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Original poster

limiting state school and college students to 3 A levels

61 replies

GnomeDePlume · 25/06/2012 21:23

Apologies if this has already been done to death.

I saw the following article in Saturday's Telegraph:

www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9349428/State-school-pupils-restricted-to-three-A-levels-under-funding-change.html

My suspician is that it is a bit of disinformation being put out there so that whatever is actually done doesnt seem so bad (sorry is my cynicism showing?).

If that is the case, what is the 'something' which is really being considered? I guess that there will be changes once everyone has to stay in some sort of education/training. If nothing else will some sort of restriction be brought in to keep costs down?

Isnt having some breadth in the 16-18 education a good thing?

OP posts:
OhDearConfused · 26/06/2012 09:31

And if it wasn't kite flying, I assume the Lib part of the ConDem coalition will fight this one - like the o levels rubbish - but you never know...

rabbitstew · 26/06/2012 09:17

I mean, let's face it, it's not just welfare "scroungers" this government hates - it's anyone who actually takes up a service offered by the state. Using state services requires people to pay tax and tax is bad for business.

rabbitstew · 26/06/2012 09:09

It's all part of a grand plan to make tax payer funded state education a bare minimum service - the least you can possibly provide and still have people coming out of the other end employable in low to middle level jobs. Part of a mentality that you should not rely on state education if you can afford anything better and it is your moral duty to spend your money on private school fees, not higher tax.

wordfactory · 26/06/2012 08:54

That's kinda what I'm thinking.

If both candidates have three sciences, then the one with a good AS level in MFL or English might look more rounded and have the slight edge.

Original poster
GnomeDePlume · 26/06/2012 08:33

Interesting point wordfactory, for someone heading towards a science degree they need to have maths A level plus 2 sciences. What space then for a MFL to allow that student to consider an exchange year?

The only students then able to consider the extra courses will be the ones who can afford to pay for them - unless of course that is all part of the cunning plan. Schools funded for 3 A levels, bank of mum and dad pays for anything on top.

OP posts:
wordfactory · 26/06/2012 07:42

In theory, I think three solid A levels are better than four with worse marks.

Same goes for GCSEs. Cynical schools allowing/insisting some pupils it 12 or 13. Bloody ridiculous.

However, with reagrd to A levels, we would need to be careful, that pupils allowed to take four (and drop one) don't somehow have the edge. Seen, as haiving a broader base. For example if you had two applicants with the same grades in the same three subjects, would you be more interested in the one with, say, an additional language, to AS level?

Original poster
GnomeDePlume · 26/06/2012 07:37

I agree that it is almost certainly kite flying but I would like to know what lies behind it.

The problem is that if it is a funding issue then it may mean that students are prevented from even starting 4 courses. Only being allowed to start 3 would be very restrictive and would prevent many students from carrying on with that 'extra' subject (eg an MFL, humanity) which gives the student that bit of extra breadth.

OP posts:
DiscoDaisy · 26/06/2012 05:47

The college my DD is attending in September encourages children to choose 4 A levels with the view of dropping one after the first year. This is to give the children the chance to get out of a subject if it turns out that it isn't quite what they thought it would be or if they are struggling but they will still end up with 3 A levels iyswim.

lilbreeze · 26/06/2012 05:35

I haven't read the article but it's not the worst idea I've heard. Better to have 3 good a-levels than 4 or more mediocre ones. Currently some schools do seem to encourage pupils to take more, presumably with the aim of boosting their league table position by increasing average points per student.

Having said that, it seems unfair to have different rules for state /private schools and would.potentially disadvantage the most able state pupils who might be aiming for oxbridge etc.

sashh · 26/06/2012 05:23

How many students actually do 4 full A Levels?

TalkinPeace2 · 25/06/2012 21:34

Gove is Kite flying again.

FFS
Let the changes already announced settle in before messing about even more

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