Philosophy A Level

NEW Applications for September 2027

Applications Open - Monday 2nd November 2026

Applications Close - Monday 5th April 2026 at 5pm

Entry Requirements - A minimum of six separately identifiable GCSE subjects at grade 6 or above OR an average of grade 6 in the best six GCSE subjects achieved

At least a grade 5 in both English and Mathematics For most subjects at A Level, a grade 6 in the subject at GCSE is required. However, for A Level Mathematics a grade 7 is required, and for Further Mathematics a grade 8 is necessary

How to Apply - Applications can be made through Kent Choices

Please contact us directly if you have any questions - contact sixthformrecruitment@nks.kent.sch.uk

Open Evening

Thursday 14th January 2027: 6pm - 8pm

Presentations at 6:30pm & 7:30pm

No booking necessary.

Open Mornings - Please visit our school website to book a slot for the open mornings www.nks.kent.sch.uk

Thursday 19th November 2026 9am - 12pm

Thursday 10th December 2026 9am -12pm

Please visit our website for information on consultation meeting if you would like to visit the school and talk to a member of the Sixth Form Team - https://www.nks.kent.sch.uk/page/?title=Sixth+Form+Admissions&pid=33

Philosophy gives you the tools to explore fundamental questions about the human condition: What is the meaning of life? What does it mean to be morally good? What is love? Does God exist?

Over the course of the two years, you will be introduced to philosophical reasoning and argument and be shown how to apply this to your own experiences and real life scenarios. You will be introduced to a rigorous selection of philosophical arguments and concepts, which you will be encouraged to explore by constructing and deconstructing powerful arguments.

Over the two years we will cover four main areas of philosophy:

• Epistemology: you will explore the origins and limits of human knowledge. Can we truly ever know anything? Is all knowledge equal or is it our concept of knowledge flawed? Set texts include those written by Plato, Descartes and Hume.
• Moral Philosophy: you will apply ethical frameworks to scenarios such as stealing, simulated violence in video games and eating meat to debate the concepts of good an bad; right and wrong. You will study the work of philosophers such as Kant, Bentham and Aristotle.
• Metaphysics of God: your reading will lead you into enquiries regarding the nature of evil, the existence of God and religious language. You will study a range of theories such as Anslems ontological argument and Swinburne's design argument.
• Metaphysics of Mind: you will explore the nature of body and mind, considering where body and mind diverge and exploring concepts such as functionalism and dualism.

Paper 1: Epistemology and moral philosophy

Paper 2: The metaphysics of God and the metaphysics of mind

2 written examinations (100 marks in each paper), each 3 hours long

GCSE grade 6 in English.

Combines well with English, Law, Psychology, Politics, History and Sociology.