Embley Sixth Form Guide 2020-2022
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<strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong><br />
Course<br />
<strong>Guide</strong><br />
<strong>2020</strong>-21 ENTRY
At <strong>Embley</strong> you will be inspired to learn and fulfil<br />
your academic and personal potential in readiness<br />
for university and beyond. We combine innovation<br />
with tradition to ensure outstanding teaching<br />
expertise, a personalised curriculum<br />
and one to one support.<br />
We offer a unique opportunity where you will build your LinkedIn profiles<br />
and develop a clear pathway for fulfilling your career aspirations. Our MBA<br />
Experience is delivered by leading business professionals; our Nightingale<br />
Lectures see explorers, astronauts, leading sports personalities and <strong>Form</strong>ula<br />
1 designers and engineers speak to students during formal, black tie dining<br />
experiences and our higher education conferences, university roadshows<br />
and industry careers events all form part of our two-year programme.<br />
Our diverse co-curricular programme includes performing arts, sports,<br />
debating, overseas expeditions and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.<br />
From representing members of the school community at Student Council<br />
and leading our golf and sailing programmes to supporting staff in the<br />
planning and management of school investment projects, you will take an<br />
active role in the leadership of our school.<br />
EMBRACING AMBITION
WELCOME FROM OUR HEAD BOY & HEAD GIRL<br />
“<br />
<strong>Embley</strong> provides a<br />
wonderful platform into<br />
the world by enabling<br />
students to lead<br />
initiatives that have a<br />
positive impact on our<br />
communities, learn from<br />
the insights of successful<br />
leaders and start to build<br />
their business credentials and networks.<br />
The MBA Experience, black tie Nightingale<br />
Lecture Series along with <strong>Embley</strong>’s<br />
universities and careers programme help me<br />
feel better informed in making important<br />
decisions about my future. Many of us are<br />
involved in the school’s keelboat sailing<br />
programme and I plan to take my PB2<br />
qualifications soon. We’re also looking<br />
forward to an upcoming expedition to the<br />
Arctic – a once in a lifetime opportunity.<br />
It’s easy to make friends in the <strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong><br />
because we all share the same vision of<br />
achieving good grades and doing well and we<br />
”<br />
all support one another on this journey.<br />
Gabriel<br />
“<br />
<strong>Embley</strong>’s <strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong><br />
offers a huge range<br />
of opportunities and<br />
experiences for day and<br />
boarding students alike.<br />
One of the key benefits<br />
of studying A Levels at<br />
<strong>Embley</strong> is the quality of<br />
education and the small<br />
class sizes. This enables us to build strong<br />
working relationships with our teachers, gives<br />
lessons a tailored approach and ensures that<br />
teaching and learning relates to the needs of<br />
the individuals in every class.<br />
The pastoral side of <strong>Embley</strong> perfectly<br />
complements the quality of education. We<br />
receive a huge amount of support from our<br />
teachers. I always feel the staff are looking<br />
after my best interests both inside and<br />
outside the classroom. This level of support<br />
is so important because A Levels can be a<br />
stressful period in our lives.<br />
We look forward to welcoming you to<br />
”<br />
<strong>Embley</strong>’s <strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong>.<br />
Megan<br />
SIXTH FORM KEY DATES<br />
<strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong> Taster Day<br />
Closing date for scholarship applications<br />
<strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong> interviews<br />
Deadline for accepting scholarship offers<br />
Monday 7 October<br />
Friday 22 November<br />
Week commencing 20 January<br />
Monday 2 March<br />
3
STUDENT SUPPORT<br />
& LEADERSHIP<br />
Tailored learning experience<br />
You will benefit from small class sizes, a<br />
personalised curriculum and regular one-to-one<br />
support sessions with your tutor as well as UCAS<br />
advice. This provides an environment where<br />
you will strive to achieve academic excellence.<br />
Combined with our career and university<br />
programme, this makes for a stimulating, successful<br />
and fulfilling experience.<br />
Leadership opportunities<br />
You will take an active role in the leadership of the<br />
school. Our Student Council meetings are modelled<br />
on the House of Commons Select Committee. Led<br />
by our Head Girl and Head Boy, the opinions and<br />
views of year group representatives are shared<br />
and the Headmaster responds to the issues raised.<br />
Each of our Year Group Leaders acts as the student<br />
go-to person for each year group and, in Year 13,<br />
students are selected as Prefects and Heads of<br />
House.<br />
Boarding and community<br />
If you decide to board with us or join us as a <strong>Sixth</strong><br />
<strong>Form</strong> day student, you will become an integral part<br />
of our community where you will develop lifelong<br />
friendships and memorable experiences that will be<br />
with you for the rest of your life. We also recognise<br />
the significance of the unique partnership between<br />
you, school and home and do all that we can to<br />
make these important years happy, successful and<br />
a strong foundation for your future.<br />
Student ambassadors<br />
Our whole school engagement programme sees<br />
our <strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong> students acting as role models<br />
to our younger pupils and you will have the<br />
opportunity to support the roll out of a number<br />
of curricular programmes, such as our Royal<br />
Institution Mathematics Masterclasses, and cocurricular<br />
initiatives including sailing, golf and<br />
skiing, across the school.<br />
BROADENING<br />
HORIZONS &<br />
FUTURE CAREERS<br />
As well as studying for your A Level subjects, all<br />
<strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong> students will follow a broad enrichment<br />
programme. This helps develop an understanding<br />
of careers and prepare students for the future<br />
world of employment.<br />
Nightingale Lecture Series<br />
Our <strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong> students attend a formal dinner<br />
event and listen to and reflect on the life stories<br />
and experiences of influential entrepreneurs,<br />
explorers and pioneers. During these evenings, you<br />
have the opportunity to respond to and discuss the<br />
challenging issues that are presented to you by the<br />
guest speaker.<br />
MBA Experience<br />
This offers an innovative addition to the school’s<br />
academic curriculum in Year 12. It will help you<br />
understand the key factors that impact business<br />
performance, build your commercial awareness and<br />
develop your fluency in the language of business.<br />
The programme is delivered through a series of<br />
practical and interactive workshops by leading<br />
business professionals and in partnership with<br />
Winchester University.<br />
Industry career evenings<br />
These events enable our students to interact<br />
with a range of successful business people and<br />
hear, first-hand, about their career paths. You will<br />
receive advice about the skills and qualities that<br />
will help you lead a successful career. In addition,<br />
these events also provide an opportunity for you<br />
to start building your professional networks and<br />
may lead to opportunities for work experience,<br />
apprenticeships or future employment.<br />
4
Duke of Edinburgh<br />
This programme broadens horizons and develops<br />
friendships but perhaps most importantly it will<br />
equip you with vital employability skills such selfdiscipline,<br />
time management, problem solving and<br />
communication skills. Silver and Gold trips include<br />
expeditions to Dartmoor and the Wye Valley.<br />
Team building residentials<br />
A fun way in which you will learn to work with<br />
your peers and, through a variety of activities,<br />
learn important skills that will help in life beyond<br />
school, such as understanding different leadership<br />
and teamwork skills, building trust and enhancing<br />
problem solving techniques.<br />
Biennial charitable global outreach<br />
initiatives<br />
In recent years, our <strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong> students have<br />
supported and visited charity projects in Costa<br />
Rica, India and Ecuador. Most students encounter<br />
rewarding, humbling and amazing experiences as<br />
they make a difference to the lives of others. These<br />
trips also help to build character and will enable<br />
you to learn more about yourself.<br />
PREPARING FOR<br />
UNIVERSITY<br />
We will do everything possible to help you make<br />
informed decisions about your future and you will<br />
receive all the support necessary to secure a place<br />
at your chosen university. As part of a small tutor<br />
group, every student receives tailored advice and<br />
support as part of their application process.<br />
Year 12 Autumn term<br />
• Investigate prospective university courses and<br />
destinations with the support and guidance of<br />
your tutor and learn more about the range of<br />
universities and course choices available in the<br />
UK and around the world.<br />
• Attend our International University Roadshow<br />
with exhibitors from leading universities across<br />
Europe, Canada and the USA.<br />
• Join our UK Higher Education Conference<br />
with workshops and learn about the courses<br />
available at some of the top UK universities,<br />
including Oxford, Cambridge, Warwick,<br />
Imperial and LSE.<br />
Spring term<br />
• Understand how to apply to universities<br />
through UCAS.<br />
• By now you will have provisional ideas about<br />
the subjects that you would like to read at<br />
university and your tutor, along with our<br />
experienced UCAS coordinator, will help you<br />
navigate the process.<br />
• Visit universities including Oxbridge.<br />
Summer term<br />
• Participate in our Personal Statement<br />
workshop which offers valuable guidance on<br />
how to showcase your skills, aspirations and<br />
experiences when applying for a course and<br />
preparing for potential interviews.<br />
• Attend a local UCAS exhibition.<br />
• Strengthen your university application and<br />
CV by participating in our work experience<br />
programme.<br />
5
Year 13 Autumn term<br />
• Submit your university applications following<br />
final discussions and guidance from your tutor<br />
(students applying for Oxbridge, medicine,<br />
dentistry and veterinary medicine must submit<br />
their applications before mid-October). Our<br />
teachers and tutors will prepare references to<br />
support applications.<br />
• Begin to hear back from universities with<br />
invitations to interviews.<br />
• Practise university interview techniques with<br />
experienced professionals according to your<br />
chosen course.<br />
Spring term<br />
• Continue to attend interviews for university<br />
courses.<br />
• Make ‘firm’ and ‘insurance’ choices for your<br />
chosen courses, with guidance and support<br />
from your tutor.<br />
• Attend our higher education talks on subjects<br />
such as student finance to help prepare you for<br />
university life.<br />
Summer term<br />
• Collect your A Level results. Wherever possible,<br />
we work to ensure all our students achieve their<br />
first choice of university.<br />
• Receive continuing support from our teaching<br />
staff and UCAS coordinator if you decide to<br />
defer your place or apply to university post-A<br />
Levels.<br />
CO-CURRICULAR LIFE<br />
Our outstanding co-curriculum offers access<br />
to high-quality activities for all. It provides<br />
opportunities for student leadership and challenge;<br />
it enables our young people to uncover new<br />
interests and talents, explore subjects beyond<br />
the classroom and build resilience; and it nurtures<br />
the growth of intellectual curiosity, creativity and<br />
independent learning.<br />
We offer a wide variety of sports and our aim<br />
is to provide all students with the opportunity<br />
to participate in as many of these as possible.<br />
Alongside traditional sporting opportunities such<br />
as rugby, hockey, cricket, netball and rounders, we<br />
offer outdoor adventure activities. These include<br />
our Keelboat Sailing Programme, which sees our<br />
fleet of Etchell 22s and 37ft Stewart racing boat<br />
moored nearby at Lymington Harbour, golf on our<br />
9-hole course within the school grounds, a national<br />
ski team.<br />
These opportunities will build a variety of skills that<br />
help students to better understand themselves<br />
and test boundaries in a challenging, yet safe<br />
environment. They develop confidence and<br />
encourage children to evaluate situations and take<br />
calculated risks – alongside broadening horizons<br />
and making friends.<br />
Creative life at <strong>Embley</strong> is also very important. We<br />
have a purpose built Performing Arts Centre, a<br />
Music Department with rehearsal rooms and a<br />
recording studio and an exceptional Art Faculty<br />
covering conventional art techniques to textiles,<br />
ceramics and much more.<br />
We encourage all our students to try different<br />
activities and it is our aim that by the time they<br />
leave our school, they will have found a passion in<br />
life and had new experiences that will have built<br />
character and cemented friendships.<br />
6
ENTRY<br />
REQUIREMENTS<br />
Students studying A Levels at <strong>Embley</strong> will normally<br />
have attained a minimum of five GCSEs grade 9-5<br />
(A*-B) and ideally 7 (A) in the A Level subjects they<br />
wish to study, or an equivalent subject. In order<br />
to study Further Mathematics, we expect a level 8<br />
or above. For students that have studied Double<br />
Science at GCSE and want to go on to study a<br />
Science subject at A Level, we would expect them<br />
to have achieved at least a double level 7. However,<br />
all cases are looked at on an individual basis.<br />
EXTENDED PROJECT<br />
QUALIFICATION<br />
The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a<br />
research-based qualification that is completed<br />
in Year 12 and complements an A Level study<br />
portfolio. Students research a subject of their<br />
choosing before producing a dissertation,<br />
investigation, performance or artefact.<br />
<strong>Embley</strong> students achieve excellent results in the<br />
EPQs - 100% of our students achieved A* or A<br />
last year. The qualification is worth half an A Level<br />
and it is well-respected by universities. It teaches<br />
students essential research and writing skills that<br />
are required to succeed in higher education and the<br />
qualification is invaluable on a personal statement,<br />
CV or at interview. Many of our students applying<br />
to universities often receive reduced offers for A<br />
Level requirements if an A and A* grade is achieved<br />
in the EPQ.<br />
A lot of our students choose to study an area that<br />
will contribute to their university course or a future<br />
career. In recent years, projects have ranged from<br />
designing and building a hybrid paddle/surf board<br />
to conducting meta-research analysis on the diet of<br />
the Maasai tribe (the latter was highly commended<br />
by The Peter Watson International Scholarship).<br />
Other projects have focused on such things as laws<br />
on capital punishment in the US and Iran, George<br />
Orwell’s political views, as well as the design and<br />
materials used in eco-house building. The options<br />
for topics are limitless.<br />
Although the nature of the project is individuallydriven,<br />
students receive one-to-one guidance to<br />
support the requirements of their title. Tutorial<br />
discussions are a regular feature of the process and<br />
we use the vast experience of our staff and network<br />
with industry and higher education to support each<br />
student in the process of creating their project.<br />
Furthermore, we have close links with Southampton<br />
University’s staff and facilities to support learning<br />
and can arrange visits to the university to help with<br />
development and research.<br />
Students taking three A Levels are expected to<br />
complement their academic portfolio with an EPQ.<br />
SIXTH FORM CHOICES<br />
Choosing A Levels is a finely wrought process<br />
and our highly experienced senior teaching staff<br />
are available to help you make these important<br />
decisions. Our advice is to choose a manageable<br />
combination of subjects that you enjoy and, if new<br />
subjects, will play to your academic strengths and<br />
interests. In our experience, this combination is likely<br />
to lead to achieving the best grades.<br />
Most universities usually offer undergraduate<br />
places based on three A Level grades with very<br />
few requiring a fourth subject at A Level. In light of<br />
this, and the increased rigour of the linear A Levels,<br />
we would anticipate that most students follow<br />
three A Level subjects and an Extended Project<br />
Qualification.<br />
7
ART & DESIGN<br />
COURSES<br />
Our large, airy and open plan art studio and<br />
expert teaching team will help you develop into an<br />
emerging artist and designer. Similar to facilities<br />
offered at some of the top universities for art<br />
degrees, you will have a personalised ‘pod’ space<br />
for the duration of your A Level course; giving you<br />
ample space and flexibility to develop your art work.<br />
We also have a range of installation spaces where<br />
our students can experiment on a larger scale with<br />
their creative ideas.<br />
During the first two terms of our A Level courses,<br />
you will participate in a series of workshops to<br />
allow you to explore our wide range of facilities<br />
and broaden your technical skills and visual<br />
understanding of different creative techniques. This<br />
will also help you to build an impressive portfolio of<br />
work. Our teaching staff will spend time discussing<br />
your personal ambitions and tailor the subject<br />
matter of your work towards your own interests as<br />
much as possible.<br />
Assessment of the course is by two components:<br />
a personal investigation (60%) and externally set<br />
assignment (40%).<br />
Examination board: AQA<br />
ART, CRAFT & DESIGN<br />
This course provides a fantastic opportunity to build<br />
a varied range of techniques through drawing and<br />
painting (fine art), photography, textile design and<br />
three dimensional design.<br />
You will have access to our specialist printmaking,<br />
ceramics and textiles facilities, and a computer<br />
suite for digital processing and CAD/CAM software.<br />
Our 3D design studios provide a fully equipped<br />
workshop including equipment for wood, metal and<br />
plastics. Led by local resident artists, you will benefit<br />
from our after-school drawing workshops to hone<br />
your core drawing technique.<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
This subject can lead to a wide range of degrees.<br />
Many of our students have gone on to study degrees<br />
such as fine art, architecture, three dimensional<br />
design and costume design for theatre and screen.<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
Studying Photography at A Level will allow you<br />
to explore your personal interests and sense of<br />
identity through a creative journey. You will develop<br />
your experience and skills using DSLR cameras<br />
on manual settings and you will be encouraged<br />
to explore the boundaries of what is possible with<br />
digital photography - with an emphasis on finding<br />
your personal creative ‘voice’ whether through<br />
commercial or fine art outcomes.<br />
During the course, you will explore various forms<br />
of camera-less photography using light sensitive<br />
media and experiment with different styles of<br />
photography including portraiture; landscape,<br />
still life, documentary and fashion photography;<br />
experimental imagery; photographic installation; as<br />
well as video, film and animation.<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
This subject can lead to a wide range of creative<br />
arts degrees. It could also lead to a diverse range of<br />
career paths in industries such as animation/games<br />
design, product design, interior design, as well as<br />
photography specialisms such as photojournalism<br />
and portrait, product or food photography.<br />
TEXTILE DESIGN<br />
Textile Design is a wonderful course for anyone who<br />
enjoys art and likes working and experimenting with<br />
textiles. The course will introduce you to a wide<br />
range of textile media, processes and techniques.<br />
You will be taught by our specialist teachers; use<br />
our textiles facilities which include sewing and<br />
embellishing machines, burn tools, hand embroidery,<br />
felting, weaving, quilting, dying and batik<br />
equipment; and experiment using our print making<br />
facilities which include dry-point etching, collagraph,<br />
lino, gel plate and silk screen.<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
This subject can lead to a wide range of degrees.<br />
Many of our textile students leave us to join degree<br />
courses at art and design universities and more<br />
recently students have gone on to study degrees<br />
such as costume design for theatre and screen,<br />
design for stage and performance and fashion<br />
marketing and media. Career paths are wide-ranging<br />
and include fashion design, surface pattern design,<br />
set design and costume design.<br />
8
THREE DIMENSIONAL DESIGN<br />
A Level Three Dimensional Design is an exciting<br />
course that will enable you to explore and develop<br />
a wide range of techniques to create concept<br />
architecture, sculptures, products and furniture and<br />
understand the complex relations between design,<br />
materials, manufacture and marketing. It is a good<br />
course to choose if you are interested in a career in<br />
design or engineering.<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
This course is ideal for students wishing to pursue<br />
degree courses and careers in art and design,<br />
architecture, engineering, as well as product,<br />
fashion, set, exhibition and interior design.<br />
BIOLOGY<br />
Biology has expanded enormously in the last four<br />
decades, from the study of molecules and DNA to<br />
ecosystems and artificial intelligence. Biologists<br />
are trying to solve significant challenges including<br />
disease and antibiotic resistance, climate change,<br />
food production and genetic technologies.<br />
This course is delivered through a wide range of<br />
teaching methods by an enthusiastic and dedicated<br />
team of biologists. Our practical work is regarded<br />
as exceeding expectations by the exam board. Class<br />
sizes are small and you will work in small groups or<br />
independently with all the necessary resources to<br />
develop your biological knowledge.<br />
The topics covered during this course include<br />
biological molecules; cells; organisms and their<br />
environment; genetic information and variation;<br />
energy transfer; organisms responding to change;<br />
genetics, populations and ecosystems; and the<br />
control of gene expression. You will be assessed<br />
through three written papers at the end of the<br />
course based on these topics.<br />
We set high expectations that allow our students<br />
to achieve their full potential in a friendly and<br />
supportive environment and we will challenge<br />
you every step of the way. There are lots of<br />
opportunities for you to get involved in a wide range<br />
of national competitions, field trips, science events<br />
and university visits as part of your studies.<br />
Examination board: AQA<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Biology holds academic weight in university<br />
applications and it opens exciting opportunities<br />
in both science and non-science careers due to<br />
the wide-ranging knowledge and transferable<br />
skills it provides. Many of our students go on to<br />
read Biology-based subjects at university such<br />
as medicine, dentistry and veterinary science. We<br />
will guide you through the UK Clinical Aptitude<br />
Test (UKCAT) and Bio Medical Admissions Test<br />
(BMAT) examinations to ensure that you have every<br />
opportunity to fulfil your ambitions.<br />
9
BUSINESS<br />
Studying Business at A Level develops the skills and<br />
attitudes that underpin innovation, creativity and<br />
enterprise.<br />
Our Business Studies Department comprises<br />
teachers from different commercial backgrounds<br />
including banking, accounting and human resources,<br />
who apply their experiences in lessons to help<br />
provide a real world context to business theory.<br />
We use a wide range of teaching methods<br />
that will enable you to develop commercial<br />
awareness. Through contemporary case studies<br />
and current business news items, we bring to life<br />
the complexities of UK and global business. All<br />
students take part in the national Tycoon in Schools<br />
competition: in previous years our students have<br />
been awarded start-up loans from the Peter Jones<br />
Foundation on the strength of their business plans.<br />
You will benefit from participating in Student<br />
Investor, field trips to commercial organisations<br />
and guest lectures from a wide range of business<br />
professionals.<br />
Through independent learning projects, we foster a<br />
spirit of enquiry and a critical approach to thinking<br />
about business problems. You will learn how to<br />
evaluate alternative solutions to problems in the<br />
face of uncertainty and the importance of evaluating<br />
outcomes and learning from mistakes.<br />
The course covers the core themes of marketing<br />
and people, managing business activities, business<br />
decisions and strategy, and global business. You will<br />
be assessed through three written exams at the end<br />
of the course.<br />
Examination board: Edexcel<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
This A Level will help prepare students for a<br />
career in business, which may stretch across any<br />
sector or industry. Higher education and career<br />
options are therefore varied and include areas<br />
such as management, marketing, human resources,<br />
accounting and finance.<br />
CHEMISTRY<br />
Chemistry is everywhere – medicines, the<br />
environment and new smart materials are just<br />
three examples. Increasingly, an understanding of<br />
chemical principles is becoming vital to explain and<br />
improve the world we live in.<br />
You will study Chemistry in a range of different<br />
contexts, through theory and practical assessments<br />
which together convey the excitement of<br />
contemporary chemistry. Our A Level Chemistry<br />
course is taught in small groups, providing each<br />
student with individual attention, tailored feedback<br />
and additional support where needed. Theory<br />
and ideas are introduced in a spiral way with<br />
topics introduced in an early part of the course<br />
reinforced later. There is a particular emphasis on<br />
an investigational and problem–solving approach to<br />
practical work.<br />
During the two year course, students study elements<br />
of life: developing fuels, elements from the sea,<br />
the ozone layer, medicines, the chemical industry,<br />
polymers and life, oceans, developing metals and<br />
colour by design. The course is assessed in three<br />
exams taken at the end of Year 13. Throughout<br />
the course, you will carry out a range of practical<br />
experiments which are assessed and reported<br />
separately to the A Level grade as a practical<br />
endorsement.<br />
Examination board: OCR Chemistry B (Salters)<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
A thorough understanding of Chemistry is a vital<br />
foundation for many university courses including<br />
engineering, medicine and pharmacy. Chemistry<br />
is also highly regarded by law degree course<br />
providers, where the use of precise definitions and<br />
accurate techniques taught in Chemistry are vital.<br />
One of the most challenging (and rapidly growing)<br />
areas of science is that of our environment and a<br />
firm understanding of the principles of Chemistry<br />
will be necessary if we are to work on the problems<br />
posed by human impact on this environment.<br />
1 0
COMPUTER SCIENCE<br />
Computerisation is governing increasing parts of our<br />
daily lives. Our Computer Science A Level course<br />
is a practical subject in which you will apply the<br />
academic principles learned in the classroom to realworld<br />
systems. It is an intensely creative subject that<br />
combines invention and excitement, problem solving<br />
and programming, and it will encourage you to look<br />
at the natural world through a digital prism.<br />
We use a variety of teaching methods throughout<br />
the course, including practical programming<br />
activities, presentations, field and university trips<br />
and, through scaffolded-tasks, you will develop a<br />
mastery of the subject.<br />
You will begin the course by learning the<br />
fundamentals of Computer Science: the internal<br />
working of the central processing unit, data<br />
exchange, software development, data types and<br />
legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues associated<br />
with the subject. In the second year, you will<br />
study computational thinking, how computers<br />
and programs can be used to solve problems and<br />
produce algorithms in order to describe and solve<br />
problems.<br />
There are two written examinations at the end of<br />
the course and you will complete a programming<br />
assignment in Year 13, where you will apply the<br />
principles of computational thinking to a practical<br />
coding programming task of your choice.<br />
Examination board: OCR<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
The skills of Computer Science A Level graduates<br />
are highly prized by a range of industries and<br />
sectors and students benefit from a high level (90%)<br />
of employment (Graduates in the Labour Market:<br />
2017 ONS). This subject could also lead to careers<br />
in defence, engineering, technology, medicine,<br />
multimedia and IT.<br />
DRAMA & THEATRE<br />
Drama & Theatre helps students pursue their<br />
interests and skills in a range of practical drama<br />
elements including acting, directing and technical<br />
design. During this course, you will gain a thorough<br />
understanding of how theatre and plays are created<br />
and performed. We use a variety of teaching<br />
methods and much of the course is delivered in our<br />
specialist performing arts facilities.<br />
You will have the opportunity to get involved in a<br />
wide range of workshops with professional touring<br />
companies, visit London and local theatres and help<br />
lead whole school performances, as well as creating,<br />
developing and performing in your own pieces of<br />
work. There are opportunities to develop technical<br />
skills, alongside our technician, as part of our<br />
theatre productions, and to lead our Senior School<br />
Drama Club, in which our A Level students facilitate<br />
workshops and impart their skills and experience to<br />
our younger children.<br />
As part of the course, you will study five texts<br />
over two years and devise further material for<br />
performance examinations. The written component<br />
of this qualification is highly analytical and<br />
welcomed by universities.<br />
Examination board: Eduqas<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
This course can lead to a range of exciting career<br />
paths in performing arts. Many of our A Level<br />
students have gone on to study vocational courses<br />
at Loughborough University, the Academy of Live<br />
and Recorded Arts, Drama Centre London, Guildhall,<br />
Italia Conti and Fourth Monkey. The course also<br />
complements a range of A Level subjects and<br />
is useful in building confidence and improving<br />
presentation skills that are valuable in most careers.<br />
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ECONOMICS<br />
Our A Level Economics course involves lively<br />
discussion and debate in lessons as we analyse the<br />
current economic climate through the news and<br />
live data to develop an understanding of economic<br />
theories and the interrelationships between micro<br />
and macro economies.<br />
Because many economic problems have more<br />
than one solution, you will learn how to evaluate<br />
information for its relevance and quality. In addition,<br />
you will become proficient in using quantitative<br />
methods effectively across a range of problems and<br />
learn how to apply economic reasoning to policy<br />
issues in a critical manner. The insights this provides<br />
are powerful and can help make sense of some of<br />
the challenges facing societies today.<br />
We use a range of engaging teaching methods,<br />
including class discussion, group work, workshops<br />
and simulation games, such as Student Investor,<br />
that allow you to acquire deep subject knowledge<br />
and to develop a range of interpersonal and critical<br />
thinking skills. Our Economics Society helps prepare<br />
you for national essay writing competitions and the<br />
Bank of England challenges.<br />
To inspire and broaden your horizons further, we<br />
have a programme of specialist guest speakers and<br />
field trips, which include visits to the City of London,<br />
and we run extension classes for those applying to<br />
Oxbridge.<br />
At the end of this two-year course, you will be<br />
assessed through three written papers on markets<br />
and market failure, the national and international<br />
economy, and economic principles and issues.<br />
Examination board: AQA<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Economics is a subject that is well respected by<br />
employers in both the public and private sectors<br />
and universities. Careers related to Economics<br />
include accountancy, banking and finance, business,<br />
consulting and management.<br />
ENGLISH LITERATURE<br />
English Literature is a very popular A Level subject<br />
at <strong>Embley</strong>. During the course, you will enjoy a wide<br />
range of prose, poetry, and drama and, through<br />
close critical analysis and group discussion, learn<br />
to read critically, analyse, evaluate and undertake<br />
independent research: all valuable skills for higher<br />
education and beyond. Regular theatre trips are<br />
arranged in order to support the texts and to allow<br />
for alternative interpretations, and a range of TV<br />
and film interpretations are studied alongside the<br />
reading.<br />
In Year 12, you will study a Shakespeare play, an<br />
anthology of poetry and two prose texts while<br />
considering the presentation of ‘Love through the<br />
Ages’. While in Year 13, you will hone your critical<br />
thinking skills and, following an independent reading<br />
path, you will carry out a critical study of texts<br />
across time – be it the Gothic genre, satire and<br />
dystopia or representations of race and ethnicity,<br />
for example. The course is assessed by two written<br />
papers and a 2500 word essay.<br />
What could be better than learning about the lives,<br />
loves, hopes and jealousies of people, both real<br />
and fictional, throughout the ages? Understanding<br />
the methods used by writers to make political,<br />
social and historical comments about the world as<br />
they see it is a great foundation for understanding<br />
humanity in general.<br />
Examination board: AQA<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
English Literature remains one of the most<br />
prestigious subjects to study and can lead to a<br />
wide range of career opportunities, including:<br />
journalism, advertising, creative writing, teaching,<br />
law, broadcasting, public relations and politics.<br />
More broadly, an enthusiasm for literature, added<br />
to an understanding of communication and human<br />
behaviour, will be invaluable, whatever path you<br />
choose to follow.<br />
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FRENCH<br />
Studying a Modern Foreign Language at A Level<br />
can open up a wealth of new opportunities and<br />
experiences. French A Level builds on the core skills<br />
of listening, reading, writing and speaking gained<br />
through GCSE. During this course, you will develop<br />
a deeper understanding of French in a variety of<br />
contexts and genres, and learn to communicate<br />
confidently, clearly and effectively in French for a<br />
range of purposes.<br />
Our lessons are largely taught in French and our<br />
small class sizes mean that you will quickly develop<br />
your oral fluency and confidence, with individual<br />
guidance given in every lesson and plenty of<br />
opportunities for pair work, group discussions and<br />
lively debates.<br />
As part of the course, you will study a wide range of<br />
topics including social issues and trends; political,<br />
intellectual and artistic culture; immigration and<br />
multicultural societies; and the Arts, literature and<br />
history - such as the work of author Albert Camus<br />
and the occupation of France during the Second<br />
World War.<br />
As well as textbooks, we use newspaper articles,<br />
magazines, books, online resources and study trips<br />
which provide you with plenty of opportunities to<br />
immerse yourself in the language.<br />
At the end of this two-year course, you will<br />
be assessed through three exams: two written<br />
assessments and an internally conducted and<br />
externally assessed speaking paper.<br />
Examination board: Edexcel<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Our students have gone on to study French at a<br />
number of Russell Group universities including the<br />
University of Cardiff and Kings College, London.<br />
The skills and qualifications that are gained from<br />
studying a language at A Level are incredibly<br />
important tools and French can be combined with<br />
and complement many courses at university. With<br />
the globalisation of the world economy, many<br />
businesses are keen to employ students who can<br />
speak a second language to a high level.<br />
GEOGRAPHY<br />
This is an opportunity to study a fascinating, everchanging<br />
and valuable subject: Geography is a<br />
multidisciplinary subject that stands astride the Arts<br />
and Sciences and will provide you with the ability to<br />
gain invaluable skills that employers are increasingly<br />
looking for.<br />
We study the Cambridge International Exam<br />
Board because it enables our students to choose<br />
a diverse range of physical and human geography<br />
topics that are intrinsically interesting and relevant<br />
in today’s changing world. You will study issues<br />
such as climate change, coastal erosion, volcano<br />
management and population change, and gain<br />
essential transferrable skills such as being able to<br />
articulate well-informed opinions, suggest new<br />
ideas and provide evidenced argument on a range<br />
of issues. Through classroom and fieldwork, the<br />
Geography you study will be brought to life.<br />
You will be encouraged to develop an enquiring<br />
mind, to investigate and be proactive in your<br />
learning. We are always here for support, but we<br />
seek to develop the confidence of each student and<br />
their ability to become independent learners. At<br />
the same time, the detailed subject knowledge that<br />
we provide enables our students to reach the top<br />
grades, with many students choosing to continue<br />
their enjoyment of Geography at university level and<br />
beyond.<br />
Our teaching staff provide outstanding subject<br />
knowledge, clear guidance and abundant energy for<br />
the duration of the course. All we ask is for you to<br />
work hard, aim high, ask questions and continue to<br />
search for answers, now and in the future.<br />
Examination board: Cambridge International<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Some of our past A Level students have gone on<br />
to lead successful careers, such as in the field of<br />
meteorology, chasing tornadoes in Tornado Alley,<br />
Oklahoma; working for the Environment Agency<br />
as a hydrology, flood risk and drainage engineer;<br />
and developing sustainable energy for a key energy<br />
company. Geography therefore provides many<br />
different pathways. With a multitude of transferable<br />
skills, geographers are eminently employable.<br />
1 3
HISTORY<br />
A Level History will enable you to study a fantastic<br />
range of engaging topics covering British and world<br />
history. It will ignite a passion for the past, as you<br />
study complicated historical questions in great<br />
depth. Topics focus on a mixture of political, social,<br />
economic and cultural history, which will help you<br />
see patterns and trends in history and to recognise<br />
the impact of past events on today’s complex<br />
societies.<br />
This A Level is gained through coursework and<br />
assessment papers. In Year 12, you will study<br />
the early Stuarts and the origins of the Civil War<br />
(1603 - 1646); the execution of Charles I and the<br />
Interregnum (1646 – 1660); and the USA in the 19th<br />
century: westward expansion and Civil War (1803<br />
- c.1890). In Year 13, you will learn about China and<br />
its rulers (1839 - 1989) and complete a 4000 word<br />
essay on an area of your own interest. Our most<br />
recent student essay topics have been wide ranging,<br />
including the reasons for Henry VIII’s break with the<br />
Catholic church, the French resistance in the Second<br />
World War, the role of the Suffragettes in women<br />
winning the vote one hundred years ago and the<br />
reasons for the failure of the prohibition of alcohol in<br />
1920s America.<br />
By studying History, you will develop a wide range<br />
of essential skills which will be indispensable in your<br />
future studies. You will become an analytical, critical<br />
thinker and well informed decision maker, as well as<br />
a highly literate, persuasive communicator.<br />
Progress is supported by regular help sessions<br />
and students are invited to attend A Level History<br />
revision conferences.<br />
Examination board: OCR<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
A Level History students will find all areas of study<br />
and all career avenues open to them. Previous<br />
students have gone on to study degrees in history,<br />
law, journalism, philosophy, politics and economics,<br />
languages and science. History qualifications are<br />
highly regarded and graduates work in a variety<br />
of industries including the media, law, education,<br />
politics, international development and charity work.<br />
MATHEMATICS<br />
Mathematics is recognised as a rigorous A Level and<br />
it is held in very high regard by universities. It is a<br />
subject that has wide application and complements<br />
many other subjects, including Physics, Chemistry,<br />
Biology, Geography, Psychology, Economics and<br />
Business Studies, which all use some form of<br />
Mathematics.<br />
Our Mathematics teachers come from a wide range<br />
of professional fields. We have a former engineer<br />
teaching mechanics, a former data analysist<br />
teaching statistics and teachers who studied Pure<br />
Mathematics at universities including Oxford<br />
and Cambridge. The insights of our Mathematics<br />
Department into how our curriculum in the<br />
classroom can apply to careers enriches the lessons<br />
and inspires our students to study.<br />
You will be stretched beyond the classroom with<br />
lectures by inspiring individuals in their field through<br />
our links with some of the UK’s leading universities<br />
and at our annual <strong>Embley</strong> Women in Mathematics<br />
Conference. There are opportunities for you to<br />
explore an area further through an Extended Project<br />
in Mathematics and we will provide additional<br />
revision support for entrance exams such as STEP<br />
(the Cambridge entrance exam), MAT (the Oxford<br />
entrance exam) and SATS (the US entrance exam).<br />
You will study pure Mathematics, statistics and<br />
mechanics, with the course examined at the end of<br />
Year 13 with three papers: two on pure Mathematics<br />
and one on applied topics.<br />
Examination board: Edexcel<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
On leaving school with A Level Mathematics,<br />
students open themselves up to a wide range of<br />
opportunities in areas such as finance, engineering,<br />
computing, programming, architecture, research,<br />
medicine and more. The course is the basis for a<br />
multitude of degree courses and the skills gained<br />
during the course are core to many career paths.<br />
1 4
FURTHER<br />
MATHEMATICS<br />
Further Mathematics provides an enjoyable,<br />
rewarding, stimulating and empowering experience.<br />
It is a challenging qualification, which both extends<br />
and deepens knowledge and understanding beyond<br />
A Level Mathematics, with greater depth and new<br />
content usually taught at degree level. Our specialist<br />
Mathematics teachers have vast experience on how<br />
to guide you through this exciting and challenging A<br />
Level.<br />
We hold our Further Mathematicians in high esteem.<br />
They are ambassadors for the subject across the<br />
school. This includes working with our Prep School<br />
to challenge our talented Mathematicians in Year<br />
5 and 6, leading our Royal Institution Mathematics<br />
Masterclasses, clubs and supporting Mathematical<br />
events in school.<br />
Further Mathematics contains two pure Mathematics<br />
modules and two applied modules. As a study<br />
group, you will choose the applied modules. This<br />
will be either further mechanics, further statistics<br />
or decision Mathematics (algorithms linked to<br />
programming).<br />
Examination board: Edexcel<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Further Mathematics is required by a number of<br />
universities offering Mathematics degrees and it is<br />
beneficial for degrees in Physics, Computer Science<br />
and Engineering.<br />
MUSIC<br />
Studying A Level Music will allow you to expand<br />
your musical repertoire, develop a deeper<br />
appreciation of what you hear and discover how<br />
elements of music work together as you compose<br />
and perform your own work.<br />
You will explore a variety of musical genres and<br />
discover what inspires musicians and how they<br />
develop techniques for practice and performance.<br />
You will use our professional recording studio, which<br />
has specialist music software including Cubase and<br />
Logic Pro for producing studio based compositions,<br />
and Sibelius to score creations.<br />
You will direct and organise your own ensembles<br />
and prepare performances for the many musical<br />
events that occur throughout the school. These<br />
include live performances in Romsey Abbey, our<br />
Musical and Performing Arts Showcase events,<br />
regular lunchtime recitals and concerts. In addition,<br />
there are many varied groups and ensembles for you<br />
to take part in, including Orchestra, Jazz Band, Flute<br />
Choir, Rock Band and Choir.<br />
The course is assessed in three parts: performing,<br />
composing and listening/appraising.<br />
Examination board: Edexcel<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Studying Music at university can lead to varied<br />
pathways, such as performance, composition,<br />
musicology, ethnomusicology, sound engineering,<br />
conducting and teaching. It is also common to find<br />
music graduates in consultancy, finance, banking,<br />
music therapy and the legal profession because of<br />
the valuable skills that Music graduates have.<br />
1 5
MUSIC TECHNOLOGY<br />
In Music Technology you will develop the skills,<br />
knowledge and understanding needed to compose,<br />
sequence, record, analyse and produce music. The<br />
key focus of the course is mastery of the different<br />
disciplines within Music Technology.<br />
You will learn to understand the science behind<br />
sound and apply your understanding through<br />
professional standard multi-track recordings made<br />
in our purpose built music studio. Musical listening<br />
and appraising skills will be developed through the<br />
study of the history of music and you will apply your<br />
knowledge through composing in particular styles<br />
or to set briefs.<br />
As well as the mixing and mastering process of<br />
the multi-track recording, you will learn advanced<br />
Logic Pro X editing and manipulation skills and<br />
processes which are applied through sequencing<br />
and composition work.<br />
Our Music Technology students are encouraged<br />
to use our recording studios outside lesson time<br />
to develop skills, complete recording tasks, mix<br />
and master their work. You will be encouraged to<br />
develop instrumental skills, to enhance your musical<br />
ability and understanding and apply your technical<br />
skills at the school’s live performances, recitals and<br />
concerts.<br />
Examination board: Edexcel<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Students who take Music Technology A level can<br />
progress to degree courses, such as the Tonmeister<br />
degree at the University of Surrey, Music Production<br />
at Leeds College of Music, Music Production at<br />
Huddersfield University, Live Sound Engineering<br />
at ACM and Music Technology at Birmingham<br />
Conservatoire. Career opportunities may include<br />
sound engineering, music production, teaching,<br />
composing for film and media, music journalism and<br />
music software development.<br />
PHYSICAL EDUCATION<br />
Physical Education (PE) is a subject that will<br />
motivate and inspire you due to its diverse and<br />
wide range of topics. You will study a variety of<br />
units that are delivered in depth by experienced<br />
and dedicated sports coaches. Whether you have a<br />
passion for physiology or psychology, biomechanics<br />
or the history of sport, at <strong>Embley</strong> you will find your<br />
interests are encouraged and challenged.<br />
Your ability to analyse and interpret key factors on<br />
sport performance will be at the forefront of your<br />
studies, with much of the content being taught<br />
around your own sporting experience to maximise<br />
your learning and understanding. You will learn<br />
to think critically, evaluate and analyse your own<br />
approach, whilst reflecting on regular feedback for<br />
improvement.<br />
You will have the opportunity to take part in a<br />
selection of fieldtrips, such as fitness testing<br />
workshops at leading universities as well as<br />
historical tours at famous sporting sites such as<br />
Twickenham and Lords. These trips are carefully<br />
structured to supplement the course content<br />
and provide our students with live and practical<br />
experience of their exam topics.<br />
You will be assessed at the end of the two-year<br />
course by means of a practical assessment and<br />
written examination.<br />
Examination board: OCR<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
A Level Physical Education is an excellent base<br />
for a university degree in sports science, sports<br />
management, healthcare or exercise and health.<br />
It can also complement further study in Biology,<br />
Human Biology, Physics, Psychology, Nutrition and<br />
Sociology.<br />
1 6
PHYSICS<br />
People with a background in Physics are needed<br />
more than ever to monitor climate change and find<br />
sustainable ways of generating electricity. We also<br />
need more engineers to work out how to save water,<br />
improve the world’s food supply, make travel more<br />
environmentally-friendly and recycle waste on a<br />
large scale.<br />
At <strong>Embley</strong>, our dedicated teachers, high<br />
expectations and small class sizes enable all<br />
students to perform to the best of their ability. The<br />
well-equipped department brings theories to life<br />
and you will find out for yourself how things are<br />
related. A great emphasis is placed on practical<br />
work and learning through doing. Topics are always<br />
related back to the real-world and these come to life<br />
through our many trips, including a visit to CERN,<br />
and attendance at inspiring lectures and workshops<br />
at leading universities.<br />
The qualification builds on prior knowledge,<br />
understanding and processing skills gained from<br />
GCSE Science. You will already be familiar with<br />
many of the topics that you will study, including<br />
forces, waves, radioactivity, electricity and<br />
magnetism. At A Level, you will look at these<br />
areas in more detail and find out how they are<br />
interconnected. You will also learn how to apply<br />
Mathematics to real-world problems and explore<br />
new areas, such as particle physics.<br />
You will sit final assessments at the end of the<br />
second year of the course and this will comprise<br />
three written examinations. Practical and data<br />
analysis skills will be tested during these exams.<br />
Examination board: AQA<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
A Level Physics is an important qualification in a<br />
range of careers, including technology and science.<br />
It is useful for medical and veterinary careers and<br />
is a qualification which is welcomed in law, banking<br />
and accountancy, since a good A Level grade<br />
demonstrates a student’s analytical and problem<br />
solving skills and mathematical competencies.<br />
POLITICS<br />
Politics is the study of power. Who gets what,<br />
why and how? There is no better time to be<br />
thinking about this, with all the changes taking<br />
place in the way we are governed nationally and<br />
internationally. Who really holds the power to<br />
make policy? Does our electoral system create the<br />
strongest governments? Are referendums the most<br />
democratic way to make decisions?<br />
You will cover a broad range of topics and develop<br />
skills including critical analysis, problem solving<br />
and debate. You will analyse the politics of the UK<br />
and USA and explore the foundations of political<br />
thought, looking at liberalism, conservatism,<br />
socialism, anarchism and feminism.<br />
In addition to independent study and group<br />
discussions, we encourage you to join our Model<br />
United Nations (MUN) to discuss the challenges<br />
facing the world, learn about the work of the United<br />
Nations and debate global issues including climate<br />
change, conflict and human rights.<br />
Our Politics Department will help equip you with<br />
a political literacy and confidence to question and<br />
shape the challenges of the international world.<br />
They share their knowledge and passion to help<br />
students develop a mastery in the subject.<br />
Assessment is by three exams containing short<br />
answer, source based and essay questions.<br />
Examination board: AQA<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Politics can be taken as a joint degree with subjects<br />
like History, Philosophy, Economics or Business, or<br />
as part of a combined Social Science degree. In<br />
addition, Politics is a good A Level for those wanting<br />
to follow international relations, public policy,<br />
American studies or international development.<br />
1 7
PSYCHOLOGY<br />
Psychology involves studying and exploring human<br />
behaviour and what drives it. It is one of the newest<br />
science subjects with its research having been<br />
developed within a very recent time-span and new<br />
ideas are always coming forward in the media to<br />
develop learning.<br />
You will play an active role in lessons, with plenty<br />
of opportunities to discuss issues in small groups<br />
and explore the latest research developments<br />
to illustrate and strengthen arguments. As well<br />
as being an active learning experience, you will<br />
improve your skills in note taking, analysis and<br />
evaluation of psychological research.<br />
In the first year of this course, you will study social,<br />
cognitive and biological psychology and learning<br />
theories (behavioural psychology). Alongside each<br />
topic you will participate in a practical research<br />
exercise, gathering data, analysing it and presenting<br />
it via a report format. This practical research<br />
exercise must adhere to ethical principles in both<br />
content and intention. While in your second year,<br />
you will study clinical psychology along with<br />
criminological, child or health psychology. Research<br />
methods, issues and debates will be studied for each<br />
unit and you will benefit from the drop-in support<br />
offered by the Psychology Department.<br />
You will have the opportunity to join field trips to<br />
bring your studies to life, including visits to the<br />
London Freud Museum, Bethlem Royal Psychiatric<br />
Hospital in London and to psychological exhibitions<br />
in London.<br />
There are three examination papers, each of two<br />
hours, at the end of this two-year course.<br />
Examination board: Edexcel<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Psychology is a science and is recognised as such by<br />
many academic institutions. It has links with many<br />
academic areas, such as psychology of business,<br />
sport, education and criminal (forensic) psychology.<br />
It is useful for any career that involves working with<br />
people such as the police, medical professions,<br />
businesses of all kinds and in any profession where<br />
knowledge of the workings of the brain would be<br />
useful, for example, performance related careers,<br />
teaching or sport.<br />
RELIGIOUS STUDIES<br />
Religious Studies covers much more than just<br />
a history of religion. Equally important are<br />
philosophical and ethical ideas and you will study<br />
the theories of people such as Plato, Descartes,<br />
Nietzsche and their colleagues and formulate your<br />
own responses as part of this course.<br />
Our experienced team of teachers combined with<br />
small class sizes, highly engaging and interactive<br />
lessons and outstanding levels of support, lead to<br />
excellent outcomes for our students.<br />
You will have the opportunity to attend universitystyle<br />
A Level Lecture Conferences in London as<br />
well as attend seminars at a variety of leading<br />
universities. Our Religious Studies Department has<br />
a well-established history of regular trips to Prague,<br />
Krakow and Auschwitz, and Berlin and in <strong>2020</strong> there<br />
is a trip to Rome to investigate its cultural heritage,<br />
art and historic architecture. At school, you will be<br />
encouraged to join the Senior Debating Team and/or<br />
the PPE (Philosophy, Politics & Economics) Society.<br />
You will study three key components in the course:<br />
the philosophy of religion, the study of Ethics and<br />
the study of key concepts within the Development<br />
of Christian thought. Knowledge and understanding<br />
are externally assessed in three two hour papers at<br />
the end of the course.<br />
Examination board: OCR<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Studying Religious Studies at A Level helps develop<br />
the critical skills necessary for a host of career<br />
options, including public services, journalism,<br />
media, medicine or nursing, teaching and the<br />
travel industry. At university, this qualification links<br />
well with the Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences<br />
and it is a well-respected qualification within all<br />
higher education settings, including Russell Group<br />
universities.<br />
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SPANISH<br />
Studying a Modern Foreign Language at A Level<br />
can open up a wealth of new opportunities and<br />
experiences. Spanish A Level builds on the core<br />
skills of listening, reading, writing and speaking<br />
gained through GCSE. During this course, you<br />
will develop a deeper understanding of Spanish<br />
in a variety of contexts and genres, and learn to<br />
communicate confidently, clearly and effectively for<br />
a range of purposes.<br />
Our lessons are largely taught in Spanish and our<br />
small class sizes mean that you will quickly develop<br />
your oral fluency and confidence, with individual<br />
guidance given in every lesson and plenty of<br />
opportunities for pair work, group discussions and<br />
lively debates.<br />
As part of the course, you will study a wide range of<br />
topics including: social issues and trends; political,<br />
intellectual and artistic culture; immigration and<br />
multicultural societies; and the Arts, literature and<br />
history - such as the Spanish Civil War and magic<br />
realism in Latin-American literature. As well as<br />
textbooks, we use newspaper articles, magazines,<br />
books, online resources and study trips which<br />
provide you with plenty of opportunities to immerse<br />
yourself in the language.<br />
At the end of this two-year course, you will<br />
be assessed through three exams: two written<br />
assessments and an internally conducted and<br />
externally assessed speaking paper.<br />
Examination board: Edexcel<br />
Where could this course take you?<br />
Our students have gone on to study Spanish at<br />
a number of Russell Group universities including<br />
the University College London and the University<br />
of Birmingham. The skills and qualifications that<br />
are gained from studying a language at A Level<br />
are incredibly important tools and Spanish can be<br />
combined with and can complement many courses<br />
at university. With the globalisation of the world<br />
economy, many businesses are keen to employ<br />
students who can speak a second language to a<br />
high level.<br />
1 9
SCHOLARSHIPS<br />
We make a limited number of scholarship awards<br />
each year following a competitive process. They<br />
recognise and reward outstanding achievement<br />
and potential in a range of areas that are important<br />
to the school. In return, we expect our scholars to<br />
work hard, contribute positively to the life of the<br />
school and to set a good example to other pupils.<br />
Scholarships are available to new and existing<br />
pupils entering our <strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong>.<br />
There is an expectation that scholars will normally<br />
take their discipline at A Level. The value of award<br />
is determined by the Headmaster and scholarships<br />
are reviewed annually against criteria such as<br />
talent, effort and progression.<br />
Honorary scholars<br />
Honorary scholarships give no financial benefit<br />
but recognise a pupil’s potential and commitment<br />
to a discipline. They are encouraged to take part<br />
in the scholarship programme and benefit from<br />
its opportunities to develop their talent. Honorary<br />
scholars are either identified during the scholarship<br />
application process or during their time at <strong>Embley</strong>.<br />
The Nightingale Scholars’ Society<br />
The Society meets regularly and follows a<br />
programme of talks by experts on a variety of<br />
topics. Scholars are expected to attend small group<br />
tutorials with scholar mentors and complete mini<br />
projects each term. The mini projects enable our<br />
scholars to build a portfolio of work throughout<br />
their time with us. The depth and expectation<br />
of these projects will increase as our scholars<br />
progress through the school. Nightingale scholars<br />
are expected to participate fully in the life of the<br />
school. This includes attending co-curricular events<br />
as organised by the Head of Scholars and scholar<br />
mentors and, when appropriate, lead co-curricular<br />
events.<br />
Applying for a scholarship<br />
To support all scholarship applications, all<br />
applicants should write a brief personal statement<br />
to explain why he/she should be considered for the<br />
scholarship. This should be returned together with<br />
a completed scholarship application form and any<br />
additional information required to the Admissions<br />
Department by Friday 22 November 2019.<br />
Scholarship assessments<br />
Candidates are invited to attend a scholarship<br />
assessment in January before September<br />
entry. The assessments are led by our Heads of<br />
Department. Further details regarding each of the<br />
scholarship assessments will be communicated<br />
closer to the time.<br />
Academic Scholarships<br />
Our Academic scholars show high academic<br />
attainment across the curriculum and contribute<br />
to the intellectual life of the school. They have a<br />
thirst and passion for the academic opportunities<br />
at <strong>Embley</strong> and take a leading role in relevant cocurricular<br />
enrichment programmes. Academic<br />
scholarships are awarded to pupils who show<br />
commitment to their studies and demonstrate<br />
all round academic excellence. This will be<br />
supported by high attainment in internal and<br />
external examinations, the interview process and<br />
a supporting report from the Head of their current<br />
school. All academic scholarship applicants will<br />
be invited to an interview with a member of the<br />
school’s Senior Leadership Team.<br />
Art & Design Scholarships<br />
Candidates should be able to demonstrate skill and<br />
ability in a range of artistic areas or demonstrate<br />
a creative ability within design and show how<br />
they experiment and explore their creative ideas.<br />
Candidates will need to submit a portfolio of work,<br />
produced at home or school, by no later than<br />
Friday 10 January <strong>2020</strong>. This should be clearly<br />
labelled with the pupil’s name. Candidates will<br />
be selected for interview on the quality of their<br />
portfolio.<br />
In the portfolio, we are looking for:<br />
• A range of work showing a variety of skills<br />
• An ability to use a range of media and<br />
techniques in 2D, 3D and digital media<br />
• Examples of observational drawing, sketching<br />
and photography<br />
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• Breadth and depth of approach and an<br />
understanding of contextual studies in Art,<br />
Craft & Design Technology, including an ability<br />
to make an informed connection between<br />
the candidate’s own work and that of artists,<br />
designers and crafts people<br />
• Sketchbooks, scrapbooks and journals which<br />
show genuine commitment, idea exploration<br />
and thought process<br />
• For designers, evidence of an understanding<br />
of design and production methods. All artwork<br />
should be mounted.<br />
Performing Arts Scholarships<br />
Drama scholarships are awarded to talented<br />
performers who are committed to playing a leading<br />
role in all aspects of drama and performing arts<br />
at school and within the community. Candidates<br />
should have a passion and flair for drama. They<br />
should be able to demonstrate excellent vocal<br />
skills, clear articulation and projection along with<br />
imagination and creativity. Pupils will be invited to<br />
an audition and interview with our Head of Drama<br />
in January.<br />
During the audition for Drama Scholarships,<br />
candidates will be asked to:<br />
• Perform a speech learned and prepared<br />
previously (the speech will be sent in advance<br />
to candidates)<br />
for providing their own accompanist, if needed.<br />
The pieces may be performed on any combination<br />
of instruments or voice. They will be interviewed<br />
informally about their past and present musical<br />
activities and may bring with them any evidence<br />
to support this and should be prepared to discuss<br />
what they enjoy about music making. Candidates<br />
can expect to be given tests of aural recognition,<br />
sight reading or improvisation.<br />
Sport Scholarships<br />
Candidates applying for this award should have<br />
displayed significant talent in their chosen sport.<br />
They should already have represented their chosen<br />
sport or physical activity at county level or be<br />
capable of achieving a similar standard. Our Sport<br />
scholars perform to a high standard in one or<br />
more sports, represent the school in a range of<br />
competitive sport within the school programme and<br />
display an excellent standard of personal health and<br />
fitness.<br />
Candidates wishing to apply for a Sport Scholarship<br />
should return a completed application form,<br />
together with copies of certificates of achievement<br />
to support the application. Pupils will be invited<br />
to attend an assessment in January where we will<br />
assess their skills in invasion games (e.g. hockey,<br />
rugby, netball), target games (e.g. cricket or<br />
rounders), net wall games (e.g. tennis) as well as<br />
sports specific fitness testing (e.g. athletics). Tasks<br />
will be set to assess agility, balance, co-ordination<br />
and speed.<br />
• Perform an improvisation in response to a task<br />
Please bring records of achievement in drama,<br />
certificates or public speaking awards to the<br />
interview.<br />
Music scholarships are awarded to musicians who<br />
demonstrate exceptional musical talent and are<br />
expected to participate fully in the musical life<br />
of the school. Candidates applying for a music<br />
scholarship in the <strong>Sixth</strong> <strong>Form</strong> should demonstrate<br />
a musical ability to Grade 5+ as well as have a<br />
proficient grasp of music theory.<br />
Candidates will also be invited for an interview<br />
with our Director of Sport. During the interview,<br />
candidates will be asked to talk about their previous<br />
experiences, expertise and contribution to club or<br />
school performance.<br />
Pupils will be invited to an audition and interview<br />
with our Head of Music in January. Candidates<br />
are required to prepare two contrasting pieces of<br />
music. The arrangements should last no longer than<br />
10 minutes in total and candidates are responsible<br />
2 1
UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS<br />
OF RECENT LEAVERS<br />
Arts Educational School of Acting, London<br />
Arts University Bournemouth<br />
Bath Spa University<br />
Belmont Abbey, North Carolina, USA<br />
Birmingham City University<br />
Brighton & Sussex Medical School<br />
Cardiff Metropolitan University<br />
Carlton University, Ottawa, Canada<br />
Falmouth University<br />
Florida Atlantic University, USA<br />
Imperial College London<br />
King’s College London<br />
London College of Creative Media<br />
New England College, New Hampshire, USA<br />
Oxford Brookes University<br />
Queen Mary University of London<br />
Regent’s University, London<br />
Royal Holloway, University of London<br />
University of Birmingham<br />
University of Brighton<br />
University of Cardiff<br />
University of Edinburgh<br />
University of Essex<br />
University of Manchester<br />
University of Newcastle<br />
University of Nottingham<br />
University of Plymouth<br />
University of Portsmouth<br />
University of Reading<br />
University of Southampton<br />
University of West of England<br />
University of West of England, Bristol<br />
University of Westminster<br />
University of Winchester<br />
University of York<br />
York St John University<br />
University of Aberystwyth<br />
2 2
For all admissions enquiries please contact:<br />
<strong>Embley</strong>, <strong>Embley</strong> Park, Romsey, Hampshire<br />
s e n i o r s c h o o l SO51 6ZE p r e p s c h o o l SO51 6ZA<br />
t e l +44 (0)1794 512206<br />
www.embley.org.uk