A Level and BTEC Subjects

A Level art is designed to build on the skills, knowledge and understanding introduced at GCSE. Pupils are required to develop practical work supported by critical/contextual studies in one or more of the following disciplines: drawing, painting, mixed-media, sculpture, installation, printmaking, moving image (video, film, animation), and photography.

Pupils are introduced to a variety of experiences, employing a range of media, processes, and techniques appropriate to their area of individual study. Their knowledge of art will be extended through contextual research, experimentation with materials, development of ideas, and the realisation of final outcomes. Pupils are encouraged to recognise and develop their own strengths in the subject. Great emphasis is placed on the individuality of approach and the willingness to take risks with techniques and concepts.

The art department runs a number of trips throughout the academic year for A Level pupils to enable them to gather additional first-hand contextual materials. Previous destinations have included day excursions to galleries in both London and Bristol, residential trips to St Ives, and visits to the sculpture trail on the Exeter University campus.

The art department has a proven track record of helping sixth form pupils to secure art, design and architecture degree and foundation places at prestigious institutions such as The AA, UCL, The Art Academy, and The London College of Fashion.

Exam board: AQA

Subject: A Level Art and Design – Art, Craft and Design

Beyond the curriculum

There is an “open studio” policy in the art department which means that pupils can continue with their coursework projects under staff supervision during break times, lunchtimes, and after school.

The gallery in the art department hosts several exhibitions throughout the academic year, displaying artwork by pupils, staff, and alumni. The summer art show, held each June, celebrates the work produced throughout the academic year and showcases the creative achievements of pupils from the Third Form through to the Upper Sixth. It is usually attended by over 200 guests.

Each autumn, the art department encourages the whole school community to participate in The Big Draw, the national campaign for drawing. The activities vary each year to reflect the national theme and their purpose is to eliminate the fear of drawing and encourage collaboration on a large scale.

A Level biology focuses on biological molecules, and cells; how organisms exchange substances with their environment; genetic information, variation and the relationships between organisms; energy transfer in and between organisms; how organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environment; genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems; and the control of gene expression. Practical work is a key part of the course and pupils develop all important skills to equip them for further scientific study.

The department essay competition encourages the Lower Sixth pupils to explore, research and present an area of interest related to an over-arching theme, helping to develop skills for higher education.

The Upper Sixth residential field trip is a highlight; it takes us to Nettlecombe Court Field Studies Council, where habitats studied include the rocky shore at Helwell Bay, River Embercombe, and sand dunes at Braunton.

Exam board: AQA

Subject: A Level Biology

Beyond the curriculum

The Lower Sixth are given the opportunity to take part in the Biology Intermediate Olympiad run by the Royal Society of Biology where pupils regularly win bronze, silver and gold awards.

Many Upper Sixth, pupils embrace the challenge of the Biology Olympiad and scoop prestigious medals for their achievements.

Towards the end of the year, our annual photography competition (mirroring the RSB’s national competition) is open to all. We are always delighted by the quality of the entries and the beautiful images of nature that our pupils capture.

We understand that true success in business is not solely measured by financial achievements but by the impact we have on society. That’s why our A Level business course integrates character education principles, empowering our pupils to become ethically responsible leaders who make a positive difference in their communities.

We offer numerous opportunities for personal growth and leadership development. Pupils can participate in extracurricular activities and business competitions, where they can apply their business acumen while demonstrating their commitment to social responsibility.

Pupils study businesses in a variety of contexts, from small start-ups to large multinational organisations. They consider the behaviour of businesses not only in the UK, but also in a global context, looking at both manufacturing and service-based firms.

Pupils are expected to keep up to date with current affairs by reading both newspapers and online business resources. We look at case studies of businesses that have succeeded and those that have failed and try to get a deeper understanding of how businesses adapt to the changing world. From marketing through to finance, a full range of business functions are investigated. If you are a fan of The Apprentice or Dragon’s Den, you’re halfway there!

The course rewards those who are analytical and flexible in their thinking: there are no set answers in business. You need to weigh up a situation. You need to assess the data and identify the key issues before making a decision.

A Level business provides a good grounding in many subject areas and provides a breadth which enables pupils to go on to a range of degree courses including marketing, public relations, finance and law. Many of our pupils enjoy the subject so much that they want to read it at university.

Exam board: AQA

Subject: A Level Business

Beyond the curriculum

Business pupils can participate in the Exeter School enterprise programme, where they are given the opportunity to set up a business. They are also given the opportunity to take part in the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales) “Base Accountancy Competition”.

Pupils can also participate in the school’s fantasy share competition, whereby students invest £200,000 virtual cash in stocks and shares to gain a deeper understanding of the operation of the stock market.

Trips to local businesses such as Southwest Coastal Recycling are also organised to see how the theory taught in the class can be applied to practical business situations. Pupils also attend talks organised by the Innovation Centre at Exeter University to help understand business incubation and local business leaders are invited to the school to talk to students about their business adventures.

A Level chemistry builds upon the material covered at GCSE chemistry and extends it into many areas, dividing the subject into its three traditional areas of inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. The work in the Lower Sixth year covers the fundamental principles of these three areas, with the Upper Sixth work then building and expanding on them.

Pupils in the department regularly enter a range of internal, local, national and international competitions such as the practical Royal Society of Chemistry Analytical Competition and the Salters’ Top of the Bench Competition. In addition, pupils participate in examination-style challenges such as the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge and the RSC Chemistry Olympiad in which pupils often achieve coveted gold awards.

The sheer range of required skills means there is rarely a set career path for a chemist; people who have studied chemistry at A Level and beyond follow careers in many different sectors. Chemistry remains a vital component for medical applications, but chemists may continue their education and complete more specialised degrees. Some will do research; many others go on to follow a diverse range of careers such as law, banking and finance, publishing, or teaching, to name a few.

Exam board: AQA

Subject: A Level Chemistry

Beyond the curriculum

A variety of different trips are organised for pupils, including university laboratory sessions, lecture demonstrations and conferences. Additionally, pupils regularly enter several chemistry competitions held at local universities.

The chemistry department works very closely with the physics and biology departments as part of science, running the ever-popular lower school science club. Outreach work at local primary schools is regularly undertaken by sixth form pupils to promote the study of chemistry.

Pupils can choose to study both Latin and classical civilisation at A Level.

A Level Latin

The Latin language is tested through translation and comprehension, and an in-depth reading of complex Latin, based on a specific author, such as Livy or Ovid. Other possible texts include Cicero’s Pro Milone, Tacitus’ Annals, Virgil’s Aeneid or Ovid’s Amores. Texts in English are also studied.

Exam board: OCR

Course name: Latin

A Level classical civilisation

The specification covers the world of the hero (Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid), culture and the arts (Greek Theatre), and belief and ideas (the Roman Republic). All are studied through written literary and historical sources which are complemented by visual and material sources.

Exam board: OCR

Course name: Classical Civilisation

Beyond the curriculum

The classics society is open to all year groups. They debate a variety of topics from ‘What makes a monster?’ to ‘Can Greek philosophy make you happy?’. The department also invites guest speakers such as author Ben Kane, for example, who gave an illuminating talk on the Roman army. The department visits the theatre whenever possible. Visits to Medea, The Odyssey and Antigone in recent years have been a huge success. Teaming up with the geography department, the department takes groups to the Bay of Naples (Pompeii and Herculaneum) and Sicily. Trips to Rome and Athens are also organised, alternating the destination biennially.

A Level computer science provides a wonderful balance alongside a wide range of other subjects and a significant number of our pupils intend to study computer science at university. The course we follow is accessible with no previous academic study of computer science.

Theory concepts include computer systems and architecture, communication and networking, data representation, ethical considerations, data structures, and classic algorithms. Programming topics include databases, assembly language programming, procedural programming, object-oriented programming and functional programming.

We teach C# for the procedural and object-oriented programming elements, using Visual Studio as well as online resources.

We teach Haskell for the functional programming elements.

Exam board: AQA

Course name: Computer Science

Beyond the curriculum

Computing club allows pupils of all ages to explore programming further. Cipher club allows pupils to learn about encryption and code-breaking. They take part in the National Cipher Challenge and the Alan Turing Cryptography Competition. Outside speakers are invited to talk to older pupils about careers related to computer science.

In addition, pupils participate in trips such as the “Girls into STEM” and “Faraday Challenge” events. Pupils participate in Cyber Discovery, learning about cyber security whilst testing their skills in a national competition. The school enters teams into Perse Coding Team Challenge and Bebras challenge.

The A Level course focuses on product design which is tested through an exam and design and production coursework.

Pupils seeking careers and university courses in industrial design, engineering, architecture, product design and other specialist design disciplines should be considering this course as a fundamental ingredient in their skill set.

The combination of in-depth material, process and construction knowledge, combined with innovatively solving real-world problems through design, prototyping and testing, create well-rounded pupils capable of delivering realistic products for manufacture.

Exam board: Edexcel

Course name: A Level Design Technology: Product Design

Beyond the curriculum

The department offers modelling club where students are encouraged to bring in, or make models in Airfix, Meccano and advanced Lego Technic.

In addition, every year the design and technology department join forces with the art department to host an exhibition of GCSE and A Level design work. Pupils combine traditional skills with laser cutting and 3D printing with impressive results. Products range from lamps and wall-mounted storage to an automated cat feeder and a radio-controlled hydro foiling model yacht.

The A Level drama course focuses on a variety of theatre practitioners, including Brecht, Stanislavski, Katie Mitchell, Frantic Assembly and Berkhoff, which will in turn inform the performance units of the course. Pupils are also required to produce a number of creative/performance logs to accompany their practical work. This allows them to reflect on the process of working towards performance.

Pupils use a range of texts for practical assessment, either as stimulus for re-interpretation, devising or straight performance. These vary from Shakespeare to Shaw, and move towards more contemporary playwrights such as Butterworth, Morgan or Wertenbaker.

In the written examination, pupils are encouraged to approach plays from a range of perspectives, whether that be an actor’s, a director’s and a designer’s point of view.

As with GCSE, watching live theatre is an integral part of the course, both enriching and deepening the pupils’ appreciation of drama. They will be asked to discuss how live theatre has influenced them.

Exam board: Eduqas

Course name: A Level Drama and Theatre

Beyond the curriculum

We strive to ensure all talents, interests and ages are catered for, both in productions and lunchtime clubs.

The senior school play operates on a three-year rotation (Shakespeare, straight play, musical), embracing a variety of styles, genres and challenges.

Drama club runs as part of the Friday 8 programme where pupils have the opportunity to do the Arts Gold award. This award allows pupils to hone their artistic skills, acquire new ones, gain practical experience of different roles in the arts world and develop leadership expertise. The club’s interests reach far and wide, among other things, they do a fantastic job of bringing workshops to local primary schools and making behind-the-scenes films of all our school productions.

Pupils have the opportunity to audition for The National Youth Theatre (NYT) each year where we have great success, with 8 pupils gaining entry in 2023. The NYT is one of the most prestigious youth drama programmes in the country so to have so many pupil successfully gaining entry is huge testament to the drama department.

The drama department also runs theatre trips throughout the year. We aim to expose the pupils to a variety of theatre to help inspire and challenge them. We go to The Northcott, The Theatre Royal in Plymouth, The Bristol Old Vic, and The Tobacco Factory (Bristol), with occasional trips to London theatres or Shakespeare’s Globe.

We are proud of an illustrious alumni, including Matthew Goode (The Crown, Downton Abbey, The Imitation Game, The Watchmen, Brideshead Revisited); Beatrice Edmondson (Bridget Jones’s Baby, Absolutely Fabulous: the movie, Patrick); West End director Tom Littler, who has worked with Sir Trevor Nunn and Sir Peter Hall; Imogen Butler-Cole, a theatre maker, actress, director and graduate of RADA; and documentary film maker Owain Astles.

Economics studies the logic of the choices we make as a society. We start at the elementary level of consumers buying goods and services and go on to develop an understanding of how and why governments choose between different national objectives. We will look at a range of issues from trying to understand why some economies are not developing as rapidly as others, to looking at how individual consumers behave in the exciting new field of behavioural economics. The course will give you a thorough grounding in economic ideas and an understanding of what makes the economic system tick.

The A Level is divided into two major parts: macroeconomics and microeconomics.

Microeconomics is the study of individual markets, and how they operate and evolve. The price of property, oil, and chocolate are all of interest, as is behavioural economics, where we try to understand why people behave irrationally.

Macroeconomics takes a step back, looks at the bigger picture, examining the economy as a whole and investigating some of the fundamental challenges facing the government: interest rates, inflation, balance of payments, budget deficits, and unemployment.

No prior knowledge of economics is required, nor do pupils need to take maths A Level.

Exam board: AQA

Course name: A Level Economics

Beyond the curriculum

The department runs a variety of enrichment activities, including Young Enterprise. Young Enterprise is not solely for economics or business pupils but is open to all those who are interested in enterprise and entrepreneurship.

The economics society, which is run by pupils, invites guest speakers to give a broader understanding of how economics works in the world. Speakers have included fund managers and market analysts from the City of London, bankers and professional economists from international institutions, and economics lecturers from local universities.

Pupils are also able to go on the economics trip to London, which includes visiting the City of London and the Bank of England and attending student conferences.

Just look around you – electronics is everywhere! Electronics specialists are in demand.

In the A Level electronics course, you will learn about the basic principles and building-blocks of electronic systems and how to use these basic ideas to design and build more complex systems.

There is a lot of practical work. Almost every circuit and system that we describe in theory is then built and tested by pupils. The culmination of the course is a major individual project, in which you design, build and test an electronic system to your own design and specification.

The starting point of the course is a careful review of circuit theory from GCSE physics. The course covers both digital and analogue electronics, including programming digital microcontrollers. The exam board provides an excellent set of dedicated notes that complement the work we do in class.

Exam board: Eduqas
Course name: A Level Electronics

Beyond the curriculum

Outside the curriculum many of the A Level pupils are building their own personal projects, such as robot arms and drone remote controls.  They also help run the electronics clubs for the lower years.

In January 2023 the department visited MagDrive, a space start-up company, that is developing a plasma propulsion system for satellites. Both members of the MagDrive electronics team are alumni, who took A Level Electronics.  The week before we visited, they had successfully launched some of the high-voltage circuitry that they had designed, built and tested in the preceding year.

English literature involves exploring some of the most influential poems, novels and plays that have shaped, and continue to shape, the world we live in. If you are interested in the big ideas which have forged who we are as thinking individuals and have an ear for language and the way words create music and light, then English literature is the subject for you.

Over two years, you will hone your close reading skills and your ability to analyse and argue, both in speech and in writing. You will become a better thinker, a better communicator, and a better writer.

English literature is a stimulating, well-respected (and facilitating) university subject and is essential for a number of careers such as law, media, the performing arts and business. Indeed, if you want to read law then English literature is the most important subject to study.

In the Lower Sixth, you will study an exciting range of stimulating modern poetry as well as two prose texts: Heart of Darkness and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In addition, you will explore one modern play, Tennessee Williams’ classic tale of the American Deep South, A Streetcar Named Desire.

In the Upper Sixth, you will study Hamlet, arguably Shakespeare’s finest play, as well as an anthology of poetry from the modernist period – with featured poets including Robert Frost, T S Eliot, and E E Cummings.
Exam board: Edexcel

Course name: A Level English Literature

Beyond the curriculum

In addition to the texts studied as part of the course, the English department also encourages wider reading through lunchtime discussion groups. The aim here is to cover a range of texts – from medieval to modern day – in an informal setting to inspire pupils to extend their reading and their love of literature.

The Level 3 extended project allows pupils to study a topic area which extends their learning in an area of study, as a standalone qualification. Learners devise an analytical dissertation question which expands their learning in their field of study, in a related area, or in an area that is relevant to their own personal interests.

The EPQ is offered as a dissertation and takes place in part through the Futures programme. Learners are provided with taught sessions designed to develop research skills and referencing conventions. Individual supervisions punctuate the programme at pivotal moments although the essence of the programme is to provide a framework for independent research. Those who complete this qualification find themselves very well-equipped for the demands of undergraduate life having finished their own academic research presented in a format that conforms to the conventions required in academia. The EPQ is looked on favourably by a range of leading universities.

Exam board: Edexcel

Course name: Extended Project Qualification Level 3

Beyond the curriculum

The skills developed through the EPQ are extremely useful at undergraduate level and in later academic life: e.g. researching a variety of different types of sources, critical thinking, use of referencing and creating a bibliography, extended writing, evaluation of a project and presenting to an audience. Recent research by Cambridge also suggests that taking the EPQ is generally associated with a lower likelihood of dropping out of university and improved outcomes in the final class of degree obtained’.  

Geography occupies a central position in understanding and interpreting issues affecting people, places and environments across a range of spatial and temporal scales. As a multi-disciplinary subject, it presents you with the contextual knowledge and understanding of the big global problems we face today and equips you with the analytical and evaluative skills needed to manage these effectively. You will investigate the principal meteorological, hydrological and geomorphological processes operating in the physical world as well as the social, demographic, economic and political systems in place in the human world.

A Level geographers are logical and analytical thinkers. They possess the skills to present ordered and coherent arguments in a variety of ways with the aim of solving human and environmental issues.

The geography department has a good programme of fieldwork, which usually includes an optional overseas field trip. Recent locations have included Interlaken, Sorrento, Iceland and Sicily. There will also be two local fieldwork day trips as part of the course.

Exam board: CIE Cambridge International

Course name: A Level Geography 9696

Beyond the curriculum

Geography at Exeter School is not just about classroom learning, but about experiences and placing the learning in context. Pupils at A Level visit the local area to support their learning, including trips to the Exe Valley to investigate fluvial geomorphology and rural settlement, as well as a local energy-from-waste centre. Other opportunities include visits to the south coast to investigate tourism and issues of mass movement in the Lyme Regis area.

Exeter School offers a modern history course that attempts to strike a balance between British, European and world history. The overarching theme is: ‘The Development and Erosion of Democracy 1800–2000’. Building on knowledge and skills learnt at GCSE the course develops a greater understanding of the modern world, not least key themes such as imperialism, nationalism, capitalism and communism. Important skills in the handling and evaluation of historical source material are developed to enhance your critical reading and understanding of the past.

The topic ‘In search of the American Dream: the USA, c1917–96’ comprises a study in breadth, in which you will learn about the dramatic political, economic and social transformation of the USA in the twentieth century, an era that saw the USA challenged by issues at home and its involvement in international conflict. There is also an in-depth study of what impact the Reagan presidency had on the USA in the years 1981–96.

The topic ‘India, c1914–48: the road to independence’ comprises an in-depth study of the transition of the Indian sub-continent from a colony to independence and the subsequent influence on both the nature of civil rights campaigning and the search for national self-determination throughout the world. You will gain an understanding of the changing relationship between Britain and India during this period and of the reasons for this.

The topic ‘Ireland and the Union, c1774–1923’ explores the Irish struggle for constitutional change, the ways in which the Irish economy and society evolved and their impact on mainland Britain. This was a difficult period in the development of Irish society and for Anglo-Irish relations, involving passion, tensions and commitment to different causes that were in many ways irreconcilable.

The non-examination assessment on ‘Hitler’s Germany 1933–45’ is a single extended essay that allows you to examine issues of historical interpretation and historiography. The work of three historians will be used to debate a key issue, such as ‘How powerful a dictator was Hitler?’ or ‘How popular were the Nazis?’

Exam board: Edexcel

Course name: A Level History

Beyond the curriculum

The department runs trips to the USA, World War battlefields, Auschwitz, Dublin and Belfast, as well as making the most of the history in our own backyard with our Exeter medieval walk field day.

Visiting academic historians regularly deliver lectures, whilst the History Society transports pupils of all ages beyond the syllabus. Pupils also attend local seminar days organised by The Holocaust Educational Trust.

Mathematics A Level continues to develop the topics studied in GCSE or IGCSE mathematics, and introduces methods and techniques used in many subjects at university level and beyond.

The mathematics course covers a range of pure and applied mathematics, including mechanics and statistics. Mechanics at A Level is not essential for A Level physics but could be advantageous if you are considering university courses such as physics or engineering.

Statistics is increasingly important in many fields such as biology, geography, business, economics and marketing. Mathematics is also an interesting subject to study for its own sake.

Exam board: Edexcel

Course name: A Level Mathematics

Beyond the curriculum

There is a weekly problem-solving club aimed at A Level pupils, particularly those interested in studying maths to a higher level.

Maths surgeries are held weekly to support all pupils and particularly the sixth form.

Every year, Sixth Form pupils are given the opportunity to take part in maths challenges run by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT), many of whom often qualify for follow-on rounds such as the UKMT Kangaroo papers or the UK Maths Olympiad. We also enter a team for the Senior Team Maths Challenge (STMC) whenever it runs.

In a post-Brexit UK, it is even more important to speak other people’s languages. To do this well, we must not only know the language but also understand the different cultures and ways of thinking. Most school leavers in the UK have no formal qualification in a foreign language, and most of those who do, will be able to offer GCSE level at most. Therefore, an A Level in a modern language will set you apart from the rest.

It is hugely practical. According to the British Council’s Languages for the Future project, ‘there can be no doubt that the UK needs more of its people to speak foreign languages – for employability, for trade and the economy, and for our cultural life’. You will be in demand in the workplace and will also have an advantage over your peers when competing for university places.

Studying languages to an advanced level shows that you are culturally aware, open-minded, adaptable and in possession of excellent communication skills. These are key attributes for success in life beyond Exeter School.

A Levels in modern languages follow on neatly from IGCSE, in that you will still be refining your skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing in your chosen language. You will also learn new and valuable skills, such as translating into and out of the language, taking part in issue-based debates, and writing essays on a range of texts and films that you will study in depth. Studying a play and film in the language is a key part of the course and sometimes mentions of ‘literature’ cause concern, but this is usually the area of the course people remember and value the most.

You will study the history of the main European countries where the language is spoken and carry out a research project into an aspect of history or culture which has particularly captured your attention. Every society has its quirks, fascinations, obsessions, and idiosyncrasies, and mastering the language in all its formats gives you greater enjoyment and understanding of the countries where your chosen language is used.

To this end a range of visits abroad are offered to help you find out about the people who speak your chosen language, and you should look into the possibility of visiting a country where the language is spoken at least once during the A Level course. You will also spend one of your free periods working with a foreign language assistant, firstly in pairs, then later on your own, to ensure your oral skills are highly polished.

Exam board: Edexcel

Course name: A Level French/German/Spanish

Beyond the curriculum

The biennial German exchange with Hildesheim has run since 1965. Home stay visits with language lessons are undertaken in Valencia, Cuenca, Granada, Paris, Montpellier, Nice and Bordeaux.

Besides being immensely satisfying, great fun, and a wonderful outlet for personal expression and creativity, research shows that studying music also enhances academic study. Nothing teaches you better how to learn. Learning a musical instrument means learning about getting things wrong and taking steps to put things right. Mastery in music comes only with precision, patience, and painstaking striving for perfection.

Music at A Level is not intended just for pupils aiming to study music at a university or conservatoire. It is equally suitable as one of a mixed group of subjects leading to qualifications in other areas. It is highly facilitating, rigorously academic, creative and very practical, covering a wide range of valuable skills that include independent learning, teamwork, presentation skills, active and critical listening, essay writing, confidence and creativity.

Universities and employers alike recognise the vast range of transferrable skills that musicians develop, such as working as an individual and contributing as part of a team; working to meet deadlines and planning for long-term goals, to name just a few.

Exam board: AQA

Course name: A Level Music

Beyond the curriculum

The music department has an outstanding reputation for the range and diversity of music available to pupils at the school. There is a rich annual programme of contemporary and classical concerts, at school and throughout the region, enabling pupils of all ages to experience the magic of live performance of both established works and their own compositions.
The academic staff and instrumental teachers coach and rehearse five orchestras, seven chamber ensembles, eight choirs, two brass ensembles, five jazz bands, and a samba drum troupe.

Junior school and senior school ensembles perform together or separately on key school occasions, producing 25 major events over the year, including a range of festivals, the junior school carol concert, the senior school Christmas concert, a series of informal twilight concerts, a summer jazz concert, two major performances in Exeter Cathedral, a choral society concert, and charity concerts and workshops in schools.

Members of the department have organised highly successful tours to Budapest, Slovenia, Salzburg, New York and Liguria. Staff and pupils most recently travelled to Barcelona on their music tour.

Physics is the study of the natural world all around us, from the fundamental building blocks of matter to the large-scale structure of the universe and all the multitude of scales in between. It allows us to gain a better understanding of how things work and attempts to answer some of the most fundamental questions about the world we live in. The study of physics develops problem solving and mathematical skills, as well as other transferable skills such as logical, analytical and creative thinking. Importantly, physics also helps to solve real world problems for both people and the planet.

The department is well resourced for practical work, with the very latest tools for data capture and analysis, including data harvest data logging equipment. IT resources such as slow-motion video and simulations are used whenever they enhance the study of a topic.

The sixth form study room is available to A Level physics pupils as an additional place to work and contains a selection of physics books and magazines.

Exam board: AQA

Course name: A Level Physics

Beyond the curriculum

The department regularly collaborates with other local schools as the founding hub school of the Exeter and East Devon Ogden Physics Partnership and serves as a link school for the Institute of Physics’ Stimulating Physics Network. Pupils participate in Ogden Trust events such as the #lovephysics photography competition, Key Stage 5 Physics Challenges and the Diamond Light Source trip.

Other highlights on the physics calendar include the British Physics Olympiad and the AS Physics Challenge.
Trips include the Culham Centre for Fusion, The IOP South West Festival of Physics, and Exeter University’s Christmas Lectures.

Identity politics, populism, tribalism, Remainers and Brexiters… At a time when politics around the world appears so polarised, the close and reasoned study of how governments operate has never been more relevant or more necessary.

The subject offers an excellent way to hone one’s communication and debating skills, whilst studying how the world works. Pupils go on to study a broad range of complementary subjects, as well as PPE, HSPS, and history and politics.

This course introduces pupils to the politics of the UK and USA, enabling them to develop an informed understanding of the historical and contemporary influences that shape the nature of government and politics in both countries. Pupils will examine the ways in which people engage with politics, and the structure and effectiveness of the political systems that operate, by closely relating theory to current affairs.

Careful examination of the key debates that surround issues such as party policy, the role of the legislatures, the nature of general and presidential elections, the respective roles of the judiciary and the protection of rights provide pupils with a detailed overview, and comparison of, modern politics in the UK and USA. Furthermore, they will be introduced to key political ideologies and learn how to evaluate and interpret political events through debate, discussion, and written work.

Exam board: Edexcel

Course name: A Level Politics

Beyond the curriculum

The politics society is well attended by all years, from Third Form (Year 7) to Upper Sixth. Pupils takes part in Democracy Day with Exeter City Council to coincide with national Democracy Day events. We also attend the Parliament Week talk.
Not for us the refrain: “You’re joking – not another one!” We have run both mock referendums and elections with run-up debates for the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum, 2016 EU Referendum, 2017 and 2019 UK General Elections, and Presidential Election campaign debates and election in 2020. We eagerly await the next election.

Teaming up with the history department, we run biennial trips to Washington DC and New York.

Have you ever wondered what it is that makes some people behave the way they do? For example, what turns someone into a psychopath or makes someone afraid of spiders? How can different things affect your mood and even your confidence? Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and human behaviour. Not only will pupils gain insights into the human mind, but they will also participate in practical experiments that will enable them to understand the causes of human behaviour and how to change it.

Psychology is scientific and the research methods that we learn are fundamental to this scientific approach. Psychology leads to many different specialities such as careers in clinical psychology, forensic psychology, educational psychology, child psychology, sports psychology, and much more besides. It also complements many other disciplines and careers because it enriches our understanding of how we think, feel, communicate, interact, and make decisions or form habits.

Exam board: AQA

Course name: A Level Psychology

Beyond the curriculum

Psychology club is open to sixth formers. Pupils enjoyed the attachment egg project and research on the reliability of eyewitness testimony. They also attend a range of conferences, such as the psychology and science conference, and the A Level psychology conference, to supplement their studies.

This course has a multi-disciplinary nature, involving analysis and reasoning, close textual study, philosophical and political thinking, social understanding, ethics, and the core skills of literacy. It is a rigorous and demanding academic discipline, and also allows pupils to explore themselves in a coherent context.  

Furthermore, Religion, Philosophy & Ethics makes a crucial and unique contribution to understanding British heritage, plurality, values, and futures. Young people are typically keen to engage with contentious contemporary issues, and this course provides plenty of additional knowledge and skills to do so in a brave and forthright manner. 

At a time when communities are becoming more diverse – and in some cases more divided – Religion, Philosophy & Ethics plays a key role in creating social cohesion and generating genuine understanding between communities, thus reducing friction, intolerance, and social unrest. 

This course incorporates a range of academic disciplines and is available to all. It offers variety and rigour and requires you to play an active role through discussion and enquiry. It is challenging and will make you question long-held ideas and look at how we make moral decisions in life. 

Whilst not an A Level purely in philosophy, two thirds of the course is philosophically based and so it will provide a good introduction to philosophy for those interested in that subject. 

Pupils follow the Eduqas Religious Studies specification, which focuses on three areas of interest: Christianity, the philosophy of religion, and religion and ethics. Pupils are challenged with a range of topics such as the nature of God, feminist theology, attitudes to wealth, free will, the problem of suffering and evil, emotivism, and the nature of religious experience. 

Exam board: Edeuqas

Course name: A Level Religious Studies

Beyond the curriculum

Alongside the Holocaust Education Trust programme, the department runs trips to Auschwitz. Nearer to home, pupils visit places of worship and religious interest, such as Exeter’s churches, synagogue, mosque, and Buddhist cultural centres.
Speakers regularly visit covering topics including the Palestine/Israel conflict, Buddhism, pro-life/pro-choice, and the Holocaust as experienced by a Holocaust survivor.

A BTEC provides a unique combination of technical skills that help prepare you for higher education together with a breadth of knowledge about the sector that empowers you to succeed in the real world. This course is designed for individuals with a genuine interest in sport and good sporting general knowledge, as much of the course will involve linking theory that is learned through sporting examples.

Successful pupils will be highly motivated and able to consistently meet coursework deadlines. You will not be directly assessed on your sporting ability. However, there are practical elements of the course that require you to be motivated, enthusiastic, and able to regularly participate in practical lessons. You should be willing to take part in practical activities and be able to work with others.

Exam board: Pearson

Course name: BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Sport

Facilities

Exeter School’s 25-acre site is well equipped with a range of first-class facilities. In addition to the large playing fields, the school has its own 3G astroturf arena, 25 metre swimming pool, sports hall and fitness suite, studio area, climbing wall, indoor shooting range, squash courts, and an all-weather court.

Next steps

BTEC sport can lead on to degrees such as sport and exercise science, sport coaching and development, sports therapy, sports management, or sports journalism. In addition, BTEC sport can help support applications for university study in other fields in combination with other A Level subjects.