Social Science
The Social Science Department teaches in the Sixth Form providing AS and A2 courses in Economics, Business Studies, Sociology and Psychology. Accounting is also sometimes offered as a course at AS level for some A Level Business Studies students. In this large and successful Department, all the courses are popular; currently (2012-3) about 70 girls take Economics, 50 take Psychology and 35 girls take Business Studies or Sociology.
There are five members of staff in the Department, four full time and one part time. The Department operates from three specialist classrooms and is well resourced; teaching rooms have projectors, televisions, visualisers and internet connections. This affords an opportunity for staff to use a variety of approaches to teaching and learning, and helps the students to keep abreast of current affairs.
The Department encourages the girls to take part in competitions such as Target 2.0 run by the Bank of England, and to go on the trips that are arranged by subject staff, such as to Coca-Cola, BMW and Jaguar. A significant number of girls continue their studies of Economics, Business Studies and Sociology at university. In 2007, three girls gained entry to Cambridge University to read Economics. A feat repeated in 2009.
Many Sixth Form girls also take part in the Young Enterprise scheme and all girls in Years 9 and 10 are involved in a number of Enterprise Education days. Enterprise Education days are designed to encourage the girls to develop their potential as entrepreneurs. The Department has expanded its role in the school in the last ten years as it seeks to broaden the appeal of Social Science to all pupils at the school.
Examination Boards
Economics - Edexcel
Business Studies - AQA
Sociology - AQA
Accounting - AQA
Psychology - OCR
