Soft A levels

[Judy1234]

What annoys me about the article on page 1 of today's Sunday Times is that some state schools are not telling children that some Alevels are a load of rubbish or rather they aren't counted by the universities. Of course accountancy, law, theatre studies or any other studies are not going to be counted in the way as maths, French, history. All children know that in private schools and yet it says some state schools are keen for children to do the software easier a levels to get their places up in the league tables even at the cost of children then being surprised that the 3 As in needlework, cooking and gym don't count for much at Oxford or Manchester.

Some universities are publishing their lists of A levels that don't count which is helpful.

This might be why state school pupils are finding it hard to get into the good universities..."new analysis.. shows a gulf was emerging between state and private schools as comprehensives opted for soft A levels and independents and grammars tightened their trip on traditional academic subjects..the task of widening participation becomes harder." Most of the country doesn't have grammar schools so the cleverer of the the children in the comps are the ones suffering from this.

Media studies 95% non selective state schools take that. For sciences fewer than 1 in 10 A level pupils in non selective schools takes sciences compared with one third in grammars and independents.

I admit I don't really know what it's ment to be for WW, but all the kids who have done it that I've spoken with seem to think it's a waste of time (maybe because it's compulsory). I think even mediocre grades boost the league tables as it increases the score per candidate because they do them as well as their other subjects. My view is many of them might be better off using that time to persue other interests.

I think certainly with private schools fewer do general studies courses since they introduced 4 AS levels in lower sixth rather than just 3 A level subjects. If it's done as an extra then it might be a reasonable additional subject I don't think most universities have usually counted general studies so it's always been approached with caution even in my day.

when i did general studies, we did it all in the second year, and all the kids destined for further education deliberately didn't bother, esp because as soon as you applied to universities, the grades required always came back as 'general studies not included'.

i went to my college, 1 1/2 hours by bus, instead of staying at high school because they didn't offer history OR eng. lit a levels. shocking in my opinion, but i was one of only 3 pupils who moved because of it.

Does it really take up much time though WW? When I was at school (many moons ago) we just had 1 hr per wk General Studies lesson. We had no homework for it, and no revision required for exam. I got an A on that basis, as did my brother - despite him having no languages whatsoever.

This from the Cambridge University website:
If you have not yet decided on a course that you would like to study at university, we recommend that to maximise your potential course choice at Cambridge, you select at least two traditional academic subjects among your A levels. Certain A level subjects are considered essential or useful for a number of courses at Cambridge, therefore choosing one or more of these will help you keep your higher education options open. These subjects include:
Chemistry
English Literature
History
Mathematics
Languages
Physics

It's quite a short list isn't it? And basic, there is no Latin, Greek, Ancient History or Critical Thinking - subjects that might seem the preserve of the independent sector.

I wish that article had published the list.

I found the 'soft' subjects much harder than the traditional 'A' levels. I did very well in History and Biology, I got an 'E' in Communication studies and failed Psychology. I also found the old system of 100% examination much easier than the supposedly easy method of coursework assessment.

rarara - Last year's A level results would certainly bear that out. For example 31% of males taking A level Chemistry got A grade and 57% of males taking A level mathematics got A grade against:

Subject % of Males A Grade
Businss Studies 16%
Communications studies 18%
Drama 15%
Media, Film & TV studies 11%
Performing Arts 9.4%
PE 11.3%

But of course it may be the case that the less able students choose the soft subjects and hence don't do so well.

swedes - that is a useful list, thanks for digging it up. I think Latin and Greek would be considered to come under 'languages' (though it's true, technically, that there are no degrees for which they are a prerequisite, since you can begin both at university level if you are really keen, whereas there are some modern languages that you can't do ab initio but have to have at school already); similarly, I think 'ancient history' would probably come under 'history'. I don't think they care much about Critical Thinking tbh! There are so many hidden inequities in sixth form subject offerings though - the ones we've already mentioned, and also, for instance, that further maths (as an additional A-level) is almost entirely the preserve of private/grammar schools, and increasingly this is worryingly true of modern foreign languages and physics too.

What is an advanced extention award? I keep coming across it but have no idea what it is.

Theatre studies wasn't a soft option when I took it (albeit almost 20 years ago). It was all the theory of English and History (I took those too) plus a heavy load of practical work. People who got A's went to Oxbridge and people who got B's went to 'Russell Group' universities.

The only problem with taking Theatre Studies was that it was very competitive to get onto a Drama course at university, whereas you could get onto a science course with lower A level grades.

I would however agree that there is no point taking accountancy A-level. I managed to become an accountant with my arts A levels and as a result have a far broader range of knowledge to draw on when
doing crosswords.

Just checked. The good private school I went to still offering theatre studies.

I think AEAs are a bit like the old S-levels (special paper) -ie harder than Alevels.

Arionater I think there's a further maths network been established so kids can do fm even if their school doesn't offer it.

More on AEAs here

I don't know anyone who's done them though.

A Levels:

Accounting
Art and Design
Business Studies
Communication Studies
Dance
Design and Technology
Drama/Theatre Studies
Film Studies
Health and Social Care
Home Economics
Information and Communication Technology
Leisure Studies
Media Studies
Music Technology
Performance Studies
Performing Arts
Photography
Physical Education
Sports Studies
Travel and Tourism

IB:

Business and Management (see also Economics)
Design and Technology (see also Engineering)
Information Technology in a Global Society
Theatre Arts
Visual Arts

(From Cambridge website

(Economics requires A Level Maths or Economics or Business Studies
Engineering requirements vary from course to course & college to college)

Secondary school 'choice' doesn't have to be as determining as was suggsted earlier tho'. The choice, certainly in urban areas, of 6th form destinations - schools and colleges - is wide. Its hard to know what 11 yr olds are likely to be interested in and good at, so choosing an appropriate 6th form setting is easier when they are older. Admittedly this doesn't work so well in rural areas. Also means parents are involved in doing another round of visiting, collecting info - albeit with more involvement from the kids - a process which again usually favours middle class families.

further maths network As I thought they do provide support for people who want to do fm but whose schools don't offer it. It really shouldn't be preserve of private/grammar schools as it's an essential requirement for some courses - e.g maths & engineering. That said I know our local schools don't offer it.

I changed schools at 6th form, and was very glad I did, especially having discovered what happened to one girl in the all-girls school (ex grammar, went comp) I had attended. She was really bright, and did matths, physics, chemistry and wanted to do further maths. The school insisted she had to do the General Studies "course" and she had to fit in FM in her lunchtimes! This horrified me - in my 6th form, you could take courses in 4 proper A level subjects, and just sit the GS exam in the end. I think pretty much everyone who did more than 3 A levels got an A in GS...

maths. Apparently not taking typing has hindered me...

That's awful Habbibu and exactly why I think GS shouldn't be compulsory.

I taught myself to type from a library book when I was 15 so I'm not so sure you do need courses in it but certainly I would expect all children to learn to type at school now, as mine did.

The list from the Cambrdige site on proper not sof A levels is a useful one (I would expect latin and greek to be counted under the languages heading).

Chemistry
English Literature
History
Mathematics
Languages
Physics

I would probably add to that geography and biology A levels. I did English lit, history and German and my children have done similar A levels although one did mostly sciences and one did economics and one did classical civilisation (which is what you do in private schools if you're not very good at latin and get thrown off the course - it's not a particularly hard A level)

Why wouldn't biology be listed, I wonder? I did biology, chemistry, maths and religion and don't recall biology being any less rigorous. In fact, I also took STEP biology, (S level equivalent) which is set by Cambridge University, so can't see why they'd exclude it now.

I did my A levels at a FE college, with a terrible reputation for being where 'thick' people went. I went despite spending the previous 5 years at a 'good' school with a 'very good' sixth form with a reputation for being where 'clever' people went.

I did better in my A levels than anyone I knew that stayed at school. I loved the freedom and trust we were given at college. It did so, so many subjects, so spods like me could do the trad ones, and others could do 'studies' if that's what they wanted. It worked fabulously well. We sent a few to Oxbridge every year, and also probably a few to prison.

habbibu,

And when you go into the specific degree requirements other subjects are acceptable too, eg Geography and Psychology.

This list is aimed at those who have no idea where they are going, just to broaden their options later.

Ah - sorry - was that posted further up? Did read the thread, but have a brain like a sieve these days.