Taking additional A leve in gap year

[Pretprep]

DD only decided what she wanted to study in year 12 after choosing her options; the degree she wants requires physics which she didn’t take. Where can she take the additional A level, assume she has to go to a private school for it? Where? How long does it take and how much it cost?

Most good colleges have ‘fast track’ A level courses for this exact reason (2 years worth of study compressed into 1). They are full on and very fast paced in order to fit all of the course content in, especially when it comes to sciences but if that’s what she wants to do then by all means go for it. At our local college the fees for fast track are £1000 per subject.

Alternatively taking a foundation year is also an option - what is she wanting to study OP?

Thank you. Are any good colleges in London? She wants to study Mechanical engineering

I’m absolutely certain there will be plenty, her current school will be able to advise. If our local college in tiny Belfast offers it then you’ll definitely find plenty of others offering the same course over in London.

Thanks. Will ask the school

Foundation year would also be an option eg https://www.brunel.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/engineering-with-an-integrated-foundation-year

In London somewhere like DLD, MPW, Ashbourne. There are a whole load of them. Google “A levels in a year”.

A few years back we knew someone who also decided late they wanted to study engineering and so needed physics. The learning was very efficient and they got into a good University.

A slight warning. There can be two type of students at private London sixth form colleges. The very motivated, often from overseas. (A relative of DH grew up in Italy but wanted to study at a British University so went to Ashbourne. He had to work very hard but did very well.) Or you get the less academic, or less motivated who may have been asked to leave their boarding schools or are resitting. The better colleges will interview and select, and will be able to boast of impressive results.

Just to highlight that some maths heavy degrees do not like gap years. Maths can get very rusty very quickly so do check that aspect t too.

Thanks, we have been googling it; just wanted to know what the good college are. Will look at those

Yes, this is a risk, perhaps she can also fo further maths. It is a shame we didn’t think the subjects properly before A levels

I would not worry too much about the gap year. Maths students do take gap years. She will be studying physics so will be keeping her brain active.

What grade does she have in maths? If it is A*, or very close, she might consider FM as it would help her if she is applying for the very competitive courses, and be valuable when she is there. If not, she probably won’t need FM, and it is a tough one for those who don’t have a strong maths aptitude, but depending on the cost of an additional A level you have a head start if you learn as much maths as you can at school/college where there is more support.

(The colleges will have strategies but if she is hoping for Oxbridge she has to apply in October so will probably need her previous school to provide a reference. If she is good and thinking of Imperial/UCL she can apply before the January deadline and the college can advise on suitable destinations and write the reference, though you th3n need to look at the timing of whatever aptitude tests they might be using. MAT, say, is early but STEP is post A level. There is also a new on.)

She could also self study for further maths at AS level during her extra year - there are lots of resources online. She doesn’t even need to take the exams if she doesn’t want to, as just studying the mechanics modules will help when she goes to university.

Is she just coming to the end of Year 12?
Everyone is funded for 3 years of Post 16 education - even though most people only do the usual 2.
Could she just start the subject in September and do the extra year at 6th Form.

This is really good advice. Start with year 12s for that subject and continue on for extra year in current sixth form maybe drop back to year 12 for current weakest subject and do 2 a levels exams next year and 2 year after?

Do you mean in her school other state school? Her school said she will need to to privately if she wants to take physics

@Pretprep does her school not offer it as a subject?
She could switch to another 6th Form or college but that would mean starting the A-levels she's already started again from the beginning.

prediction grades are coming out this week. It is either A or Astar

Yes, they do, but not now she chosen her options. I asked them half way through year 12 and again this week; but not help from them

This is a good idea; if decides to do this but doesn’t get the grade she wants/needs can she just not include it in the university application?

@Pretprep that sounds unusual for the school.
Many schools let students change their subjects after Year 12 and essentially start again (or teens switch from school to a college or vice versa). That's why the funding is for 3 years - so you can start again if Year 12 didn't go to plan.
Is it a heavily oversubscribed school and there will be no space for her in next years Year 12? Although numbers can't be confirmed until after the GCSE results I assume.
It sounds like she will have to change schools or switch to college if she can't do it at her current school.
Or finish the A-levels she is doing now and then do the extra year at a college if they offer the one year A-level courses.

they don’t seem very helpful, it is an oversubscribed school. I think she will have to finish there; don’t want to take the risk. We will have to pay for one year fast track

@Pretprep you won't necessarily have to pay as education is free until the end of the academic year a person turns 19.

That’s good to know but most of the schools/colleges will have a 2 year course?

@Pretprep colleges you can sometimes do A-levels in a year. Obviously it's more intense doing it that way.

It may very well not be possible to timetable Year 12 Physics with her Year 13 classes as they may be in the same slots.

I would also advise somewhere like MPW, with the same advice that @Needmoresleep gave that the other students will likely be a combo of ambitious international students and chaotic or not very academic rich British kids. It will be pricey though, she needs to be sure.

I took A level Chemistry as an adult at evening classes. 2 evenings a week for 1 year. Not very expensive and I got a good grade. It's worth looking into all the options.