Academic/Subject Departments

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking students use their research skills to teach other students

Critical Thinking is an exciting new addition to the Sixth Form curriculum and has provoked a great deal of interest from our students. The courses we offer give students opportunities to improve many important skills that are useful in work situations, relationships and academic study.

A ten-week course in Critical Thinking is offered to Year 12 students as part of their Enrichment Studies. Lessons cover Credibility of Evidence, Assessing and Developing Arguments and Recognising Flaws in Arguments.

Perhaps the most successful aspect of the course is the way it has encouraged students to carry out independent learning in their own time. Nearly every lesson a student brings in a newspaper/magazine article or internet resource linked to the topics covered.

The Critical Thinking approach is excellent preparation for University as it requires students to challenge the thoroughness of research, as well as identifying bias and expertise.

Year 13 students have the option to take AS-level Critical Thinking in addition to AS-level General Studies. This course is also proving popular as it is an opportunity to look in greater depth at the bias found in advertising, the media and in political rhetoric. Students are encouraged to engage with a wide variety of argumentative styles which helps them to both evaluate the views of others, as well as to express their own arguments in a more sophisticated, succinct manner.