Struggling with your options for A Levels? Year 13 are here to help!

It is the time of the year when students start to explore what subjects they want to take in their further education. I remember these choices being challenging to make. Therefore, some year 13 students have highlighted why they chose to take these subjects, providing an insight into what they enjoy about them and why they would recommend delving deeper into them.

Art – Jamie Palmer

I took Art because whilst its a coursework subject which is hard work, it’s unique and different to any other A Level. Its expressive and personal and is not a subject which demands perfect answers but encourages creative thought and exploration. Furthermore, it is also a subject which anyone can do with practice, although many people shy away from it because they ‘can’t draw’ or are ‘rubbish at art’. It therefore shows a different kind of confidence, one which many employers look for. Finally it is a subject where you produce things everyday, which you should be proud of, giving you a great sense of achievement.

The course has elements of coursework and an exam, which means you can really develop and hone your skills over the two years. The year 13 work this year really shows this – all our portfolios are looking incredible, which we all are very proud of. Most importantly, it is fun!

Biology – Ben Jackson

I took A Level Biology due to my aspirations to study Marine Biology at university as I would love a career in research and conservation. Anyone looking at studying a degree at university related to science, the natural world or medicine, Biology is really a must have A Level. I’m not going to lie, it is a challenging subject; there are the same amount of new key terms in A Level Biology as there are new words in an A Level language, and with words like carbaminohaemoglobin and oxidative phosphorylation, it does seem like you are studying a new form of dialect. However, when you finally understand a complex process such as respiration, it is extremely rewarding. My favourite modules are surprisingly the biochemistry modules (biological molecules, photosynthesis, respiration, DNA and protein synthesis) which I find very rewarding to study. On the other end of the scale, the modules on biodiversity and conservation are equally as interesting.

Business – Cassie Conway

I took Business at A Level as it interested me. I would recommend it as the teachers are very supportive and helpful. I enjoy the marketing aspect as well as the people involved, which is why I am looking to study it at university. If you enjoyed it at GCSE, you will love it at A Level!

BTEC Business – Euan Herbert

I decided to take the Enterprise and Entrepreneurship as an A Level as its two A Level slots allowed me to gain the broader scope of business that the A Level course lacked. The nature of BTEC allows me the flexibility to explore the theory through the eyes of a business/entrepreneur in the form of course work, while allowing me to put into action that theory through the ‘luanch your own enterprise’ unit.

I have enjoyed the flexibility in the coursework with much of it seeing the student pick their own case study, allowing me to investigate a business that I am interested in and applying it to the topic area. As somebody who is new to coursework, the BTEC course has given me and others the opportunity to resubmit work in order to achieve our highest quality work and to work to improve our technique, something I have already been able to appreciate

Chemistry – Aoife Rew

I chose chemistry because I thought it was relevant to the modern day and it was a required subject to get into Veterinary Medicine. It is interesting and complements biology at A Level. I like the chemical bonding and polymerisation topics as they are directly relevant to important molecules like DNA, and are also the foundations of molecular chemistry.

Classics – Maddy Edmondson

I studied Classical Civilisation at A Level because I love learning about the culture and society of the Greeks and the Romans. It is fascinating how many parallels we can draw and the lessons we can learn about our own society from them, even though they were around so long ago. I enjoy Athenian democracy because it is the basis of our political system and I love reading the Odyssey and the Aeneid because I find it amazing how these stories have survived for 2,000 years.

DT – Noah Britnell

I chose DT as it is a subject I enjoyed at GCSE. I enjoyed the practical element as well as the theory behind it, such as researching previous designers in the industry. I would recommend DT as it enables you to bring out your creative side and produce a product to solve a real life issue. Furthermore, DT offers a wide range of skill sets from looking at a mathematical point of view, to looking at the function and form of a product.

Economics – Alex Popovic

To me, Economics is about being able to identify the likely possible impacts and outcomes of making decisions in an economy both on a large, global scale and on a smaller regional or nationwide scale. Beyond the syllabus, identifying the impacts of making decisions is generally a useful skill and so I would strongly recommend Economics at A Level.

English Language – Maddy Fitch

I chose to study English Language at A Level because I had really enjoyed studying it at GCSE. I was also curious to delve into the complexities behind our spoken and written language. We often ignore the processes that others go through when writing; to tailor lexis to a specific audience or subtle persuasive techniques that people use to alter their text receivers’ perception of a topic.

The Child Language acquisition has been a really interesting module to study, especially explaining different linguistic stages that the child progresses through as they develop.

If anyone wants to ask any more questions on English Lang, I’m happy to help!

English Literature – Cesci Filon

Here are the reasons why I love English Literature:

English Literature involves a lot of analysis based on personal feelings and perceptions, ranging from philosophical to political.
The subject is supportive of your essay-writing style rather than vice versa.
You get to have class debates about subjects ranging from opinions on individual characters to entire societies within the texts you’re studying.
It’s great for people interested in creative writing because not only is there creative writing coursework, you can also learn from the techniques and styles of the famous authors and playwrights you’re studying.

French – Fliss McNiff

The reason why I decided to take French at A Level was for two reasons. Firstly, I really enjoyed GCSE French and the topics we covered, and secondly, I was really interested in doing a language for A Level and challenging myself to do so. I would recommend this subject for people who like to engage in different cultures as you will explore different parts of the French language but also the French patrimony too.

The part I most enjoy in French A Level is studying the film and the book because it really shows you what French people perceive about certain subjects. This year we are studying the film La Haine directed by Mattheu Kassovitz which focuses on police brutality in the suburbs of France during the 1990s and the Novel No et Moi by Delphine de Vigan about homelessness in Paris.

Geography – Rosie Pritchard

I chose Geography A Level as I wanted a further depth of knowledge within the social sciences in order to prepare myself for university. The Human side of geography has also allowed me to cross reference ideas from my Sociology A Level. My favourite module has been globalisation as there is a breadth of different topics to study within this, such as how the world is interconnected both politically and socially.

History – Frankie Stenning

I took History at A Level as I have always been interested in it, coming from a family of secret, or not-so-secret, historians. The inquisitive nature of history and the application of it in many different subjects at A Level and beyond make it a great option to take. If you decide to take it, it encourages debates and causes disagreements, as you will discover when researching coursework, so I highly recommend it for anyone willing to challenge perceived beliefs about a subject. However, my personal favourite aspect of the course is the Tudors with a close second being Russia, despite the fact I started year 12 adamant that modern history was not for me (well done Mr Roe).

Maths – Sarah Stubbs

I took this subject as it complemented my other subjects (biology and chemistry) really well and I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do after school. Maths allowed me to keep my options open. My favourite area within maths is probably trigonometry as I find it satisfying when you can solve the problems.

Music and Music Tech – Lucy Evers

Music at A Level is a very enriching and in-depth subject. You study a wide variety of genres from Baroque to Jazz in an analytic sense, whilst also considering the context/history of the composer’s era. There is also the composition and performance side of music where you get to enhance your skill as a musician. I love this side of the course as its really creative.

Music Tech is also very creative and looks at electronic sound design and production of music. You work with Logic Pro X (software) and essentially learn how to produce music. This is a great subject if you are looking to go on to do music at university or are interested in sound design, its really good to have an understanding of the technology, especially as it is always developing. This subject is very relevant – music is all around us and I think its really cool to know how its actually made in the modern day.

Physics – Ed Chapman

I chose physics because I’ve always been fascinated by how the world all fits together. I would recommend it because of the opportunity it gives to explore the phenomena of the universe and to look at the theories that explain what is observed. My favourite part about it is the Nuclear Physics module because of the detail you go into on nuclear fusion.

Politics – Carrick Capon-Telford

I chose Politics as one of my A Levels because it was new, with interesting topics that are relevant to the world as it is now. There is the opportunity to debate and provide great insight into political systems such as the mechanisms of government, or the recent US election. Of course, there’s always the third awesome reason: the ability to use social media (such as a tweet (not looking at any ex-president here)) as a source!

Psychology – Flo Nicholls

Psychology is a really interesting subject as you get to delve into the human brain and gain a deeper understanding into why people behave in certain ways. You get to understand the significance of infant attachments on your future development and gain insight into how different social situations can impact our behaviours, whilst being able to relate certain theories to your own experiences. I chose to study it at A Level and further at uni as I have always wanted to learn more about why people think and behave differently ever since I started watching various crime shows, such as Criminal, Inside the Criminal Mind and Hannibal. Psychology can be seen in practically everything around us, why it’s been chosen, how it could help us learn, why we know what it is even if we haven’t seen it before etc. Therefore if you want to understand more as to why you or others display different behaviours, I definitely recommend Psychology A level!

RS – Hattie Kerridge

RS is about having your thoughts challenged and engaging with both similar and opposing points of views. Topics include: questioning whether serial killers could possibly have a conscience; the possibility of God’s omniscient nature undermining humanity’s ability to exercise free will; alongside utilitarianism and Kant’s Deontology being methods of moral decision making. It is so diverse in the way it looks at the fundamental ideas of ancient scholars as well as many prevalent issues for society today. It is thought-provoking and never fails to encourage debate.

Sociology – Angela Adeyemo

I chose to take Sociology at A Level because it gave me the opportunity to study society, people and their behaviour. As I would like to be a lawyer, I saw Sociology as a chance for me to analyse the problems we have in society and ways we can use social policies to solve them. For example the implementation of the GIST programme to raise levels of girls involvement in science and technology.

My favourite modules in sociology are education and crime and deviance as they go into detail about the inequalities different groups face in the education system as well as criminal justice system.

Another great thing about sociology is that it’s a conversation rather than a lesson with a PowerPoint and note taking. This makes it more interesting to learn the content and understand it better.

Spanish – Gracie Arulampalam

I took Spanish because I love the language and culture and wanted to learn more about the whole hispanic world as well as Spain. Having regular speaking lessons has meant my speaking skills have improved a lot more and has enabled me and my classmates to be more involved in the hispanic world in general, reading Spanish books and understanding popular shows like money heist.

Sport BTEC – Fergus Wooten

I chose BTEC Sport at A Level because I wanted to further develop my passion for the subject which I had gained during GCSE PE. I also found the prospect of having a large proportion of the course made up of coursework appealing. Having now completed a large majority of the course, I have loved the anatomy and physiology modules and I have also found that the coursework brings a great practical element to the course.