Facilitating subjects scrapped by Russell Group universities

[Mygoodlygodlingtons]

"Announcing its decision, the Russell Group, which is made up of 24 universities, said the list of preferred A-levels had been “misinterpreted” by students who mistakenly thought these were the only subjects that top universities would consider."

:www.theguardian.com/education/2019/may/23/russell-group-scraps-preferred-a-levels-list-after-arts-subjects-hit

I was talking to someone just yesterday who was saying her school didn't allow you to do a mix of arts and science A levels - it had to be either/or. She wanted to do Maths, FM and Music but wasn't allowed to do music.

Is that recent, or in the past? 40 odd years ago, I don't remember much mixing in my 6th form (though I don't know if it was barred) - and 4 subjects were only allowed if they were double maths, physics and chemistry. Nowadays, DDs school definitely allowed mixes - eg one of DDs friends did double maths, physics, French and eng. lit (possibly dropped the latter) - just as well as she decided she wasn't so keen on her maths degree and swapped to MML.

I suppose in very small sixth forms timetabling could make mixing problematic.

Piggy: if the facilitating tag is dropped, it is more likely DC in disadvantaged areas will make poorer choices. There will be an even greater likelihood that all subjects are seen as equal! All the research shows this isn’t the case and informed advice is needed. It’s not difficult to work out what is needed.

The tag should have kept those subjects to the forefront. Instead it’s MC students who are in tune with them. Arguing for the removal of the tag won’t help poorer students in East Anglia. It’s not about money. It’s about making informed choices. If there is a lack of info, it’s implied students will choose the wrong subjects. If teachers wanted to help they would get clued up. Maybe that is about money and maybe London did what I am suggesting should be rolled out elsewhere but there is a correlation between poorer students and wrong choices and staying local!

There is but you missed the point that London got bags of extra funding (I mean like loads: the unfairness has since been pretty openly acknowledged). Now some 'northern Powerhouses' are getting an injection of cash. The training and the employment of experts. The taking of students to open days etc, all costs money. Schools are spread very thin as it is. Frankly, I reckon the top unis should be doing more to fund these things. And some of them are : but it's never going to be altruistic. Places like Villiers Park are great but few and far between and , again, focus on very specific geographic areas.

I am obviously being naïve but I thought RG was taking steps towards acknowledging that favoured subjects was an unhelpful notion, and had backfired in terms of the Arts, most specifically.