GUNNERSBURY
CATHOLIC SCHOOL
THE RIDE,
BOSTON MANOR ROAD
BRENTFORD
MIDDLESEX
TW8 9LB
www.gunnersbury.com
0208 568 7281
GUNNERSBURY
CATHOLIC
SCHOOL
CURRICULUM
INFORMATION
Years 12 and 13
2014-2015
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
LETTER FROM
HEADTEACHER
Dear Parents
Our Sixth Form provides a truly outstanding education for young men and women in West
London and beyond. This was recognised in the May 2009 Ofsted report in which
Gunnersbury was judged ‘outstanding’ in all areas of our provision.
Our senior students are high achieving and successful. In 2014, for the tenth year in
succession, our ‘A’ Level pass rate was 100% and one in three ‘A’ Level passes were at grade
A* and A. Our students go on to study at Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, UCL, York,
Durham, King’s College and St Andrews, to name a few.
The traditions and values of our school permeate across all aspects of our provision, from
Year 7 to Year 13. Gunnersbury is a thriving, vibrant and caring learning community. Ours
is a Sixth Form within which students take pride in succeeding at the very top levels,
academically, spiritually, socially, on the sports field and in the creative arts.
The two principal components that drive our school’s ethos are our commitment to
academic success and to developing the ‘whole person.’ Armed with a positive attitude and
commitment to bettering themselves and their life chances, we advocate our senior
students to view the Sixth Form as a place to develop interests, to grow as a person, a place
to feel a part of and proud of, a place to leave with a brighter future secured.
The transfer to post-GCSE education is a period of change and choices are made which may
well shape your sons’/daughters’ future lives. We believe that in our Sixth Form your
son/daughter will receive an education second to none. Students say teachers at
Gunnersbury are knowledgeable, approachable and helpful. Certainly, their goodwill in
giving advice and support adds greatly to the quality of our provision and to your future
success.
We are immensely proud of our Sixth Form. I am sure as you explore us further you will
receive a clear insight into the culture and ethos of our school and will feel confident that, by
working hard and enjoying their studies, your son/daughter will achieve great success.
Mr K.S. Burke,
Headteacher
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
ENGLISH LITERATURE
EDEXCEL
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
‘The Duchess of Malfi’ by John Webster and ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ by Shakespeare
(Course work)
‘Brighton Rock’ by Graham Greene
’ A Clockwork Orange’ by Anthony Burgess
Work Poetry Anthology
Unseen prose and poetry
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ by Edward Albee ‘Death of A Salesman’ by Arthur
Miller (coursework)
‘Spies’ by Michael Frayn and ‘The Ghost Road’ by Pat Barker
Selection of poetry and prose unseen
MATHS
EDEXCEL
In Year 12, pupils must complete 3 units for their AS; Core 1 and Core 2 which are compulsory
and either Statistics 1 or Mechanics 1
Pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Core 1 : co-ordinate geometry in the (x,y) plane; linear and quadratic graphs and equations;
transformation of graphs; surds and indices; arithmetic series; differentiation; integration
Core 2 : remainder and factor theorems; equation of a circle; geometric series; binomial
expansion; exponentials and logarithms; differentiation; integration
Statistics 1 : mathematical models in probability and statistics; representation and summary
of data; probability; correlation and regression; discrete random variables; discrete
distributions; normal distribution
Mechanics 1: mathematical models and vectors in mechanics; kinematics and dynamics of a
particle moving in a straight line; statics of a particle; moments
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
In Year 13, pupils must complete 3 units for their A2; Core 3 and Core 4 which are compulsory
and either Statistics 2 or Mechanics 2.
Pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Core 3: rational functions; domain, range, composite, inverse functions; reciprocal
trigonometrical functions Compound angle formulae; exponentials and logarithms;
differentiation; numerical methods
Core 4: partial fractions; parametric equations; binomial theorem; differentiation;
integration; differential equations; vectors
Statistics 2 : Binomial and Poisson distributions; continuous random variables; continuous
distributions; samples; hypothesis tests
Mechanics 2 : kinematics of a particle moving in a straight line or plane; centres of mass; work
and energy; collisions; statics of rigid bodies
FURTHER MATHS
EDEXCEL
In Year 12, pupils must complete 3 units for their AS; Further Pure 1, Statistics 1 and Decision
Maths 1.
Pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Further Pure Maths 1 : series, complex numbers, numerical solution of equations, co-ordinate
systems, matrix algebra, proof
Decision Maths 1 : algorithms, algorithms on graphs, the route inspection problem, critical
path analysis, linear programming, matchings
In Year 13, pupils must complete 3 units for their A2; Further Pure Maths 2,Further Pure Maths
3 and Mechanics 3.
Pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Further Pure Maths 2 : inequalities; series; first order differential equations; second order
differential equations; further complex numbers; Maclaurin and Taylor series
Further Pure Maths 3 : further matrix algebra; vectors; hyperbolic functions; differentiation;
integration; further coordinate systems
Mechanics 3 : further kinematics; elastic strings and springs; further dynamics; motion in a
circle; statics of rigid bodies
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS
OCR
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Philosophy units
 Ancient Greek Philosophy (Key philosophical thinkers; Plato and Aristotle)
 Judeo-Christian concept of God (How God is presented as creator, good and judge
in the Judeo-Christian tradition)
 Traditional arguments for the existence of God (Ontological, Cosmological,
Teleological and moral)
 Challenges to religious beliefs (Science and the problem of evil)
Ethics units
 Ethical Theories (absolute and relative morality)
 Natural Law- (the idea of purpose and use of reason to find the natural law)
 Utilitarianism (forms of utilitarianism from Bentham, Mill and Singer)
 Kantian Ethics (the centrality of duty)
 Religious Ethics (the main principles of Christianity that guide decision making)
 Application to medical ethics and war and peace
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Philosophy units
 Life after Death (monist, dualist and materialist views. The nature of life after death
including resurrection and reincarnation)
 Nature of God (God as omniscient, omnibenevolent and omnipotent and
philosophical issues raised by each attribute)
 Religious experiences (the nature and importance of religious experiences and
scripture as a source of revelation)
 Miracles (the nature of miracles and philosophical implications)
 Religious Language (examining if we can talk meaningfully about God.)
Ethics units
 Virtue Ethics (agent-centered theory)
 Meta Ethics (the use of ethical language)
 Freewill and determinism (free will, determinism and moral responsibility)
 The nature and role of Conscience (the nature of conscience as given by God or
society)
 Application to business, environmental and sexual ethics.
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
BIOLOGY
AQA
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Causes of disease; enzymes and the digestive system; cells and movement in and out of
them; lungs and lung disease; the heart and heart disease; immunity; variation; DNA and
mitosis; genetic diversity; the variety of life; the cell cycle; cellular organisation; exchange
and transport; classification; evidence for relationships between organisms; adaptation and
selection; biodiversity
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Populations; ATP; photosynthesis; respiration; energy and ecosystems; nutrient cycles;
ecological succession; inheritance and selection; response to stimuli; co-ordination; muscle
contraction; homeostasis; feedback mechanisms; genetic control of protein structure and
function; control of gene expression; DNA technology
CHEMISTRY
EDEXCEL
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Formulae, equations and calculations; energetic; atomic structure; bonding; alkanes and
alleges; shapes of molecules and polarity; intermolecular forces; redox and Group 2; Group
7; kinetics and equilibrium; alcohols; halogenoalkanes; green chemistry and mechanisms
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Rates; entropy; equilibria and applications of rate and equilibrium; acid/base equilbria;
carbonyls, carboxylic acids and esters; arenes and phenols; nitrogen chemistry and organic
synthesis; redox and transition metals
PHYSICS
EDEXCEL
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Matter and radiation; quarks and lepton; quantum phenomena; electric current; direct
current circuits; alternating currents; forces in equilibrium; on the move; motion and force;
work, energy and power; materials; waves; optics
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Force and momentum; motion in a circle; simple harmonic motion; gravitational fields;
electric fields; capacitors; magnetic fields; electromagnetic induction; radioactivity; nuclear
energy; thermal physics; gases; lenses and optical telescopes; non-optical telescopes;
classification of stars; cosmology
PSYCHOLOGY
AQA
AS and A2 Psychology are comprised of two exam papers each that are assessed in the
summer exam period. AS papers consist of short answer questions and one 12 mark question
requiring extended writing in which QWC (quality of written communication) is assessed. The
A2 papers predominantly consist of extended essay responses.
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology and Research Methods, Biological
Psychology, Social Psychology and Individual Differences.
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Media Psychology, Phobias and Advanced Research Methods, Biological Rhythms and Sleep,
Aggression and Gender.
ART AND DESIGN (AQA)
Art and Design is an exciting and stimulating subject to study at A-Level. It gives pupils the
opportunity to look at meaning in Art and to extend and develop fine art, photography and
digital media skills gained at GCSE level. On this course pupils will produce a strong body of
work which can be used to enter both Foundation and Degree level courses. The subject
requires a strong time commitment and students will be required to take an independent
approach to their studies, working with drive, creativity and passion.
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
I,Me Mine
Mock Exam project
Exam Project
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Personal Investigation / Contextual studies
Exam Project
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
PE
AQA
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Theory paper (60%)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Applied Exercise Physiology
Skill Acquisition
Opportunities for participation
Practical Aspects of physical Education
Practical (40%)
Analysis and evaluation of physical activity as a performer and/or in adopted roles
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Theory paper (60%)
1. Applied Physiology to optimize performance
2. Psychological aspects that optimize performance
3. Evaluating contemporary issues
Practical (40%)
Optimising practical performance in a competitive situation
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
AQA
In Year 12, the focus is on a Coursework Project based on a student generated design brief.
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Materials & Components, Design & Market Influences, Sustainability of design, Social,
Manufacturing and joining processes. Systems and Control, ICT with CAD & CAM.
In Year 13, the focus is on a Coursework Project based on a student generated design brief
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Materials & Components. Design & Market Influences. Processes & Manufacture.
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
MUSIC
EDEXCEL
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Unit 1: Recorded coursework performance – recital (5 to 6 minutes).
Unit 2: Composition coursework in response to a chosen brief (15 hours controlled conditions).
Unit 3: Developing musical understanding through analysis of set works and recognition of
tonality and harmonic features.
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Unit 4: Extended performance of 12 to 15 minutes on chosen instrument(s).
Unit 5: Composition (15 hours) and/or Technical Study (3 hours) in response to a given brief(s).
Unit 6: Further Musical Understanding through listening to familiar and unfamiliar musical
works and analysis of key musical features.
HISTORY
EDEXCEL
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
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Civil Rights in the USA 1945 – 1968
US Foreign Policy in South East Asia
Henry viii
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
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A Divided World – The Cold War
The Changing Nature of Warfare (coursework)
GEOGRAPHY
EDEXCEL
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Global changes : global hazards; climate change; global warming; globalisation
Geographical investigation : study of one physical topic and one human topic plus fieldwork
investigation
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Contested Planet : energy security, water conflicts; biodiversity under threat; superpower
geographies; bridging the development gap; the technological fix
Geographical investigation : in depth study of one of the following : Tectonic Activity and
Hazards; Cold Environments – Landscapes and Change; Life on the Margins: the Food Supply
Problem; The World of Cultural Diversity; Pollution and Human Health at Risk; Consuming
the Rural Landscape – Leisure and Tourism
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
FRENCH
WJEC
The themes that are covered develop an understanding of spoken and written French beyond
GCSE; enabling learners to communicate effectively in French in a variety of registers and to
develop knowledge of and critical insights into the culture, heritage and contemporary
society of France and French speaking countries.
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Leisure and lifestyles (Travel and tourism, sport, hobbies, leisure, entertainment, customs
and traditions in the Francophone world, healthy and unhealthy lifestyles
The individual and society (Relationships and responsibilities, gender issues, youth culture,
education, training and careers)
In both assessed papers, pupils will develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing
skills, so that they become a competent user of the language actively (speaking and writing)
and passively (reading and listening).
Unit 1 Speaking Exam 40% of AS
Unit 2 Written Exam 60% of AS
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Environmental issues (Technology, pollution, global warming, conservation, recycling,
sustainability, transport, nuclear energy, renewable energy)
Social and political issues (The media, racism, immigration, integration, social exclusion,
terrorism, work, commerce, globalisation)
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
Pupils also carry out an in-depth study of two contemporary French films. There is also an
option to carry out an in-depth study of one work of 19th or 20th century French literature.
In both assessed papers, pupils will develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing
skills, so that they become a competent user of the language actively (speaking and writing)
and passively (reading and listening).
Unit 3 Speaking Exam 40% of A2
Unit 4 Written Exam 60% of A2
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
SPANISH
EDEXCEL
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Youth culture and concerns; lifestyle: health and fitness; the world around us: travel, tourism,
environmental issues and the Spanish-speaking world; education and employment.
In both assessed papers, pupils will develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing
skills, so that they become a competent user of the language actively (speaking and writing)
and passively (reading and listening).
Unit 1 Speaking Exam 30% of AS
Unit 2 Written Exam 70% of AS
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Youth culture and concerns; lifestyle: health and fitness; the world around us: travel, tourism,
environmental issues and the Spanish-speaking world; education and employment; customs,
traditions, beliefs and religions; national and international events: past, present and future;
literature and the arts.
In both assessed papers, pupils will develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing
skills, so that they become a competent user of the language actively (speaking and writing)
and passively (reading and listening).
Unit 3 Speaking Exam 35% of A2
Unit 4 Written Exam 65% of A2
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
BUSINESS STUDIES
AQA
The AS units focus on small to medium-sized businesses operating within national, as
opposed to international, markets.
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Unit 1 (Planning and Financing a Business) covers the issues involved in a business start-up,
such as research and planning, as well as the factors that determine success. Students will
study a combination of Marketing, Human resources, Operations Management and Finance
topics to support the learning behind the financial planning and the starting of a business.
Unit 2 focuses on how established businesses might improve their effectiveness by making
tactical decisions at a functional level. The topic areas are Finance, People in Business,
Operations Management, Marketing and the Competitive Environment.
The transferable skills underpinning these AS units include: carrying out calculations,
interpreting and analysing data, applying knowledge to unfamiliar situations, developing
arguments and making judgements and decisions.
This is a 100% examination based course : Unit 1 is worth 40% of the AS grade, and Unit 2 is
worth 60% of the AS grade.
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Unit 3 focuses on larger businesses which may be trading in international markets, and how
managers might measure the performance of the business. This unit considers functional
strategies that larger businesses may adopt to achieve their objectives.
Unit 4 assesses the external factors that can act as catalysts for change, and considers these
in relation to a range of businesses. This unit also examines the ways in which businesses can
manage change successfully when responding to external stimuli.
This is a 100% examination based course : Unit 3 is worth 50% of the A2 grade, and Unit 4 is
also worth 50% of the A2 grade.
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
ECONOMICS
OCR
In Year 12, pupils have 5 lessons per week and study the following :
Unit 1 : Markets in Action
 The reasons for individuals, organisations, and societies having to
make choices
 Competitive markets and how they work
 Market failure and government intervention
Unit 2: The National and International Economy
 Aggregate demand and aggregate supply and their interaction
 Government economic policy objectives and indicators of national
economic performance
 The application of macroeconomic policy instruments; and the
international economy
In Year 13, pupils have 6 lessons per week and study the following :
Unit 4: Transport Economics
 Transport, transport trends and the economy
 Market structures and competitive behaviour in transport markets
 Market failure and the role of intervention in transport markets
 Transport economics and government policy
Unit 5: The Global Economy
 Macroeconomic performance
 Trade and integration
 Development and sustainability
 The economics of globalisation
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
BTEC EXTENDED DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS
EDEXCEL
A BTEC Extended Diploma is a practical, work related course. Pupils learn by completing
assignments via based on realistic business and work place situations, activities and demands.
Pupils focus on the following subject areas and develop a range of specialist skills and
knowledge. The full 18 unit Diploma course is equivalent to 3 A levels.
In Year 12, pupils have 17 lessons per week and study the following :
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Unit 1 - The Business Environment
Unit 2 - Business Resources
Unit 3 - Introduction to Marketing
Unit 4 - Business Communication
Unit 9 – Creative Product Promotion
Unit 10 – Marketing Research in Business
Unit 12 – Internet Marketing in Business
Unit 16 – Human Resource Management in Business
Unit 37 – Understanding Business Ethics
Unit 38 – Business and the Economic Environment
In Year 13, pupils have 17 lessons per week and study the following :
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Unit 5 - Business Accounting
Unit 7 – Management Accounting
Unit 12 – Internet Marketing in Business
Unit 13 - Recruitment and Selection in Business
Unit 15 – Development Planning for a Career in Business
Unit 19 – Developing Teams In Business
Unit 27 – Understanding Health & Safety in the Business Workplace
Unit 29 – Understanding Retailing
Unit 33 – The Impact of Communications Technology on Business
GUNNERSBURY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECTS
Years 12 and 13
BTEC EXTENDED DIPLOMA IN SPORT
EDEXCEL
A BTEC Extended Diploma is a practical, work related course. Pupils learn by completing
assignments via based on realistic sport and work place situations, activities and demands.
Pupils focus on the following subject areas and develop a range of specialist skills and
knowledge. The full 18 unit Diploma course is equivalent to 3 A levels.
Pupils have 17 lessons per week, both in Year 12 and in Year 13 and study the following units
over the 2 year course :
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Anatomy for Sport and Exercise
Sport and Exercise Physiology
Sport and Exercise Psychology
Research Methods for Sport and Exercise Sciences
Research Project in Sport and Exercise Sciences
Fitness Testing for Sport and Exercise
Exercise, Health and Lifestyle
Fitness Training and Programming
Sports Nutrition
Current Issues in Sport
Instructing Physical Activity and Exercise
Sports Injuries
Sports Coaching
Practical Individual Sports
Practical Team Sports
Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology
Applied Sport and Exercise Physiology
Exercise for Specific Groups