Curriculum Extension Programme

2026/2027

CURRICULUM EXTENSION PROGRAMME

The Curriculum Extension Programme (CEP) runs alongside A-Levels and adds breadth and depth to the academic offering in the Sixth Form. There are many options from which to choose, but all give boys the opportunity to develop new skills and, in most cases, to do so without the limitations imposed by having to prepare for an examination. All options are taught by Radley dons and, with the exception of AS Art, timetabled for three lessons per two-week cycle throughout the 6.1 year. There are no CEP lessons in the 6.2 year other than for boys who wish to submit their 6.1 Academic Project for the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).

In a world increasingly dominated by high stakes public examinations, boys sometimes struggle to see the point of subjects which do not result in a qualification. Whilst A-Level results are the most important measurable academic outcome of Sixth Form life, the breadth of education to which the CEP contributes is also tremendously important. In different ways, all CEP subjects promote and develop independent learning and the kind of study skills that are needed to flourish at university. They are an opportunity for boys to try something new that will broaden their horizons and make them a more interesting person as a result!

The wide range of options available should, hopefully, allow all boys to choose options that they will enjoy and that will enrich their academic life in the Sixth Form.

K A Mosedale Head of Curriculum Extension kam@radley.org.uk

THE SIXTH FORM CURRICULUM

In the 6.1 year all boys have five pillars to their academic life:

THE 6.1 CURRICULUM

The majority of boys will follow Route 1 and take two CEP options.

Boys who choose Further Maths will follow Route 2 and only choose one CEP option.

Many boys start the Sixth Form having chosen four A-Levels (Route 3) with a view to dropping one A-Level in the first few weeks of term. All boys other than Further Mathematicians choose two CEP options. If they decide to stick with all four A-Levels beyond the first Exeat Weekend of the Michaelmas Term, they can opt to continue with only one of their CEP choices.

CEP OPTIONS FOR 2026/27

The proposed CEP options for the academic year starting in September 2026 are shown below. They are split into two groups:

CEP 1 - Enrichment options that are available to all boys regardless of A-Level choice. All boys will choose an enrichment option. They start at the beginning of the Michaelmas Term alongside A-Level lessons and last for the whole of the 6.1 year.

CEP 2 - These options allow boys to go above and beyond the A-Level curriculum (Super-Curricular) in subjects related to their A-Levels or university plans or to choose another enrichment option. For timetabling reasons, these options are not available to boys studying Further Maths. CEP 2 options start in late September, after the first Exeat Weekend of the Michaelmas Term. Boys will have the option of changing CEP 2 options at the start of the Lent Term.

Art AS counts as two CEP options and is timetabled for eight lessons per fortnight.

FURTHER DETAILS OF INDIVIDUAL CEP OPTIONS

CEP 1 - ENRICHMENT OPTIONS

ART AS

The Art AS course is a wonderful way for boys to develop their creativity if the full A-Level doesn’t fit in with their other subject choices. Because it leads to an AS qualification and is done over one year, it is timetabled for eight lessons per fortnight. Boys who choose this option take it in both CEP blocks. Different themes are used to stimulate ideas and boys then can choose from a wide variety of artistic media for their final pieces. Exam results from boys in previous years have been excellent and the support from the Art department is outstanding. Boys can choose this option even if they did not study Art for GCSE.

ART & CREATIVITY

Art can also be taken as an option called Art & Creativity, but this will not lead to an AS qualification and like other CEP options, is only timetabled for three periods per fortnight. Instead, the focus will be on developing creativity and producing pieces of work for an end of year exhibition. Boys can choose this option even if they did not study Art for GCSE.

ACADEMIC PROJECT / DISSERTATION

In this option boys will be taught the skills required to produce a research-based extended piece of work on a topic of their own choosing.

Skills covered will include:

• Academic writing skills

• Research using academic databases and advanced search techniques

• Avoiding plagiarism by the correct use of referencing and citations

• Compiling a correctly formatted bibliography

• Project and time management for a piece of work extending over several months

The outcome of this option is most likely to be a dissertation of between 5,000-8,000 words. All boys taking this option will give a 10-minute presentation about their project just before Summer Leave-Away in the 6.1 year. Those who would like to develop their project further so that it could be entered for the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) will continue with lessons in the second half of the Summer Term and be given guidance on work to be completed over the Summer holidays. Lessons will then continue for the Michaelmas Term of 6.2 until the EPQ is completed.

ACTING (LAMDA)

The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) exams are practical exams where boys perform a selection of duologues from theatre or film. They are also questioned on the wider context and preparation of the pieces. Prior to the exam (just before Summer LeaveAway) there is an evening showcase event in the Studio. It cannot be stressed strongly enough that this is NOT just for those who already have experience of acting. Some of the boys who have gained most from the qualification had never acted before, but LAMDA is a wonderful opportunity to improve speaking skills, understand and improve body language and develop self-confidence. For boys with a heavy academic schedule, it can also be a welcome change of pace and a completely different challenge. In timetabled lessons, all boys will work in groups with a member of the Drama department, but one session per week is timetabled with an experienced external LAMDA coach. These sessions are billed at £20 per session and the total cost over the year (including exam entry fees), is around £400.

CREATIVE WRITING

Compelling communication – from applications, to articles, to arguments – is always a form of storytelling. This is a chance to develop your creative writing skills not as a way to score well in an exam, but as a craft: personal, genuine, and practical. Required to sign up: enjoyment of stories and characters; imagination, opinions, and ideas of your own; and the willingness to repeatedly put quite a lot of words onto a page. Not required: experience with creative writing, or fondness for GCSE English. Students who already write stories, scripts, or poems as a hobby are especially encouraged to take this CEP, but enthusiastic newcomers to creative writing are also welcome. Expect to be challenged, to have fun, and to come out with greater writing confidence and sharpened practical skills.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

An increasing number of Radleians are starting their own companies and this CEP option gives boys the chance to develop some of the skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur. After an initial skills development package based around a lecture programme and planning exercise, the remainder of the time is spent developing business ideas and starting a business as part of the Tycoon Enterprise competition.

MINI-MBA

Radley has partnered with the world renowned Hult Ashridge business school to develop a mini-MBA course that has now been running for seven years. It is taught by Radley dons using material developed by Hult Ashridge on their online learning platform and offers an excellent introduction to the world of business. The Michaelmas Term is all about personality types, self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses, building effective teams and leadership. After the soft skills of the Michaelmas Term (including a psychometric test and seminar delivered by Ashridge personnel), the Lent and Summer Terms focus on the basics of financial management, accountancy and understanding balance sheets, marketing and strategy.

The mini-MBA attracts an additional cost of around £1600 which is billed in three termly instalments. This covers the Hult Ashridge costs and Radley does not make a profit from running the course.

MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

The Music Technology option can work for boys with considerable musical experience or for those starting from scratch. Boys will be taught and guided so that they are able to create musical pieces using the considerable technological resources of the Music department. These can be pieces for a group with which the boys already play, or they can be standalone compositions. There is a concert to showcase the work of boys taking this CEP option towards the end of the academic year.

PUBLIC SPEAKING (LAMDA)

The ability to speak confidently in public is a vital skill that is required in virtually every career and it is one that many boys do not get much chance to practise whilst at Radley. This course will develop public speaking skills leading to a grade 8 LAMDA Speaking in Public qualification. To achieve this qualification, boys will have to:

• Deliver a 4-minute speech on a subject of their choosing (without visual aids)

• Deliver a 4-minute speech on a subject of their choosing (with visual aids)

• Deliver an impromptu speech on one of three topics presented at the start of the exam. Fifteen minutes is then allowed for preparation after which a three-minute speech is delivered (without visual aids)

PEACE & RECONCILIATION

This is the first year that this CEP option has been offered and places are limited.

We live in an increasingly fragmented world dominated by the politics of hate. What was once common ground has now become a minefield. It is more important than ever to understand the ‘other’ in order to reclaim common ground and pursue reconciliation. This CEP will equip you to do just that - to become a peacemaker. We will draw on material developed in the fire of one of the most bitter divides, that between Israel and Palestine. This material is part of the Musalaha (meaning ‘reconciliation’ in Arabic) Academy, a faith-based organisation dedicated to promoting reconciliation between communities separated by ethnic, religious, and social barriers.

ROBOTICS / CODING

This CEP option will allow boys to participate in Vex Robotics, a competitive robotics pursuit in which teams design, build and operate robots to play a game on a 12ft square pitch. This game is changed each year. In a short, intense match, the robots compete as an alliance with one other team, against an alliance of two opposition teams, to score points. The alliances change through a competition and score averages through a competition day seed teams towards a final round. The matches have elements of autonomous coded operation as well as human control. There are therefore outlets for design, mechanical engineering, coding and collaboration.

The competition season runs from the end of the preceding World Championships in the early Summer, but competitions do not generally start until late in the Autumn and run through Spring. The season builds through regional competitions which are a route to the national finals, in turn leading to the world championships where competitors from across the globe compete. For the last three years, Radley teams have competed at the UK National finals and performed well enough to qualify for the world championships in Dallas.

CEP 2 - SUPER-CURRICULAR & ENRICHMENT OPTIONS

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Boys choosing this option will immerse themselves in both UK and world affairs by reading newspapers and periodicals and discussing the issues that arise. The publications chosen will cover a variety of political perspectives. As well as developing a better understanding of current affairs, boys will improve their vocabulary, general knowledge and comprehension skills.

LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS

This option is intended for those who are considering a degree in modern languages or linguistics as well as anyone who is keen to explore the field. During the first term, you will have the opportunity to start learning Italian from scratch, doing so at a brisk pace and with a high level of independence. You will then be introduced to a range of linguistic theories (e.g. determinism versus relativism, descriptive versus proscriptive grammar, first and second language acquisition) as well as the most important principles of phonology and phonics. Reading, presentations and seminars on sociolinguistics will cover power, ideology, slang, status and issues of gender.

MEDIEVAL HISTORY

Medieval History will be taught by the Chaplain and is based on a course that he taught as an academic at the University of Cambridge (The Early Medieval World). It will broadly cover the history and culture of early medieval Europe from the fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest (476-1066) but mainly focus on the eighth and ninth centuries. There will be some lecture-style lessons but most of the classes will be discussions of key texts such as Beowulf and some Norse sagas. Whilst obviously of interest to any boy thinking of studying History at university, it would also be ideal for anyone thinking of studying a humanities subject. Owing to the nature of early medieval studies, this CEP option will touch on material and concepts from Classics, English, Theology, Politics, French, German, and Social Anthropology and even Early Medieval Economics.

PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy, the ‘love of wisdom’, is a fascinating and exciting subject which enables students to wrestle with the greatest questions known to mankind. The aim of the CEP Philosophy course is to introduce a number of different philosophical traditions and encourage thoughtful reflection on what it is to be human. Wider reading around the subject will be very much encouraged.

WAR STUDIES

The War Studies CEP aims to provide boys with an intellectually challenging introduction to the study of war as a historical, political, ethical, and human phenomenon. It seeks to develop critical thinking, analytical ability, and strategic acumen, while providing an understanding of historical and contemporary armed conflict and its consequences in the modern world. The programme is suitable for all 6.1 students, and particularly those with an interest in History, Politics and International Relations or who are considering a career in the Armed Forces.

The first term establishes conceptual foundations, the second term applies theory through comparative case studies, and the final term focuses exclusively on the Second World War, with particular emphasis on Operation Overlord and the Normandy Campaign. By the end of the programme, boys will demonstrate enhanced analytical skills, confidence in debate, and an understanding of war’s complexity – academic preparation well suited to university study and future leadership positions.

BIOLOGY / CHEMISTRY / PHYSICS RESEARCH

NB: Biology / Chemistry / Physics Research is only suitable for boys studying the A-Level.

In these CEP options, boys undertake projects that develop both their understanding of concepts and their practical skills. Physics projects include Astrophysics or Particle Physics research; Chemistry projects are chosen to allow boys to deepen their understanding of Chemistry topics in which they have an interest; Biology projects are ecology and natural history based, and most involve work to understand and develop the biodiversity of the Radley campus.

Some boys may work on projects with the Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS). When experiments require extended periods of time, boys also work in the Science department after Games on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

DESIGN ENGINEERING

Boys do not have to study A-Level Design & Technology to take this CEP option but, if they are, it will further develop and enhance their skills.

For boys not taking A-Level Design & Technology but thinking about studying Engineering at university, it will be a valuable way to demonstrate their interest in the subject. The focus will be on developing advanced CAD skills and generating designs that can be 3D printed to allow rapid prototyping to inform the design process.