The Academic Curriculum

All students study three or four A Level subjects in the Lower Sixth, with the option to continue all four into the Upper Sixth. Alternatively, Upper Sixth students can focus on three subjects for A Level examination which form the basis of nearly all university offers.

A Level study is very different to GCSE, and starting with four subjects not only allows for greater breadth of study, but ensures that students can cherry-pick the right combination of three subjects to continue through to the Upper Sixth. Beginning Lower Sixth with three subjects reduces options available to the student, should the A Level subject not match their expectations from GCSE, but is available as an option with additional time spent in supervised study. The majority of students opt to focus their energies on three subjects in the Upper Sixth. Very few university courses require four subjects, although students taking Further Mathematics, which is recommended for the most competitive Mathematics and Engineering courses, will need to continue all four to allow for sufficient academic breadth.