Sixth Form: Academic Life

Academic PE is a well-respected academic A level and provides insight into the amazing world of sports performance. Offering students the opportunity to perform or coach sport, as well as develop knowledge, the course provides assistance in enhancing performance through the application of theory.

Art is 100% coursework and embraces all disciplines from traditional to contemporary and all media including 2D, 3D, fashion and digital artforms. The focus of the course at A level is to enable students to become skilful and fulfilled practitioners, rather than just making art to suit an assessment matrix.

Biology provides the opportunity for students not only to study but understand and link their learning to everyday life; these topics range from the examination of microscopic organisms to entire ecosystems, from genetics, cells and their components to the exploration of evolution and natural selection. Biology encompasses study of life itself.

A level Business aims to give students a broad understanding of how businesses function effectively. The standard functional divisions within a firm, such as finance, marketing, production and human resources, are studied in their own right, as well as business applications and models that are relevant today.

Chemistry is the study of chemical reactions and trends in behaviour of elements and compounds. Covering a wide variety of concepts such as the structure of the atom, the interaction of matter and energy, how to control reactions, patterns in the Periodic Table and understanding Carbon-based molecules.

The study of ancient Greek and Roman civilisation, Classical Civilisation A level covers a wide selection of disciplines including literature, archaeology, history and art. Providing an understanding of some of the oldest and most interesting and engaging art and literature ever produced, students will gain a deep insight into the world of the ancient Greeks and Romans, learning and appreciating how this historical civilisation underlies our modern cultural outlook.

If you enjoy solving problems and have a mathematical and logical brain, an A level in Computer Science may be the course for you. Learning the fundamentals of computation and algorithms, from computer programming to networking and databases, computer science is a challenging and fast-paced subject.

An exciting, diverse and innovative course, A level Design encourages students to think and explore beyond the normal realms of creativity, learning and applying a variety of techniques and processes in order to expand their skill set, as well as to help communicate their design ideas through different mediums.

Studying Drama provides students with a broad set of skills that are in demand across many industries and careers, including teamwork, working well under pressure and meeting deadlines as well as encouraging and increasing creative/critical thinking.

Recognising that students come from a variety of backgrounds with differing mother tongues, the main objectives of teaching EAL at Woodbridge is to facilitate communication as well as provide a platform for improvement of English in all language skills.

Economics is the study of how individuals, industries and businesses allocate resources, exploring historical and contemporary events as well as potential future challenges. The course is organised around the traditional distinction between microeconomics (the study of firms, individuals, and their interaction in markets) and macroeconomics (the study of the economy in aggregate looking at growth, unemployment, inflation, international trade and government policy in relation to these areas).

Studying spoken and written words, alongside the different ways in which writers use and manipulate language to create effects, affect an audience and evoke emotions, English Literature A level develops exceptional communication skills in students as well as the ability to structure an argument, analyse and compare texts, contextualise, and think critically.

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a single piece of work of a student’s choosing that requires evidence of planning, preparation, research and independent learning, students are responsible for choosing and designing an extended piece of work.

Fundamentally Further Mathematics relies on students being able to do everything from the Mathematics A level course and then builds a large amount of additional mathematics on top. While it must be taken along with Mathematics to give two A levels, studying further mathematics enables students to further develop mathematical and statistical problem solving, interpretation skills and data analysis.

Dealing with vital issues such as climate change, migration, environmental degradation, social issues and their impact as well as natural hazards, Geography could be one of the most important and relevant A levels to study. Providing insights into the world around us, as well as tackling highly contemporary issues that face us all, Geography A level is split into four sections: human and physical, with two further units including geographical debate and investigative geography.

A level History considers a range of political, economic, social and cultural issues in Tudor England, 19th and 20th century Russia, and beyond. The course is both broad enough, and delves deeply enough, to enable students to acquire a thorough understanding of historical events and place them within their wider context. History encourages students to question why particular decisions have been taken and what has caused particular events to happen, to understand how these have played out in the manner they did, and what the key consequences have been.

Latin offers a stimulating mixture of language work and literature read in the original.  As students develop their linguistic skills, they become increasingly confident translating from Latin. At the same time, the greater complexity of the passages tackled allows a deeper exploration of Roman society and culture than was possible at GCSE. Coupled with the in-depth study of set-texts, students thus explore a wide range of topics from the manipulation of religion for political ends to why Romans told each other the legends of Early Rome.

Billions of people across China and the rest of the world speak Mandarin, and in fact it’s believed to be the most widely-spoken language across the globe. Mandarin A level also offers students the opportunity to learn about and appreciate the culture, values and beliefs of those speaking the language, and immersing themselves in the culture, literature and arts is as much a part of the course as learning the language itself.

To study Mathematics is to investigate a system built up over 6,000 years that allows us to understand the universe, predict the future or just ensure that we always win at card games! The A level course has its primary focus on the pure mathematics that underpin our scientific understanding of the universe, the calculus and trigonometry that are the foundation of everything built in modern society and the numerical analysis behind computing.

Before the professional opportunities arrive, there are many academic benefits of learning a language at A level, including enrichment and improvement of culture, comprehension and critical thinking. Referring to French or Spanish, Modern Languages A level at Woodbridge enables students to become competent in speaking, listening, reading and writing in their target languages.

A highly regarded, exciting and rewarding A level, Music is a varied and interesting course, combining both academic study and creativity, based around learning and developing three key skills: performing, composing and listening, and appraising.  Building upon knowledge of musical theory, students will obtain a solid understanding of the fundamental principles of performance, refine practical skills, study and practice composition and the expand their knowledge of music history through listening and appraisal.

We offer an innovative curriculum set around key points of extra-curricular intervention, industry experience and collaboration. Beyond practical skills we are looking to identify, celebrate, hone and distil creativity, work ethic, cognitive agility, steadfastness and forward planning. A successful photographer will need to be adaptable, passionate, skilful, analytical, independent, imaginative, organised and resourceful. The manner in which we teach therefore, aims at the continued development of all of these skills. 

From learning about the interaction of the smallest particles, to the way the Universe has evolved, students will also study topics which are directly related to everyday life, as well as studying the technology which inspired the digital revolution. The Physics A level course content covers the basis of how things work, from the constituent parts of atoms to the structure of the Universe.

Psychology is the scientific study of human (and animal) behaviour and the thoughts and emotions that influence behaviour. It is concerned with all aspects of behaviour: the way people think, act, react and interact. Psychology is a challenging A level subject, but it is also one that is fascinating and varied. You will learn how different theoretical perspectives can help us to understand and explain human behaviour – both typical and atypical forms of behaviour.

Helping to develop a holistic understanding of religion, religious studies facilities enquiry into, and develops insightful evaluations of, ultimate questions about the purposes and commitments of human life, especially as expressed in philosophy, ethics and religion.  Students are encouraged to question the nature of reality and the place of religion within our world, developing skills in explanation, critical analysis, evaluation and debate.