Sixth form

The Sixth Form years at Hampton Court House are both challenging and exciting. Pupils have the opportunity to specialise in subjects at which they particularly excel, and study these areas to an advanced academic level. The privileges of senior status in the School bring with them responsibilities too: service, leadership and co-curricular enrichment are integral to Sixth Form life. 

The Sixth Form curriculum provides pupils with the skills they will need in order to successfully navigate our complex, interconnected and ever-changing world. We want our pupils to be inquisitive, compassionate and connected; to be independent, reflective learners who work as hard for others as they do for themselves. Class sizes are small, and our curricular options are broad. Sixth Formers at Hampton Court House also keep an eye on 21st century contexts through participation in the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).  

Furthermore, key information on a range of options such as degree apprenticeships is woven through the curriculum. Our higher education and careers advisor offers comprehensive guidance and tailored advice to each pupil, exposing them to the full range of post-16 opportunities in the education, training and employment spheres, while equipping them with the requisite employability skills so they graduate from Hampton Court House future-ready. 

Sixth Form pupils also have an opportunity to contribute to the management and leadership of the school by taking on key student positions of responsibility such as Head Pupil, HCH Council, Wellbeing Ambassador, to name a few. 

Art

Exam board: AQA
Personal Investigation: This component is worth 60% of your A level. It requires you to produce a portfolio of practical and written work based on personal starting points.
Externally Set Assignment (ESA)
This component is worth 40% of your A level. It requires you to produce preparatory studies and personal outcome(s) based on a theme set by Edexcel. The theme will be released to you in February of your final year. You’ll have 15 hours to produce your personal outcome or outcomes.

Biology

Exam Board: AQA, 2015 specification for first examination 2017
8 Topics: Biological molecules; Cells; Organisms exchange substances with their environment; Genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms; Energy transfers in and between organisms; Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments; Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems; The control of gene expression
3 x 2 hour terminal examinations at the end of Y13.

Chemistry

Exam board: AQA, 2015 specification for first examination 2017
3 broad topics: Physical Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry; Organic Chemistry
3 x 2 hour terminal examinations at the end of Y13.

Computing

Exam board: OCR or WJEC
The A Level in Computer Science will challenge learners to be able to review the nature of computing predicated upon a broad background of knowledge and technical ability. The key features of this specification encourage an emphasis on solving challenges using computer programming founded upon analytical thinking skills applied to understand computational abstraction, algorithms and decomposition processes, such as those of Boolean statements.

Economics

Economics is the most recent introduction to the HCH suite of A levels.
Exam board: Edexcel, Economics “A” specification, First teaching from September 2015
Paper 1: Microeconomics: Markets and business behaviour
Paper 2: Macroeconomics: UK and global economy
Paper 3: Microeconomics and macroeconomics (synoptic paper)

English Literature

Exam board: AQA

• Paper 1: Love Through the Ages (40%)
• Paper 2: Texts In Shared Contexts (40%)
• Non-examined assessment (coursework): Texts Across Time (20%)

French

Exam board: AQA
Y12 will follow the 2016 specification which will be examined at the end of Y13
Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing (50% of the qualification)
Paper 2: Writing (20% of the qualification)
Paper 3: Speaking (30% of the qualification)

Geography

Board: Edexcel, 2009 Spec – updated 2013: Last year of the specification.
Modular Course – AS examined at the end of Year 12 – 2 units
Global Challenges – Geographical Investigations
A2 Examined at the end of Year 13 – 2 units
Contested Planet – Geographical Research
There is no examined fieldwork component in this legacy qualification – there will be additional fieldwork as part of the course though.

History

Exam board: AQA
During the History A level, you will complete a breadth study of one hundred years, looking at Stuart Britain and the crisis of monarchy, 1603-1702; a depth study of the Cold War, 1945 – 1991; and will also produce a piece of independently researched coursework based on a topic of your choice relating to the African-American Civil Rights Movement.
The two main units will be taught simultaneously across two years, with the personal study to be written midway between Years 12 and 13.

Mathematics and Further Mathematics

Exam board: Edexcel
The Mathematics and Further Mathematics courses are entering the final years of the current specifications before the changes take place for courses ending in Summer 2018.
The Mathematics course comprises four Core (pure) modules, one Statistics and one Mechanics module. The Further Mathematics course comprises an additional three Pure modules, and three more applied modules.

Photography

Exam board: AQA
Personal Investigation: This component is worth 60% of your A level. It requires you to produce a portfolio of practical and written work based on personal starting points.
Externally Set Assignment (ESA)
This component is worth 40% of your A level. It requires you to produce preparatory studies and personal outcome(s) based on a theme set by Edexcel. The theme will be released to you in February of your final year. You’ll have 15 hours to produce your personal outcome or outcomes.

Physics

Exam board: AQA, 2015 specification for first examination 2017
8 x core topics: Measurements and their errors; Particles and radiation; Waves; Mechanics and materials; Electricity; Further mechanics and thermal physics; Fields and their consequences; Nuclear physics.
5 x optional topics: Astrophysics; Medical physics; Engineering physics; Turning points in physics; Electronics
3 x 2 hour terminal examinations at the end of Y13.

Psychology

Exam board: AQA

Spanish

Exam board: Edexcel
Y12 will follow the 2016 specification which will be examined at the end of Y13
Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation (40% of the qualification)
Paper 2: Written response to works and translation (30% of the qualification)
Paper 3: Speaking (30% of the qualification)

Y13 are currently following 2008 specification which is in its final year before the reforms kick in.
Linear 4 units
Year 12:
Unit 1 – Spoken Expression and Response in Spanish
Unit 2 – Understanding and Written Response in Spanish
Year 13:
Unit 3 – Understanding and Spoken Response in Spanish
Unit 4 – Research, Understanding and Written Response in Spanish