• Purpose-built classrooms with plenty of resources such as text books and revision aids.
• Students have had the opportunity to work in small groups with entrepreneur Kirsty Henshaw of Dragon’s Den fame- and she’s coming back for more!
• 2010 Saw our best ever AS level results, with A-B, A-C and A-E grades all well above the national average.
• All subject handouts, examination papers and marking schemes are available on a specially designed student intranet.
• There is plenty of support available to Business Studies students at Loreto College, including informal lunchtime support sessions, regular revision classes and Supplementary Business classes.
• Many students continue onto A2 and enjoy excellent exam success.
• Last year, students continued their Business Studies to degree level at several prestigious institutions, including the University of Manchester.

 Loreto’s art and design department benefits from a new purpose built art centre with cutting edge technology and industry standard Apple Mac computers with the latest software.

The art and design studio benefits from daylight lighting.

Within the whole of the art and design department specialist staff teach the relevant disciplines. All staff are very experienced and enthusiastic about the subject.

The results are excellent with 100% pass rate in AS and A2 in 2007.

The art and design students have access to an extensive selection of books and journals. This is regularly updated and all books are available for loan. 

 The subject is very popular and this is reflected in student comments:

‘it’s a really enjoyable subject’

‘good to build up skills, lot of support and enjoyable’

 The department possesses a wealth of teaching experience which can be handed on to students.

The department also includes previous AQA examiners.

It has achieved grade 1s at each inspection.

The department prides itself on providing an innovative way to teach the subject including the use of up to date technology.

The subject is very popular with students and most will take it further onto the A2 and some onto degree level.  This has been reflected in many of the comments made at the close of the course:

‘I have enjoyed my first year at Loreto, especially Sociology, and will be carrying it on at A2. I am looking forward to next year.’

‘Sociology is an interesting course, I enjoyed it. Also different teaching methods were used which made it easier to learn.’

‘The course is excellent.’

‘The AS was brilliant.  Staff are helpful and know how to teach the course.’

The range of experience of the teachers in the Psychology department is wide and varied, making for excellent teaching and a positive learning experience for the students.

The learning environment is supportive, challenging and stimulating, with excellent resources. There are opportunities for relevant course trips, conferences and outside speakers. 

Comments from past students who have studied Psychology include:

“Psychology is a lot of work; there are lots of tests, but it is worth it when it comes to revision” 

 and

“Psychology was brilliant and interesting.” 

• Physics at Loreto is taught by very experienced and highly qualified A level teachers in modern, well equipped laboratories.
• Students studying Physics at AS/A2 have many opportunities to visit universities, attend Masterclasses and other lectures, and take part in a variety of visits and activities relating to Physics, Engineering and Medical related fields. 
• Students can also take part in various competitions relating to Physics, Engineering and Medicine, including participation in the Rolls Royce award involving a Science communication project and the STEM Engineering/Technology Challenge.
• It is also possible to be involved in a mentoring programme, in which an industrial scientist, university graduate or postgraduate act as mentors to our students.  The College also takes part in the Nuffield Bursary scheme, in which students have the opportunity to undertake some real scientific research during the summer vacation at the end of their AS year. They then have the opportunity to present their findings at university and possibly to the British Association in London. 
• Work experience has also been arranged for some students in the areas of engineering and medical related employment.  A careers convention, “A Physical Affair”, was recently arranged by the Department and held at Loreto. 40 representatives from careers in the Physical Sciences in Industry or University attended the event and students had the opportunity to hear the representatives’ experiences of working in these areas and were able to ask questions and receive information on the wide variety of careers represented.
• Comments from previous students have described the teaching as ‘excellent and really interesting’, and the subject as ‘enjoyable though challenging’ and ‘very interesting and thought provoking’. Several students, who have come to Loreto with very fixed ideas about their future careers have changed their minds during the course because they have enjoyed the challenge of the subject and gone on to study Physics or Engineering at university. In recent years several students from the department have gone onto Oxford and Cambridge to continue their studies in Natural Sciences, Physics or Engineering.

• The department has six dedicated Sport Studies classrooms, four of which are ICT suite’s, incorporating computers and teaching space. The Sports department also has a fitness laboratory which is used to support the delivery of some of the applied physiology concepts of the course. All PE classrooms have interactive whiteboards. We also make extensive use of the college’s playing fields, sports hall. The practical aspects of the course mean that we make use of video capture and analyse sports skills through use of ‘dartfish’ software.
• The College has a nationwide reputation for its delivery methods for AS Physical Education. Members of staff within the department are examiners and one member of staff is a senior examiner for the examination board. This means that the level of information that you receive is exactly what is required to do well in theexam; no more and no less than is necessary.
• We invariably get outstanding results. The average pass rate for AS Physical Education over the last five years is well over 90% The National average for the same period has been 86%. The proportion of higher grades has been above 40%, while the national average has been 30%.
• We teach AS Physical Education from a practical perspective. Some of the lesson time will be spent in the sports hall or in the fitness suite, testing yourself, learning skills and the theory that underpins the subject.

Photography has a spacious, well-equipped Apple Mac suite and black and white darkroom facilities, as well as a range of photographic equipment, such as Digital SLR cameras, which are available for loan. The photography tutors have subject specific qualifications and continue to practice.  This enables them to keep up to date with developments in the subject area.

Students are encouraged to use the facilities in the studio and darkroom at any time during their free periods.

The photography students have access to an extensive selection of books and journals, which are regularly updated. 

The subject is very popular and this is reflected in student comments;

“It allows you to be flexible with your creativity and express your own ideas”

“It’s enjoyable but also challenging. It’s a chance to be creative and use new skills”

“It’s a fun practical lesson to do and you do a lot of independent work”