Are all schools encouraging four A levels to start with?

[EachandEveryone]

I thought they had stopped that.

My niece has just got four C's at the half way mark and is gutted. I cant help feeling that if she'd had three to concentrate on she wouldve done better.

Her sister has been told to choose four to start in September. My friends children in London have only ever done three from the beginning. The school is insisting niece picks four. Is that because of the new system.

As well as the 4 A Levels DS may be taking, they have also already taken General Studies AS level and will also take Extended Project. I do think this is excessive.

To be honest I don’t understand why schools put students in for general studies - though cynically I do wonder if it’s to increase the schools own stats.

Local comp recommends three but local grammar school insists or encourages everyone to start with four. Comp says that to do four you have no time left for other worthwhile activities and universities don't require four.

State comprehensive with one of the best 6th form results in the country say 3 A levels. 4 or 3 plus EPQ only for the very very top students, at least straight 8’s and then only if they want to

Our school does three with the optional EPQ for those students who want to. The only students who do four are those who opt to do their home language (we don't teach them it, just put them in for the exam).

dd's school is three or three plus EPQ or four but only if two options are maths & further maths.

DS is four, he is about to begin year 13, the four opened him up to a subject that he would not of took if confined to 3 and the subject he now want to take at university. Plus he now has an AS level in the subject he is dropping . Some of his friends at different sixth forms are trying to sort out next year as they are only doing well in 2 out of 3 A levels.

DS is four, he is about to begin year 13
Wow, he's very advanced for his age!

(don't worry, I realise you mean 4 subjects, but your post made me smile).

Even when I was at school we started off studying for four, allowed to drop one if we wanted.

Don't worry about your niece getting Cs at halfway point, the school will mark hard so the pupils work harder.