HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BEIJING
Curriculum Newsletter - Term 1 August 2013
Year 13
The information given in this document is to give a brief outline of the nature of the work being carried in out in classes this term. If you have
any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the department concerned or the Director of Studies, Alasdair MacRae.
Subject
(inc. exam board / spec)
Time/ Dates
Topic/Area of Study
Assessments
GCE
From August to June 2013
Component 3
At A2 students begin by developing
their own interests and individual
concept and complete a Personal
Investigation, which shows a student’s
creative, artistic analysis of a concept
into a Portfolio of work for
assessment.
There will be a continual
assessment of observational
drawing techniques, use of
skills in materials, media and
processes and an evaluation
of critical contextual studies
as the student progresses.
This will take place during
one to one tutorials and will
also include peer and selfassessments.
Art and Design
(CIE)
This includes a separate written work
journal of maximum 3500 words
called a Personal study.
Students will develop their own special
skills and techniques and manipulate
materials while analyzing and
investigating a number of historical,
contemporary and local artists.
Students will need to present this into a
coherent outcome and in so doing
communicate their personal
investigative intentions.
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Other information
Homework will support the
coursework portfolio and
may be in the form of
research or practical work.
Component 3 Coursework is
30% of final A level mark
and Component 4 Personal
Study is 20% of final A
level mark
Throughout the course there Component 4 Personal
will be a continual emphasis Study is 20% of final A
on a clear understanding of level mark
the Assessment Objectives
set by the Examination
Board, which each count
25% of the final A-level
mark.
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BEIJING
Subject
(inc. exam board / spec)
Time/ Dates
Topic/Area of Study
Assessments
Other information
GCE
SPO
SPO
Biology
1. Until Mid-September
2. October
3. November - December
1. Global warming
2. Species and Evolution
3. Ecosystems; Photosynthesis
Class tests at the end of each
topic section, using past A2
questions
Field trip 9th – 10th
September
CWA
CWA
4. Until Mid-September
5. October
6. November - December
4. Muscles and movement
5. Health, exercise and sport
6. Cellular respiration
GCE
Unit 3
Unit 3
Business Studies
1. 4 weeks
2. 8 weeks
1. International Trade and
Protectionism
2. The growing economic power of
China versus India
Unit 4
Unit 4
1.
2.
3.
4.
1. Objectives in Business
2. Corporate Culture and strategy
3. Decision Making Model
4. Decision Making Techniques
(Edexcel)
(Edexcel)
1 week
2 weeks
2-3 weeks
6 weeks
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Regular homework tasks
Lab reports



Topic tests
Homework
Group Work
Biology drop in support
sessions run on Tuesday
lunchtimes for any student
needing additional help
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BEIJING
Subject
(inc. exam board / spec)
Time/ Dates
Topic/Area of Study
Assessments
Other information
GCE
ABY
ABY
1. September
2. October
3. November/December
1. Rates of reaction
2. Entropy
3. Equilibrium
Class tests at the end of each
topic section, using past
IGCSE questions
Chemistry drop in support
sessions run on Wednesday
lunchtimes for any student
needing additional help
Chemistry
(Edexcel)
Regular homework tasks
Lab reports
GCE
SSC
SSC
4. Until early October
5. October
6. November-December
4. Optical isomers and C=O groups
5. NMR & Mass Spectroscopy
6. pH Ka Kw
From August to December
In this unit pupils will work towards
devising a play for the Unit 3 exam
Unit 3
Unit 3
Drama & Theatre
Studies
Extended research and
review project due at the end
of term
Pupil will be assessed on
their quality of research and
ability to apply this to a
original piece of theater.
(Edexcel)
GCE
Economics
1. 4 weeks
2. 8 weeks
(Edexcel)
Perfect Competition
Monopoly, Monopolostic
Competition and Oligopolies
Unit 4
Unit 4
1.
2.
3.
4.
1. Theory of the Firm Intro
2. Market Structures:
3 weeks
6 weeks
2 weeks
1 week
1.
2.
3.
4.
Globalisation
Trade and Protectionism
Balance of payments
Exchange Rates
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


Topic tests
Homework
Group Work
A2 Text book will be
needed to further understand
the expectations of A2
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BEIJING
Subject
(inc. exam board / spec)
Time/ Dates
GCE
English Literature
(Edexcel)
1. 2 weeks
2. 10 weeks
3. 2 weeks
1. 4 weeks
2. 10 weeks
3. 3 weeks
Topic/Area of Study
Unit 3 Work
1. Introduction to Prose Study
Preparatory reading and study of prose
features
2. Set Text 1:
Study of texts with the theme of
identity: Charles Dickens’ Great
Expectations
3. Set Text 2:
Second novel study: Kate Atkinson’s
Behind the Scenes in the Museum –
part of the comparative study of texts
with the theme of Identity.
Unit 4 Work
1. Introduction to Coursework Topic –
disobedience, dissent and rebellion in
literature
Study of Milton’s Paradise Lost,
Wertenberger’s Our Country’s Good,
Sophocles Antigone
2. Reflections in Literary Studies
Students propose, research and write
literary investigations into their chosen
topic or literary genre
3. Unseen Poetry Exam Skills for Unit
3
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Assessments
Various reading, speaking
and writing tasks set by the
class teacher/ Examination
style essays
Coursework – 40% A2
3000 word essay on
students’ own choice of texts
and topic – drafting
Examination practice plans
and essays
Other information
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BEIJING
Subject
(inc. exam board / spec)
Time/ Dates
Topic/Area of Study
Assessments
Other information
GCE
From August to December
Revision of key grammar from AS
Level.
Topics covered this term include:
Connections between history, the arts
and literature, key periods, events and
iconic figures of the 20th century;
using context to understand or explain,
discussing different French towns.
Systematic written and
spoken assessments for each
unit covered.
Year 13 is team taught by
IHE and DVI.
The topics and skills here
mentioned are covered
alternately by each teacher.
Unit 3
Exam questions in class.
French
(Edexcel)
GCE
Geography
(Edexcel)
From August to December





Contested Planet.
Energy Security
Water Conflicts
Biodiversity under threat
Bridging the development gap.
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Speaking and debating
practice in preparation for
the A2 oral exam and
assessment on this skill.
This Course is taught and
assessed by two teachers.
Each teacher is responsible
for delivering different core
units.
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BEIJING
Subject
(inc. exam board / spec)
Time/ Dates
GCE
History
(Edexcel)
1. Until 12-Sept
2. Until half-term
3. Until the end of term
4. Until 22-Sept
5. Until half term
6. Until end of term
GCE
Mathematics
(Edexcel)
- C3, C4 and starting M1
Hours – approximately
1 – 3: 20 hours
4 – 6: 16 hours
7 – 9: 16 hours
Topic/Area of Study
Assessments
With EBE
focus on Key Questions 1, 2 and 3 of
Unit 3 – Option C2 – The United
States, 1917-54: Boom, Bust and
Recovery
1. What were the reasons for and the
extent of the prosperity of the
1920s?
2. What was the cause of the social
and political tension in the 1920s?
3. Why did the United States suffer
such a serious depression in the
years 1929-33?
Progress Grades 1:
Take home essay – How far
was the boom of the ‘20s
economically and socially
beneficial?
With BSA
focus on the course work element of
Making of Modern China
4. What was the significance of
Wuchang?
5. What was the significance of the
GMD/CCP?
6. What was the significance of the
PRC?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Partial Fractions
Further integration
Binomial expansions
Further differentiation
Further Co-ordinate geometry
Differential equations
Vectors
Kinematics of a particle moving in
a straight line (M1)
9. Vectors for Mechanics
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Other information
Progress Grades 2: Class
presentations on social and
political intolerance
Progress Grades 2: In class
exam: How far was the
actions of Hoover the main
reason for the extent of the
depression?
In addition
Coursework paragraphs
typed in an ongoing
schedule – progress grades
will be based on these
responses.
Via HW exercises,
Mathsnetalevel and regular
common assessments
Exercises are from
Advanced Maths A2 Core
for Edexcel teachers own
resources.
The number of hours given
are for guideline purposes;
there may be fluctuations.
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BEIJING
Subject
(inc. exam board / spec)
Time/ Dates
Topic/Area of Study
Assessments
Other information
GCE
Hours – approximately
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Via HW exercises,
Mathsnetalevel and regular
common assessments
Exercises are from
Advanced Maths A2 Core
for Edexcel teachers own
resources.
Further
Mathematics
(Edexcel)
- FP2, FP3 and starting S3
GCE
Mandarin
1 – 3: 11 hours
4 – 6: 16 hours
7 – 9: 24 hours
Approximately 3 weeks per
topic
(Edexcel)
GCE
Music
(Edexcel)
From August to December
Further inequalities (FP2)
Hyperbolic Functions (FP3)
Further Series (FP2)
Further Co-ordinate systems (FP3)
Further Complex numbers (FP2)
Further differentiation (FP3)
Combinations of random variables
& sampling (S3)
8. Confidence Intervals and tests (S3)
9. Goodness of fit and contingency
tables (S3)
 Food, diet and health;
 Transport, travel and tourism;
 Education and employment;
 Leisure, youth interests and
Chinese festivals



The number of hours given
are for guideline purposes;
there may be fluctuations.
Formative assessment
Presentations;
Quality of work;
Homework;
Weekly vocabulary test
Unit test
End of term test
Pupils will analyse five of the set 
works from the Anthology.
They will develop the skills to
successfully complete the technical
study and they will be expected to
complete the research and first 
draft of their composition from a
brief set by the exam board.
They will prepare and rehearse
their recital to be performed and
recorded in front of an audience 
early in the next term.
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Pupils will receive
regular and detailed
feedback about their
compositions and
performances.
They will complete a
listening and
understanding
assessment based on the
set works studied.
Additionally, their
recital will be recorded
and assessed.
Website recommended:
http://www.nciku.com/
http://www.chinese.cn/
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BEIJING
Subject
(inc. exam board / spec)
Time/ Dates
Topic/Area of Study
Assessments
Other information
GCE
1. Until end October
With AKA
2. November – December
1. Fields: electric fields, capacitors,
magnetic fields, induction
2. Oscillations: SHM, resonance,
damping
Class tests at the end of each
topic section, using past
IGCSE questions
Physics drop in support
sessions run on Thursday
lunchtimes for any student
needing additional help
Physics
(Edexcel)
With BJU
1. Mechanics: momentum & circular
motion
2. Thermal: SHC, ideal gases
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Regular homework tasks
Lab reports
Extended research and
review project due at the end
of term