Curriculum
The college teaches mainly A levels and other level 3 courses. Its focus is academic, preparation for a higher education, as opposed to a vocational focus for employment in the workforce. In comparison to smaller establishments (school sixth forms and some smaller sixth form colleges), a large range of courses are offered. In addition to the standard subjects, courses that are not offered at most alternative institutions include Level 3 OCR National in Media and A levels in Archaeology. Electronics, Environmental Studies, Moving Image and Textiles.
Most students will take four AS levels in their first year and are required to complete four courses in the second year (three A levels is not sufficient). For many students one of these will be an Extended Project, which develops independent learning skills through university style research about a topic of interest to them. General Studies is not compulsory (or even offered).
In addition to daytime students, the college also offers part-time "Adult Learning" courses, taught during evenings and/or weekends. These range from "Beginner" courses to level 4 courses.
Starting from September 2009, Italian provision was ended, a decision that gathered much criticism, especially from those who were going to be unable to complete the two year course they signed up for. The college partially backed down.
In October 2002, the college was given Beacon Status, an award that "celebrates learning providers that deliver outstanding teaching and learning".
Read more about this topic: Barton Peveril Sixth Form College
Famous quotes containing the word curriculum:
“If we focus exclusively on teaching our children to read, write, spell, and count in their first years of life, we turn our homes into extensions of school and turn bringing up a child into an exercise in curriculum development. We should be parents first and teachers of academic skills second.”
—Neil Kurshan (20th century)