A level teaching hours per subject

[Hebiegebies]

Any idea how many hours a week a teenager gets taught per subject at A level? Interested in English, History and French especially

TIA

[scaryteacher]

When we went to look at sixth form for ds we were told 4.5 hours per subject per week, and his current school were quoting those kinds of figures as well. Doesn't really seem enough to me....

[sassytheFIRST]

English - 4.5 hours per week; suggested min 2 hours p/week homework, private study on top. It's about right imo. Was 4 hours p/week when I took mine way back yonder.

[Chubfuddler]

I'm pretty sure when I did my a levels we had three double periods of each subject per week, so just over six hours.

[Chubfuddler]

And I did those three subjects as it happens. Great combo.

[BrianButterfield]

At my school it's currently 10 hours a fortnight.

[angelpantser]

My DD is in Year 13. They have a fortnightly timetable (just to confuse me) and she is studying History, RE and Drama. I have just looked at her timetable and she has 29 hours taught over 2 weeks - 10 lessons each a fortnight in 2 subjects and 9 lessons a fortnight in the third.

So in Week 1 she has 5 hours of each subject and in week 2 she has 5 hours of 2 subjects and 4 hours of the third.

She is expected to do independent study in her "free" lessons and usually manages at least an hour in the library each day plus homework.

[QED]

I did Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry and had 17 out of 20 lessons one year and 18 out of 20 the next year I think. Each lesson was 1 hour 10 minutes. Must have had some amount of 4 or 5 lessons for each subject a week. So between 4 hours 40 and 5 hours 50 per week. Plus homework. Plus other people only did 3 A Levels so got to do their homework etc in free lessons at school (or sit around I suppose). Also did General Studies where I had to do 30 min a week in year 12 (as it was in an extended form period) but didn't do any in Year 13 as they made it a "proper" lesson and it was felt I was doing enough. Still got an A though which probably explains why General Studies isn't really a "proper" subject IMO.

[Hebiegebies]

Thank you, that's really helpful. My friend is considering a private school where it's 3 1/2 hours a week per subject and thought it wasn't very much. Seems she's right!

[Lizcat]

I did Maths, Chemistry and Biology had 4 hours group class and 1 hour individual tuition per weeks we were expected to 1 hour additional study (homework or private study) per subject per day including weekends.

[lazymum99]

DS2 at state 6th form college gets 4.5 hours for each AS subject. I assume when he drops from 4-3 subjects in his A2 year that this goes up.

[stephrick]

I suppose this sounds right, DD doing 5 A levels there from 9 till 3. But I think it's not enough, has dropped one cos too much.

[stephrick]

by the way so glad it's not all baby talk.

[thirdhill]

4.5 hours per week per subject, regardless of whether 3,4 or 5 AS/A2 subjects are chosen. Those taking 3 or 4 have time for more enrichment options. Enough for a good comp sixth form to deliver five A*s in the sciences/maths.

Would have thought that fee-paying schools with their much vaunted better behaviour and teaching could easily do that with 3.4 hours per subject? Why pay unless it buys an easier ride for the kids?

[Dustinthewind]

DS was told 4/5 hours of class time with a tutor, with that doubled by independent work and research. One of the reasons many students find A levels challenging is the level of personal responsibility for their own learning, unlike GCSEs.
Sets them up for uni too.

[goinggetstough]

thirdhill what do you mean by an easier ride? That sounds rather rude and condescending.... All sixth formers have to pass the same exams. One of my DCs did 5 A2s and the other 3A2s (5.5 hours teaching per week) both with masses of enrichment activities and responsibilities as normal in a sixth form. I would have described neither one as having an easy ride.... their academic school day starts at 8 and on some days finishes at 6 followed by prep or more activities.
We chose a fee paying school for many reasons but for an easy ride wasn't one of them!

[lazymum99]

Easy ride in the private sector? Thats a laugh. I've had kids in both sectors for 6th form and the independent sector is certainly not an easy ride. Thats a ridiculous comment to make.

[thirdhill]

Well we found it an easy ride. Horizons limited by experience and lack of resource shortages, for a start. Perhaps it's different for the independents yours go to, we only went for the very top ones. In the end, a good school is more than being charged fees.

A2 levels are easily attainable by mediocre kids who are coached very well, any teacher will tell you that. Mediocrity is soon apparent within a year of being at Oxbridge or similar places, even after seven years of intensive coaching from 8 to 6 and after. If you find the plain truth unpalatable, by all means label it as rude, condescending and ridiculous. Makes no difference to the outcomes.

By all means enjoy your warm feeling that the long hours yours put in were unique and made a big difference. It won't matter when they have to compete with the big world when they leave. Actually all kids do prep and enrichment at that age is best self-led.

[eatyourveg]

3.5 hours isn't very much but if the class is very small (some private schools can be less than 5) then you could do a lot more in that time than if it was a class of 20.