A-Levels are a very valuable education programme for students in their future academic, personal and professional lives. Find out about the benefits A-Level students have at the end of their studies.
Summary
- A-levels
- Academic benefits of A-Levels
- Personal benefits of A-Levels
- Professional benefits of A-Levels
- A-Levels at Virtus, The British Sixth Form College
A-levels
A-Levels, or Advanced Level, is the stage equivalent to the Spanish bachillerato, as it spans the last two years of school before university.
Students take three or four A-Level subjects in Years 12 and 13, which they choose at the start of the academic year. The A-Levels exams allow students to go to university.
A-Levels offer students great benefits, both academically as well as personally. Do you know them?
Academic Benefits of A-Levels
The A-Levels programme is designed to meet the rigour of tertiary education so that students are better prepared when they enter university.
Some of the most important and advantageous aspects of A-Levels are:
Specialised Education
A-Level students must choose 3 or 4 subjects at the start of Year 12, which they will take throughout that year and the following one (Year 13).
By taking a smaller number of subjects, which they also choose depending on their interests, students can specialise in the topics that are best suited to them.
For example, students who want to take a university degree related to engineering can choose subjects like mathematics or physics in order to gain the knowledge that will allow them to successfully tackle this degree.
Thus, students only take the A-Level subjects that will be useful to them depending on their interests, so that they can specialise in subjects that would help them gain access to their desired undergraduate programme.
Personalised Education
Also linked with specialisation, the fact that students can decide which subjects they want to take increases the personalisation, as their studies are custom-tailored to their likes and preferences.
Personalised education is possible due to the small number of students per class.
A-Levels classes tend to have small groups of approximately 5 to 10 students.
As the tutors only teach a small group of students, it is possible for them to focus on each of them individually.
Therefore, they get to know their students, what they like, what they lack, where they have difficulties, their strengths, and so on.
These small classes, which are so characteristic of A-Levels, allow the students to receive a personalised education that meets their particular needs.
Flexible Education
Students have the freedom to choose subjects across various disciplines.
They therefore create their own flexible baccalaureate, based on their needs.
However, it is common for the students’ A-Level subjects to be focused on one particular area, e.g., sciences.
Still, students can take scientific subjects along with others related to arts.
Although the British equivalent of the IB is flexible, the process of choosing the optimal subjects comes under the guidance of a tutor or mentor.
Pre-University Atmosphere
A-Level classes are designed to give students the pre-university experience as they learn to cope with the demands of a rigorous programme.
This is possible owing to the independence offered by the learning process of A-Levels.
These two aspects are highly valued at universities, both in Spain and abroad, and they tend to be some of the obstacles that students face when starting out on their degree studies.
Since the students specialise in the subjects they are most interested in, they tend to be better prepared for the degree they have chosen, as they begin acquiring knowledge that they will need later on at university.
Autonomous Education
A-Level education inculcates in students proactive autonomy, ultimately honing their decision-making skills.
As they are guided to take charge of their learning, students become more responsible and cognizant of their education.
Although they are always under the guidance of the school, the students learn to manage their time through effective planning and organisational skills.
Critical thinking vs rote learning
A-Level education emphasises the importance of critical thinking over and above learning by heart.
By incorporating real-life situations, students apply theories and concepts learnt hence making meanings and connections.
Also, it is understood that the students themselves must be an essential part of the learning process, with the student at the centre.
Hence, student participation is encouraged, so that they are able to explain concepts and learn from each other under the guidance of their tutor.
In addition, A-Level subjects put theory into practice through problem-solving and critical analyses. Through this, students apply acquired knowledge and skills in a more relevant manner.
International Recognition of A-Levels
A-Levels are widely recognised internationally by many universities.
The grades under the British System can be validated both to gain access into Spanish and international universities.
A-Levels are recognised for their excellence at more than 1,600 universities around the world.
Also, in Spain, A-Level grades are validated as equivalent to the grades from the Spanish Selectividad.
Personal Benefits of A-Levels
A-Level students also gain a wide variety of personal benefits that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Some of these benefits are:
- Adaptive learning & executive function
- Creativity & innovation
- Intellectual interest and curiosity
- Inter and intra-personal skills
- Organisation and planning
- Critical thinking
- Use of technology in education
- Dealing with emotions
Professional benefits of A-Levels
In an increasingly demanding world, companies seek applicants who are all-rounders. A-Level students acquire sought-after skills in the course of their education such as:
- Leadership and teamwork
- Effective communication
- Problem-solving and analytical thinking
A-Levels at Virtus, The British Sixth Form College
At Virtus, The British Sixth Form College the students take 4 subjects in Year 12 and Year 13, including Spanish.
The A-Level subjects that we offer at the British college are:
- Maths
- Further Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Economics
- Business
- Geography
- Psychology
- French
- English
- Spanish
At Virtus, The British Sixth Form College, we complement their specialised subject choice with the skills needed for their future university studies and employment.
During students’ free periods, we engage them in activities aimed at developing their skills and abilities.
Free periods at Virtus, The British Sixth Form College are used for:
- Studying or revising, always under the supervision of someone from the school
- Being involved in the Co-Curriculum, in which students develop their critical thinking through the Chess Club, improve their public speaking in the Debating Club or learn new skills with the Programming Club, among others.
Find out all that Virtus, The British Sixth Form College has to offer!
