Shrewsbury School - Academic Perspectives

Creativity 

Critical 

Thinking 

A P 

Digital 

Literacy 

Communication 

Enquiry 

Research 

Academic 

Perspectives 

Information Booklet 

for Lower Sixth Students

Introduction 

The Academic Perspectives (AP) courses for Lower Sixth 

students are designed to add breadth to the Sixth Form 

curriculum at Shrewsbury School. 

While A Level qualifications are respected throughout the world as delivering demanding and high-quality 

preparation for university, the range of academic experiences is narrow, with only a limited number of subjects chosen. 

The aim of the AP courses is to add breadth to academic life in the Sixth Form and to develop skills that are not 

always covered in A Level courses, but are increasingly sought after in the 21st Century workplace. These include 

critical thinking, creativity, digital literacy, research, enquiry and communication. 

Format of the 

Courses 

All Lower Sixth students must choose one AP course 

in the Michaelmas Term (starting after the first Coach 

Weekend) and one AP course in the Lent Term. Each 

course will be one period per week of timetabled lessons. 

Some courses require students to take the corresponding 

A Level, but most do not. Most courses last one term, 

but a small handful may be a two-term commitment. 

There will be no examinations or reports for the AP 

courses, but some AP courses may set a small amount 

of work outside of lessons, to support the learning that 

takes place in lessons. 

What do you need to do? 

Read the course information on the 

following pages. 

Select your top three preferences for your 

Michaelmas Term AP course, by visiting the 

link below, which will also be sent out via 

e-mail. The deadline is 5pm Thursday 7th 

September 2023. 

The deadline for Lent Term selection will be 

communicated in the second half of Michaelmas 

Term. 

We will try to ensure that all pupils are 

matched with their top preference, but where it 

is not possible, we will allocate second or third 

preferences. 

Students who do not submit their preferences 

will be allocated an AP course related to the 

subject(s) that they are studying. 

It may not be possible to change courses after 

they have been allocated. 

To select your preferences please visit: 

https://forms.office.com/e/hrCQZjGx9T

Course Summary 

The table below contains a summary of the 20 AP courses available, with further information on each course 

available on the pages that follow. 

Subject 

Course Title 

Course 

Length 

A Level 

Requirements 

English Literacy for Life Two Terms None 

Maths Computational Thinking, Algorithms and Programming One Term None 

Biology Developing Research Skills in the Darwin Building One Term None 

Chemistry Scientific Communication and Literacy One Term Chemistry 

Physics CREST Awards Two Terms Physics 

Geography Arc GIS Story Mapping One Term None 

History The Hidden Narratives of History’s Greatest Influencers One Term None 

PT Philosophy and Subversion One Term PT 

Politics Global Perspectives in Politics One Term None 

Economics 

Economic Insights - Analysing the UK's Economic 

Landscape 

One Term 

None 

Business From Hodgson Hall to Dragon’s Den One Term None 

History of Art 

Art and Second Wave Feminism & Greek Mythology in 

Art 

One Term 

None 

German 

An introduction to German geography, politics and post- 

World War II history 

One Term 

None 

Spanish Art of the Hispanic World One Term None 

French 

Francophile Horizons - Exploring Language, Culture, 

and Literature 

One Term 

French 

Classics Classical Reception & Historical Background to Literature One Term None 

Music Contemporary Popular Music One Term None 

DT Building Your Design & Technology Portfolio One Term DT 

Drama Stagecraft - Empowering Performance and Public Speaking One Term None 

PE 

Sporting Perspectives - Exploring Current Affairs in 

Physical Education 

One Term 

None

Course 

Information 

English - Literacy for Life 

The AP course offered by the English Faculty will 

run as a continuous course during the Michaelmas 

and Lent Terms of the L6. Participants, who may 

or may not be English A Level students, will be 

encouraged to develop their own reading and 

writing skills, focusing on reading critically and 

writing for purpose. It is hoped that students will 

leave the course better able to interrogate and 

evaluate things they read from any source, as well 

as being able to shape their own writing effectively 

and successfully. Areas of study will include: 

Creative writing - writing for audience. 

Writing for purpose - to include personal 

statements and job applications. 

The use of AI in fiction and non fiction writing 

- including referencing and writing prompts. 

Social media. 

Mainstream media. 

Literature and literary theory. 

Presentation and interview skills. 

Length of course: Two terms. 

Course requirements: None, this course is open to all students.

Maths - Computational 

Thinking, Algorithms 

and Programming 

This AP course is highly recommended to Maths, Science and Economics students or those who might be thinking 

of Computer Science related courses at University. Students will have the opportunity to think about the process 

of constructing and implementing algorithms as well as learning a structured coding language (Python) that is 

highly applicable to further study and employment in fields such as data science, computer science/AI, engineering, 

scientific research or financial services. Sufficient flexibility will ensure that this course is accessible to beginners 

but also those with previous programming experience (eg GCSE Computer Science) can extend and stretch their 

knowledge on an individual basis. 

Length of course: One term. 

Course requirements: None, this course is open to all students. 

Biology - Developing Research 

Skills in the Darwin Building 

This AP course will run as a short course in the 

Michaelmas Term, repeated in the Lent Term. 

It is principally aimed at A Level biologists keen 

to do a small piece of independent, investigative 

project work - something that the more selective 

universities value. Non-biologists will also be 

welcome but should not expect to be “carried” by 

biologist friends! After a short introduction into 

the Scientific Method, pupils will be expected to 

choose a research question to investigate. They 

will be expected to show initiative and creativity 

as they design their methodology. They will then 

decide how best to analyse their findings before 

attempting to draw valid conclusions. Finally, 

they will publish their work in scientific poster 

format and there will be a moment of peer review 

at the end. 



Chemistry - Scientific 

Communication 

and Literacy 

The AP course offered by the Chemistry Faculty 

will run twice a year during the Michaelmas and 

Lent Terms. Students must be studying Chemistry 

A Level and will be encouraged to develop scientific 

writing and digital skills during this course. 

It is hoped that students will be able to develop 

their practical and scientific literacy skills during 

these sessions. Students should be able to apply 

these skills across the sciences so they can 

communicate scientifically both on paper and 

verbally. 

Areas of study will include: 

Planning and designing investigations. 

Recording & Analysing experimental data. 

Digital learning - use of Microsoft Word and 

Microsoft Excel in investigations, the use of 

ChemDraw Organic drawing program. 

Higher mathematical and reasoning skills. 


Course requirements: A Level Chemistry 

Physics - CREST Awards 

The AP Physics course offers an enriching opportunity to delve into the realm of physics and engineering by 

completing a CREST Awards project. Students will choose topics from diverse range of physics and engineering 

themes and develop them into their own project. They will collaborate in teams to formulate hypotheses, devise 

experimental plans, conduct practical work and analyse and evaluate results. By participating in this course, 

students will develop skills in problem-solving, practical work, collaborative teamwork, 

and ultimately produce a comprehensive scientific report. The CREST award is highly 

regarded by both employers and universities. 

Length of course: Two terms. 

Course requirements: A Level Physics.

Geography - Arc GIS 

Story Mapping 

The Geography Faculty will run two short AP 

courses during the Michaelmas and Lent Terms 

of Lower Sixth. Participants, who may or may not 

study Geography A Level, will generate their own 

geographical information systems (GIS) digital 

story map. 

Geographic information systems (GIS) create, 

manage, analyse, and map all types of data. GIS 

links any data to a map, by integrating location 

(where) with all types of descriptive information 

(what). GIS helps users understand patterns, 

relationships, and geographic context. It is now 

the foundation of every business or sector which 

involves some element of mapping information 

(e.g., Snap Map, Deliveroo, Google Maps. 

Students will develop the following skills: 

Digital Mapping using Arc GIS. 

Creativity and data visualisation. 

Independent research skills. 

Students who wish to learn more should explore: 

storymaps.arcgis.com 

ArcGIS StoryMaps 

Project management. 



History - The Hidden Narratives 

of History’s Greatest Influencers 

The History AP is designed to suit anyone who 

has an interest in History even if you aren’t 

studying History A Level. The History Faculty 

offers two programmes, one which runs during 

the Michaelmas term and one that runs during the 

Lent term. The aim of the History AP is to study 

some fascinating individuals from History, names 

you are perhaps familiar with but who you may not 

know too much about or people who did incredible 

things, but you probably won’t have heard of. 

The Michaelmas course will begin with a study 

of Che Guevara, the Argentine revolutionary. The 

chances are that you have seen his face. Splattered 

over T-Shirts of many a university student, Che 

Guevara has been held up high as a revolutionary 

hero by many. This module will look at the facts 

surrounding Che Guevara’s life, looking at opinions 

from both sides of the political divide, so that 

you can come to your own conclusions: was he 

a revolutionary hero, or a murderous thug? The 

second figure is Zheng Yi Sao, a more obscure 

figure but whose life reveals a great deal about 19th 

Century China. As a 19th Century female Chinese 

pirate, she has earned the description, ‘the most 

successful pirate in History’. 

The Lent term course will look at Genghis Khan, 

the Mongol warlord whose conquests in the 12th 

and 13th Century began a period of Mongol 

invasion that is estimated to have killed around 

11% of the world’s population. The second figure 

will Boudicca, a great British figure who has 

become an iconic part of our national identity 

as a symbol of resistance to the Roman invasion 

of Britain. Studying her life will give you a great 

insight into a formative period of British history. 



Philosophy & Theology - 

Philosophy and Subversion 

The Philosophy & Theology Faculty will be 

offering a single course that students can opt for 

in either the Michaelmas or Lent Term. Under 

the broad heading of ‘Philosophy and Subversion’, 

lessons will explore a range of philosophical ideas 

including subversive thought, existentialism, 

sexual ethics, and women’s rights. The course 

is suited to students who are studying ‘A’ Level 

Philosophy & Theology as the content will be an 

extension of the A Level syllabus. The AP lessons 

will also be used as a stimulus for practising the 

key ‘A’ Level skills of analysis and evaluation. 


Course requirements: A Level Philosophy & 

Theology. 

Politics - Global Perspectives 

in Politics 

The Politics AP is a programme open to all Lower Sixth students. The only requirements are an interest in the 

world we live in and an interest in exploring how the world is shaped by different political systems. Looking at a 

wide range of countries including China, North Korea, Israel, South Sudan and Kenya we will explore how these 

countries are governed and how their political systems affect issues such as civil rights and political representation. 

This course will give a great overview and awareness of global politics and will explore diverse regions of the world 

to understand better how politics shapes the world we live in. 



Economics - Economic 

Insights - Analysing the UK’s 

Economic Landscape 

The AP course offered by the Economics Faculty 

will run as a half year short course during the 

Michaelmas and Lent Terms of the Lower Sixth. 

Participants, who may or may not be Economics A 

Level students, will be encouraged to develop their 

research, discussion, teamwork and presentation 

skills. It is hoped that students will leave the course 

with a better understanding of key Economic 

issues affecting the UK and better able to critically 

evaluate economic policy and performance. Areas 

of study will include: 

UK Economic Performance. 

Fiscal and Monetary Policy. 

Market Failures. 

Stock Market. 



Business - From Hodgson Hall 

to Dragons’ Den 

The Business AP course will run two identical 

courses with one in each of the Michaelmas and 

Lent terms of the Lower Sixth. Students do not 

have to study A Level Business to do this course. 

You’ve got a business idea and you want to start 

a business. Unfortunately, there is a lot more to 

a good business than a good idea. You need to 

think things through to maximise your chances of 

success. A Business Plan will help you turn an idea 

into a business and allow you to think through all 

the parts of your proposed business and to plan 

how everything will work. The aim of this course 

is to help students to understand the key principles 

of successful Business Planning while allowing 

them to develop and present their own 

Business Plan. 


Business mission, values, vision. 

Market Research. 

SWOT Analysis. 

Financial Planning. 

Presentation skills. 



History of Art - Art and Second 

Wave Feminism & Greek 

Mythology in Art 

The Michaelmas Term AP course, Art and Second Wave Feminism, aims to consider the works of several seminal 

female artists, working in the 60s and 70s to combat issues of inequality and discrimination. We will look at how 

these artists demonstrated, mocked and overturned the concepts of the ubiquitous and scopophilic male gaze, the 

objectification of the female body, and the classic model of active male artist vs. passive female muse. The course 

will consider how brave artists used radical nakedness and vulnerability to fight against phallocentrism and the 

patriarchy. It should be an exciting - and occasionally uncomfortable – exploration into the Western Art world of 

second wave feminism. Some artists will include: Hannah Wilke; Carolee Schneeman; VALIE EXPORT; Lynda 

Benglis; Laurie Anderson; Suzanne Santoro, Lili Dujourie and Marina Abramovic. 

The Lent Term AP course will be a study of Greek mythology depicted by artists through the ages. We will look 

at the Olympians, the heroes, the heroines and the monsters. We will consider when a hero may in fact be a 

monster; and a monster perhaps a victim. From the Renaissance to Mannerism, through the Baroque and into 

the 19th Century. Students will get a comprehensive idea of the timeline of the History of Art, culminating in the 

Classics re-imagined; through the eyes of contemporary artists. This course will incorporate both painting and 

sculpture, giving students knowledge to identify artistic techniques, develop skills in formal analysis of a painting 

or sculpture, and give them and understanding of how to ‘read’ an artwork. Towards the end of the course, 

students will have a chance to become curators, as they consider the methodologies and practicalities of curating 

an exhibition in small group projects. 



German - An Introduction 

to German Geography, Politics 

and Post-World War II History 

What makes every region of Germany so 

different? Is Angela Merkl really loved by most 

Germans? How did the fall of the Berlin Wall 

shape the Germany of today? The German Faculty 

will be offering this AP course to anybody with a 

vested interest in German geography, politics and 

post second world war history. The course will be 

directed in both German and English and will be 

available to anybody with an interest in Germany. 

Much of the course is fact-driven and will divulge 

into what makes the German culture of today so 

unique. The content will be accessible for both 

beginners and more advanced speakers of German 

alike and will run for one term. 


Course requirements: None, this course is 

open to all students. 

Spanish - Art of the 

Hispanic World 

The Spanish Faculty will offer a one term course on 

Hispanic Art including the study of architecture, 

paintings, and music. 

Participants don’t need to be enrolled in Spanish 

A Level and the lessons will be delivered in 

English. This course will give students a deeper 

understanding of Hispanic culture and explore a 

range of influences that have shaped the style and 

character of Hispanic countries. 

The course content will include: 

Frida Kahlo: Politics, Art and Feminism. 

Picasso: Periods and Guernica. 

Arabic architecture and influence in Spain. 

Santiago Calatrava: International dimension. 

Latin music: Origins, activism and impact. 



French - Francophile Horizons - 

Exploring Language, Culture, 

and Literature 

The AP course offered by the French Faculty is 

suitable for students studying A Level French. 

During the course participants will be given an 

insight into interesting aspects of French language, 

culture and society. Areas of study include: 

The use of conversational French language. 

Key principles and values that underpin French 

society. 

Throughout the course it is hoped that participants 

will develop their French language skills, with a 

focus on speaking in particular. The course is an 

excellent choice for those looking to extend their 

knowledge and interests beyond the A Level course. 


Course requirements: French A Level 

Literary study of influential authors, poets and 

playwrights in French literature. 

Classics - Classical Reception 

and Historical Background 

to Literature 

The first course offered by the Classics Faculty, titled Classical Reception, will run during Michaelmas Term. 

Pupils will be invited to choose their favourite examples of classical mythology (the labours of Heracles or the myth 

of the Medusa Gorgon and Perseus, for example). They will research these stories in depth, and then identify works 

of art (pictures, drawings & sculptures) from the Renaissance onwards through to the present day which depict 

these stories. They will assess these works for their accuracy, interpretation, artistic merit and cultural significance 

and will present their findings visually to the rest of the class. 

The Lent Term course, Historical Background to Literature, will complement our A 

Level courses which focus on literature and language. It will allow pupils to investigate, 

research and present the political, cultural, and domestic backdrop to works such as 

Ovid’s love poetry or Virgil’s patriotic epic The Aeneid. Pupils may choose to look at the 

civil wars between Julius Caesar’s assassins, Brutus and Cassius, and Caesar’s avengers, 

Marc Antony and Octavian; or they could research and present on the structure and 

organisation of the Roman Army which was key to the expansion of the Empire. 



Music - Contemporary 

Popular Music 

The AP offered by the Music Faculty will run as 

two independent stand-alone courses during the 

Michaelmas and Lent Terms of the Lower Sixth. 

Participants, who may or may not be Music A Level 

students, will discover the fascinating history of 

the birth and development of the music that they 

have in their Spotify playlist or on their device 

(Michaelmas 23) and/or develop their creative 

muscle by learning the modern art of Music 

Production using the latest technology (Lent 24). 


The birth of the Blues and Rock ‘n Roll. 

The impact of the Beatles. 

The explosion of Hip Hop culture. 

Creating music without traditional 

instruments. 

Bringing creative ideas to life. 

Using technology in our everyday musicmaking. 



open to all students. 

Design and Technology - 

Building Your Design and 

Technology Portfolio 

The DT AP course compliments A Level Design 

and Technology teaching and aims to support 

preparation for university applications in related 

disciplines. The course will encourage the 

development of skills to consider and construct a 

personal portfolio of work to illustrate capability 

in various facets of creative endeavour, and to 

demonstrate the capacity for self-promotion in 

readiness for university application. Areas of study 

will include: 

What is a portfolio. 

The logic of Design Process. 

The art of self-promotion. 

Typographic Design. 

Photographing practical work. 

Font, colour, photographic and spatial 

composition. 

Personal Portfolio Generation. 

Portfolio Presentations. 


Course requirements: DT A Level.

Drama - Stagecraft - 

Empowering Performance 

and Public Speaking 

The Drama AP course is open both to Drama student and non-specialists, and seeks to develop transferable 

skills which are applicable to all aspects of performance and public speaking. The course is applicable to seasoned 

performers and people who have never set foot on a stage. Students will undertake a series of practical workshops 

on voice, body language and improvisation. The course seeks to build confidence through fun, engaging, handson 

practice. 



Physical Education - Sporting 

Perspectives - Exploring Current 

Affairs in Physical Education 

The AP course will focus on current affairs that 

impact Physical Education and Sport. Students are 

encouraged to evaluate, form opinions, debate and 

develop a wider understanding of how Physical 

Education and its understanding is integral to a 

healthy active lifestyle and personal development. 

The one term course will be open to all students 

who have an enthusiasm for the subject. 


Sports Leadership & Sports Management. 

Sports Journalism. 

Gender Equality in Sport. 

Sports Psychology. 

Nutrition and Supplements. 

Sports Injuries and Rehabilitation. 

Olympics - the High and Lows. 



open to all students.

A P 

WINNER 

Independent School of the Year 2020 

WINNER 

Community Outreach Award 2020 

The Schools, Shrewsbury SY3 7BA 

Tel: 01743 280552 

Email: admissions@shrewsbury.org.uk 

www.shrewsbury.org.uk 

ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVES

Shrewsbury School - Academic Perspectives

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