Our Post-16 Curriculum
We designed the post 16 curriculum with the overall intent of providing the right qualifications for students to access the most competitive universities and apprenticeships.
Thus, the curriculum offer has a variety of level three qualifications at A-level and vocational level that meet the needs of students and enable them to achieve successfully.
Our curriculum includes only the vocational qualifications which we believe offer students the right knowledge and skills to access further education or the labour market.
Our intention is that all students reach their further education aspirations and career goals. Therefore, when choosing which subjects to study in KS4, students are offered a range of grouped and personalised pathway events from subject open evenings and information and guidance assemblies, to KS5 taster lessons and one-to-one interviews. External applicants receive a personalised interview to discuss future aspirations and the link to their qualification choices.
Details of the curriculum for each subject can be viewed on our Subjects page, but a summary of the subjects available to KS5 students is outlined below.
|
A level subjects |
Minimum grade in Eng Lang/Lit |
Minimum grade in Maths |
Other criteria |
|
|
Art and Design |
5 |
|
Art 6 if previously studied or 6/Merit in creative subject |
|
|
Biology |
|
6 |
Biology 6 Combined science, 6,6 |
|
|
Business |
5 |
5 |
|
|
|
Chemistry |
|
6 |
Chemistry 6 Combined science 6,6 |
|
|
Computer Science |
|
6 |
Computer science 6 if previously studied |
|
|
Design and Technology: Product Design |
|
5 |
Design and Technology GCSE 5 if previously studied |
|
|
Drama |
5 |
|
Drama 5 if previously studied; active participation outside the academy if GCSE not taken |
|
|
Economics |
5 |
5 |
|
|
|
English Literature |
6 |
|
English Language and Literature 6 |
|
|
French |
5 |
|
French 6 |
|
|
Further Maths |
|
8 |
|
|
|
Geography |
5 |
|
Geography 6 |
|
|
History |
6 |
|
History 6 |
|
|
Law |
5 |
|
Humanities subjects 5 |
|
|
Maths |
|
7 |
|
|
|
Media Studies |
5 |
|
|
|
|
Physics |
|
6 |
Physics 6, Combined science 6,6 |
|
|
Politics |
5 |
|
|
|
|
Psychology |
5 |
5 |
Science 5,5 |
|
|
Religious Studies |
5 |
|
RE 5 if taken; Humanities subject 5 |
|
|
Sociology |
5 |
|
Sociology 5 if taken |
|
|
Vocational subject |
Minimum grade in Eng Lang/Lit |
Minimum grade in Maths |
Other criteria |
|
|
BTEC Level 3 Sport |
5 |
|
4, 4 in Science; actively involved in sport outside the academy |
|
In addition to a variety of information, guidance and self-development opportunities, all students in Years 12 and 13 follow a two-year programme of extra-curricular and enrichment education, which includes:
- Citizenship and Religious Education (CRE)
- Careers education (Career Ready Programme, Oxbridge access programmes, Medicine and Veterinary Science access programmes, Work experience)
- Relationships, Health and Sex Education (RHSE)
Harris Academy Ockendon's Sixth Form is proud to be fully compliant with the Department for Education's 16-19 Study Programme Guidance, offering a broad, balanced, and ambitious curriculum for all its students.
Qualification hours
Every HAOC student in the sixth form studies a minimum of 3 qualifications, which are either 3 full A-levels or a combination of 2 A-levels combined with one Applied General qualification equivalent to 1 A-level. Each student is assigned a core learning aim, which is centred around their full-time study programme.
These are delivered over 5 periods per week of 56 minutes, which equates to a total of 5 hours and 25 minutes per week of face-to-face teaching.
Non-qualification hours
Every HAOC sixth form student has additional non-qualification activities included in their study programme. These include:
- Enrichment for one period or 65 minutes per week
- Academic reading and Citizenship & Religious Education for two mornings or 60 minutes per week
- Work experience, both virtual and physical. Virtual work experience takes place over one full school day and physical work experience takes place over one full school week
Impact of Covid-19
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic led to lost learning time for students before joining the sixth form which continues to have an impact. In response, all HAOC sixth form students are timetabled to three private study periods per week, equating to 3 hours and 15 minutes. In addition, the school receives funds as part of the Department for Education’s 16-19 catch up fund, which is used to pay for staff over-time to run intervention sessions as well as external tutoring in exceptional cases where students require more bespoke, additional support.
This uplift in the number of hours in each student’s study programme is designed to ensure they are able to be successful not only in their academic qualifications but develop the cultural capital and life skills they need to be successful and thrive either in higher education or the world of work.