At Godalming, the Biology department is incredible, through the last 2 years the amount of support and encouragement I’ve received has been so helpful. I didn’t know what I wanted to do after College, but while learning about immunology and gene technologies, I realised that studying pharmacology at uni would be a perfect fit.
When choosing the courses to take at College I took into account how exams aren't my strong suit and I would be more successful at doing a BTEC subject.
I chose this course because I wanted to develop my skills across all different dance styles and was excited to study a course which I was passionate about.
In A level PE I have tested my physical and mental fitness in lessons to understand the theory behind it to a greater degree, as well as taking part in group tasks against other class members.
Overall, I believe the knowledge gained in this A level is essential for everyone to know due to the appreciation and understanding of your actions it gives - even if you aren’t planning to have a career in Environmental Science.
The department has been excellent throughout my study with offering help sessions, providing accessible resources (with topic booklets) and preparing us for exams with practice ‘benchmarks’ regularly. In my first year, outside of the course, I had the opportunity to do the understanding addiction enrichment course which has expanded my understanding of a complex issue and further illustrates the departments specialties.
Sociology is a brilliant subject to choose, throughout your two year course there is a wide array of subjects covered from family, education as well as Crime and Stratification. The teachers for this course are very helpful and always willing to provide sufficient support whenever it is asked.
I knew from the outset that Psychology was going to be the course that would be completely unique to me, especially as there were various overlaps between my two other subjects, and that’s what initially drew me to the subject – there’s nothing else like it! There have been various parts of the course which I have been able to relate to my own life experiences, and that’s exactly why I find the lessons so intriguing.
The environment created within Classaction is totally professional, and as a student you are expected to bring a certain level of professionalism with you, which makes the work you create that much more meaningful. The help I received with my audition material for drama school was outstanding, and it allowed me to get a place at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
History of Art has also synthesised beautifully with my other subjects: History and English Literature. Having a background knowledge of historical periods from an artistic perspective has allowed me to have a greater insight into the topics I study in both subjects. For example, I am able to link my knowledge of the Expressionist art movement to a play I study in my literature class, ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. The course has similarly inspired the topic of my EPQ, which discussed the repatriation of historical artefacts. The initial inspiration of this debate stemmed from a piece studied as part of the first-year content in History of Art - the Benin Bronzes.
I can’t recommend film studies enough, I have loved my two years studying this course and am going on to study film at a highly regarded university, which only reflects the quality of this subject and its impact on me. I have found A Level Film Studies to be a great foundation for learning about the history of cinema and the work that goes into a film, and great preparation for when I come to make my own films.
The teachers are incredible as they have so much passion for their subject and genuinely dedicate so much time to every student and the relationship with them feels entirely different to school as you are treated like adults. Whilst the social aspect in the department is also really special as you’re constantly working and collaborating with different people, so you do all bond very quickly. Despite there being a lot of students at College, I find as soon as you go into the department you know everyone and as cringy as it sounds, it does just feel like a big family. I’m now approaching the end of my time at College, and I do just wish I could stay one more year as the whole experience has gone way too quickly.
Starting College I wanted to take Dance BTEC because I wanted to learn multiple different styles of Dance, so that I would later be prepared to take the next step of my Dance career.
English Language has helped me in ways I wouldn’t have expected - not only has it helped me with my writing and analysis skills in my other subjects, but the linguistic aspects ended up helping me with university interviews
and into parts of my future study in terms of language learning.
I definitely recommend physics at Godalming College as it has convinced me to apply for engineering at university, from the wonderful support system that Godalming has to offer to the enrichment programme.
Wiktor studies two BTEC subjects and an A Level and have benefitted from a lot of support ranging from tutor help, to drop in workshops, and excellent teacher feedback.
I chose the BTEC in Travel and Tourism because I always knew that it was an industry that I wanted to work in but I was unsure about what role I would take.
PE has always been Toby's favourite subject and it combines well with Biology and Psychology A Levels.
BTEC Applied Science has helped Zethu understand how modern-day science works and how it is implemented in other industries, and the teacher's guidance has been invaluable in helping achieve academic goals.
Twins Annelieze and Arielle have the same career ambitions but have taken different A Level courses. The describe their experience of the Physics course and how they have been supported through their time at College.
I have always been fascinated by pattern, texture and material and love experimenting with different surfaces and media. The textiles course has allowed me to learn a wide variety of new techniques and then focus on the ones I’ve particularly enjoyed. I’ve been given the opportunity to explore a selection of different artists work as well as developing my own personal style.
The syllabus at A level covers a range of topics from lots of different disciplines: from the role of Catholicism to Frida Kahlo, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed tackling current and diverse topics, forming my own opinion on real world issues from across Spain and Latin America. Our classes are often interactive with group tasks that get everyone working together which are fun; these focus on building our reading, writing, listening and translation skills.
Textiles is a lot of hard work but it is so rewarding when you can step back and finally see your work mounted on the wall and think 'I made that!', it's a very cool feeling.
What I love most about the course is that it is very coursework heavy, this reduces the pressure when it comes up to the final exam. 60% of the course is made up performance and composition. This gives me lots of performance opportunities and time to improve on my piano playing. We also have lots of time throughout the year to compose which has prepared me well for university next year.
Godalming College not only supplies the resources and space to do just this, but provides rich expertise and feedback from teachers across all the departments. The scope of an art A-level creates opportunity for exploration into numerous subject areas, from architecture to textiles, digital art to sculpture and as a result, is a subject I believe relevant to any interest or career path.
Graphic design isn’t about being excellent at drawing, for example, but instead about having a passion to express yourself creatively. Graphics allows you the freedom to create in whatever medium you choose.
I’m currently studying photography at Godalming College, I initially chose it as an extra subject but ended up falling in love with it. Photography allows me to express my creative mind and gives me freedom within expression.
I have found both history and politics to be really engaging subjects that covers a variety of fascinating topics. In politics there is always good discussion around contemporary events and how they relate to our course and the wider world and also around the core ideologies and their implications for our current society. My favourite topics are UK political parties and looking at socialism.
Geography is an incredibly broad subject spanning a wide range of topics from those on the human side such as Global Systems and Global Governance, to Coasts and Hazards on the physical side. One of my favourite topics to study was Hazards since I’m particularly interested in how the human and physical sides of Geography are interconnected and how they interact with each other.
What I love about the German course is the wide variety of subjects that it touches on- there are always parallels between my other A-levels and times when I can draw upon existing knowledge. Studying A Level German has helped me to improve both my German language skills and knowledge of German culture, society and its history.
Jess Franklin chose creative A levels which have led her to have a great experience in of College. She shares her thoughts here.
Abdulai Yusuf shares his experience and thoughts about College and how his Maths skills has helped him to create music.
Matthew shares his experience of Geography A Level at Godalming College and his exciting news about where he is going to university.
Henry explains how Music Technology has extended one of his hobbies into an academic study and a creative challenge.
Ellie Smith feels that the History and Politics are great subjects to study together. She tells us about her experience of these A Level subjects at Godalming College.
Kayanna Moutarde explains her experience of the Hospitality and Event Management course at Godalming College and how the BTEC has allowed her to showcase skills.
By studying Art at A-Level, I have gained a further understanding of creative design and an awareness of the use of light, colour, shade, and texture. In addition to this, studying Graphic Design alongside Art taught me how to use a range of computer programmes such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Studying Fine Art enabled me to experiment using a variety of different mediums and styles within my work, including pointillism, collaging, linocuts, and printing. For my final project, I gained inspiration from the works of Pablo Jurado Ruiz and Debbie Smyth and created two triptychs – one being drawings of my younger sister in pointillism, and the second, three street scenes from Bordeaux, using the same pin and thread technique as Debbie Smyth but on a much smaller scale.
Studying textiles at Godalming has been an amazing experience. Georgie and Vicky the tutors are really helpful and come up with really exciting and creative suggestions for your work. I’ve always loved textiles, when studying at GCSE I really enjoyed experimenting with different techniques and fabrics to see what I come up with
James Casemore was one of our students who worked exceptionally hard during his time with us, graduating from Godalming College in 2020 he went on to study at one of the most prestigious universities in America, Yale University. When chatting with James he expressed how his A-Levels, in particular Philosophy, had prepared him for university.