Subjects
GCSE |
A-Level |
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Our students will take 10 GCSEs. In addition to the six core subjects of English Language, English Literature, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, we ensure the breadth of curriculum is maintained by asking students to select one Creative subject, one Humanity subject and one MFL subject from a wide variety of subjects on offer. Some students will be entered for Further Maths GCSE in addition to their other choices. In addition to their examined curriculum, students will have four lessons of Core PE and one lesson of L4L (including RS) per fortnight.
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In Years 12 and 13, the majority of our students will take three A Levels, chosen from the broad range of subjects on offer. Some students will take four A Levels and in exceptional cases, Further Mathematicians may take five A Levels. We aim to deliver a range of A Levels to give students the opportunity to pursue a wide range of career aspirations. The majority of our A Level subjects are taught over 10 hours per fortnight in Year 12 and 8 hours per fortnight in Year 13, however, some smaller classes that have lower student to teacher ratios will have 8 hours per fortnight in each year. |
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Core Subjects
English
Everything we study in English revolves around arguably the most compelling subject of them all: you, the human condition, and the words we use to express how we think and feel. We study Literature, in all its various guises, and we study Language, the prism through which we engage with the world.
Maths
The Mathematics department aims to challenge each student and has high expectations of all its students. We make full use of bespoke Google Sites to deliver the curriculum through students’ use of 1:1 devices.
Creative Arts
Art
We aim to encourage open minded, creative, critical reflective thinkers who have the courage and confidence to be independent as they reflect the world in a visual form. We aim to provide a vibrant and dynamic curriculum that will give students the freedom to explore their creativity, inspire design ideas, whilst equipping them with the skills to continue the subject with confidence at A-Level and beyond.
Co-curricular opportunities foster a love for the subject and offer opportunities to develop imagination and leadership skills and encourage students to take on roles of responsibility.
Dance
The main focus of Dance at AHS is to develop students' confidence in performing, choreographing and appreciating. Students explore a range of content in KS3 including musical theatre topics such as Six The Musical & The Lion King. KS3 also offers the opportunity to start to explore some of the topics covered at GCSE, for example works by companies such as Rambert, The Royal Ballet & Boy Blue Entertainment. At GCSE, students have two components; one focuses on Performance & Choreography and the other focuses on Dance Appreciation. A Level then allows students to deepen their knowledge of performance, choreography and appreciation even more by focusing in more depth on two areas - Rambert Dance Company & American Jazz.
Drama
Drama at AHS follows 3 exciting key threads; devising, script work and theatre history. Students learn that effective use of voice, movement and interaction are key skills in our diverse and fast-paced society and will learn as performers, designers and directors throughout their Drama journey to hone these practical skills. Supported by trips and competitons, there is something for everyone, whether you dream of seeing your name in lights or you simply want to develop your confidence and public speaking, work with like-minded teams or flex your creative muscles.
Music
Our overriding aim is to ensure that all students can enjoy and appreciate the multitude of benefits that music can offer. Recent research has shown how important Music is to brain development, both socially and intellectually, and Music plays a key role in developing a student’s spiritual, moral and social values alongside an appreciation and understanding of other cultures and British values. We explore these elements through a wide range of music from different genres, periods and places. We also aim to link student learning to the ‘wider world’, showing how the skills they learn can apply to life out of school and, where appropriate, potential careers.
Physical Education
At Aylesbury High School, Physical Education fosters a love for healthy lifestyles through fun and engaging activities. Students participate in a wide range of sports and competitions, including the traditional games activities, athletics, and many more, with additional opportunities for elite-level and team-based events. Throughout the PE program including GCSE to A-Level, we develop both physical skills and teamwork, preparing students to thrive as independent learners and reflective thinkers with curious and enquiring minds.
Humanities
Business Studies
Our Business courses aim to give students a solid grounding in the workings of businesses. Whether they aspire to entrepreneurship or a successful career in any industry, students will learn academic and life skills to help them achieve. The advantage of a Business course is the range of valuable transferable skills and knowledge that will apply to and complement any subjects or career choice. The core of our business courses focus on the functional areas or Marketing, Operations, Human Resources and Finance, with skills build for decision making and strategy.
Economics
Economics is a subject which will be new to most students who take it. It gives a students a perstpective of how the wolrd works, scarcity and models for decision making. The task of an economist is then to use this new language and perspective to interpret the world around them and contemplate big questions. Economics will make students inquisitive and want to understand how businesses work and how to solve local, national and international problems.
Geography
Our aim is to make the best geographers who can make sense of the physical and human world. We seek to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to understand the spatial dimension, physical changes in our landscapes and the interconnectedness of our lives in the twenty-first century.
History
We believe that History should be transformative, engaging, useful and enjoyable. Our courses will allow students to access broad sweeps of the changing human past, by focusing them on some key stories to find the ‘overview lurking in depth’. We aim to develop our historians as readers, thinkers, and writers, whilst also helping them prepare for the future by highlighting essential themes such as changing technologies and struggles for power. Our lessons will reflect the diversity of human stories, using British history as an anchor, but also giving weight to a diverse, often hidden past. Above all, our courses will empower students to ask questions and be confident in their ability to build stories and make judgements.
Politics
We have chosen our A Level course to engage student’s interest, help them understand the world around them and give them the tools to be politically active. The fascinating course weaves together British Politics and key ideas, then moves on to US politics and comparisons with the UK. The department is experienced in helping students of different abilities access and enjoy the course as well as supporting them in written work. Our course allows us to dive deep into the debates and issues; as well as to rise above them, to discuss principles and ideas. We have many students going on to study Politics, and related subjects, at university and this course provides them with a sound basis to do so.
Religious Studies
In Key Stage 3 we give opportunities to study Religion, Philosophy and Ethics. We cover 4 of the major world religions; Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhi along with Philosophy units on Truth and Knowledge, Evil and Suffering and the arguments for God’s existence. We also look at different ethical theories and how they can help us make moral decisions. At Key Stage 4 the GCSE offers the chance to extend and deepen their understanding of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics. Students study the beliefs and practices of Christianity and Islam along with themes of Religion and Life, Crime and Punishment, Human Rights and Social Justice, Families and Relationships and The Existence of God and Revelation. Alongside the L4L programme all students study Core RS with short courses in New Religions such as Bahai, Latter Day Saints and Paganism, Ethical issues such as abortion and euthanasia, persecution of religious groups and religion and the media. At Key Stage 5 students can choose to study an A Level in RS. This covers Philosophy, Ethics and Christianity and includes a consideration of the dialogue between each of these disciplines. The course covers Religious Language, Religious Experiences, Evil and Suffering, Self, Death and the Afterlife, the conscience, Utilitarianism, Situation and Virtue Ethics and how these apply to a range of ethical issues from theft and lying to animal rights and war. It also considers Christian responses to gender and sexuality, science, migration and secularisation as well as God, Sources of Wisdom and Authority and Expression of Religious Identity.
Sociology
The study of Sociology focuses on an understanding of contemporary society. Studying Sociology fosters the development of critical and reflective thinking with a respect for social diversity. It also provides an awareness of the importance of social structure and social action in explaining social issues. Students are encouraged to develop their own sociological awareness through active engagement with the contemporary social world.
Modern Languages
French, German and Spanish
The ability to speak any language opens up a new world to the speaker. It allows the speaker to engage fully not only with a new language, but also with a new culture, its traditions and all of its quirks. Linguists make excellent communicators with the ability to show empathy and understanding in a world which sorely needs these skills. The Languages department aims to produce confident speakers who are happy to engage with the outside world. Languages fit with any other subject as they allow you to follow a passion for another subject but with an international outlook.
Sciences
KS3 Science
KS3 Science introduces students to the exciting worlds of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, they also get the chance to develop their experimental skills. Their curiosity and interest is stimulated through a wide range of practical work, problem solving, and ICT based activities. By the end of KS3 students have a strong foundation of knowledge which they will build upon at GCSE level.
Biology
Students start Biology in Science lessons at KS3 where they cover fundamental concepts about living organisms and the environment. They gain basic scientific skills for practical work: planning, data collection, analysis and evaluation. At KS4 we follow the AQA specification and develop the learning gained at KS3 to secure understanding and skills. At KS5 we follow the OCR A specification. A Level Biology stretches students, covering the full range of topics in depth and giving broad factual and conceptual understanding of the subject. Students develop a comprehensive set of learning and practical skills for both academic and career pathways.
Chemistry
Chemistry is the Science that sits firmly at the cross-roads where the purity and rigour of the Scientific method meets creativity and imagination, and as such it has its own demands and rewards. By its very nature, Chemistry is a science which gives you an extremely flexible set of skills that are highly valued in the academic world and essential for the ever-changing demands of the modern workplace. Through studying Chemistry you develop and understanding of how the very fabric of the Universe is ‘bolted together’, whilst at the same time gaining perhaps the most highly-valued grounding in creative thinking available.
Physics
Physics, the study of ENERGY and MATTER, is an ancient and broad field of Science. Since Physics explains natural phenomena in the Universe it is often considered to the most fundamental science. Without Physics, you couldn't have chemistry, biology or anything else! The topics build in complexity as we move through the course, covering all the basics of Forces, Waves, Electricity, Magnetism and Space. Applying these concepts to everyday life makes the subject relevant to us all, Physics really is around us all the time.
Psychology
A Level Psychology enables students to study human behaviour through the scientific study of compelling topics such as mental health, gender, memory, attachment, social psychology, and forensic psychology. In the process, students will be equipped with research methods skills to enable them to explore the credibility of the various theories and treatments that they explore. They will also engage with key debates, such nature v's nurture, exploring the relative influence of biological and environmental factors on human behaviour.
Technology
Computer Science
The Computer Science curriculum is an academic discipline with its own body of knowledge that is designed to enable pupils to become independent learners, evaluators and potentially designers of new technologies. In studying computer science, pupils gain not only knowledge but also a unique way of thinking about and solving problems using computational thinking. It will give pupils an understanding of the digital world in a deeper way, which will allow them to adapt more quickly to the consequences of technological change, develop new technologies themselves, or even to work in jobs that haven’t yet been invented.
Design and Engineering
When students start with us in Year 7 we set a baseline expectation of achievement. We get to understand what experience they have had in Design and Technology before starting at the school. During the first year at Aylesbury High school we help to build key skills in the use of basic workshop tools, equipment, processes and, very importantly, Health and Safety. We enable our students to work with and have a knowledge of a range of materials, joining techniques, machines and processes including laser cutting, 3D printing and CAD. We are in a very fortunate position to be able to offer GCSE Engineering to our students. We have run this successfully now for a few years. Those choosing this option learn a wider range of techniques in manufacturing and how to incorporate mechanisms and electronics into their own designs. A Level Product Design is a great course for those looking to pursue a university degree and career in Design or Engineering. Previous students have gone into courses such as Aerospace, Medical and Sports Engineering as well as other design courses.
Food Technology
We have two main strands - Skills and Knowledge both of which we develop and build upon from year 7 up to year 11. We believe in teaching ‘skills for life’ which all students will find useful wherever their life takes them. Along the way we like to enjoy what we do and make things fun.
Textiles
The Textiles Curriculum aims to develop students' practical, designing and research skills to equip them with a range of highly valued skills for life. Giving students the freedom and confidence to explore through creativity, imagination and taking inspiration from the world around them.
