Choosing your Subjects

We offer a range of subjects - our specialism in English, humanities and the arts means that our students benefit from the best expertise and facilities. Through our unique partnership with Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form, the UK’s first specialist science and mathematics sixth form, we are also able to offer our students a range of science and maths subjects. Both Sir Isaac and our sixth form courses are rated Outstanding by Ofsted.


Our facilities, in our iconic and extensively redeveloped city centre buildings, are tailored to these specialisms. 

Find out more about entry requirements and applying for a place at Jane Austen Sixth Form

Subjects

Classics

The study of ancient civilisations opens a window to a world thousands of years old and yet which remains completely relevant to our lives today. Classical Civilisation focuses on the civilisations of Greece and Rome, and is a wide-ranging subject involving the study of literature, material culture, ancient thought and ideas, and the ancient historical context, all of which remain apparent in our culture and society. 

We teach the following A-Level components: 

  • Paper 1: The World of the Hero

In this unit students will be studying two of the greatest epics ever written: Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid. 

  • Paper 2: Imperial Image

This unit allows students to assess the effectiveness of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar’s self-presentation, as well as the effectiveness of his public image. 

  • Paper 3: Love and Relationships

This unit generates interesting and important discussions about love, desire, sexuality and the institution of marriage from the viewpoints of the Greeks and Romans.

Due to the diverse nature of the course it is a perfect complement for those students studying English Literature, Art, Drama, Politics, History and Philosophy. 

Requirements:

Due to the heavy source/ literature-based nature of the course, students applying for Classical Civilisations A-level are recommended to have a Grade 5 in English Literature and/or History. 

Classics course information

Drama

Our course engages students through encouraging creativity, focusing on practical work which reflects 21st century theatre practice, and developing skills that will support progression to further study of drama and a wide range of other subjects. The course focuses on the practical exploration of performance texts, including exploring them in light of the work of theatre practitioners. 

The course is assessed across three examined components. 

  • Component 1: you will devise your own performance. 
  • Component 2: you will give a performance of a text. 
  • Component 3: you will be assessed on your knowledge of theatre makers in practice. 

Requirements:

A GCSE in drama is not essential for this course. 

Drama course information

Linguistics (English Language)

 

In this course, you will study the ways in which language varies, depending on the contexts of production and reception, and explore and critically evaluate how language choices can create personal identities, as well as how language varies over time. 

In addition, you will study the development of both speech and writing in children from birth to eight years old. The course focuses on the spoken language acquisition of children and how children learn to write. You will undertake your own language investigation, focusing on specific research topics, and also look at the craft of language and produce your own original writing piece. The course is assessed through both coursework and examination.

Requirements:

No additional entry requirements.

English language course information

English Literature

Over the course of the two years, you will study a variety of different texts (poetry, prose and drama), connected through either a theme (love through the ages) or the time in which they were written (either WW1 and its aftermath, or modern times: literature from 1945 to the present day). As part of the course, you will study a Shakespeare play, a core literary heritage novel, a pre-1900 text, and a contemporary (post-2000) text. 

The majority of assessment is through examination at the end of the A-Level course. In the second year you will have the opportunity to complete an independent critical study into texts across time using a text chosen by you and driven by your own individual interests, though it must include some material written pre-1900. 

Requirements:

No additional entry requirements.

English Literature course information

Fine Art

Fine Art offers opportunities to use your creativity to express yourself and develop your ability to appreciate and respond to the visual world in a creative way. You will further develop and master skills learnt at GCSE and encounter new media, techniques, and methods of working. You will build on your knowledge of materials and practices, develop further your interpretive and analytical powers, and explore your imaginative and creative potential.

You will also develop a specialist vocabulary and increase your knowledge and understanding of Fine Art. Underpinning all work will be the use of sketchbooks and the exploration of ideas through drawing and other media. 

You will study the following disciplines in individual projects at the beginning of the A-Level course – traditional and digital drawing, painting, print-making, photography and sculpture. 

The course structure is as follows: 

  • Year 1: Workshops, Anatomy project, Mock Externally Set Assignment
  • Year 2: Personal Investigation (60%) Externally Set Assignment (40%)

Requirements:

Grade 5+ in an art and design subject, including fine art, graphics, textiles, photography, 3D design.

Fine art course information

French

Our French course will not only help you to develop confident, effective communication skills in this important world language, but also give you a thorough understanding of the culture, and an opportunity to study the geography, history, and literature of countries and communities where French is spoken. 

It will develop your interest in, and enthusiasm for language learning and will encourage you to consider your study of the language in a broader context. By the end of the course you will be confident in discussing in French your thoughts and opinions on changing trends in the media, popular culture, the causes and effects of immigration, and questions regarding fundamental global concerns such as the fair distribution of wealth and the justice system. 

You will also study a book and a film in depth. 

You will sit the following exams:

  • Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing (50%) 
  • Paper 2: Writing (20%) 
  • Paper 3: Speaking (30%) 

Requirements:

To study languages, Jane Austen College Sixth Form requires students to have a Grade 5 in the language of their choice at GCSE. 

French course information

Geography

Our Geography course will help you develop knowledge about locations, places, processes, and environments, at all geographical scales from local to global.

You will investigate physical processes such as water and carbon cycles, coastal systems, and landscapes. You will explore human processes like global systems and governance, population, and environments. You will also conduct a geographical investigation where you collect data in the field and conduct your own research based on a question or issue related to any part of the A-Level. 

Requirements:

To study Geography at Jane Austen College Sixth Form, we require students to have a Grade 5+ in Geography at GCSE. 

Geography course information

German

 

This course will give you an opportunity to develop effective and confident communication skills as well as foster your interest in and enthusiasm for language learning, giving you a solid foundation for further study of this highly valued world language. 

By the end of the course you will be confident discussing in German your thoughts and opinions on current trends and issues in German-speaking societies, such as multiculturalism and crime and punishment. Political and artistic culture forms a large part of the course and you will be able to debate topics such as teenagers and the right to vote and the politics of immigration. You will also study a book and a film in depth. 

You will sit the following exams: 

  • Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing (50%) 
  • Paper 2: Writing (20%) 
  • Paper 3: Speaking (30%) 

Requirements:

To study languages, Jane Austen College Sixth Form requires students to have a Grade 5 in the language of their choice at GCSE. 

German course information

Graphics

This course is centred on the following design areas: branding/logo, illustration, multimedia, packaging, and typography.

In the first half of the course, we will develop your skills and capabilities to use graphical techniques through a series of teacher-led short projects and culminating in your own extended design project. 

You will study the work of leading graphic designers and will be encouraged to use a range of media for 2D, 3D, hand, and digital work. You will develop your abilities to use both freehand and CAD software to communicate your ideas.

In the second half of the course, you will build upon the techniques learnt and will have the freedom to explore your own project work.

  • Year 1: Workshops, Typography set project, Mock Externally Set Assignment
  • Year 2: Personal Investigation (60%) Externally Set Assignment (40%)

This course is highly regarded by universities as an excellent foundation for degree study in any design field. However, it is particularly useful to those considering advertising, animation, art foundation, graphics, illustration, multimedia, and digital design. 

Requirements:

To study Graphics at Jane Austen College Sixth Form, we require students to have achieved Grade 5+ at GCSE in an art and design subject, including fine art, graphics, textiles, photography, 3D design or Distinction in creative i-media.

Graphics course information

 

History

George Santayana famously said “Those who do not learn History are doomed to repeat it.” It is through studying the past that we truly understand the political, economic and social problems of our world today, and our course has been chosen to examine and analyse three significant events in recent History that have contributed to the current events we read about on a regular basis. 

Studying history allows students to study change, continuity, cause and consequence in a pivotal century in British History and the world. We also include an in-depth study of the evolving course of international relations during the Cold War, an era of tension between communist and capitalist powers which threatened nuclear Armageddon. 

We teach the following A-Level components: 

  • Paper 1 (1F): Industrialisation and the People: Britain c1783 to 1885 (40%) 
  • Paper 2 (2R): The Cold War c.1945-1991 (40%) 

Students also undertake an independent historical investigation connected to the topic of African-American Civil Rights in the United States c.1860-1965 (20%).

Requirements:

To study History at Jane Austen College Sixth Form, we require students to have achieved a Grade 5 in History at GCSE.

History course information

Law

 

 

The study of Law is hugely important for many reasons. Whilst you will be able to use your analytical and critical thinking skills, you will also be challenged to think about the many different spheres of law that exist, as well as whether law exists to serve public morality, whether laws should be made or simply interpreted by judges, and how justice is achieved in the English Legal System. 

We study many fascinating topics throughout this course, and many of our students choose to study Law at university, including some of the best universities in the country. Modules focus on criminal, tort and human rights law, whilst also examining the philosophical and historical underpinnings of UK Law. 

We study the following topics: 

  • Paper 1: The English Legal System and Criminal Law (33%)
  • Paper 2: Law making and the law of Tort (33%) 
  • Paper 3: Further law - Human Rights Law (33%)

Requirements:

To study Law at Jane Austen College Sixth Form, we require students to have achieved Grade 5+ in Geography or History at GCSE.

Law course information

Music

This course builds on students’ understanding of the key areas explored in GCSE music: listening and appraising, composition, and performance. 

  • Component 1: Performance (assessed in school).

​Students will prepare for a public performance of three pieces, lasting for a duration of 10-12 minutes. This will be performed as a recital to an examiner from the exam board. The required standard of performance is grade 6 minimum. 

  • Component 2: Composition (completed in school and externally assessed)

Students will learn how to create and develop musical ideas with technical control and expressive understanding. Students will create two compositions; one will be in response to an externally set brief and the other a free composition. 

  • Component 3: Appraising (examination and externally assessed)

Students will develop an understanding of the organisation of sounds (form, harmony, instrumentation and timbre, melody, rhythm and metre, texture and tonality), the context of music (composer, performer, audience, occasion, time and place) and musical styles and genres. 

The unit includes in-depth study of set works from the Western Classical tradition, popular music, musical theatre and jazz/ blues. The exam will assess students through listening questions and essay questions. 

Requirements:

To study Music at Jane Austen College Sixth Form, we require students to have achieved Grade 5+ in GCSE Music if taken or Grade 5+ on a musical instrument and Grade 5 theory.

Music course information

Music Technology

This course gives students an understanding of the use and application of production techniques through the following components: 

  • Component 1: Recording; assessing skills in capturing, editing and mixing sounds required to produce an audio recording. Students will develop the skills to capture and manipulate sounds in corrective and creative ways in order to communicate effectively. 
  • Component 2: Technology-based composition; covering editing and structuring sounds to develop a technology-based composition. Students will develop the skills to create and manipulate sounds in imaginative and creative ways in order to communicate effectively with listeners. 
  • Component 3: Listening and analysing, developing listening and analysing skills through the study of a range of music production techniques used in unfamiliar commercial recordings. The production stages of capture and creating sounds, editing and arranging sounds and mixing will be covered in the examination.
  • Component 4: Producing and analysing; assessing knowledge of the techniques and principles of music technology through a series of written and practical tasks. The production stages of sound creation, audio editing and mixing will be covered.

Requirements:

No additional entry requirements.

Music technology course information

Philosophy

The word ‘Philosophy’ is defined as the ‘love of wisdom’ and thus the subject will appeal to any student with an enquiring mind and a love of debate. It deals with fundamental questions about meaning, morality, and existence. It tackles questions such as: Can we trust our perception of the world? How should we make ethical decisions? Is the concept of God coherent? What is the mind? 

Through an engaging mixture of practise-driven lessons, debates and textual analysis; students of A-Level Philosophy will learn how to precisely pick apart scholarly assertions, identify the soundness of ideas and critically evaluate arguments. 

You will sit the following exams: 

  • Paper 1: Epistemology (Theories of knowledge) & Moral Philosophy (50%)
  • Paper 2: Metaphysics of God & Metaphysics of Mind (50%)

Requirements:

To study Philosophy at A-Level, students have to have achieved Grade 5+ in Geography, History or Religious Studies at GCSE.

Philosophy course information

Politics

In Politics, we focus on how power is distributed through government and within society. Students have the opportunity to develop their own knowledge of the UK and US political systems, whilst thinking critically and analytically about the ideologies and actions of modern politicians and political parties. We look in depth at the politics of the UK and the US, as well as the core political ideas that have shaped the UK.

Previously, we have had a trip to the Houses of Parliament, where in the past we have seen ministers questioned by backbenchers and have met with MPs. 

We study the following topics on the Politics course: 

• Paper 1: UK Politics and Core Political Ideas (33%) 

• Paper 2: UK Government and Core Political Ideas (33%) 

• Paper 3: US Government and Politics (33%) 

Requirements:

To study Politics, you will need a minimum of a Grade 5 at GCSE in English and a Humanities subject (History or Geography).

Politics course information

Psychology

In Psychology, we attempt to explain why people behave the way they do. We consider explanations linked to an individual’s genetics and neurology, whilst also considering the influence of the environment around them.

By analysing the influence of both nature and nurture we are able to explain complex behaviours and make practical applications to real life. For example, biological evidence indicates there is a genetic origin for many mental health disorders, however the onset of mental illness may also be linked to external experiences, such as conditioning. This has led to the development of therapies to treat mental illness, such as drug therapies and cognitive behavioural therapy. 

As a psychology student, you will analyse and evaluate the validity of these explanations. Assessment at the end of Year 13 takes the form of three written papers which include shorter written answers, longer essay questions and data handling. 

Examples of the topics we study are Memory, Attachment, Psychopathology and Relationships.

Requirements:

To study Psychology at Jane Austen College Sixth Form, students should have a Grade 5+ in English, Maths, Science and a Humanities subject. 

Psychology course information

Sociology

Ever wondered how we developed into the society we are today? How the way you see yourself determines the way people identify you? Whether men or women are more likely to commit a crime? Sociology is relevant to the society you live in so you are bound to enjoy learning about topics that are relevant to everyday life; plus it opens the door to a fantastic range of interesting careers. 

This course will help you make sense of the society we live in and understand the cultural and identity issues which affect us all. We study sociological approaches that help us understand the functions of education, families, and religion, as well as criminological approaches that explain why some people commit crimes and others do not. 

We study the following topics: 

  • Paper 1: Education and Sociological Research Methods (33%) 
  • Paper 2: Topics in Sociology (Families and Households/Beliefs in Society) (33%) 
  • Paper 3: Crime & Deviance, and Sociological Theory (33%) 

Requirements:

To study Sociology, you will need a minimum of Grade 5 at GCSE in English and a Humanities subject (History or Geography). 

Sociology course information

Spanish

A-Level Spanish will not only help you to develop confident and effective communication skills, but also a detailed understanding of the culture of countries and communities where Spanish is spoken.

By the end of the course you will be confident discussing in Spanish your thoughts and opinions on current trends and issues in Hispanic societies, such as multiculturalism and crime and punishment. Political and artistic culture forms a large part of the course and you will be able to debate topics such as the media, equal rights, the politics of immigration, as well as studying a book and a film in depth. 

You will sit the following exams: 

  • Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing (50%)
  • Paper 2: Writing (20%) 
  • Paper 3: Speaking (30%) 

Requirements:

To study languages, Jane Austen College Sixth Form requires students to have a Grade 5 in the language of their choice at GCSE.

Spanish course information