Sweet 16
A-levels have traditionally been the route to take at 16 but there is so much more out there. Dina Shoukry explores the myriad 16+ courses available to young people today.
It can be difficult to choose the right academic path post-GCSEs, especially when there are so many qualifications to choose from and a multitude of ways to get to university or work.
Essentially there are two main routes to go down, academic or vocational. Students who enjoy academia and want to keep their options open may opt for A-levels or the International Baccalaureate (IB), and students who prefer more hands-on experience and already know what industry they want to join may go for a vocational course such as the newly introduced T-levels (Technical Levels) or BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) diplomas.
Academic qualifications
Historically A-levels have been the norm, but increasingly the IB is being adopted by schools who then offer both options, although students cannot mix and match these qualifications.
Explaining A-levels
Most students take three or four subjects, which they can also combine with vocational qualifications like BTECs. They are a great option for students who want to continue subjects at a rigorous academic level or want to focus on specific subjects they would like to pursue at university.
At Thames Christian School, which opened its sixth form this month (September 2023), the future of work is very much top of mind when it comes to its A-level offering. “We believe that by giving our sixth form students significant workplace experiences and being mentored by someone from their chosen career path, they will be inspired, or even change their mind about a career they thought they wanted. The workplace link will develop maturity and life skills, both of which will be a focus of our sixth form programme thus opening the door to alternative avenues such as degree apprenticeships,” says Head, Stephen Holsgrove.
Many schools ready their students for university and work through the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), equivalent to half an A-level. This is an independent project, usually an extended essay of about 5,000 words, but it can be a performance or artwork in any subject of the student’s choosing, outside of the regular curriculum.
“It’s basically a massive research project, which helps students develop the independent research and study skills that they’re going to need at university,” says Dr Adrian Rainbow, Head of Eaton Square Senior School, who encourages all his A-level students to do an EPQ.
A-levels are supplemented at Eaton Square Senior School with experiential learning too, such as debating, the Model United Nations, Duke of Edinburgh’s awards and community outreach. “The end result is we want our students to be prepared for life, so they go to university with the confidence to thrive in that environment and beyond,” says Rainbow.
Some schools focus solely on their sixth form results, steering students towards subjects they are likely to score higher marks in rather than doing what they enjoy most. “We don’t agree with that,” says Holsgrove. “We take a more flexible approach, looking at the individual student and what they need to do to succeed, and that comes first.”
“The most important reason to study at A-level is that you enjoy the subjects and that they will keep doors open to the future,” adds Kate Molan, Director of Sixth Form at Putney High School GDST. “Some undergraduate courses require certain A-level subjects, but many Year 11 students have no idea what they want to do after A-levels, so in that case it’s important to choose subjects that they enjoy and that will keep them motivated, engaged and growing in curiosity and skills.”
Explaining the IB
The IB is an academic alternative to A-levels. Instead of doing three or four subjects, IB students do six (although not as in-depth as each A-level subject). Three are at a higher level and three at a standard level. The idea of the IB is to enable students to keep their options open so they can study a breadth of subjects until 18. “Somebody graduating now is going to have something like eight careers in their lifetime,” says Edmund White, Director of International Baccalaureate at Whitgift, which offers both A-levels and the IB. “It seems potentially risky to cut off maths, English and all sciences at 16. To believe that at 16 somebody’s capable of knowing the three things that they want to do – that seems like the biggest risk of all.”
Students take maths, their native language (so English in the UK), a foreign language, a humanities subject like history, economics or philosophy, a science subject which can include computer science, and an arts subject which can be visual arts, theatre or dance.
As part of the IB, students also do Theory of Knowledge (a course which questions the basis of knowledge), write a 4,000-word research extended essay (on a subject of their choice), and take part in over 150 hours of non-academic activity covering creativity, physical activity, and service to the community.
“The advantage of IB is to zoom out and build something that is holistic and cohesive,” says Whitgift’s White. “A-levels run parallel to each other – you could swap any of them out for anything else and the courses would remain the same, whereas with IB, the idea is that you’re deliberately looking for links between subjects. What comes out at the end is somebody who’s got a greater appreciation, not just for the individual subjects that they’re working on, but also of the education process as a whole.”
Many universities seek to recruit IB students because they offer both breadth ofknowledge and depth, particularly in their higher-level subjects, and have proven that they know how to write analytical essays and think critically.
Vocational qualifications
There are a number of vocational courses and apprenticeships available to students at 16 and 18, the main differences being how they prepare students for work – some are through work placements of varying degrees, and some through work readiness programmes at school. Here we delve into the new T-levels, the popular BTECs, and degree apprenticeships too.
Explaining T-levels and BTECs
Similar to BTECs, T-levels are the new vocational qualifications introduced by government in 2021 to meet the demands of various industries that require a highly skilled and practical workforce such as engineering, science, health and social care, art, architecture, business and management, law, media, sport, IT, Early Years education and more.
FINDING WORK EXPERIENCE
Be prepared: Identify your interests and start thinking about work experience early, ideally in Year 10. Remember that the summer after your GCSEs comes round very quickly.
Be bold: Don’t be put off if you see something you really want but you only fulfil some of the criteria. You should still go for it. Remember that nobody fits the role perfectly first time and that you are there to learn.
Be open-minded: If you find you can’t get into something that fully matches your interests, you should still take a job. Remember that every opportunity is a chance to learn and will give you pointers for the future.
Be brilliant: Try to do a great job and keep colleagues in your network; you never know when you may need their help again
Source: Wetherby Senior School
Still in their infancy, these will eventually replace BTECs as more courses are rolled out. The two qualifications are very similar, the main difference being that T-levels require industry placements whereas BTECs can be taught solely in schools or colleges. T-levels cannot be taken in conjunction with A-levels whereas BTECs can.
At Ark Bolingbroke Academy, there is a strong focus on the applied sciences offering a BTEC programme that includes biology, physics and chemistry and is equivalent to three A-levels. However, students may also take BTECs in business, IT, sports science, and music in combination with their A-levels.
“What’s great about the Applied Science course is that students have to do so many experiments, learning how to collect, use and reference their data, and that actually sets them up better for university, for dissertation and report writing,” says Victoria Hill, Director of Sixth Form at Ark Bolingbroke Academy.
The focus is very much on preparing students for the practical world of work. “In a world where gaining information is really easy,” continues Hill, “surely the focus should be on using that information, rather than memorising it.”
The school also has a comprehensive ‘work readiness’ programme where students learn to write CVs and cover letters as well as attend careers conferences and networking events. Many go on to study sciences at top third universities like Exeter, Loughborough and Manchester, or go on to England’s leading apprenticeship employers.
Unlike A-levels, T-levels and BTECs are more coursework-based which is an important consideration for students who don’t like exams.
TIPS FOR PROSPECTIVE DEGREE APPRENTICESHIP CANDIDATES
1. Know yourself well enough to be sure that going to work at 18, and the responsibilities that entails, is right for you
2. Try work shadowing or a part-time job to gain experience and build relevant skills for applications
3. Learn about the industry you want to join by reading, talking to people, attending events
4. Assess your skills and attributes against those employers are commonly look for: starting early gives you time to plug gaps
5. Be prepared for the tough road ahead – it’s a highly competitive option
6. Sign up to several websites for details of relevant apprenticeships; track those to which you want to apply
7. Be open-minded about the level of apprenticeship and accrediting university you’re considering
8. Set up a LinkedIn profile – keep it relevant and active, and review other social media accounts viewable by prospective employers
9. Keep talking to your parents/carer through the process
Source: Trinity School
Explaining degree apprenticeships
Regardless of which 16+ route they take, students at 18 can apply for degree apprenticeships as well as applying for university through UCAS.
A degree apprenticeship enables students to gain a full undergraduate or master’s degree whilst they work. They take three to six years to complete, depending on the course level, and students spend 80% of their time working and 20% studying at university.
The application process for degree apprenticeships is fairly gruelling as students go through a full graduate training assessment process. “Companies are looking to recruit somebody who can start working straight away,” says Eloise Maclean, Head of Careers and Employability at Emanuel School. “So, there’s a certain level of maturity that’s needed.”
The beauty of degree apprenticeships is that students go to university debt free, earning on average £25,000 in the first year of study, which increases incrementally, and are pretty much guaranteed a job at the end of it. Not just any job either as companies that offer degree apprenticeships include top accountancy firms, Magic Circle law firms, global banks, financial institutions, pharmaceutical giants, large tech and engineering companies and public bodies such as the NHS and the Met Police.
“Degree apprenticeships offer the opportunity to both learn in the workplace and get a degree which is funded. Top graduate opportunities are something that we’re really proud to encourage our pupils to aspire to,” says Maclean.
The choices seem endless at 16, and that in itself can be overwhelming, but many schools now, regardless of the qualifications they offer, are very much focused on preparing their students for the future of work and guiding them through the best qualifications to suit their abilities and aspirations. The main thing is that whatever they do, they enjoy it.
