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Course Information
Pathways to University and Employment
Single AS/A levels (all worth 1 AS/A level or equivalent)
| Traditional AS/A levels | Modern AS/A levels |
Vocational AS/A levels (called Subsidiary Diplomas) |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | Accounting | Children’s Care, Learning & Development |
| Chemistry | Business Studies (Traditional & Applied+) | Dance+ |
| Classical Civilisation | Certificate/Diploma Financial Services | Health & Social Care+ |
| Economics | Drama and Theatre Studies+ | General Practitioners (IT)+ |
| English Literature | English Language | Applied Law+ |
| English Literature & Language | Film Studies | Music Technology+ |
| Fine Art | Graphic Design+ | Musical Theatre+ |
| French | Graphic Illustration+ | Applied Science+ |
| Geography | Law | Software Development (IT)+ |
| Government & Politics | Media Studies | Sport+ |
| Maths & Further Maths | Photography+ | Website Design (IT)+ |
| Medieval and Early Modern History | Product Design+ | |
| Modern History | Psychology | |
| Music+ | Sociology | |
| Physics | Sports Studies | |
| Spanish | Statistics | |
| Textiles+ | ||
| Travel+ | ||
| Use of Maths |
Students who have been predicted 5 or more GCSE passes including English Language or Maths (as appropriate to course choice) at grades A*-C, in single GCSE subjects (not vocational equivalent), should enrol for 3 AS/A levels as a minimum. Students with at least 2 grade Bs, from single GCSE subjects, in their GCSE profile should enrol for 4 AS/A levels which should build on their single GCSE success.
Students can mix and match traditional, modern and vocational AS/A levels in any combination. However, students with a strong single GCSE profile (a mix of A*s/As and Bs) and who want to apply to traditional universities such as London, Bristol, Warwick, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Durham, Newcastle, Oxford etc must have at least 2 traditional AS/A levels in their AS/A level profile, to be considered by their traditional universities<./p>
+ The AS/A levels or equivalent marked + involve a lot of practical work and/or coursework. Students are strongly advised to only choose 2 of these AS/A levels.
Double & Triple AS/A levels (worth the equivalent of 2 or 3 AS/A levels respectively)
| Double AS/A levels (called Diplomas) | Triple AS/A levels (called Extended Diplomas) |
|---|---|
| Health & Social Care (Social Care) | Art & Design |
| IT (Website Design & Software Development) | Business |
| Science | Children’s Care, Learning & Development |
| Creative and Media (Media Production) | |
| General Practitioners (IT) | |
| Health and Social Care | |
| Creative and Media (Games Design) | |
| Performing Arts | |
| Science | |
| Sport and Exercise Science | |
| Travel & Tourism |
Students enrolling on a Diploma or Extended Diploma must have been predicted 5 or more GCSE passes, including English Language or Maths (as appropriate to course choices), at grades A*-C. Vocational equivalences to GCSE qualifications will be counted and counted in full for enrolment to Diploma and Extended Diploma courses.
Students must have a genuine interest in the specialist subject area at the heart of the Diploma/Extended Diploma, as they will study this for most of their week/year.
Students who choose a Diploma course must enrol for one AS/A level too, so that they are working towards the equivalent of 3 AS/A levels as a minimum.
Students need to be aware that progression from Diploma/Extended Diploma courses will generally be to the newer universities, such as Huddersfield, Leeds Metropolitan, Manchester Metropolitan, Sheffield Hallam, Liverpool John Moores , Northumbria, as these universities most often offer the specialist degree courses which provide a natural progression from the Diploma/Extended Diploma courses.
Students who choose Diploma/Extended Diploma courses and who are predicted at least 2 grade Bs in their GCSE profile can choose to add 2/1 AS/A levels (respectively) to their programme, if they want the opportunity of applying to traditional, as well as newer universities.
If you have any questions about your son/daughter’s course choices, please contact Peter Kennedy, Deputy Principal, Curriculum and Quality.
