Learning & Curriculum

At Copleston Sixth Form, we understand that, whilst selecting A levels and KS5 courses means that there will inevitably be a degree of specialisation, it is still important that students gain a wealth of knowledge, skills and expertise that go beyond their chosen areas of specialism. We aim to give students as much choice as possible in the combination of subjects and wherever possible, our timetabling is designed to accommodate all choices.

We allow students to study either three or four A levels, which is particularly helpful for those who either don't which to specialise in just three subjects or who are aiming for high level careers and feel that an extra A level would help them achieve their goals. However, we will advise individual students on interview as to the most appropriate route for them and help them to design a programme that allows them to aim high, whilst still maintaining a good balance between school and social time. 

The structure of lessons work really well here in Sixth Form. I feel like there is enough of a balance between exam practice and learning the course that it stops it from becoming overwhelming. - Year 13

We offer close to 30 different courses including A levels and BTECs, covering both theoretical and practical subjects. Students choosing practical activities such as Science, Computer Science, Technology, Art and PE will have access to modern laboratories, workshops and facilities, many of which are only a few years old. We aim to provide access to the most up to date equipment and resources, and our staff are constantly refreshing their subject knowledge through regular CPD, external courses and extra reading to provide students with the highest level of knowledge, expertise and teaching strategies. We also invest heavily in student resources including Uplearn which is an online revision and study package used by many top achieving schools. Many of our teachers also produce their own in-house resources, booklets or websites to support students with their studies. 

The teachers are exceptional and help so much during lesson as well as giving up lots of their time to give specific support in revision or one on one sessions. - Year 13

For a list of courses we offer, please see the page Choosing Your Programme in the How to Apply section of the website. For more details about each individual course, please look at our main school Curriculum page and select your subjects of interest. From here, you can download and view KS5 curriculum maps for each subject, for a detailed look at the course content. You will also find a summary of each course in our prospectus. 

In addition to the subjects chosen by students, we offer a bespoke programme of enrichment. This includes our APEX tutor time programme and timetabled Enrichment lessons involving a mix of teacher-led and guided independent tasks. Within this, we cover many of the topics that adults say they wish they had been taught at school, alongside an exploration of the key issues relevant to young adults at Copleston.