UK Qualification reforms and university offers 2016/2017 – A brief overview

You may be aware that AS and A level qualifications are undergoing significant changes within the UK with the end of a tripartite agreement on qualifications between England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  • England will decouple the AS level from the A level in certain subjects – reformed A levels will be phased in with the first revised A level results in 2017.
  • Teaching A levels will be in a linear format rather than a modular one apart from Maths, Further Maths and Design and Technology.
  • Subjects reformed will be: Sciences, English, Art/Design, Business, Computer Science, Economics, History, Sociology and Psychology.
  • Additional subjects such as Maths, Ancient and Modern Languages and Geography will be developed at a later stage.
  • Many schools will expect students to start out by studying four subjects but may opt out of taking the fourth subject to a full A level during the course of the sixth form study.

Reformed qualifications and university offers:

Most universities will continue as they have done in assessing university applications holistically using a combination of elements consisting of the a) predicted grades, b) the personal statement, c) the reference, d) contextual information about the school, e) possible interviews, supplementary work to be submitted, additional exams required eg STEP and individual course requirements.

  • The main change when making offers is that the AS level will not be necessary for most subjects; if it is required it will be specified as an extra requirement on the eligibility criteria on the departmental websites.
  • Most universities including the Russell Group will make their offers based on three full A levels. Any extra qualifications required will be published on the eligibility requirements and ‘Essential Subjects’ section of each university website.
  • Students taking AS levels may still wish to take them as a useful measure of their academic performance but they will not be widely required – the AS result will be separately awarded and certificated.
  • Science subjects will have a Practical Skills test results of which will be included in the offer.

UK Study Options support ‘Donate a Stove’

UK Study Options donated five stoves to a school in Kibera before Christmas vis EcoZoom a not-for-profit organisation in Nairobi distributing energy efficient charcoal stoves.

We received the email below we wanted to share.

Dear Donors!

On Saturday the 13th of February, we visited the Kibera slum in Nairobi for one of our ‘Donate a Stove’ events. It was great to make another 20 families happy!

Kibera is the largest slum in Nairobi, and the largest urban slum in Africa. Estimates of the population range from 500,000 to well over 1,000,000. Unemployment rates are high, and most residents live in extreme poverty, earning less than $1 a day.

With your help, these families are now able to save up to 70% of their spending on charcoal, improve their health thanks to 60% less smoke, as well as save time on cooking!

The difference that your help has made to their lives is enormous, and we wanted to thank you for your donations!

Helping students reach their potential

Did you know that around 24% of students drop out of their first degree as they felt it wasn’t appropriate? There is so much information about UKHE choices you’d think it would be easy to find the right degree but the choice is dazzling, university options are confusing and trying to decide on the right course with good job prospects in mind is mind-numbingly stressful!

I feel passionate about helping students reach their potential!

It’s important that students choose the right degree course at a university suited to their academic, social and pastoral needs.

From Architecture to Zoology, whether you want to study Medicine, Economics, Law, Drama, Music or Literature I can help identify the course to suit you. As an independent university specialist, a Member of the Society of Education Consultants and UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs), a UCAS adviser and a Student Member of the Institute of Careers Guidance I can advise on every institution in the Higher Education sector as well as a number of overseas universities.

My clients comprise of local students at state and private schools, expat students returning to the UK for their university education or international students from anywhere in the world. I currently work with Shell International expats based overseas as well as Russian, Malaysian, Indian and Middle Eastern nationals and Warwickshire based students.

My background in international student recruitment for the University of Warwick, with expertise of working with students, schools and universities in over 30 countries combined with my current experience taking a PG Dip in Career Guidance means that I have a wealth of information on degree courses and career paths for discerning students. As a member of UKCISA I receive the same training on Home/EU versus International Fees so can advise expat families on their likely fee status.

Specialties:Providing career advice and higher education counselling to UK overseas and UK students. Educational marketing and recruitment for academic departments and institutions.

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