A Level Independent study.

[Phoebefail]

I want to study for A Level History. Because of personal circumstances I shall be doing this on my own. My preference is for English History because I want to take it further later. Constitutional History is the long term target.
All suggestions and comments gratefully received
AQA and Edexcel/Pearson both start at 1050 or so. Are there other boards that cover earlier Saxon say pre Alfred?

Quick google of Anglo Saxon history at A level comes up with this: https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/170128-specification-accredited-a-level-gce-history-a-h505.pdf

You will see you cannot just study English history though. I think most boards try to broaden students' world views. Even back in the time of the dinosaurs when I did History A level, English history was taught against the backdrop of European history so Richard II alongside Burgundian trade, Tudors alongside the Renaissance/Reformation/expansion of the Ottoman Empire.

@mimbleandlittlemy Thanks for the quick responses. I had missed the OCR but have now read through the spec. That looks the one for me. My remark about English was meant to mean emphasis rather than exclusiveness.
Do you happen to know how the system works if one is independent rather than at a school. I am of retirement age.
As much as anything I see following an exam syllabus as a way of focussing my interest in history.
Obvs it will be a big jump from watching Dan Jones or David Starkey on YouTube, but I am up for the challenge.

In terms of doing the exam, you’d need to find a centre which was happy for you to sit the papers there. I self-studied a MFL A level a few years back and would definitely recommend having some sessions with a teacher/tutor, who knows that specific A level course, as there will be lots of exam technique issues to be aware of. Good luck with it.

You could look into using an organisation like this one. https://www.nec.ac.uk/

I am of retirement age. As much as anything I see following an exam syllabus as a way of focussing my interest in history.

Why an A’ Level, though? Surely there are alternatives that might be more exciting and better geared to presumably online study? Many decades ago I took two A’Levels independently and it was lonely and hard to stay focussed.

Would there be an OU course you could follow instead?

Or something like Oxford University’s Continuing Education courses - some of which are free, I think. There would almost certainly be more opportunity for specialisation, for one thing. And even though primarily distance learning, you’d find much more of a supportive community of fellow (adult) students - probably with some intermittent face to face gatherings.

https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/continuing-education/online-and-distance-courses

I should also have said - you really want the Mature Study and Retraining board, @Phoebefail.

You should find some other experiences there, which might help you to consider more options.

@WhatWillIWear Thanks for your suggestions about Oxford and short courses. some are very interesting. £ 220 for a weekend course on reading medieval documents is a bit much for me, but I will see if I can afford it. At least I live fairly near Oxford.
I will ask HQ to move my little thread.

@Medenagan Thanks for the note about NEC. Will read it tonight.

You live near Oxford?

In that case I would delve into the inexhaustible (postgrad) research sections of the university website. As you’ll know there are always lectures, seminars, conferences etc open to anyone interested - both online and in person.

You haven’t mentioned your own level of … qualification (I suppose might be the word). Obviously some people might feel more confident doing as a I suggest than others - but it would be a great way to introduce yourself to current research in the areas you’re interested in - and thus be able to make the most of any further study.

(In very late middle age I found myself following a similar route: starting with attending open lectures, then going to a Continuing Ed Open Day … It eventually led to my taking an MA at a specialist institution in London - and a tentative new career.)