Romans have done for us!

Latin

Course content: A Level There are separate papers in language and literature. For the language, both prose and verse authors are studied (Livy and Ovid until 2023). For the literature, we study Cicero’s speech pro Milone. The death of Publius Clodius and the prosecution of Milo for his murder came at a critical point in the collapse of the late Republic. In his passionate defence of Milo, Cicero pleads for the rule of law as a vital counterweight to the anarchy that the gangs of Clodius, and Milo, had created. The published speech was regarded as a masterpiece of oratory in its own time and is still held to be one of his finest compositions and a model for the presentation of such a defence. We also study the three main writers of Latin love elegy, Propertius, Tibullus and Ovid. The selected poems depict the bitter-sweet love affairs of the poet-lovers and their mistresses (Cynthia, Delia, Nemesis and Corinna), from the heartbreak of rejection to the elation at love reciprocated. We learn about such details of urbane Roman life as drinking parties and elaborate hair-dressing and also are introduced to the idyll of the countryside. The sophisticated poems combine intense emotion with wit and irony. These are some of literature’s greatest authors who inspired the likes of Shakespeare and Dante, Botticelli and Titian.

Course content: IB There are separate papers in language and literature.

For the language, we study the speeches of Cicero.

For the literature, we study two genres, ‘Love Poetry’ and ‘Women’. Both prose and verse authors are studied (Catullus, Propertius and Tibullus for the first genre and Cicero, Livy, Ovid, Horace and Virgil for the second). The aim of this course is to enable students to appreciate the literary merit of classical texts and an awareness of the issues raised in them, as well as their connections and relevance to our times. At the same time, we aim to build an awareness and appreciation of the different perspectives of people from those cultures. Learning the grammar, syntax and vocabulary is not an end in itself but enables students to read a variety of literature and, through analysis and interpretation, to try to understand the ancient world from a contemporary viewpoint.

Assessment • 4 end-of-course examinations

What else should I consider?

Subject specialists: Mrs R Allen, Ms S Haslam and Mr A Matthews rma@sherborne.com sjh@sherborne.com adm@sherborne.com Head of History and Classics: Mrs S Elliott sel@sherborne.com Examination Board: OCR

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A qualification in either Latin or Greek is rated highly by universities and can be useful to students intending to study courses such as Medicine, Law, Modern Languages, English as well as more traditional Classics or Classical Studies. Recent students have gone on to study Classics at Oxford and other degrees such as Ancient History, Art, Classical Literature, Medicine and Theology at Edinburgh, Newcastle, Falmouth and Durham.

IB

&

Literature Performance

Why choose Literature and Performance

If you enjoy studying both Drama and English, this is a course designed to cover both. Two thirds of lessons will be taught practically in the Drama studio. It will introduce you to both a wide variety of plays and performance styles and allow you to continue studying poetry and improving your literary criticism skills. This course is one of three IB English Options and is available at Standard Level.

Course Content

Assessment

What else should I consider?

1) Poetry (taught by an English teacher) You will study the work of several poets, building your close-reading and comparison skills to find as much meaning in the language and structures of the poems as you can.

You will learn how to write analytical essays that develop a line of argument with detailed and purposeful points. You will get to know and love lots of poetry.

Written Exam – 40% • Paper 1: Essay on how to adapt a novel for the stage

You must be prepared to put in the extra time that is required, outside of class, for rehearsals when leading towards your performance. There will be opportunities for you to take part in extracurricular drama via one of the school productions, Arts Award, playwriting course or in the House Drama competition. You should consider taking up these opportunities as well as looking for chances to stage your own work as the more performance experience you have, the more successful you will be. You will be expected to attend theatre trips and the occasional workshop in the evenings or weekends so you can build your understanding of theatre and learn from a variety of professionals.

2) Devising / Creative Adaptation (taught by a Drama teacher) You will adapt a variety of novels, short stories and children’s books for the stage and consider what the challenges and opportunities are for each. You will explore a variety of different theatre practitioners and styles so that when you come to perform your own creative adaptation you make informed choices. You will need to be highly creative and good at devising for this module.

3) Performing Scripts (taught by a Drama teacher) You will study a variety of published plays from different eras of theatre history and consider their original performance conditions. You will work as directors and come up with directorial concepts for short extracts from some of these and then perform them. You will need to have strong acting and directing skills for this module.

• Paper 2: Comparative essay question on the poems studied Written Coursework – 20%

• 2000 word analysis based on your performances of a series of extracts from plays Performance – 20%

• a creative adaptation of either a short story or a poem Individual Oral Presentation – 20%

• a 15 minute structured presentation about your creative adaptation performance

Will I enjoy it?

For students who enjoy Modern World History, the IB course builds upon the work done towards GCSE. Students currently study Authoritarian and Single Party States in the 20th century (including Cuba and China), the Cold War in regions such as Africa, the Americas, Europe, South-East Asia and the Middle East. Throughout the course there are plenty of opportunities to attend lectures and participate in annual events such as the Lessons from Auschwitz programme.

Head of Department: Ms E Nurse

ean@sherborne.com 49

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A Level & IB

Mathematics Why Study Mathematics?

Mathematics is a mixture of ideas, problem-solving and the application of numerical skills. Brain training and the development of logical thinking and organisation, are at its core so it complements many other courses. The academic rigour and skills that are developed are also desirable in any career. The teaching staff are fully committed to providing a broad mathematical education and our ‘open door’ policy for providing support is extremely popular.

Course Content A Level Mathematics The course provides a study of Mathematics in three main areas: Pure Mathematics (Algebra and Functions, Proof Coordinate Geometry, Calculus and Trigonometry), Statistics and Mechanics. This is a two year linear course which will include the use of technology to analyse large data sets. The aim of the course is to enable students to develop mathematical knowledge, problem-solving skills, mathematical reasoning and modelling skills.

Further Mathematics A Level If Maths is your real interest, then you could study Mathematics with Further Mathematics. This counts as two subjects (Further Maths cannot be studied alone).

The Further Mathematics course that we offer includes Pure Mathematics (Complex Numbers, Differential Equations, Proof, Matrices, Vectors, Coordinate Systems, and Series), more Statistics, Mechanics and Decision Maths.

Course Content IB Mathematics is a core subject in the IB programme, so all students must take a course in it, but we do offer it at Higher Level (for those who may have considered Further Mathematics if taking the A Level option), Standard Level and Mathematical Studies.

Will I enjoy it?

Assessment

Maths is not always about what we will use again in the future, but more about the enjoyment of being faced with a problem, the organisation and communication of a solution and the ability to learn from one’s mistakes.

If you enjoy a challenge, the satisfaction of achieving a solution, and thrive on having an algebraic problem to solve, then Maths is for you. Sometimes a problem may take several attempts but if you are prepared to keep having a go, enjoy learning from your mistakes, rather than becoming despondent, then you will love Maths.

IB

Assessment A Level Maths • 3 x 2 hour papers examined at the end of the course

A Level Further Maths • 4 x 90 minute papers examined at the end of the course

Mathematical Studies SL • 2 x 90 minutes (80%) • Individual Project (20%) Mathematics SL • 2 x 90 minute (80%) • Individual Exploration (20%) Mathematics HL • 2 x 120 minutes (60%) • 1 x 60 minutes (20%) • Individual Exploration (20%)

What else should I consider?

Recommended GCSE: A 7,8 or 9 in GCSE or A or A*. IGCSE Mathematics, in order to take the full A Level. Mathematics sits well with all subjects across all disciplines. It is the language of most sciences and gives an excellent combination with Art, Music, Languages, Geography and History. It is a good pathway to a wide range of university courses and careers, from Engineering to Economics, Medicine to Archaeology.

It is important that students take advice on the most appropriate course and level considering both their interest and Higher Education requirements. In each of these programmes the aim of the course is to enable students to develop mathematical knowledge, concepts and principles, logical, critical and creative thinking.

Head of Department: Mrs D Kirby dki@sherborne.com Examination Board: EDEXCEL

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A Level & IB

Modern Languages

French, German, Spanish, Italian

All languages can be studied at A Level and IB, apart from Italian (only offered in IB).

Why Study Modern Foreign Languages?

The study of one or more modern foreign languages has obvious practical benefits for communication with foreign-language speakers in the world of work as well as for leisure travel. The satisfaction and pleasure derived from being able to speak and understand foreign languages proficiently are considerable and certainly worth the patient hard work required.

In the world of work there is firm evidence that people with language skills have a distinct advantage: they have the edge at interviews, they communicate better and they earn more. But as well as being good for your career, languages are rewarding to learn for their own sake, because they open your mind to other cultures and encourage you to think more deeply about the different ways in which human beings communicate with one another. A Level and IB courses are well regarded by universities and employers and as such are certainly worth including in your education portfolio, either as the principal focus or a valuable complement.

Will I enjoy it?

Communication in a variety of forms – speaking, texting, blogging, tweeting – is central to all our social lives today. In the world of education and work many people also spend a great deal of time presenting, debating and undertaking extended writing of different kinds. These ‘higher’ skills are developed on an advanced level foreign language course. They are skills which require hard work, but the rewards are great. The ability to understand and communicate very effectively in a foreign language will give you a greater sense of empowerment as a global citizen. They are skills which will certainly enrich the whole of your life. Learning about the cultures of the foreign languages will increase your enjoyment of travel in foreign countries and also help you to think more critically about your own culture. Use of foreign language websites, YouTube films, radio and television are some of the ways of achieving foreign language immersion and adding exciting new dimensions to your learning journey.

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What else should I consider?

All foreign language courses have as their main aim the use of the language. You will therefore enjoy active oral participation in class and be committed to language-learning strategies such as learning vocabulary and frequent independent listening and reading.

You will also be keen to speak as often as possible with native speakers, especially our foreign language assistants, with whom you will have an additional timetabled lesson. The most successful students have an analytical approach to language study: they are interested in studying how language works and in comparing the similarities and differences between different languages.

Successful students also tend to be those who read newspapers, magazines and books independently in the foreign language and use all the means available to them – for example, iTunes apps and songs – to make the foreign language an integral part of their daily life.

Course Content A Level

A Level builds on the skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing which you have already acquired (at GCSE or equivalent).

Through the study of the topic areas Social Issues and Trends and Political and Artistic Culture you will develop your understanding and your written and oral expression to a more advanced level of proficiency. Effective language learning skills are central in this process and will include a strong emphasis on the daily learning of new vocabulary and the manipulation of a wide variety of grammar structures and forms.

Regular listening and reading are also vital in the language learning process as the more you are exposed to authentic texts and audio sources, the better your own command of the language will become.

You will also read some literature and study films in the target language and you will respond to them in writing. Your oral examination will include a discussion of an individual research project. French, German and Spanish may be studied if you already have a GCSE or equivalent in these languages. All courses have an excellent track record of success and are chosen by students who particularly enjoy the disciplines and challenges of intensive language learning.

Italian ab initio is in essence Italian for ‘beginners’. It is designed to provide students who wish to pursue the IB but who may not have a strong background in languages with an accessible and enjoyable language that can be studied from scratch. Of course, it also offers linguists another language.

IB: French, German and Spanish

The Language B course (for non-native speakers) in French, German or Spanish builds on the skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing which you have already acquired (at GCSE or equivalent).

Through the study of authentic texts and the production of written and oral tasks you will visit a range of topics such as Global Issues and Cultural Diversity.

Students offering Higher Level will also read two literary works and base their Written Assignment on one of them. There is a strong emphasis on independent reading and listening, as exposure to lots of authentic texts is necessary for examination success.

Mandarin may also be available for girls who have sufficient prior experience of the language.

Questions about the Theory of Knowledge and the International Dimension run through the entire Diploma Programme and are important features of the language acquisition courses.

A Level & IB

IB: Italian Ab Initio

Course Content

A Level (AQA) Assessment

At A Level your language skills and cultural knowledge will be assessed by external examinations in the second year: • Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Writing (including translation tasks) 40% • Paper 2: Critical response to literary texts/film 30% • Paper 3 oral: including discussion of research project 30%

IB

For IB (Language B) your language skills will be assessed by external examinations and internal assessment in the second year. The IB examination tasks are all monolingual, i.e. there are no translation tasks.

• Paper 1: Interactive reading tasks (25%) • Paper 2: Writing tasks (25%)

All of our Sixth Form language courses can lead to a variety of university courses in which one or more languages are either the main subject of study or available in combination with other subjects.

Traditional language degree courses especially those at Oxford and Cambridge place more emphasis on literature, but you can also find courses which will allow you to pursue your interests in a whole range of subjects such as History of Art, Politics, History, Economics, Law, Philosophy and so on, alongside the language study.

Languages which are less commonly studied in the UK, including most of the major non-European languages, may be also studied from scratch at a number of universities.

Italian ab initio may be taken as either a Group 2 or Group 6 subject.

The course is for students with no experience of Italian, with the aim of enabling the student to be a competent speaker and writer of the language at a significantly higher level than a tourist.

The three themes studied are: Individuals and Societies; Leisure and Work; Urban and Rural Environments. Amongst the topics covered by these themes are: Daily Routines, Education, Food and Drink, Relationships, Shopping, Entertainment, Holidays, Media, Transport, Global Issues, Weather, Neighbourhood.

Students will study a variety of texts and media, such as advertisements, blogs, films, letters, radio programmes and short stories.

Assessment • External Assessment – 75%

• Written assignment (20%)

• Paper 1 Receptive Skills (Reading): 90 minutes

• Group oral tasks (10%)

• Paper 2 Productive Skills (Writing): 60 minutes

• Oral interview (20%)

Head of Department: Mr M Felstead mf@sherborne.com Examination Board: AQA

• Written Assignment: 120 minutes; a piece of writing of 200-300 words • Internal Assessment – 25% Oral exam: 10 minutes

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MUSIC

A Level & IB

Studying Music in the Sixth Form is the ideal preparation for further study at college or university.

Or it may be that you are a keen musician with a deep interest in learning more about music. As well as our five full-time members of staff, the Music Department enjoys fantastic support from a large number of professional musicians who teach instruments and singing on a weekly basis. This gives us a vast amount of expertise and experience to draw upon.

Course Content A Level The A Level course provides a great opportunity to develop your skills in the following areas: Performing, composing, studying, listening & analysing. You will need to be a keen performer, instrumentally, vocally or both. The ability to play a keyboard instrument is a great advantage. The Performance element is coursework and will include either solo or ensemble performing or a mixture of the two. There are ample opportunities for any combination! Studying traditional harmony will enable you to compose in various pastiche styles and to develop your own compositional expertise. Set works are drawn from anthology of classical, popular, film and world music styles, and you will gain skills in listening and analysis.

Course Content IB Higher level – Musical Perception: You will listen to a wide range of examples from Western classical music, world music and popular music. The other part of this unit involves in-depth study of wider topics and two related set works. A 2000 word Musical Investigation into the relationship between diverse genres (focusing on one or more pieces from each is externally assessed.

CREATING (COMPOSITION); a wide range of topics is studied over five terms, concluding with the finalising of three contrasting pieces lasting between 3 and 6 minutes each.

SOLO PERFORMANCE; over the first four terms, one or more recitals totalling approximately 20 minutes.

Instrumental and singing teachers will give you guidance as appropriate.

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR STANDARD LEVEL IB ARE FEWER: Listening remains the same as for Higher Level and there is a choice of either Composition or Performance. The Composing unit calls for two pieces and the Performance (solo or group) has a total of 15 minutes.

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Will I enjoy it?

If you love music, enjoy listening to a wide variety of genres and styles, and have a real interest in ‘how music works’, then taking one of the Sixth Form courses could be an excellent option for you. Through the performing and composing aspects you will certainly get the chance to continue your development as an original, expressive and creative individual.

What else should I consider?

Music sits well with any other academic subject, Humanities or Sciences. It is a good pathway to Higher Education at a conservatoire or university. There are many career opportunities connected with music available to you, including performing, teaching, publishing, librarianship and work with broadcasting and recording industries.

Assessment A Level • Component 1: Performing 30% • Component 2: Composition 30% • Component 3: Appraising 40%

IB • IB: Listening paper 30% • Musical Investigation 20% • Solo Performance 25% • Composing 25%

Head of Department: Mr J Jenkins jj@sherborne.com Examination Board: EDEXCEL

IB Why Study Philosophy?

IB Philosophy balances the acquisition of philosophical ideas and theories which may be studied for their own sake, with the student’s personal engagement and creative interaction with the most fundamental problems of classical and modern philosophy.

The overall aim is to develop critical, investigative skills as well as those of analysis and synthesis, so as to prepare students to be future world citizens able to address moral, social and political issues in the most responsible fashion.

Core & Optional Themes (Paper 1) Core Theme: What is a Human Being? Here we consider such matters as ‘what is a person? Or ‘what constitutes human nature? These are fundamental questions lying at the heart of all philosophical enquiries about the human condition. The theme is approached from a variety of classical and contemporary perspectives, including the views of Plato, Aristotle, Marx and Sartre, and through such issues as the problem of freewill and determinism.

The Optional Themes Ethics and Political Philosophy are the optional themes offered. Ethics involves the study of a wide range of classical and modern ethical theorists notably Aristotle, Kant, J.S Mill, Nietzsche, Sartre, and Peter Singer. We consider questions such as ‘What is the good?’, ‘What is the ‘moral’ action?’ ‘Why does it matter how we treat other people?’ Political Philosophy offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the views of major political thinkers (including Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, Mill, and Rawls) on such matters as the state of nature, the issues of the social contract, the problems of liberty and utility, the nature of justice and the role of punishment.

Philosophy

This course can be studied at Higher and Standard Level

Set Text (Paper 2) For this paper we read and critically assess major philosophical works. As a rule two from the following would be studied: J S Mill’s On Liberty, F. Nietzsche’s On the Genealogy of Morals and Charles Taylor’s The Ethics of Authenticity.

Unseen Text (Paper 3) On the basis of the work you do on the course you develop expertise in philosophical analysis. You work on this future through writing criticisms of extracts from unseen philosophical texts and we work on this in the later stages of the course in preparation for this paper.

Internal Assessment This involves writing a philosophical analysis of a non-philosophical object – a task we undertake in the U6’s Michaelmas term.

Will I enjoy it?

The emphasis of the philosophy course is very much on “doing” philosophy. Doing philosophy requires a willingness to attempt an understanding of alternative views by applying intellectual rigour and cultivating an open and critical mind. You need to enjoy picking up new ideas and using them critically. You’ll enjoy it if you are prepared to think for yourself and if you enjoy the patterns of arguments. You also need a sense of wonder and to enjoy writing and reading and thinking logically.

Further details from Ms G Burchell geb@sherborne.com

Assessment • • • •

1 x 150 minutes – Core Theme and Optional Themes - (40%) 1 x 60 minutes – Set Texts – (20 %) 1 x 75 minutes - Unseen Text – (20%) Internal Assessment – 20 hours - (20%)

What else should I consider?

Philosophy is a strong academic course and will support most aspirations for IB students: it can be taken as your choice in the ‘Individuals and Societies’ group – or it can be taken in lieu of an Arts subject to combine with another choice from ‘Individuals and Societies’.

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A Level

Photography

Why Study Photography?

Course Content

Assessment

There is no requirement to have studied Photography or Art before.

The A Level Photography course will offer students the opportunity to explore a broad range of photographic techniques and processes. These will include both traditional, black and white film based darkroom techniques as well as digital photography, studio lighting and digital image manipulation.

The course is designed to teach students the fundamental technical and experimental skills needed to produce successful photographs, and ultimately prepare them to make photographic works using any technique or process they wish.

All assessment takes place at the end of the course and is composed of:

Photography falls within the same specification as Art and is structured in a similar way, the obvious difference being that instead of producing work in the medium of pencil or paint, images are produced using some form of lens based media, i.e. the photograph.

Photography will teach you ‘how to see’ and will add significantly to your understanding of the visual, digital world we all inhabit. Developing such skills is an essential part of 21st Century life and will enhance your visual understanding, and add to your skills in other subjects by teaching you what it means to independently wrestle with ideas, to experiment with a wide range of photographic processes and outcomes, and to critically evaluate your own successes and areas for development.

STUDENTS WILL BE TAUGHT THE FOLLOWING: The SLR and DSLR cameras: technical investigation into how to use a single lens reflex camera.

COMPOSITION: compositional skills needed in creating exciting photographic images through the lens.

Personal Investigation (60%) • Portfolio of practical and written work • Related Study 1000-3000 words Externally set task - 15 hours (40%) • Portfolio of practical and written work • 15 hours timed element

What else should I consider?

Photography may be chosen by the ‘Art Specialist’, that is, the student who knows that art school is their future and chooses to combine Photography with Art. However, it is just as likely that you are looking for a creative subject to add to your A Level subject combination and like Art, it is accepted by most university courses.

DARKROOM: the technical process of chemical film development, photograph printing and experimentation.

STUDIO: technical investigation into how to use continuous, strobe and alternative lighting setups.

DIGITAL: Image organisation, editing, enhancement, manipulation and presentation using industry standard software, Adobe Bridge & Photoshop.

Reference to the work of contemporary photographers and historical movements will be made throughout.

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For further information contact: Mr Nicholas Wright npw@sherborne.com Examination Board: AQA

A Level

Physical Education

It is a very exciting time for sport and A Level Physical Education is now being delivered at Sherborne Girls.

Course content Studying A Level PE (Sports Science) at Sherborne Girls will give you a fantastic insight into the remarkable world of performance sport and participation sport. The course is studied through a range of contexts and studies the different factors concerning health and exercise and their impact on society.

It is a fascinating and challenging course in which students will learn about the science behind performance as well as about many other factors which can impact on sports performance potential.

Sports Science is split into three theoretical areas which aim to link science, psychology and social concepts to practical performance. Students will learn and apply their knowledge in the following areas: Physiological factors affecting performance • Applied anatomy and physiology • Exercise physiology • Biomechanics Psychological factors affecting sports performance • Skill acquisition • Sports psychology Socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport • Sport and society • Contemporary issues in physical activity and sport

Assessment is in two parts Theory is assessed in the form of two written examinations (70%), and there is a practical assessment of performance in a chosen sport along with completing the Evaluation and Analysis of Performance for Improvement (30%).

A Level Physical Education (Sports Science) complements a variety of courses in both Humanities and Sciences and is a respected and recognised A Level by universities in the United Kingdom. There are now a wide range of higher education courses offered by many universities, involving the study of physical education and sport science.

Are you…

• Interested in Sports Performance?

• Interested in Nutrution and/or Dietetics?

• Fascinated by the Human Body, Biomechanics and Human Movement?

• Studying other sciences?

• Interested in Physiotherapy?

If so then A Level Physical Education is for you!

For further information contact: Mr Tim Clarke tdc@sherborne.com Examination Board: OCR 57

A Level & IB

Physics Why Study Physics?

Whatever your ambition, Physics can help you to realise it.

In Physics you gain a qualification that is highly regarded by universities and employers – not just for the knowledge you have acquired but also the analytical skills you have developed alongside the ability to think logically.

If you want to understand how the Universe works then Physics is for you. You need to enjoy solving problems, be open minded and have a sense of humour! Lessons are a mix of theory and practical and whilst there is a mathematical element to it, it does not matter which level Maths you decide to study.

Course Content A Level Physics is the most fundamental of the experimental sciences, as it seeks to explain the universe itself from the very smallest particles to the vast distances between galaxies. In the first year we aim to build on prior knowledge of topics including Mechanics, Waves and Electricity, whilst introducing new topics such as Particle Physics. Students have the opportunity to learn about historical scientific discoveries alongside cutting edge science. In the second year, we develop these ideas further through the study of Electric, Gravitational and Magnetic Fields. The concept of the field is one of the great unifying ideas in physics. Other topics include Thermal Physics and Nuclear Physics.

In addition we will study one option topic from a range including Astrophysics and Medical Physics. Practical work is at the heart of Physics and we offer opportunities to develop key practical skills throughout the course. There will also be a separate practical endorsement based on teacher assessment. A Level grades are based only on marks from written examinations. You can study A Level Physics without A Level Mathematics.

Course Content IB At Standard Level we aim to build on prior knowledge of topics including Mechanics and Electricity, whilst introducing new topics such as Particle Physics. Students have the opportunity to learn about historical scientific discoveries alongside cutting edge Physics. We offer the Astrophysics option topic in the second year which has always been very popular with our IB students. At Higher Level we develop the standard ideas further which gives us a deeper understanding of the phenomena at work in the world around us. Students look at Waves and Fields in more detail and more depth and study the exciting topic of Quantum Physics including important work by Planck, Einstein and Heisenberg.

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Practical work is a key part of both the Standard and Higher level courses and we offer opportunities to develop key practical skills throughout the course. In the second year, students will complete their Internal Assessment (coursework) on a topic of their own choice. In common with Biology and Chemistry we also look at the wider themes of the Nature of Science and there are many links to the Theory of Knowledge (ToK) course. The group 4 project gives Physics students the opportunity to work with students of the other science subjects. It is a collaborative activity where students from different group 4 subjects work together on a scientific or technological topic, allowing for concepts and perceptions from across the disciplines to be shared.

Will I enjoy it?

If you want to understand how the Universe works then Physics is for you. You need to enjoy solving problems, be openminded and have a sense of humour!

Lessons are a mix of theory and practical and whilst there is a mathematical element to it, it does not matter which level Maths you decide to study. Our trips vary every year, recent trips have included the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton, the Science Museum in London and the Diamond Light Source in Oxfordshire.

Assessment A Level • 3 x 120-minutes papers at the end of the course (Paper 1 34%, Paper 2 34%, Paper 3 32% of the final marks) • Practical Skills Assessment carried out throughout the course

IB Standard Level

What else should I consider?

Physicists have been involved in designing the internet, iPhones, Formula One racing cars, artificial limbs and satellites to mention just a few things. A wide range of careers is open to you from Law to Nuclear Physics or from Medical Physics to Civil Engineering.

• 1 x 45 minutes (20%) • 1 x 75 minutes (40%) • 1 x 60 minutes (20%) • Internal Assessment (20%)

IB Higher Level • 1 x 60 minutes(20%) • 1 x 135 minutes (36%)

Head of Department:

• 1 x 75 minutes (24%)

Mr Terry Connolly

• Internal Assessment (20%)

tmc@sherborne.com Examination Board: AQA

IB

Psychology Why Study Psychology?

Higher and Standard Levels Pupils likely to excel in Psychology have a relatively strong scientific background, competence in Maths but specifically statistics, the ability to explain complex concepts clearly and concisely in writing, to think logically and critically to piece together argument based on a range of often apparently conflicting research evidence, to listen and then question concepts and evidence carefully. They have open minds and an inherent respect for the human condition. You will develop skills in experimental design and quantitative data analysis, including descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.

You will gain a toolkit of concepts and skills and an objective yet empathic outlook, which will enhance your self-knowledge, relationships, study skills and employability.

Assessment

Course Content Psychologists seek to reveal underlying laws to explain behaviour and experience and employ rigorous research methods to gather evidence to support their theories.

IB Psychologists are introduced to the biological, cognitive and socio-cultural levels of analysis. We examine the role of genes, neurochemical and anatomical differences in our brains at the biological level and explore the impact of social situation, societal norms and cultural beliefs, values and attitudes at the socio-cultural level, stopping off at the cognitive along the way! Pupils also study Clinical Psychology, which examines the prevalence, symptoms, causes and possible treatments of mental disorders.

Will I enjoy it?

Psychology is a fascinating field; it helps explain why we are who we are and what motivates our actions. It is endlessly interesting, both in understanding the actions and behaviours of groups, culture and individuals, and in helping us understand ourselves. The subject will ask much of you but it will undoubtedly reward endeavour and provide a fascinating addition to your IB programme.

Two end-of-course examinations and one written study: • Paper 1: a two-hour paper of short answer questions and one essay based on the three levels of analysis; biological, cognitive and socio-cultural. (50%) • Paper 2: a one-hour paper of one essay on the single option topic covered. (25%) • An experimental study which assesses powers of research design, data analysis and report writing. (25%)

What else should I consider?

The skills developed through IB Psychology are widely appreciated and transferable across a broad range of degree subjects and professions.

Psychologists work in numerous fields including research and teaching, clinical practice, education, sport and exercise, health, business, counselling and neuropsychology. Psychological knowledge and skills may be utilised in any profession involving people, for example the police, social work, health care, probation services, sales and marketing.

For further information contact: Mr D Thompson dmt@sherborne.com

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Religious Studies

A Level

Why Study Religious Studies?

In Religious Studies we examine deep and fundamental problems that are of abiding interest. How true is our sense of what is good or right? Is there a logical justification for our ethical view? Can we know what is good?

Does it matter what we do? What can we know about the past? Is historical truth always relative? How far can we trust the gospels? What do we actually know about the historical Jesus? These are very engaging problems to explore! The course will cultivate insights into fundamental areas of human thought and experience and develop high levels of expertise in the key intellectual skills of analysis, argument and synthesis – the ability to bring together evidence, arguments and insights and present them as a coherent and cogent argument. You will learn how to read critically, reason well and write effectively, for throughout the course you will research and then write prep essays set on past examination questions.

The EDEXCEL revised RS A Level course is a powerful, well-resourced package to empower you in the longer term, whatever and wherever you study next.

Course Content The course will unfold through three lines of study. One has focus on Ethics, the second on Philosophy of Religion and the third on New Testament. We explore major theories and key problems in each area. In Ethics this includes the study of issues such as equality, medical ethics, the environment, sexual ethics and war and peace; there is a review of major ethical theories, including virtue theory, Kantian ethics, utility and natural law. In Philosophy of Religion we consider the problem of evil, a range of arguments on the nature and existence of God, the problem of religious language and issues concerning religious experience, and various perspectives on religion and life, including those of Freud and Marx. The New Testament course uses historical, literary and philosophical methods to examine core issues and texts from the four gospels. There will be a study of the history, politics and culture of the first century and we explore and assess the theories about how the ‘synoptic’ gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) came to be written and their relation to John; we open the issue of the difference between the Jesus of History and the Christ of Faith, and critically study a range of themes, with a focus on the ethical teaching of the gospels.

Assessment Further details from Head of Religious Studies and Philosophy Mrs G Burchell geb@sherborne.com Examination Board: EDEXCEL

All of the assessment comes via 3 x 2-hour examination papers at the end of the course. There is one two-hour paper per course.

Will I enjoy it?

If you enjoyed the work you did for RS at GCSE you will enjoy the A level programme even more. There is a lot of new vocabulary to learn, and there are some ideas that will blow your mind! Wrestling with the ideas is the key to success, and the more you get stuck in the more you will enjoy it. This is a course for active thinkers who enjoy arguments, and for students who have a passion to read and learn.

You will probably enjoy an excellent result. Since 2010, 110 students have completed the course and 100 of them gained A*- B.

What else should I consider?

• The Russell Group of top universities has made it clear that RS A level provides ‘suitable preparation for university generally’ • Both Oxford and Cambridge Universities include Religious Studies in the top level list of ‘generally suitable Arts A levels’

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Sherborne Girls, Bradford Road, Sherborne, Dorset UK, DT9 3QN registrar@sherborne.com sherborne.com November 2017