Is GCSE Photography more theory or hands on work?

I'm taking GCSE Photography and I just want to know if the course is more theory based or hands on based work. I would prefer it if it was more hands on. I'm getting a DSLR (Nikon D3100) regardless as I have wanted one for a while and have a passion for photography. Also, is there any accessories that you could recommend to me (within a reasonable budget for a 14 year old boy [>£25 per accessory]).

A bit of both from what I've seen in my friend's books.

OK I did gcse photography last year and I think it is a very practical hands on course. I can tell you what a typical class was like to give you an idea - it started with us sitting around a large table and showing the teacher the photos we had taken for our homework and she would pick a winner and other good ones. So you have to print out your photos eg in Boots where the staff are very helpful - ask them to show how to make sure your photos aren't cropped(that they don't have the edges chopped off). After looking at the photos in class she would teach us another function of our dslr cameras ie what the mysterious buttons are used for. Then maybe we would do a bit of photoshop. Other times she would get some models in and we would do a fashion shoot or dancers would come too. We would also have a few projects to do eg I did a baby point of view project. The entire thing was coursework - the closest thing to an exam was the final piece - you get a paper with about 10 suggestions on it - mostly mentioning well known photographers - I did a video for this I would buy a Pentax if I was you as Pentax lenses from the old film era will work with the digital ones and they are very cheap and also they will accept cheaper lens from other makers whereas Nikons only take Nikkor lenses. A less than 25 pound accessory would be a lotka paper sketchpad fro eg moonlit drive would be nice since you are meant to cut out photos you like and say why you like them.