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How does the AS/A2 subject pattern affect me? |
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In two main ways.
The first is that you take AS exams at the end of lower sixth.
These are public exams which will affect your final A-level grade,
which means an end to any temptation to take things easy during the
first year - these exams count!
The second point is that you are likely to be taking 4 subjects in
lower sixth, one of which you will drop at the end of the year in
order to concentrate on the 3 A2 courses for your final year.
Thus you have four subjects to choose instead of three.
Many students find this welcome, giving a chance to broaden their
programme or try new subjects out. Some students choose subjects
which inter-relate, others use the opportunity to pick a subject
area which contrasts with their main area of interest.
As you do not have to decide until much later which three to carry
on to A2, and because you will drop one of the first-year subjects,
the new pattern gives you more flexibility than the old A-level pattern allowed.
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Are there restrictions on subject combinations? |
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You need to look ahead towards university applications. You
may be at a disadvantage applying for ‘academic’ degrees if,
by choosing subjects which overlap significantly, you are
felt to be undertaking a less challenging programme (eg one
centered on too narrow a front such as Business Studies, Economics
and Accounts), or if you opt for more than one ‘less academic’
subject at A2 stage (eg by taking both Photography and Art.)
A final word of warning: we operate a maximum group size of
eight. Once we have reached eight we cannot allow more students
to choose the option concerned. First come, first served.
In general this is only a problem for students who join us
very late.
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How many subjects should I take? |
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Most universities have a distinct preference for applicants offering
three A levels, which means you need to take a minimum of 3 AS subjects
followed by 3 A2 exams in those subjects. Because many applicants will be
offering a fourth subject, at AS level only, this is what
the top universities will require - if you are not taking a fourth subject
they will think that you have been struggling academically (this does
not apply to one-year courses which are tough enough anyway!).
However, if you do not do reasonably well at GCSE, you may be better off
sticking to three AS. Talk to your school about this, but if you are
undecided it is probably better to start off with four; it is easier to
drop from four to three than it is to pick up an extra subject part-way
through.
Is there any advantage in taking a fifth AS (which you would do in the
upper sixth)? In general the answer is ‘No’, particularly given the high
work load. We will only allow a fifth AS if the student had done very
well in lower sixth.
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Should I take a one-year or two-year course? |
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Most students reading this booklet will be in their final GCSE year
and making plans for two years inthe sixth form. However, it is possible
for students with good post-GCSE experience to take A levels in one year.
During the first part of a two-year course we place a strong emphasis on
helping students develop sixth-form work habits and ways of thinking.
This leads on naturally to the AS exam which is designed for students
half-way through a two-year course. During the second year we aim to
finish A2 syllabus coverage well before exam time.
On one-year courses we push ahead at full speed right from the start,
reaching AS standard by the end of the first term, and we generally do not
finish the syllabus until just before the summer exams start. This
is effective only if the student has A-level study skills before the
course starts.
One-year courses suit students who have already completed one or more
years of A level, or who have graduated with top grades from a high
school system abroad. They are not a good option for the student who has
just finished GCSE!
Students have to take AS and A2 in three subjects
during the year. Because AS involves 3 units and A2 does as well, most
subjects will involve taking 6 exams. Three A-levels in one year will
thus involve 18 exams!
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Will my GCSE results affect my subject choice? |
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Yes, in that they provide an important guide to how well you are likely
to cope with particular subjects, and they may influence the number of AS
levels it is sensible to take on. 4 AS levels is a major challenge if all
your GCSE grades are Cs!
The subject outlines explain the sort of GCSE background you will need. For
most subjects you should have reached a particular level of skills and/or
knowledge to succeed in the sixth form; for instance, you are likely to find
Maths and French A levels very challenging if you have not been achieving at
A or B grade standard in the fifth form.
Your GCSE performance can also affect the general pattern of your course.
If you miss getting a C grade or better in English or Maths we will urge you
to resit during the lower sixth to ensure that you do not undermine your
prospects later.
There may be a case for resitting other GCSEs as well, depending upon your
overall performance and your future plans. One reason we need to know your
GCSE results as soon as you receive them is to sort out whether you may need
to retake; the other is to resolve any rethinking of your A-level choices
which may be necessary.
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What if I want to change a subject? |
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Although we appreciate knowing your subject preferences as early as
possible (it helps with planning), you do not have to finalise your choices
until the end of August. We will do all we can to help you with
changing subjects after that, but it may be that the constraints of the
timetable restrict your options for a new subject.
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What about Key Skills? |
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Key Skills are abilities which everyone ought to have to make a good
university student and to be effective in 21st century work and life.
We believe that our sixth-form programme should enable each student to
develop Key Skills. Although AS and A2 syllabuses concentrate on the
demands of the subject concerned, many of them also allow for the opportunity
to build particular Key Skills, and we make use of those opportunities.
All lower-sixth students are also expected to take part in the CCSS Enrichment
Programme. This takes up an average of three hours a week, and covers a wide
variety of important work, ranging from Study Skills and Career Choice, through
to IT, Problem Solving, Thinking Skills and Personal Development Issues. The
Programme also includes a requirement to take part in extra-curricular
opportunities chosen from sport, clubs and the Option Courses described in the
main CCSS prospectus.
Although the Enrichment Programme itself is not examined, it provides an
excellent foundation for those students who choose to take the Critical
Thinking AS level.
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