SixthFormCourseGuide_1.8

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Halliford School Making your Choices Normally you will take three subjects at to A Level. Occasionally students will study four subjects at A Level. Which A Level? You should make your selection on six main principles: Intellectual Curiosity. This remains as ever a most important principle. If you do not enjoy a subject you are unlikely to give it the commitment needed for success. Strength in a subject. This is also important for success. There is no point in taking Mathematics at A level if you struggled to get a C or a B at GCSE. Career Advice. This can be very important as some degrees/ careers demand certain subjects. Anyone interested in engineering must do Mathematics and Physics at A Level. For any kind of medicine, Chemistry is essential. Work Load. This also needs to be considered. It is important not to be overloaded either by doing too many A Levels or doing too many with a very high work load. Overloading can threaten the quality of the end result. Coherence and Balance. There needs to be both coherence and balance in the choice of subjects made. Coherence so that there is some connection between the subjects you have chosen and you can make a sensible argument as to why they were picked. Balance so that there is a degree of breadth. Know what you want to study? If you have a university course which you are keen on, have you checked the relevant university website or UCAS www.search.UCAS.com. Ensure that you pick subjects that are required for the degree you want to study. Not sure yet? Keep your options open! If you are not sure about what course you want to study at university, have you tried to choose at least two facilitating subjects (see list below/on next page). Think balance Do you have a balance of subject choices that reflect your abilities, strengths and interests? Have you considered how certain subject combinations relate to university course? Make sure you know WHY If you want to take a subject you have not studied before, can you talk for a minute on what this subject is about? Try and unpick why you wish to study this subject as it’s not enough to say ‘It’s interesting’ or ‘It will be fun’. Take the time to speak to the subject teachers and pupils taking that subject. Make the most of advice on offer Starting with Sixth Form open evening you have access to lots of advice – ranging from subject teachers at Halliford, through to independent careers advice from Morrisby. Your Morrisby careers profile will have recommended professional direction based on a best fit with your aptitudes and interests, so use this advice as a starting point to looking into which subject choices fit with those professions. 10
Sixth Form Course Guide 2018 – 2019 The Expectations and Demands of A Level Study A Levels are not only harder than GCSE they also require a different approach by the students. Whereas at GCSE you can rely on what you are given by your tutor in class, at A Level this is not enough. You are expected to show much more individual initiative and to be prepared to read and study beyond the classroom. In short, much more self-motivation and self-discipline are required in order to achieve success. An enquiring mind, enthusiasm for your subjects and hard work are essential for success. While teaching staff will always provide help and encouragement, real progress depends much more at A Level than at GCSE on your preparedness to pursue the subject in your own time. If you rise to the challenge you will and that, as a result, you will acquire not just good results but also the independent learning skills needed to thrive at university. Progression from Lower Sixth to Upper Sixth We regularly review the progress of our Sixth Form Students and each half-term students will receive either a set of progress grades or will attend a parents’ evening. Following the AS examinations and internal assessments at the end of the Lower Sixth year we will carefully look at the progress being made by each student. In most cases progression to the Upper Sixth is automatic, but if there are concerns about the progress being made and performance in the end of year examinations, parents and students will be invited to discuss the best course of action with the Head of Sixth Form and the Headmaster. GCSE re-takes Although rare, it is possible for returning Sixth Formers, who may not have fulfilled their potential in public examinations at the end of Year 11, to retake subjects at GCSE. You will have the full status of Sixth Formers although you will pursue these courses with Year 11 students. 11
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