Will these A-Levels be respected

[appol]

Neither my partner nor I are from the UK, we aren't very familiar with the British system and are feeling some what confused.
DSD is 15 turning 16, she's just done her GCSEs, I don't know how indicative of future success predicted grades are but she was predicted all 8 and 9.
For A-levels her school have everyone pick 4, from October onwards they can drop one if they like or continue.

DSD has selected

• Classical Civilisation
• English Literature
• History of Art
• Latin

Today I mentioned to someone I work with in conversation what she has chosen and she said that it screams "private school" and looks a bit soft. I'm not really sure what to make of that. She went on to say History or Philosophy will be better as they are real subjects and actually respected?

Is this true? Are DSDs subjects seen as soft?
She wants to do English & Classics at St Andrews as a joint honours, but will likely apply to Cambridge too - will this be detrimental.

What does "screams private school" really mean - she does go to private school but is it seen as a bad thing?

So it seems the general consensus is she is fine to continue with her choices.

I can see the benefit in keeping options open but DSD has been talking about studying classics and English for over 2 years now. DSD plays violin, is on a sports team etc. so her free time is spent studying for school pretty much in its entirety. DSD is keen for the subjects she is studying to be ones she loves so that doesn't feel like such a burden. She has found with GCSEs that it's been true for Latin, English and Classics, not so much for history mainly due to course content. She doesn't love sciences so no point doing that. She is very good at maths (top set at a very academically rigorous school where even the second set has some predicted 9s) and predicted 9 but has no interest in continuing it.

I wonder why my colleague felt the need to be horrible about them.
I didn't realise that some of the subjects aren't offered at state schools, that is interesting.

So @appol looks as tho you have found the same detail from Cambs uni as I did - and you see that her subjects are fine. History of art is not the same sort of thing as history at all - to suggest it's an easy swap is a bit like suggesting someone take geography A level instead of RE - they are both essay subjects after all!

If that's what she wants to do then best of luck to her. I've said this before but A levels will always narrow options - they have to. And I also agree with @ErrolTheDragon that adding chemistry or biology wouldn't really widen her options very much - and if she would get a C in maths vs an A in history of art then HofA is the badger.

DD did English Lit, History and Class Civil. Class Civ does not include a language, it is essentially history, literature and religion of the classical world. It's a really interesting course. DD applied to Oxford, got an interview, but no offer, and has just finished her History degree at Exeter. She is starting a Masters at Oxford in the Autumn.

She, like your daughter, was an all rounder, but zero interest in STEM. She is humanities through and through, and nothing wrong in that.

Your colleague was rude, but it is probably helpful for you to be aware of how niche that selection is - frankly, it looks like a great set of things to study and your DSD has a great opportunity to go with subjects she loves and is committed to. But yes, of those 4 a levels, Eng lit is the only one that would be offered in all schools. My grammar school didn’t offer any of the others. My kids state schools offered Latin up to gcse but many don’t. The large sixth form colleges near us offer some of those courses, but I had no idea history of art, or classical civilisations were actually a level options before your post. I would say anyone she meets would guess almost 100% that she took those choices at a private school.

I studied English, class Civ and Philosophy and theology for a level at a state school and that was a good combo. If there is any chance your child wants to study law after under grad the grades they get at a level are more important than the subjects (things have changed a bit since I did a GDL but it’s not true that a levels just cease to matter once you’ve a degree).

So if these subjects will be ok for the degree that your child hopes for, sounds like they will be from the thread, and they stand best chance of top marks, they sound ok. Only ? For me is history of art and how that is viewed by unis as an a level subject if she didn’t get onto the course she’s hoping for and has to do something less specialised.

would say anyone she meets would guess almost 100% that she took those choices at a private school.

Which matters because....? Most people you meet don't need to know what A levels you took! And on any course including Classics, there's bound to be a high number of privately educated kids.

And on any course including Classics, there's bound to be a high number of privately educated kids.

That's very very true. DD went on an offer day for class civ and it was combined with the classics offer day, so for ppl who had studied Latin or Greek at A level - from chatting to parents and DC it was evident that almost all of those there for classics went to private school. (DD took a different course in the end btw, tho not for that reason!)

I went to a grammar school back in the day and Latin and Greek were offered to A level - but when I mention I took Greek A level people are always somewhat more than surprised. Neither that or Latin is a commonly offered choice. I agree it won't matter to your DSD going forward. And in any case, she does go to private school, so if that's an issue (it isn't) it wil be an issue even if she takes biol, chem and maths.

And on any course including Classics, there's bound to be a high number of privately educated kids.

Yep, which means their entrance into Oxbridge is free of competition from state educated candidates. I know 3 private school kids who went to Cambridge to do classics and then , surprise! , changed to a far more competitive course v shortly after arriving!

As an MFL teacher and mum of bilingual children, I would advise your daughter to sit A level French as an extra A level. Check with school but I’ve always had bilingual children sit A level as an extra subject. They didn’t attend lessons but had to practise the literature/film topic as well as the speaking exam. Check with school if they’re happy to help her do this.

Anyone else googling to see if they can do classic civilisation as an evening class? Sounds really interesting (and I work in STEM).

It’s the History of Art that screams “private school.” The Princess of Wales did an art history degree - it’s also extremely private-school heavy at degree level. I would be interested to know if any state school in the country offers it as an A-level option. However, so what? It sounds really interesting and absolutely nothing like a history A-level, so if interested in the subject matter and the option is available to you, why wouldn’t you take it? As for the other subjects, if interested in studying classics or English literature, the other options seem entirely sensible, in any event, and not so very niche that no state schools would be able to offer them, if that is of any relevance. It’s not as if the universities won’t be aware via your UCAS application that you go to a private school, anyway.

DD has a first in classics from St Andrews (awarded a few years ago). She loved the strong language element of the course. Her A-levels (all A*) were Latin, Classical Civ and English Lit from a state grammar. So I think they're good choices.

With French as mother tongue then she has l'embarras du choix! It's a really good position to be in.

I freely admit to suggesting Classics or Latin because I found Latin GCSE pure torture and despite being a linguist it has only been of limited use to me. I would have got a lot more from studying another modern language such as Russian or Arabic.

Bottom line, if she already knows what she wants, has the logical mind needed for Latin and likes her chosen subjects then, as other posters have said, it really doesn't matter. It sounds as though she's going to do very well whatever she decides 🙂

Maybe she could do french a level as an extra in year 12?

My dcs grammar school offered all those except history of art.They did offer Greek though ( although there was little uptake)
Her application is going to scream private school anyway, because she will have to give the name if the school!

Yes it’s not my view @ageratum1 I was just explaining why her alevels scream private school which is the question.

Yes there are individual state schools which offer those a levels but the vast majority (98% I would guess) do not.

a levels are relevant only for (a) getting into uni and (b) some grad employers look at grades (law, consulting mostly.).

If she wants to read classics alone or JH at uni, those are all good a levels and coherent. If she drops one it should be either classic civ or HofA and she is still left with two highly rigorous subjects.

For an employer, they will be more concerned about grades not subjects.

I can’t think of any situation where an employer considering a graduate DD would prefer to see history over history of art as one of 3 or 4 a levels.

she should do what she wants. (My credentials - 3 science A levels at A, history of art degree, magic circle lawyer).

I have a few friends whose children are bilingual - their kids all took their ‘other’ language at A level - obviously all achieved very high grades.

a levels are relevant only for (a) getting into uni and (b) some grad employers look at grades (law, consulting mostly.).

Some people still have the quaint notion that they can be worthwhile as an end in themselves. If a student is doing the subjects they need for uni and are able to do an extra subject just because they really want to then go for it. I did four STEM A levels but I'd have liked to do an AS in something like classical civilization or art history just to learn something culturally enriching!