Post 16 Options EveningBTEC

A LevelsIB Diploma Programme

These slides will be available on eBSB

The Senior Section Team Head of Senior Section

responsible for A Level & BTEC students Sue Munday

Deputy Head of Senior Sectionand IBDP Coordinator James Willis

Head of International Higher Education & Careers Mark Andrews

CAS Coordinator Gwyneth Igoe

TOK & Extended Essay Co-ordinator Ruth Ripoll

EPQ Coordinator Veerle Stoefs

Senior Section Administrator Marieke de Groot

Examination Headlines 2016 BTEC: 100 % pass rate again (22%):

64% at Distinction / Distinction* (35%) IB Diploma: 100 % (79%) pass rate for

third year running with 30% at 40+ points (7%); 57% at 36 points + (21%) and (78%) at 30 points + (54%)

A Level: 99% (98.1) pass rate with 30% at A*-A (25%) and 59% at A*-B (52%)

(I)GCSE: 94% at A*-C (66.9%) and 51% at A*/A (20%). BTEC all Distinction*

Figures in green latest (inter)national levels. A Level / GCSE, 2016

Core Curriculum IB: Theory of Knowledge (TOK) &

Extended Essay A Level/ BTEC: Extended Project

Qualification (EPQ) For all: Creativity, Activity and Service

(CAS) For all: Personal, Social and Health

Education (PSHE)

EPQ – Extended Project Qualification

A free-standing student-driven qualification worth half an A level

Students have the freedom and responsibility to complete a project (essay or artefact) they are truly interested in

Students have 2 lessons per week for taught transferable skills, academic enrichment, meeting their supervisor and completing their project

IB – Theory of Knowledge

Stimulates critical reflection on knowledge and experience

Areas of Knowledge & Ways of Knowing

Students examine the grounds for moral, political and aesthetic judgements

Encourages students to appreciate other cultural perspectives

Extended Essay

The Core: Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS) / Enrichment Activity

Encourages students to become responsible, compassionate citizens and to develop new skills

Creativity: arts and other activities that occur outside of the normal curriculum.

Activity: physical activity contributing to a healthy lifestyle

Service: unpaid and voluntary activity that has a learning benefit for students

AdvancedLevels

A Levels Demanding and rigorous courses offered by English

and Welsh examination boards Allows students to specialise more in individual

subjects Students will choose 3 A levels and study for an

EPQ from the beginning of Year 12 The structure and assessment is unique to each

subject Internal exams: May (Year 12) / December (Year 13 ) External Exams: June ( Year 13 )

Typical model for A Level student choices.Due to new curriculum changes in the UK these

are different to previous years.

Year 12A

LEVELA

LEVELA

LEVEL EPQCore: tutor

periods, PSHE and

CAS

Year 13

Grading at A LevelA Level: A*-E internal exams May/June Year 12

& December of Year 13 external exams May/June Year 13

BTEC(Business, Technology and Education Council)

BTEC Level 3 National Qualifications

BTEC Level 3 Certificate in Business, Hospitality, Sport

or Applied Science

– Equivalent to half an A level (one year)

BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in Business,

Hospitality, Sport or Applied Science

– Equivalent to one A level over two years

BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Business

– Equivalent to 2 A levels over two years

BTECs may be combined with A levels

Subjects and Grades

BTEC Certificate: D*- P BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D* - P BTEC Diploma: D*D* - PP Continuous Assessment

IB DiplomaProgramme

IB Philosophy 5000+ IB Programmes 

World wide 1.3 million students 143 countries Within the IB, students 

study: their own language and 

literature at least one other 

language the humanities the scientific method

The Diploma Programme Model 6 Subjects

– theoretically, all students take one from each group

– 3 HL and 3 SL

Plus the Core– Theory of Knowledge– Extended Essay– Creativity, Action,

Service

Group 1 Language

Group 6 The Arts

Group 4 Experimental

Sciences

Group 2Second

Language

Group 3Individuals& Societies

Group 5Mathematics

© IBO

Subjects and Grades Points range from 7 - 1 ( +3 Core ) Maximum of 45 points / Minimum 24 Minimum of 12 points from 3 HL subjects Internal exams:

– May ( Year 12 ) / December (Year 13 ) External Exams:

– May ( Year 13 )

The Options Process

David Hindley

Year 11 Options ProcessAutumn TermOctober Higher Education Day

December Options Evening

Options Guidance

Post-16 subjects - sample lessons, ‘drop-ins’, PSHE

Spring TermJanuary Mock exams

30 January Option choicesEarly March David Hindley calls parents if courses are not running.

Confirmation letters posted home

One week window of opportunity to change courses at Easter (subject to availability)

Options Process continuedSummer TermMay/June (i)GCSE exams

August (i)GCSE exam results

August end David Hindley contacts students / parents if results do not match option choices

AutumnTermSeptember Confirmation of options by letter and opportunity to change

courses before term starts (subject to availability)

Once term has started, students will have the opportunity to change courses within a limited time period.

Fixed Block SystemA maximum of one subject from each blockA well-balanced set of option blocks that

enable all students to have a broad choice.Blocks facilitate easy movement between SL

and HL for IB students.Private study in Mercator

How to decide?Based on the needs, strengths, interests of

individual students

In general terms:Both are equally accepted for application to universities

worldwideA levels may be more suitable for students who want to do a narrower range of subjects, who are much better in some subjects than others. Fewer subjects does not necessarily mean narrowing future options !

The IB may be more suitable for students who want a broader education, are of a similar standard in a range of subjects and want to keep the widest possible range of options open for the future. Bilingual Diploma.

How to decide?Based on the needs, strengths, interests of

individual students

BTECs may be more suitable for students who want to study by applying Science, Business, Hospitality and/or Sport to the work place by practical application. BTECs are currently 100% coursework based. BTECs are not accepted by some highly-selective universities in the UK, but BTEC can give students a better profile than A levels for application to some of the newer UK universities. BTEC claim that these qualifications are recognised by 100+ countries worldwide.

Entry Criteria Students must gain a minimum of 5 grade Cs or above,

of which 3 must be at least grade B (i)GCSEs to start the IB or A level programme (or equivalent).

BTEC qualifications ideally require 5 grade C GCSEs. However, entry can be more flexible as students are dealt with on a case by case basis.

To start most A levels, a grade B or higher is stronglyrecommended. A grade C may be acceptable in somecases. See Course Guide and talk to your teachers.

Students must have at least a grade A in IGCSEMathematics, or Science respectively to study Maths, or Science at A Level or IB (with the exception of Environmental Systems and Maths Studies). At least a grade A* for IB Higher Level Mathematics.

Additional InformationCourses will only run if there is sufficient interest.Where a course is popular, it may be possible to run

an extra class in an additional block.Students should not be deciding right now what they

wish to study, but taking time over the next few weeks to research different options.

Students will have the possibility to request course combinations that are not possible in the provisional blocks. We will do the best that we can, but there are no guarantees.

Course GuideAn overview of courses and the blocks are

available for you.

All Year 11 students and parents should have received a recommended page on

eBSB where details of the Senior Section and all courses can be found.

Meet the Departments

Please join us in the Swoosh Lounge for refreshments and

more information.