Parrs Wood Sixth Form College

Our Courses

Our Courses

Thanks to our size as a large sixth form college we are fortunate to be able to offer a huge range of subjects, a lot of which you won’t find in most school's sixth forms.

We annually review the subjects on offer depending on students changing wishes, but here’s what’s on offer for next year.

Use the links below to read more about our courses; all files are available to download

 

  • Ancient History
    A-Level

    Ancient History

    Ancient History A-level
    Download the full course details here

    Why study this course

    • You are interested in the study of History but want something a little different.

    • You find the worlds, cultures and people of Ancient Greece and Rome fascinating.

    • You like to take part in discussion and debate.

    • You like writing essays and have good research skills.

    Why Parrs Wood

    • Parrs Wood Sixth Form is one of the few schools or colleges in Manchester to offer this course.

    • As enrichment, you also have the opportunity to take a seven-day study trip to Greece (to visit Athens, Delphi, Mycenae, Corinth), as well as lessons in Classics and Latin.

    If you like this subject, you may also like: English, History, Religious Studies, Politics, Philosophy, Law.

  • Applied Sciences
    BTEC

    Applied Sciences

    Applied Sciences BTEC

    View full details of this course here

    Why study this course

    • You want a future career in Science

    • You want to develop a high level of practical laboratory skills

    • You want to study a range of topics across Biology, Chemistry and Physics

    • You want to enhance your theoretical knowledge

    • You want to develop skills needed for scientific investigation


  • Art & Design
    A-Level

    Art & Design

    Art & Design A-level

    View full details of this course here

    Why study this course

    • You are creative, imaginative and you enjoy
      exploring ideas and concepts

    • You enjoy developing understanding of the
      visual world

    • You have an adventurous, creative and
      enquiring mind

    • You want to learn practical skills and respond to
      artists and themes in ways that are personal to
      you

    Why Parrs Wood
    You will have the opportunity to go on a range of trips including visits to galleries in London and Manchester, plus the opportunity to take part in a residential trip abroad, in the past we have run successful trips to Paris and Barcelona.

    We also visit Pre-degree Foundation and Degree Shows at Manchester Metropolitan University and also work closely to give students exhibition opportunities through Didsbury Arts Festival. There are also chances to view the portfolios of visiting artists and designers and discuss with them their experiences in Art and Design.

  • Biology
    A-Level

    Biology

    Biology A-level

    View full details of this course here

    Why Study this course

    • You are interested in how living things work

    • You have an inquiring mind and want to find out more about current developments and research in Biology

    • Enjoy practical based lessons to develop your
      understanding

    • You enjoy inquiry, problem solving and evaluating Scientific Ideas

    • You have an interest in the living world around you

    Why Parrs Wood

    • You will have opportunities to see a wide range of speakers throughout the Biology course at Manchester University covering topics from the brain and nervous system to drugs in medicine.

    • You are also invited to apply to take part in the British Biology Olympiad and for a place with the Nuffield Science Bursary. Both of these opportunities give you the opportunity to be involved in high level Science that will challenge and inspire our most able students.

    • Ecology work is carried out in the second year using the facilities located around the school grounds to complete Ecology projects and analysis of the local environment. This work covers the Ecology, populations and statistics elements of the specification.

    • There will also be an opportunity to investigate the anatomy of a rat during our rat dissection project at the end of Year 12. You'll be trained to skilfully conduct the dissection with the additional opportunity of demonstrating this to our GCSE students.

  • Business
    A-Level

    Business

    View full details of this course here

    Why study this course

    • You want to enter an environment with endless opportunities

    • You want a powerful start to starting in the world of work

    • You are interested in developing an awareness of the influences on business success

    • You want to study a dynamic subject which is regularly changing

    • You have a willingness to study independently

    • You want to gain skills including assembling and interpreting data, developing arguments and decision making, plus conduct research projects as part of a team.

  • Business
    BTEC

    Business

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    • You want to study and engage with the business world

    • You want a powerful start to starting in the world of work

    • You are interested in developing an awareness of the influences on business success

    • You want to study a dynamic subject which is regularly changing

    • You have a willingness to study independently

    • You want to gain skills including assembling and interpreting data, developing arguments and decision making, plus conduct research projects as part of a team

  • Chemistry
    A-Level

    Chemistry

    View full details of this course  here

    Why Study this course

    • You want to study a subject that has global impact.

    • You realise that you are surrounded by chemistry; the air you breathe, the food you eat and the clothes you wear, it's all chemistry.

  • Computer Science
    A-Level

    Computer Science

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    • You want to study a course with excellent graduate prospects

    • You want to study a course that is relevant to nearly every industry

    • You want to study a course with prospects of highly-paid, competitive salaries

  • Core Maths
    AS-Level

    Core Maths

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    • You enjoy mathematics and develop confidence in using mathematics

    • You want to study a mathematics curriculum that is integrated with other areas of their study, work or interest leading to the application of mathematics in these areas

    • You want to develop mathematical modelling, evaluating and reasoning skills

    • You want to solve problems some of which will not be well defined and may not have a unique solution

    • You want to solve substantial and real-life problems encountered by adults

    • You want to use ICT as an exploratory tool for developing mathematical understanding and when solving problems

    • You want to develop skills in the communication, selection, use and interpretation of mathematics

  • Criminology
    Level 3

    Criminology

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why Study this course

    • You have a genuine interest in understanding a  criminal's mind

    • You want to understand the different types of crime

    • You want to gain essential skills and knowledge to  progress to a wide variety of higher education  courses

    • You want to understand how the Crimes lead to  different punishment's

    • You have the willingness to study independently

    • You want to study a dynamic subject which is regularly  changing

  • Drama & Theatre
    A-Level

    Drama & Theatre

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    • You have an interest in Drama and performance

    • You have a love of performing in front of an audience

    • You can explore text and have a great imagination

    • You enjoy visiting the theatre and watching live performance work

    • You have a creative flair and can work as part of a team

    • You have leadership skills and can self-manage

    • You are completely committed and willing to rehearse beyond lesson time.

  • Economics
    A-Level

    Economics

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    You are intrigued by the following issues:

    • Richard Branson owns a Caribbean island whilst thousands of people are homeless in Britain, many sleeping rough in the centre of our major cities.

    • Qualified nurses who provide lifesaving services earn £23,000 per year, yet top footballers can earn £200,000 per week playing once or twice in a week.

    • Should people accept jobs that pay less wages than the minimum level of benefits

    • What does an aging and slow growing population mean for an economy What will happen if countries such as Greece and Spain are forced to quit the Euro

    • Should the UK have left the European Union

    You want to gain skills in:

    • Research, Analysis and Evaluation

    • Communication

    • Working with others to discuss economic issues and solve economic problems

  • English Literature
    A-Level

    English Literature

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    • You have a genuine interest in English Literature

    • You have a love of reading

    • You have a spirit of adventure and inquiry

    • You have a keenness for learning something new

    • You have the willingness to study independently

    • You have the ability to meet deadlines

  • English Language
    A-Level

    English Language

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    • You are good at writing for different audiences and purposes

    • You are interested in the 'technical' aspect of language, such as grammar and technical terms

    • You have excellent written skills - accuracy in spelling, punctuation and grammar

    • You have an interest in how language is used for effect

    • You are able to work and research language independently

  • Esports
    BTEC

    Esports

    Why study this course

    • The Esports industry is a fast-growing global industry of competitive video gaming

    • This cutting-edge qualification, BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate (equivalent to 1 A Level), is a rigorous and intensive vocational course which is 100% internally assessed, subject to external standards verification.

    • It would complement the other BTEC courses we offer, such as BTEC IT and BTEC Business.

    • This qualification includes a breadth of transferable skills that enable you to experience different areas of esports to aid your progression to employment. These include the development of teamwork, communication, leadership skills, decision making, reading comprehension skills and cyber skills. These are skills that are highly valued in the changing and fluid workplace.

    Career Progression

    • Allows students to progress to Higher Education or a career in a variety of esports areas such as creative, production based degrees and theoretical studies in areas such as branding, coaching, strategy, data analyst and entrepreneurship.

    • You can progress to higher-education degree programmes, such as a BA (Hons) in Events Management, BA (Hons) in Media or a BA (Hons) in Esports

    What you will study

    You will study four mandatory units:

    • Introduction to Esports

    • Esports Skills, Strategies and Analysis

    • Enterprise and Entrepreneurship in the Esports Industry

    • Health, Wellbeing and Fitness for Esports Players

    Reasons for choosing ESports
    The $100bn gaming and multimedia industries have a wealth of career opportunities available, from development to marketing, production to events management. This flexible qualification will help you discover and refine your skills, to help you get ahead in your career. Esports has created thousands of new jobs across the world. This, in turn, is creating a fresh demand for people with specific skills. This course could enable you to realise the Esports career of your dreams.

    Why Parrs Wood
    Industry links are of central importance within the study of ESports, in particular, with the British Esports Association. Here at Parrs Wood, we have an enthusiastic and dedicated team to encourage your success in this qualification.

  • Further Maths
    A-Level

    Further Maths

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    • You are currently working at a Band 7-9 at GCSE and you would enjoy to study the most challenging A Level available.

    • You want to be challenged and stretched by studying more difficult topics than those found at A Level Mathematics.

    • You are planning to study either Mathematics or a related degree at University.

  • Geography
    A-Level

    Geography

    View full details of this course here

    Why study this course

    • You have a genuine interest in the world around you, how it works and how places and events are inter-linked.

    • You are interested in the science behind landscapes and natural systems; how they are formed and how they are dynamic and constantly changing.

    • You would like to know more about the way humans interact to change our natural environment, our urban areas and our global economy.

  • Government & Politics
    A-Level

    Government & Politics

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    • You enjoyed History, Geography and/or English at school

    • You have an interest in the world around you, a passion for current issues, and enjoy a ringing debate such:
      Who really runs Britain
      Is the USA really 'The Land of the Free'
      What is the use of the House of Lords
      Is the power of American Presidents declining
      What has the American Civil Rights movement achieved

    • You want to know and understand more about the system in which we all live.

    • You have good research skills.

  • Health & Social Care
    BTEC

    Health & Social Care

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    • You want to study a subject that is both challenging and rewarding

    • You want to make a difference in people's day to day lives

    • You want to learn things you never knew about yourself

    • You want to develop confidence and people skills

  • History
    A-Level

    History

    View full details of this course  here

    Why study this course

    • You enjoyed the study of History at school, even if you didn't do it at GCSE.

    • You enjoy studying the past, and how and why historical processes develop.

    • You would like to understand and explore how the past has influenced our modern world.

    • You like to question, discuss and debate ideas
      and situations.

  • Computing
    BTEC

    Computing

    View full details of this course here

    Why study this course

      • You want to develop skills to work collaboratively

      • You want the ability to apply skills, knowledge and understanding of ICT in a range of contexts to solve problems

      • You want an understanding of how ICT is used in arrange of business settings including e-commerce, computer system design, social networking and website creation

      • You want an awareness of the impact that legal
        considerations have on a business

  • Languages
    A-Level

    Languages

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study a language at A level

    • You are good at languages and enjoy learning languages.

    • You would like to live, work or travel abroad.

    • You would like an insight into another culture and society.

  • Law
    A-Level

    Law

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

      • You would like to know more about the main principles of English law and their development;

      • You would like to develop an understanding of legal method and reasoning;

      • You would like to know more about the techniques of logical thinking, and the skills necessary to analyse and solve problems by applying legal rules;

      • You are interested in developing a critical awareness of the changing nature of law in society;

      • You want to develop a range of transferable skills including: analysis, attention to detail, logical thinking, research, essay writing and the ability to produce a balanced argument.

  • Mathematics
    A-Level

    Mathematics

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

    • You really find Mathematics an interesting and you are willing to work hard to make progress both inside and outside of lessons.

    • You want to be challenged and stretched by studying more difficult topics than those found at GCSE.

    • You have a logical mind and want to develop your reasoning abilities.

    • You are planning to study either Mathematics
      or a related degree at University.

  • Media Studies
    A-Level

    Media Studies

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

    • You're creative and analytical

    • You have a strong interest in the media around you

    • You're curious about how the media targets you and represents groups of people

    • You are a self-motivated, independent learner and also like working with others in groups

  • Music
    A-Level

    Music

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

    • You enjoy performing both as part of an ensemble and individually

    • You are interested in developing an understanding of different genres from classical to jazz and world music to popular

    • You are grade 5 standard in one musical instrument (ABRSM or equivalent)

    • You are grade 5 standard in music theory (ABRSM or equivalent)

    • You enjoy listening to music, reading and researching

    • You would like to develop an understanding of composing in traditional and non-traditional styles

    • You would like to develop theoretical knowledge and part writing skills.

  • Music Tech
    A-Level

    Music Tech

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

    • You enjoy listening to music, reading and researching

    • You are interested in developing an academic and technical understanding of music from multiple styles

  • Physical Education
    A-Level

    Physical Education

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

    • You are passionate about sport

    • You are driven to find out how you can improve your performance

    • You are interested in how our bodies push themselves to their physical peak

    • You are keen to understand what gives Olympic champions the psychological edge over their competitors

    • You are intrigued by why nearly one billion
      people would watch a single sporting event

  • Physics
    A-Level

    Physics

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

    • You have ever puzzled over these types of questions:
      o What are quarks and anti-quarks
      o How do Polaroid sunglasses reduce glare
      o Why are skies blue and sunsets red
      o What happens inside a nuclear reactor

    • You have an enquiring mind

    • You enjoy problem solving

    • You have mathematical ability

    • You have good powers of observation then Physics could be for you!

  • Psychology
    A-Level

    Psychology

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

    • Psychology lessons are very interesting and incorporate a range of interactive and innovative teaching and learning strategies.

    • At the end of year 12 there will be the opportunity to visit Manchester University to find out What Psychological Scientists do by attending an interactive talk.

  • Religious Studies
    A-Level

    Religious Studies

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

    • You are a critical thinker who likes to argue and debate

    • You have an interest in the belief systems of other people.

    • You enjoy considering ethical dilemmas and can analyse different points of views.

    • You can empathise with others views and put forward a balanced evaluation.

    • You do not have to be religious to study A level religious studies but you do have to be prepared to question and evaluate religious and secular opinion.

  • Sociology
    A-Level

    Sociology

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

    • You are open minded and willing to look at familiar things in different ways

    • You have an interest in current affairs and the society around you

    • You enjoy discussions, debates and have an enquiring minds

    • You are a good communicator who enjoys both verbal and written communication in the form of essay writing.

    • You want to develop core academic skills such as evaluation and argument.

  • Sport
    BTEC

    Sport

    View full details of this  course  here

    Why study this course

    • You have a keen interest in Sport and the Sporting World

    • You want to continue your education through applied learning

    • You aim to progress to Higher Education

    • You aim to work in the Sport sector

    • You want to develop transferrable skills valued by education providers and employers

    • You want to develop skills such as teamwork, leadership, performance analysis, resilience, and synthesising concepts.