Please click on the following link for a description of the Key Stage 5 Grading of vocational subjects.
Level 3 courses
ACS Sixth Form offers a wide range of Level 3 course options for students to choose from. Students are able to follow a BTEC or A Level only pathway, or a combination of both. This two year programme of study poses a higher level of challenge than what students have been used to in Year 11.
Students are expected to match the hours of in-class teaching they experience with an equivalent number of independent study for each subject, in order to be successful in these courses.
A Levels
Each A Level is allocated 10 hours of classroom-based teaching time over 2 weeks.
A majority of A Level courses are assessed using examinations only, all of which take place in the Summer Term.
Applied BTEC Courses
BTEC qualifications earn students similar university entrance points as A Levels and are valued by both universities and employers, due to the high level of skills-based learning they involve.
A majority of BTEC courses involve coursework and exam-based assessments.
Level 3 Options
The subjects students will learn are set out below:
Curriculum Timetable Year 12
| LEVEL 3 | NUMBER OF LESSONS | GROUPS |
|---|---|---|
| Art & Design | 10 | 1 |
| Biology | 10 | 2 |
| Business & Finance (BTEC) | 20 | 1 |
| Business Studies | 10 | 1 |
| Chemistry | 10 | 2 |
| Digital Photography | 10 | 1 |
| Economics | 10 | 2 |
| English Literature | 10 | 1 |
| Further Mathematics | 10 | 1 |
| Geography | 10 | 1 |
| Health and Social care | 10 | 1 |
| History | 10 | 1 |
| ICT (applied double) | 20 | 1 |
| ICT (applied single) | 10 | 1 |
| Mathematics | 10 | 3 |
| Media Studies | 10 | 1 |
| Physics | 10 | 2 |
| Politics | 10 | 1 |
| Psychology | 10 | 2 |
| Religious Studies | 10 | 1 |
| Sociology | 10 | 1 |
| Textiles | 10 | 1 |
Curriculum Timetable Year 13
| SUBJECTS | NUMBER OF LESSONS | NUMBER OF GROUPS |
|---|---|---|
| Art & Design | 10 | 1 |
| Biology | 10 | 2 |
| Business & Finance (BTEC) | 20 | 1 |
| Business Studies | 10 | 1 |
| Chemistry | 10 | 2 |
| Digital photography | 10 | 1 |
| Economics | 10 | 2 |
| English Literature | 10 | 1 |
| Further Mathematics | 10 | 1 |
| Geography | 10 | 1 |
| Health and social care | 10 | 1 |
| History | 10 | 1 |
| ICT (applied  double) | 20 | 1 |
| ICT (applied single) | 10 | 1 |
| Mathematics | 10 | 3 |
| Media Studies | 10 | 1 |
| Physics | 10 | 2 |
| Politics | 10 | 1 |
| Psychology | 10 | 2 |
| Religious Studies | 10 | 1 |
| Sociology | 10 | 1 |
| Subject | Minimum Number of GCSE Grades |
Essential Core Subject GCSE requirements |
Essential GCSE Grades in other Related Subjects |
| BTEC Business & Finance | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 4 or above | Eng Language Grade 4 - 9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
Business Studies Grade 5 - 9 (M2 -D2) if taken at GCSE |
| ICT Single Award ICT Double Award |
Five or more GCSEs at Grade 4 or above | Eng Language Grade 4 - 9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
ICT or Computing Grade 5 - 9 (M2 -D2) if taken at GCSE |
| Dig Photography | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 4 or above | Eng Language Grade 4 - 9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
Art, Textiles OR Media Studies: Grade 5-9 (M2 - D2) |
| Art | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 4 or above | Eng Language Grade 4 - 9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
Art OR Textiles: Grade 5-9 |
| Textiles | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 4 or above | Eng Language Grade 4 - 9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
Art OR Textiles: Grade 5-9 |
| Business Studies | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 5 or above | Eng Language Grade: 5-9 Maths Grade: 5 - 9 |
Business Studies Grade 5 - 9 (M2) if taken at GCSE |
| Health & Social Care | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 5 or above | Eng Language Grade 5 - 9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
Health & Social Care Grade 5 - 9 (M2 -D2) if taken at GCSE Biology Grade 4-9 OR Combined Science Grade 4/5 (essential) |
| Media Studies | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 5 or above | Eng Language Grade 5 - 9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
Media Studies: Grade 5-9 (M2 - D2) if taken at GCSE |
| Spanish * subject to availability |
Five or more GCSEs at Grade 5 or above | Eng Language Grade: 5-9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
Spanish Grade 6 - 9 (essential) |
| English Literature | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | English Language Grade: 6 - 9 Maths Grade: 4-9 |
Grade 6 - 9 in a related subjects e.g. History, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies English Literature Grade 6-9 (essential) |
| Drama and Theatre Studies * subject to availability |
Six or more GCSEs at Grade 5 or above | English Language Grade: 6 - 9 Maths Grade: 4-9 |
Drama: Grade 5-9 (essential) English Literature Grade 5-9 (essential) |
| Politics | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | Eng Language Grade: 6-9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
Grade 6 - 9 in related subjects e.g. History, Religious Studies, Sociology, Psychology |
| History | Six or more GCSEs at Grade 5 or above | Eng Language Grade: 6-9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
History Grade 6 - 9 (essential) |
| Religious Studies | Six or more GCSEs at Grade 5 or above | Eng Language Grade: 6-9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
Religious Studies Grade 6 - 9 if taken at GCSE or Grade 6 - 9 in a related subjects e.g. History, Sociology, Geography, Psychology |
| Sociology | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | Eng Language Grade: 6-9 Maths Grade: 4 - 9 |
Sociology Grade 6 - 9 if taken at GCSE or Grade 6 - 9 in a related subjects e.g. History, Religious Studies, Geography, Psychology |
| Economics | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | English Language: Grade 6 -9 Maths Grade 5-9 |
Students who studied Business Studies at GCSE must have a grade 6 - 9 or equivalent [D2] OR grade 6 -9 in related subjects e.g Further Maths, Statistics |
| Psychology | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | Eng Language Grade 6 - 9 Maths Grade: 5 - 9 |
Psychology Grade 6 - 9 if taken at GCSE or Grade 6 - 9 in a related subjects e.g. History, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies Biology Grade 5-9 OR Combined Science Grade 5/5 (essential) |
| Geography | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | Eng Language Grade 6 - 9 Maths Grade: 5 - 9 |
Chemistry/Biology: Grade 5- 9 OR Combined Science: Grade 5/5 (essential) Geography Grade 6 - 9 (essential) |
| Biology | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | Eng Language Grade 6 - 9 Maths Grade: 6 - 9 Biology Grade 7-9 |
Chemistry AND Physics Grade 7- 9 OR Combined Science Grade 7/7 or above |
| Chemistry | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | Eng Language Grade 6 - 9 Maths Grade: 6 - 9 Chemistry Grade 7-9 |
Biology AND Physics Grade 7- 9 OR Combined Science Grade 7/7 or above |
| Physics | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | Eng Language Grade 6 - 9 Maths Grade: 7 - 9 Physics Grade 7-9 |
Biology AND Chemistry Grade 7- 9 OR Combined Science Grade 7/7 or above NOTE: Students must select to study Maths A Level if choosing Physics |
| Maths | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | English Language: Grade 5-9 Maths Grade: 7- 9 |
Further Maths or Statistics Grade 6 - 9 if taken at GCSE |
| Further Maths | Five or more GCSEs at Grade 6 or above | EnglishLanguage Grade: 5-9 Maths Grade: 8 -9 |
Further Maths or Statistics Grade 7 - 9 if taken at GCSE |
