Making choices
A new sixth form course guide is available below.
The choice you make about which path to take at the age of sixteen will influence the future direction of your life. It is a critical decision.
A levels are the traditional academic route. They require a strong ability to recall learnt knowledge and are examined at the end of two years of study.
Vocational Pathway provides students with the opportunity to study subjects through an applied and practical approach to learning.
Both routes are, of course, challenging and represent a significant step up from GCSE. However, your particular learning and preferred assessment style may favour one of the routes, so it is important to be informed.
A levels
A levels are two-year courses with challenging exams at the end of the course which test the whole of the syllabus. There are no longer any units or resit opportunities during the two years. Students will choose to study three A levels throughout years 12 and 13. Some of our most able students will study four A levels. The A level subjects offered at Highlands are:
| Subjects | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Art (Fine Art) | Drama and Theatre | Mathematics: Further | Religious Studies, Philosophy and Ethics |
| Biology | Economics | Photography | Sociology |
| Chemistry | English literature | Physical Education | Spanish |
| Computer science | Geography | Physics | |
| Dance | History | Politics | |
| D&T Product design | Mathematics | Psychology | |
Whenever possible Highlands Sixth Form will deliver these subjects through lessons based on site. The provision of any individual subject is based on student numbers with a minimum group size of 11. Highlands is an active member of the Enfield Sixth Form Consortium, and we are able to offer minority subjects through collaboration with local schools.
Vocational Pathway
Our vocational pathway provides students with the opportunity to study subjects through an applied and practical approach to learning. These level 3 qualifications combine the development of subject knowledge with practical skills and understanding, preparing students for a wide range of future pathways including higher education, apprenticeships and employment.
We are committed to maintaining a strong and ambitious vocational offer at Highlands Sixth Form. As part of the national reforms to post-16 qualifications, a number of existing vocational qualifications, including triple BTEC programmes, are being withdrawn from funding. We are therefore reviewing our offer to ensure that we can continue to provide high-quality alternatives which meet the needs, interests and aspirations of our students.
The precise qualifications available for September 2027 are currently being finalised in response to the national reforms. Full details of the courses available will be provided once these arrangements have been confirmed.
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
Our outstanding Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) course is offered to students aiming at the elite universities. Studying an EPQ demonstrates valuable proof of your capacity for independent learning, as well as your passion for the subject you want to study at a higher level.
An EPQ is an excellent taster of university-style learning as it is effectively an independent research project which can, but does not have to relate to an A level subject that is being studied. It is important therefore that students choose topics that they are interested in and relate to further study so they are motivated to complete it. For example, an aspiring medic could write a research article analysing the difficulties associated with management of the NHS. This could help students substantiate evidence for their desire to study a specific degree course. Students who achieve top grades at EPQ have also been offered lower tariffs by Russell Group Universities.
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