Academic Overview

 

The academic curriculum at Watershed College has been designed primarily to prepare students fully for the Cambridge IGCSE and ‘A’ Level examination. The basic Philosophy is to offer a broad range of subjects throughout the six years of study. In the first year students will be expected to study all subjects offered and from this broad base they will make choices each year, which will narrow the range of subjects studied, according to their individual interests.

In addition, subjects relating to Life Skills have been incorporated into the curriculum. Important amongst these subjects are courses related to Christian Education and Life Skills which are both taught to all forms.

This document sets out the subjects offered and the options available to students in each year; from form one to ‘A’ Level.

 

FORM 1

The following subjects are taught to all students;

English                              Mathematics                           History                                 Computers

Shona                                Science                                     Accounts                             Physical Education

French                              Geography                               Technicals                            Religious Instruction

 

There are 5 subjects which fall within the Technical Subjects Group: -

Art, Fashion &Textiles, Music, Technical Graphics, Agriculture and Woodwork. These are taken in rotation so that by the end of their form one year, every student will have done all subjects.

Religious Instruction and Physical Education are non-examinable subjects and occupy a small portion of the timetable but are equally important for the development of the total student as the rest of the subjects.

At the end of the first term students write an examination in English, Mathematics, Science, Geography and Accounting. The results of these exams are used to fine-stream the students for the rest of the year but deserving cases will still be considered for movement up or down the form at the end of the year.

At the end of the year the two subjects, Technical Graphics and Woodwork combine to form Design and Technology.  Each student will be required to choose one from the four Technical subjects for study for the next three years leading to the IGCSE examinations.

FORM 2

The form 1 subjects are the same ones offered for form 2 students. Mathematics will now be in sets- usually four in the whole form. Students are fitted into these sets according to their ability and performances in the subject in form one. At the end of the year more choices will have to made to be made for courses to be studied in Form three and Form four.

FORM 3

The ‘A’ stream is now divided into an ARTS class (3AA) and a SCIENCE class (3AS). There are two B stream classes.

Only the 3AS class will be registered for all three Science subjects – Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students in 3AA may only choose one science subject EITHER Physical Science or Biology but they will all study Accounting or Business Studies which are not offered to the AS class. Students in 3B1 study Combined Science while those in 3B2 study Core Biology. Design and Technology primarily follows on from Technical Graphics. 

There are a variety of options available to students depending on the class that they belong to. The set-up is as follows: -

3AS

English                  

Mathematics       

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Geography / Religious Studies

History/Literature/French/Physical Education/Travel and Tourism

Information and Computer Technology/ Computer Science

Design & Technology/Art& Design/Fashion & Textiles/Music/Agriculture

Religious Instruction

Life Skills

3AA

English

Mathematics

Biology/ Physical Science 

Geography/ Religious Studies

Accounting/ Business Studies

History

French/ Travel and Tourism/Physical Education/Literature

 Information and Computer Technology/ Computer Science

Design & Technology/Art & Design/ Fashion & Textiles/Music / Agriculture

Religious Instruction

Life Skills

3B1/3B2

English

Mathematics

Combined Science (B1)

Core Biology (B2)

Geography/ Religious Studies

History/French/Travel and Tourism/Physical Education/Literature

Information Technology

Accounting/ Business Studies

Design & Technology/Art & Design/ Fashion & Textiles/Music /Agriculture

Religious Instruction

Life Skills

Some syllabi are available at two different levels, CORE or EXTENDED. An Extended syllabus leads to an ‘A’ Level course in the subject but a Core syllabus does not. This applies to Mathematics and Biology.

The three Science subjects are taught at the Extended level to 3AS, but Biology offered to the B2 class is at Core level. For Mathematics the students will follow the Extended course until the end of the year before a decision between Core and Extended is made. As in Form two, students will be divided into sets for Mathematics and also for English. 

FORM 4

Students continue with the same subjects they studied in Form three until they write the final examinations.

Music students write London College of Music examinations in theory and in practical, in addition to the Cambridge examinations.

‘AS ’and ‘A’ LEVELS

The ‘A’ Level programme runs for two years (Lower 6 and Upper 6). Towards the end of Form four students are invited to indicate which ‘A’ Level subject they would like to study. Teachers are invited to make comments on these choices. Depending on the teachers’ recommendations provisional offers for ‘AS’ Level places will be made. Final choices and selections will be made as soon as the official results are published. Students will, from 2023 write AS Exams at the end of their 5th year then proceed to write ‘A’ the following year. Students normally study three ‘A’ Level subjects. Only in special circumstances will a student be allowed to study two or four subjects. The subjects are divided into four groups as follows; -

English Literature; Chemistry; Travel and Tourism; Graphic Products

History; Mathematics; Business

Physics; Biblical Studies; Accounting; I.T. 

Biology; Business; Geography; Computer Science.

A student may not choose more than one subject from each group. No student will be allowed to choose both I.T. and Computer Science. Lessons for subjects in each group are timetabled at the same time. In addition to their chosen subjects all students will also attend classes in Life Skills, English General Paper or Global Perspectives (up to Cambridge AS Level) and ICDL course. 

AGRICULTURE DIPLOMA COURSE 

In addition to the A’ Level programme described above the college also offers a three-year Agriculture Diploma Course. The course is designed for students to study immediately after form 4. In the first and second years of the course teachers and students spend the afternoons carrying out practical work on the college farm. During specific holidays students are advised to carry out vocational employment within the agricultural industry. The third year is solely farm attachment for at least nine months.

Applicants for the Diploma Course should have at least 5 ‘C’ grades including Mathematics, Science and English at IGCSE or O’ Level. Students will be accepted on passing an interview which is held prior to starting the course.