2019 Prospectus CN_Prospectus_LowRes | Page 62

GCSE 62 WHAT IS GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE? GCSE English Language involves the essential skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. You will be assessed in all of these areas. A GCSE in English Language is invaluable! Whether you want to go to university, apply for an apprenticeship or a job; employers and universities will insist upon it as a basic requirement. It is very important to be confident in the use of language because many of the skills required in everyday life draw upon this in order to achieve success. At Newman you can take a re-sit in English Language alongside a selection of BTEC and A Level courses dependent on entry requirements. Philosophy WHAT WILL YOU STUDY? WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY? WHAT NEXT? You will study extracts of 20th Century Literature, 19th and 21st Century non- fiction texts and produce both creative and transactional/persuasive pieces of writing. You will also complete a speaking and listening task which will consist of a formal presentation. Philosophy literally means ‘the love of wisdom’. If you enjoy puzzling over the great issues of our lives and are curious about encountering new ideas, then you should consider Philosophy. It is highly regarded as an academic A Level subject by Britain’s top universities, as it develops your evaluative skills through debate of the great issues in Philosophy. At Cardinal Newman, we will encourage you to examine your own beliefs, values and ideas while exploring some of life’s ultimate questions. You can use Philosophy to enter a broad range of degree courses in Higher Education. These have included Philosophy, History, Sociology, Religious Studies, Law, Politics and Mathematics. Combined degrees linking Philosophy with other subjects are also very popular. Studies in Philosophy have led students into careers in teaching, publishing, welfare services, the church, politics, civil services and management. WHAT NEXT? The world is your oyster! By achieving at least a grade 4 in your GCSE re-sit in English Language, you will have a much wider range of career options available, plus you will be able to apply for a variety of Higher Education courses at universities or through apprenticeship schemes. DID YOU KNOW? The following sentence contains seven different spellings of the sound “ee”: ‘He believed Caesar could see people seizing the seas. WHAT WILL YOU STUDY? You will be studying some of the most important and interesting issues in Philosophy. For instance, how accurate is our perception in telling us about the world? Is certain knowledge possible? Can we know right from wrong as a matter of fact? Does God exist? What is the relationship between the mind and the body? You will also be introduced to the world’s greatest philosophers and consider their ideas in relation to these topics. CAREERS • Publishing • Teaching • Welfare services • Politics • Civil services WHAT OTHER SUBJECTS GO WELL WITH THIS SUBJECT? Philosophy goes very well with Humanities and Social Science subjects where ideas are explored and analysed. It also goes well with any essay based subject due to the skills developed on the course. DID YOU KNOW? Pythagoras was one of the first people to become a vegetarian for health and philosophical reasons. He did not eat meat because he believed that animals had souls. English Language A Level 63