Is sixth form equivalent to a US student's last year of high or secondary school? How old are six formers, ordinarily? (In the US the average age of a high school senior, or 12th grader is 18, though they can be as young as 16, which I was.)
Sorry if I derailed this thread a bit ...
There are three possible school leaving ages in the UK at the moment - fifth year, sixth lower and sixth upper. Basically you can leave after your GCSEs (the minimum school leaving age) in your 16th year (obviously some folks are older/younger) AS levels - these are like half an A level and first came in about 12 years ago, you take these in your 17th year, and then A levels proper, which are in your 18th year.
I say year because the year you start school is dependant on your birthday, so you'lll have folks like me, with a september birthday, in the same year as my best friend, who has a june birthday. She's 10 months younger than me but we were in the same year. It's not such a big issue in secondary school, but I know from my own teaching experience that it makes a huge difference in younger kids.
I don't really think there's a comparison that can be made. A-levels is an academic exam, divided into two parts: AS and A2.
English and Welsh kids leave secondary school at 16. Most (though not all) go on to a voluntary extra two years between 16-18. I don't know how it's in Scotland. They have their own system.
It should be noted that not all schools have a 6th form (years six and seven) - grammar schools tend to still have sixth form, high schools usually only have five. The English system is different because they have comprehensive schools and sixth form colleges and a whole host of other options.
You can also attend college or tech to complete A levels, BTECs, NDs etc which can all replace A levels.
Sixth form (as well as the last year or two of secondary school) is very focused. In secondary school it's 5-7 subjects, I believe.
For my GCSEs I did 10 examination subjects, plus general studies, European studies and RE which were non-examinable. (however, you can do all three for a GCSE if you school does them) I also did triple award science, which means that each science subject counts as a GCSE, so you get three marks. You can also do double award, which is two marks and single - although you still study all three subjects, you just get a composite mark.
In sixth form it's 3-5 subjects. So, a student can study say English language (linguistics), English literature, and Sociology, and only that. Or he can have some additional subject. To get into a University like Oxford, a student needs four A-levels with mark A.
It depends.
When I did my A levels most folk did 3 subjects. I did four. The year after I sat mine they brought in AS levels, where the majority of students sat 5 subjects for the first year and then 3 for the second year.
The amount of subjects you do varies depending on the school - I know one guy who went to a very posh private school and sat 8 A levels the same year as me. That just isn't possible in most state schools, there just aren't the resources.
In terms of Uni applications, the majority of universities still look for three grades, although four is good. Mature students - students over the age of 24 can be assessed on experience also, rather than just grades.
Just to confuse things further: if you want to specialise, for instance in Art, you can do a BTEC at a specalised college. My daughter did an arts BTEC and is in uni.
There are a lot of specialised courses such as BTECs which are designed as a stepping stone between school and university, specialising the student in one particular area. They are most common in practical courses, such as art and music, although there are a lot of courses on things such as beauty therapy, hairdressing and childcare, none of which are taught at school level.
In my experience courses such as BTECs and NDs etc are a great way of introducing a student to a subject and preparing them for a higher level of study, as well as equipping them for the work place.
It should be noted that, when it comes to university applications, there are some subjects that, even though you can do an A level in them, don't qualify for your application - General studies usually being one of them.
I was accepted to do Fine Art at University with 3 BTEC art diplomas. That's what I did after my GCSEs. Now instead I am doing an English Literature Degree with the Open University which you don't need prior A Levels, Diplomas or qualifications to do. Everyone who wants to do humanities and arts degrees at the OU does level 1 General Arts course first to bring everyone to the same level.
The OU is AMAZING. Seriously. I can't recomend it enough to people. I did a Literature degree with them that enabled me to go on to do my MA. I have encouraged so many other people into taking courses with them.
I know a lot of folks put the OU down because they don't have entry requirements for bachelors beyond just wanting to learn. But they have a really high pass rate and they always score really well on league tables. In my experience the folks who do OU courses are there because they really want to learn, rather than just filling three years while they work out what to do with their life.