A Level Options

Who is this course for?

This course is aimed at students who wish to further develop their skills in Art, Craft and Design following on from GCSE Art. The course will develop technical skills in drawing, painting, craft and mixed media to a higher level and also develop students’ appreciation and knowledge of Art and Design in a historical context. It would suit students who wish to further their skills in the subject, including Fashion & Textiles, and can also be viewed as a career progression pathway to study in Art beyond A Levels at College or University.

Course Detail

OCR A-Level Art, Craft and Design is a linear course divided into a 60% coursework and a 40% externally set assignment. The course is structured at the start with an overarching theme to develop students observational drawing skills using mixed media, research skills, photography of firsthand sources, working in the style of other artists and a wide range of two and three-dimensional techniques. Later in the course students will develop their own personal starting points to a topic of their choice which forms the basis for Component 1: Personal Investigation. Practical workshops will introduce new relevant to their own chosen design theme.

In Component 2: Externally Set Assignment, students one externally set theme to research across 10 weeks and sit a practical examination of 15 hours in which they will create a final response. Throughout the course students develop their knowledge and understanding of Art through artist research which contributes to their ideas and subject matter. During the course students are encouraged to visit galleries independently as a way of furthering their work.

Career Opportunities

A-Level Art prepares students to produce a portfolio of work for application to Art Foundation and University Degree courses. It provides a grounding in Art which can be taken into any direction of study beyond A-levels; Architecture, Advertising, Graphic Design, Illustration, Fine Art Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Product Design, Textiles Design, Fashion Studies, Art History and Film and Television.

Last year the school has successfully gained students entry onto Foundation Art courses at UAL Camberwell, Central St Martins, Kingston, Ravensbourne, and degree courses in Art, Architecture, Fashion and Textiles at Bournemouth University, Bristol University, Bucks New University, University for the Creative arts, Chelsea College of Arts, and Glasgow University. A number of past students have gone on to have highly successful careers in the creative industries.

Who is the course for?

Biology is the study of living things, right down to a molecular level to look at the very fundamental question of “what is life?” Biology centralises around an understanding of how cells function and interact to create complex life forms, and how those life forms are adapted and fit into a wider environment. Modern technology has allowed greater and greater levels of control and manipulation of this understanding to impact all areas of life from what

food you eat to what medical treatments you could receive, to advances in biotechnology that could have global consequences. If the 20th century was the century of physics, the 21st is definitely the century of biology.

Course Details

The biology course covers the following content:

1. Biological molecules
2. Cells
3. Organisms exchange substances with their environment
4. Genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms
5. Energy transfers in and between organisms
6. Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments
7. Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems
8. The control of gene expression

There are also 12 required practicals which have specific criteria which must be evidenced.

Career Opportunities

There are a great many fields open to biology that are obvious (medicine, veterinary science, nursing, dentistry etc) but biological research is a huge and diverse area. You could find yourself in any field of lab based research from looking for new cancer treatments to developing the next generation of food crop to studying climate change or analysing fossils of ancient beasts. Aside from that, any science teaches critical thinking and investigation skills. These are highly sought after in almost any field.

Who is this course for?

A Level Business is for any student who is interested in the following;

• Gaining a holistic understanding of business in a range of
• Developing a critical understanding of organisations and their ability to meet society’s needs and wants.
• Generating enterprising and creative approaches to business opportunities, problems and issues.
• An awareness of the ethical dilemmas and responsibilities faced by organisations and individuals.
• Acquiring a range of relevant business and generic skills, including decision making, problem solving, the challenging of assumptions and critical analysis, and applying numerical skills in a range of business

Course Details

A Level Business at Box Hill School uses the Edexcel syllabus, which is broken down into four main modules:

1. Marketing and People
2. Managing Business Activities
3. Business Decisions and Strategy
4. Global Business

Career Opportunities

A Level Business has links to Maths, Geography, Psychology as well as being a good supplement to the Natural Sciences. A Level Business develops students literary and numeracy skills, and will help students to become more commercially astute, helping them in any business environment, in particular in financial services, entrepreneurship, marketing, sales, consulting, human resources or management.

Who is this course for?

Studying chemistry after your GCSEs really develops your practical and mathematical skills. If you enjoy experimenting in the lab, you’ll love it.

Chemistry brings a nice balance to your studies if you are doing many Arts subjects. You need Chemistry to study Veterinary Medicine. Chemistry is also taken by many law applicants as it shows you can cope with difficult concepts.

The skills developed on the course, such as the ability to analyse and evaluate data will ensure students have acquired valuable skills for application in the wider world.

Course Details

Chemistry at A Level requires the study of the following core content:

• Physical chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Practical skills

Career Opportunities

Studying Chemistry at A-level or degree level opens up plenty of career opportunities, such as: analytical chemist, chemical engineer, clinical biochemist, pharmacologist, medical doctor, research scientist, toxicologist, environmental consultant and much more.

Who is it for?

Cambridge International A Level Computer Science encourages learners to meet the needs of higher education courses in computer science as well as twenty-first century digital employers. It encourages learners to think creatively, through applying practical programming solutions, demonstrating that they are effective users of technology.

Learners develop computational thinking & programming skills to solve computer science problems. Cambridge International A Level Computer Science will help learners develop a range of skills such as thinking creatively, analytically, logically and critically. They will also be able to appreciate the ethical issues that arise with current and emerging computing technologies.

Course details

The key concepts for Cambridge International A Level Computer Science are:

• Computational thinking
• Programming paradigms
• Communication
• Computer architecture and hardware
• Data representation and structures

Career opportunities

A good grade in Computer Science at A level is highly valued by universities and employers since it requires the development of analytical thinking and problem solving skills. This course also lays an appropriate foundation for further study of Computer Science, Engineering, Physics or related subjects in higher education.

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for 3D Design, Design & Technology and Art students who have studied at GCSE level, have prior knowledge of and an interest in 3D Design.

Course Details

The AQA A LEVEL 3D Design course builds on the knowledge gained at 3D Design / Design & Technology GCSE level. The 3D Design A Level course enables students to explore a wide range of materials and processes to create 3-dimensional outcomes This course covers a two-year period and prepares students for further courses in architecture, interior design, product design, film and television, jewellery.

Core Content

Students are required to participate actively in their course of study, recognising and developing their own strengths in the subject and identifying and sustaining their own lines of enquiry. This allows students opportunities to generate and develop ideas, research primary and contextual sources, record practical and written observations, experiment with media and processes, and refine ideas towards producing personal resolved outcome(s).

Learners are required to choose one or more area(s) of study, such as:

• Interior/spatial/exhibition design
• product design
• environmental and architectural design
• jewellery/body ornament
• design for theatre, television and film

This will require students to address each of the Assessment Objectives.

AO1 Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.

AO2 Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.

AO3 Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.

AO4 Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.

Students must work within the specific discipline of 3D Design.

Career Opportunities

Students will gain a broader understanding of the 3D Design industry for pathways including: Architect; Product designer; Interior designer; Furniture designer; Jewelry designer; Production designer (theatre, film and TV); Product manager; Stylist; Artistic director.

Who is this course for?

The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Economics A is structured into four themes and consists of three externally examined papers.

Students build knowledge and understanding of core economic models and concepts in Themes 1 and 2, and then build on this and apply their knowledge to more complex concepts and models in Themes 3 and 4.

Students will need to apply their knowledge and understanding to both familiar and unfamiliar contexts in the assessments and demonstrate an awareness of current economic events and policies.

Theme 1 : Introduction to Markets and Market failure

Theme 2 : UK economy performance and policies

Theme 3 : Business behaviour and the labour market

Theme 4 : A global perspective

Career Opportunities

Students will develop transferable skills that support study in a wide range of subjects at university and the transition to employment, including quantitative and analytical analysis, forming and testing hypotheses, and commercial awareness. The development and application of quantitative skills prepare students for the study of economics and related courses at university.

Students can progress from this qualification to:

• higher education courses such as Economics degrees with a focus on theory, or degrees in applied Economics such as environmental economics, labour economics, public sector economics or monetary

Alternatively, students may choose to study a business economics, mathematical economics or business degree

• a wide range of careers ranging from finance, banking, insurance, accountancy, management and consultancy, to becoming professional

Who is this course for?

Firstly, studying English gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the worlds others create. You will explore times gone, times yet to come and times that will never be. You will climb inside the minds of some of the most memorable characters ever brought to life on the page. You will share in the sorrows and passions of great kings and slaves.

But for those of you who need more tangible reasons for studying English remember that it provides you with a wealth of transferable skills. You will learn how to:

• write clearly and effectively;
• write creatively;
• develop your spoken communication skills;
• analyse complex information;
• construct persuasive

Course Details

The course requires the study of the following core content:

• Shakespeare
• Drama and poetry pre-1900
• American Literature 1880-1940
• Contextual study
• Literature post-1900

Career Opportunities

These skills are highly desirable at university level and this is why English is a respected choice at Sixth Form. If you study English it will help you to gain a university place and it complements future studies in the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Law.

Students who study English at university level go on into jobs in publishing, law, advertising, acting, human resources, management in various public and private organisations, teaching and journalism.

Who is this course for?

We prepare students for both Academic and UKVI Academic IELTS, the exam required by many universities and academic institutions worldwide. The lessons cover both examination skills and techniques and work on improving all aspects of the students’ English: speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. These course helps you to:

• Practise the different tasks you have to do for each part of the exam
• Learn personal strategies to do the tasks more effectively
• Learn the large amount of new vocabulary required for the exam
• Organise your

The primary objective of the course is to help students to achieve a good result in the IELTS Test. This is done by:

1. Training students in the skills and techniques they will need to perform well in the different parts of the exam.
2. Helping students to improve the level of their English through a combination of language input and practice activities in the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Course Details

The course is essentially skills based but covers a range of global topics including Relationships, IT society, Getting Higher Qualifications, and nature. As often as possible, students are expected to draw upon their knowledge of their own cultures and make comparisons with British culture.

Read, writing, listening and speaking are all focussed on.

Who is this course for?

This course is aimed at students who wish to further develop their skills in French following on from GCSE French.

Course Details

In this course, students study a wide range of literary and non-literary texts in a variety of media. By examining communicative acts across literary form and textual type alongside appropriate secondary readings, students will investigate the nature of language itself and the ways in which it shapes and is influenced by identity and culture. Approaches to study in the course are meant to be wide ranging and can include literary theory, sociolinguistics, media studies and critical discourse analysis among others.

Who is this course for?

The course is designed for students who really enjoy mathematics and achieved outstanding GCSE results or equivalent in mathematics. Students must also choose Mathematics A Level as one of their options. Mathematics is one of the most widely studied subjects at A Level and is highly desirable for the study of many university courses and many careers. It demonstrates core intelligence, a logical mind and excellent problem-solving skills. Study of Further Mathematics at A Level is for those students who want to go on to study a mathematics related degree or embark on a career which requires a high level of mathematics.

Course Details

Students follow the Edexcel Further Mathematics A Level course, 9FM0, over a 2-year period and course components consist of two compulsory core Pure Mathematics and two Applied components. Options currently available are Decision Mathematics and Further Statistics but these can be changed to suit the needs and capabilities of the participants.

• Pure Mathematics
• Applied Mathematics Options
• Further Statistics
• Decision

Career Opportunities

Please refer to Mathematics A Level but note that mathematicians are at the heart of space research, aircraft design and many engineering disciplines as well as at the forefront of information technology.

Who is this course for?

The A Level geography course covers both the physical and human environments and the complex interaction of processes that shape our world. It also, importantly, enables you to find connections between a broad range of ideas, considering how human intervention affects the environment and how people adapt to and mitigate the effects of change. This is complex and dynamic and varies from place to place depending on people’s resources, technology and culture. There is plenty of room for discussion and extended research which will help you become an independent thinker and learner. You will be encouraged to frame your own questions using higher level thinking skills and showing your grasp of complex issues through essay writing.

You will learn in a wide variety of ways including discussion, research and the analysis of a variety of media such as graphs, maps, infographics, videos, podcasts and geographical information systems (GIS). You will investigate case studies at a range of scales and complete an independent piece of research on a topic of your own choice.

Course Details

The Edexcel geography course covers the following content:

1. Tectonic processes and hazards
2. Coastal landscapes and change
3. Globalisation
4. Regenerating places
5. The water cycle and water insecurity
6. The carbon cycle and energy insecurity
7. Superpowers
8. Migration, identity and sovereignty

It also includes compulsory fieldwork and non-examined assessment (coursework).

Career Opportunities

Geography combines well with both arts and science subjects. Geography is a broad-based subject that really fits well with future progression. For example, for careers in sustainability and green issues, urban regeneration, energy supply, retail location, managing the effects of hazards and climate change, geography is an obvious choice. It also provides the transferable skills that allow students to access a broad range of careers including business, IT, tourism, architecture and law.

Who is this course for?

The course is designed by Edexcel Examinations Board for study at Advanced Level (9H10). The course is focused on the history of international protest in the pursuit of political freedom and national self-determination.

Course Details

The A Level History course requires the study of the following core content:

Paper 1 – USA 1916-1996

Paper 2: South Africa 1946-1994

Paper 3: Ireland c.1774-1923

Unit 4: Coursework- 3500 words; The purpose of this coursework is to enable students to develop skills in the analysis and evaluation of interpretations of history in a chosen question, problem or issue, and to organise and communicate their findings, as part of an independently researched assignment.

Career Opportunities

History is a useful qualification for a wide range of university courses and careers including Law, Politics, Civil Service, etc. The skills developed on the course, such as the ability to critically analyse, cross reference and evaluate research material, will ensure students have acquired valuable skills for application in a diverse range of academic and professional environments.

Who is this course for?

The course is designed for students who enjoyed GCSE mathematics and achieved at least a level 7 (grade A) or equivalent. Mathematics is one of the most widely studied subjects at A Level and is highly desirable for the study of many university courses and many careers. It demonstrates core intelligence, a logical mind and excellent problem-solving skills.

Course Details

Students follow the Edexcel Mathematics A Level course, 9MA0, over a 2-year period and course components consist of two pure mathematics and one applied component, mechanics and statistics.

Core Content

• Pure Mathematics
• Applied Mathematics

Career Opportunities

This is probably the most marketable A Level in terms of acceptability. Many courses and careers would welcome the prior study of mathematics in the Sixth Form. Examples include Computing, Accountancy, Economics, Business, Banking, Air Traffic Control, Retail Management, Architecture, Surveying, Medicine and of course, Teaching to name but a few!

Who is this course for?

The media is the most dynamic, innovative and influential method of mass communication of modern times.  It has been reported that adults in Great Britain are consuming media for almost 8 hours a day!  That’s 8 hours a day watching films and television, reading newspapers, and sifting through online media.  Within that time, we are bombarded by other people’s representations of the world and how we respond to these representations can affect our perceptions of people, places and society, of politics and culture, of ourselves and of our place in the world.

If you want to understand the media’s significance and its power, if you want to develop a critical knowledge of media texts, audiences, digital culture, and of the complex political economy and technology which underpin them, then this subject is for you.

Course Details

You will analyse how media products use language and representations to create meaning.  You will learn about the media industry and how the industry affects how media products are made.  You will investigate media audiences, exploring who are the people who watch, read and consume the products and considering how different people might respond to products differently and why.

You will study many different media forms, such as: television, newspapers, online media, music video, advertising and marketing, radio and video games.

You will explore and apply critical perspectives including those of world-renowned media and cultural theorists and will examine how social, historical, political and economic contexts affect media production.

You will also have the opportunity to apply what you have learned through the production of your own media texts, exploring and creating media forms such as music videos, magazines and film marketing.

Career Opportunities

Over one hundred universities offer courses in Media, Communications and Cultural Studies in the UK.  An A level in Media Studies helps you to progress to these courses, as well as to those in other areas such as English, Humanities and Social Sciences.  There is a huge array of career opportunities in the media, which is an industry that is growing at an exponential rate. According to accountancy giant PwC’s latest Global Entertainment & Media Outlook, the entertainment and media sector was worth £76 billion in 2021.  If you are looking for a job in this area, studying Media at A level and degree level is a route into careers such as TV and film production, advertising, journalism, interactive media and digital marketing.  There has never been a better time to become a Media Studies student.

Who is this course for?

This course is aimed at students who enjoy performing, composing and analysing music. They may be interested in taking music further, for example studying music at university, or they may just enjoy the subject and want to demonstrate and develop their broad skill set and creative mind.

To study music at A-level you must be able to read music fluently and perform an instrument or voice to grade 5 standard or above (though you do not have to have taken the grade exams).

Course Detail

Eduqas A-level music consists of three main skills: performing, composing and appraising. The course consists of 60% practical coursework which is split between performing and composing and allows students to specialise in one of the two. Their non-specialist area will hold 25% of the marks and their specialist area will hold 35% of the marks.

The performance will be assessed in a recital performed at school and marked by a visiting examiner. The composition portfolio will be externally assessed by the exam board.

Career Opportunities

There are many careers that students may pursue in music and in the music industry. The composing skills studied at A-level can prepare students for a career in music composition; for example composing music for film, TV or video games. The composition element can also tie in with music production and sound engineering. The performing element can prepare students for a career in teaching music performance, being a session musician, being part of a national or international orchestra or being a solo performer. The ability to appraise music is extremely useful in all music careers but is vital in careers such as teaching music in secondary school, arranging music, conducting an orchestra and managing musical artists.

Who is this course for?

The course is designed for pupils with a wide interest in sport. The course focuses quite heavily on sports science and would be perfect for pupils who are looking to complete a degree in Sports. A good understanding of Biology would be a course requirement as well as completion of GCSE PE.

Course Details

We follow the OCR specification and the course is a two-year linear programme. This specification gives learners a clear appreciation of key issues in physical education including balanced, active and healthy lifestyles, a focus on performance in practical activity, and the opportunity to pursue particular areas of interest.

Career Opportunities

Sports Management, Physiotherapist, Physical Education teacher, Exercise physiologist, Fitness centre manager, Sports administrator, Sports coach, Sports development officer, Sports Agent, Sports therapist.

Who is this course for?

This two-year course is designed for students who want to take their existing understanding of Physics and go further. It is articulated for a seamless transition from GCSE Physics. The course covers a range of topics including an optional topic which is determined at the beginning of Year 13. The topic is chosen from astrophysics; medical physics, engineering physics, history

of physics or electronics. Students are challenged to take their existing understanding of the topics and go deeper by considering new implications and situations, and to further develop their laboratory techniques by developing and carrying out a range of practical experiments.

Course Details

The A-Level Physics course requires the study of the following core content:

• Measurement and Error
• Electricity
• Particles and Radiation
• Thermal physics
• Waves
• Fields
• Mechanics and Materials
• Nuclear Physics

Career Opportunities

Physics is a useful qualification for a wide range of science orientated university courses and careers. The problem solving, analytical and evaluative skills developed on this course mixed with the ability to use this for abstract concepts is a sought after skill in many industries. Physics therefore provides an edge for students taking this subject and opens many doors. Career opportunities are not limited but to name a few these could be within: Engineering, renewable energy, medical physics and digital healthcare, robotics and AI, VFX and gaming, finance and law.

What is Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. The mind is something intangible that exists within our brain. An unseen process of enzymes, chemicals and electric current moving within the structure of our neural networks dictates why we feel, think and behave the way we do.

But why is it that some people suffer from stress and mental illness? Why do some people fear snakes yet a few think they are cuddly? Psychology looks at questions like these in the study of the human mind and behaviour.

At A Level we look at cutting edge research that has real world applications to issues in everyday life, ranging from things like artificial intelligence to social change.

Course Details

• Social Influence
• Research Methods
• Memory
• Issues and Debates
• Attachment
• Gender
• Psychopathology
• Schizophrenia
• The Approaches
• Forensic Psychology

Career Opportunities

Psychology is grounded in the sciences and develops skills such as numeracy, data analysis, research skills and critical thinking. It is a subject that also requires students to develop vital literacy skills such as argument construction, extended writing skills and the ability to evaluate material from different psychological perspectives.

All of these skills are transferable and are sought after by both universities and employers.

The different areas of Psychology are: Health, Clinical, Educational, Academia, Research & Teaching, Occupational, Counselling, Neurological, Sport & Exercise, Forensic.

Who is this course for?

The course is intended for pupils with a wide interest in sport. It is aimed at post-16 learners wanting to continue their education through applied learning. It can help pupils progress onto higher education and employment in the sports sector. A good understanding of sport, PE and biology is required. It is recommended that pupils have previously studied GCSE PE.

Course Details

The qualification is equivalent in size to two A Levels and has been designed as a two-year programme. There are 9 units of which the following 6 are mandatory.

• Unit 1: Anatomy and Physiology
• Unit 2: Fitness Training and Programming for Health, Sport and Well-being
• Unit 3: Professional Development in the Sports Industry
• Unit 4: Sports Leadership
• Unit 22: Investigating Business in the Sport and Active Leisure Industry
• Unit 23: Skill Acquisition in Sport.

Career Opportunities

Sports Management, Physiotherapist, Physical Education teacher, Exercise physiologist, Fitness centre manager, Sports administrator, Sports coach, Sports development officer, Sports Agent, Sports therapist.

Who is this course for?

A Level Theatre Studies is for students who are interested in the practical study and exploration of plays and practitioners within a social, cultural and historic context. There are three key components to the course and all are taught practically. The course provides opportunities for devising, directing, performance and design across a range of genres and styles and students can select their own route through. Currently, students enjoy exploring two plays: ‘the first working class tragedy’ Woyzeck, a play which presents the protagonist’s struggles in a hostile environment and Accidental Death of An Anarchist, a fast paced and darkly comic political satire.

Course Details

The A Level Course requires study of the following core content:

Component 1: Devising

Component 2: Text in Performance

Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice

Career Opportunities

Theatre Studies offers students the opportunity to develop a full range of transferable skills from literacy through communication to presentational skills and opens up a range of careers including marketing, broadcasting, acting, technical theatre careers, therapy and teaching. Universities accept theatre Studies as an academic entry qualification.

There are a range of theatre courses available with different specialisms to suit a range of skills.