COURSES

Introduction
You are approaching an exciting stage in your
education; when your GCSEs are completed
you will be free to focus on the subjects that
particularly interest you. However, the subjects
that you select can have a significant bearing on
the direction of your future education and
potential career.
Sixth Form study is very different from GCSE, both
in terms of the quantity of material studied and the
depth of that study. Gaining the best grades possible
is likely to be most beneficial to you in the long term
and the essential advice is to choose subjects that
reflect your interests and strengths. Use the
following points as a guide:
Good reasons for choosing a subject:
• You like it or you find it interesting.
• You like the method of assessment and
teaching.
• You are good at it or you would like to become
good at it.
• You need it or it might be useful for a
possible future career.
• It will provide breadth to your studies and keep
your options open.
• You can develop new skills by doing it.
• It will give you satisfaction.
• Your tutors think that it is a suitable
choice for you.
Poor reasons to choose a subject:
• Your friends are doing it.
• You think that you should do it, even if you
do not want to.
• Your parents think that it is a good idea,
but you do not.
• You know someone who has done it and
they say that it is great.
• It is thought of as a “cool” subject by most
people.
• You cannot think of anything else to choose.
• You think that it will be easy.
• You really like the tutor.
• You think that it will impress people.
Courses and number
of subjects
All of the courses available in the Lower Sixth at
Millfield from September 2014 are listed in this
booklet. The Sixth Form curriculum has been
designed to provide you with a broad and flexible
choice of subjects and courses which include: AS/A
levels; BTEC courses; GCSEs. Each course has its own
entry requirements.
AS/A level
A levels consist of two (or in a few subjects three)
modules taken in the Lower Sixth to form an AS, and
then a further two (or three) modules taken in the
Upper Sixth at A2; the AS combined with the A2
forms an A level. The exception is Pre-U History where
all examinations are taken at the end of the two year
course. It is common to follow four AS subjects in the
Lower Sixth and to take three of these to A level in the
Upper Sixth. University entry requirements are based
on achievements at A level or equivalent in most
cases, although many universities will expect you to
have studied four subjects at AS level.
Advice is available on whether three or four AS
subjects would suit you; to follow the ‘standard’ four
AS programme in the Lower Sixth at Millfield you will
typically have achieved at least four B and two C
grades at GCSE. The requirements for individual
courses are set out in the individual subjects entries
and are summarised at the end of this brochure.
Please note that pupils requiring more than two
periods per timetable cycle of English as an Additional
Language (EAL) will normally choose no more than
the equivalent of three AS subjects in the Lower Sixth.
The majority of Millfield pupils take three subjects
to A level in the Upper Sixth, which is the standard
university entry requirement; two being the usual
minimum requirement for degree level study. Entry
onto Higher National Diploma/Foundation degree
courses requires at least one A level or an Advanced
Vocational Course qualification with appropriate
GCSEs. The option of continuing with all four subjects
to A level is also available.
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Millfield Sixth Form Courses 2014-2015