Advanced Electives 2024

Advanced Electives At Kingswood, we understand that the modern workplace demands more than just traditional academic success. Our Advanced Electives programme is designed to equip pupils with the ability to think critically, problem solve, collaborate, and develop intellectual resilience.

These unique courses will help pupils develop confidence, maturity and transferable skills, setting them up to engage positively with higher education and future employment

Principles of the Programme:

Employability Skills

Intellectual Risk-Taking

Emotional & Practical Intelligence

Academic Enrichment

Strengthening Applications

Why Advanced Electives?

Year 12 pupils at Kingswood will embark on bespoke 10 or 20-week courses crafted by our expert teachers. Learning takes place in a seminar-style environment that mirrors higher education settings, with an emphasis on discussion and debate rather than formal assessments.

This approach builds the confidence and communication skills essential for university and job interviews, adding valuable breadth and depth to our curriculum.

Although the programme changes each year, please review an example of the course on offer for this Academic year below:

AFA Apprentice of Fine Arts in Creative Writing: A course that will allow you to flourish as a writer, working with fiction, non fiction, poetry and script, before pupils choose their favourite genre to focus on. This is a 2 year programme, with a qualification at the end. Pupils will create a portfolio, worth 60% of the final mark, and two exams at the end of Year 13. If this sounds like something you would love, please watch the video from Mrs Chua here: Introduction to Criminology: An educational journey through the fascinating world of Criminology.

The course will cover key concepts, theories and practical applications, and is most useful for those looking for a career in criminal justice, or just an interest in understanding crime, criminality and its societal influences. Please scan here to find out more:

Creative Musicianship: Broadening Musical Horizons: For those with an eagerness to learn more about music, thinking about music in a completely different way and to understand some elements of the music professions. Communication, leadership and creativity are also skills developed through this course. Find out more by scanning the QR code:

Psychology of Behaviour: Social Psychology thoughts, feelings and actions of individuals are impacted by the thoughts, feelings and actions of others.

Understanding and knowledge to effect change in individuals, groups and societies: by exploring how theory can be applied to real work problems. The course will help pupils to develop skills in problem solving, time management, collaboration and audience awareness. Find out more here: International Relations: This course is an opportunity for those who have an interested in thinking about how the problems of the world may be overcome in the years to come. Including an introduction to the main theories of International Relations such as Liberalism, Marxism, or constructivism as well as the opportunity to consider the big questions of modern international relations; “what explains the rise and fall of great powers”, “how effective is the United Nations”, “what explains President Putin’s current foreign policy”. Pupils will undertake a personal project on an aspect of International Relations. Scan here to hear from Mr Woodgate, Head of the Sixth Form, on this course: Introduction Medicine, Dentistry and UCAT: Starting with the key principles of why you want to enter this field, as well as the work volunteering and the skills needed. With dedicated time for the UCAT for some vital practice and in this aptitude test, this course will support those looking to a career in Medicine.

Introduction to Pharmacology: This is the study of drug, design, development. This is a hybrid of Biology and Chemistry, and is not covered in detail during the A Level curriculum. The course will consider drug discovery such as the arrival of antibiotics, immunotherapy, sleep cycles, depression and neuro degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. It is an excellent option for those considering a career in Medicine or Dentistry.

F1 In School: This is your opportunity to join the Kingswood team as part of the F1 in School global competition, to design and race a model F1 car. The programme is open to engineers, marketers, artists, financial planning and those who are good at encouraging sponsorship: a group of people able to work together to go to the regional, national and even international finals.

Offering insights to competition, to team work and to engineering and design this course is both fun but also a great opportunity to develop critical skills.

Innovation and Enterprise: Pupils are challenged to develop their own sustainable service of product, experiencing the full process of launching a product from spotting a gap in the market, to designing and planning, to create a successful pitch. The course will give insights and help develop the skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur. Challenge. Taking inspiration from famous entrepreneurs and guest speakers, as well as case studies that you will be less familiar with, group work and design will give you the opportunity to live as an entrepreneur.

Art Unlocked: Have you ever wondered why Van Gogh tried to chop of his own ear, or why Monet painted so many water lilies? What does art look like when an artist hears in colour and sees in sound? Art is the product of a specific context: historical, social, political, geographical, religious and more, telling us so much about how people felt and acted at a particular moment in time.

Covering Western Art from the Ancient Greeks to the Modern day, you will have an overview of the history of painting, art and architecture, with the skills to understand and recognise the influences on society today.

Maths for Non Mathematicians: Designed for those not taking A Level Maths but who want to continue learning about Maths and its application in the wider world. Understanding statistical tools and hypothesis testing will be helpful for those considering a career in Medicine, or undertaking Science, Geography or Economics A Levels. The group will also study elements of “real life” knowledge, such as income tax, how mortgages work, student loans and how to spot incorrect statistics.