A Level Curriculum
Our pupils normally study three A Levels and we are in the fortunate position of being able to accommodate most combinations of subjects, giving our pupils great flexibility in selecting the correct subjects for them. Tutors and our 6th Form team work closely with all pupils and discuss the most appropriate options based on academic strengths, personal interests and future plans regarding Higher Education and careers.
In addition to A Level courses, we provide a range of additional options to enhance and enrich the academic offering for our pupils.
All pupils have the option to take the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), beginning in January of the Lower 6th. This is a research project on any topic, in a fully supervised context, to learn both about a subject in depth, and also the whole process of planning, methodology, writing, referencing, and reviewing required for independent research. In recent years, we have had great success not only with traditional dissertation projects, but also with artefact projects, where pupils have created a central piece of work such as a computer, a telescope, or a poetry anthology. The EPQ is worth the equivalent of half an A Level, and is taken in addition to A Level subjects.
Subject to sufficient demand, additional GCSEs may be taken at 6th Form in subjects including Music, Modern European Languages, Classical Greek, and Computer Science. These are taught in the first year of A Level study. An extra A Level may also be taken in a pupil’s native foreign language, usually in the Lower 6th.
The range of subjects on offer at The Oratory is broad and aims to prepare pupils for their future, whatever pathway they intend to take when they finish school. We place academic development at the centre of school life, but also believe that education needs to be rich and diverse, offering wide-ranging opportunities.
