The Student Room Group

AS subjects not studied at school?

Hi guys,

I'm new here..:colondollar:and I got a question! (obviously)

I'm going into A2 this September, and I take health and social care btec (equiv to two a levels) and philosophy and ethics...I have a lot of free time during the academic year! I do the cw real quick for health and philosophy, well it's just one A level subject so it doesn't take up much time.

In September I want to pick up AS, geography, English lit and History but I know my sixth form would not let me. Is it possible for me to take these subjects and just do the exam in my school along with the other geography, English and History students? I'd get a tutor and teach myself. :redface: I'm very keen.
So, is this possible? Do schools/sixth forms usually allow this? Hmmm... and if my sixth form says no to allowing me to just sit in the room and sit the exam and not go to any of those three subject lessons throughout the AS year, could I ask another college?

Thanks, many thanks...
Unlikely to happen. Far better to focus on your second year subjects anyway, they're far more important at that stage. They're more time-consuming than you'd think too.
Reply 2
If you register as an external candidate then it's possible but the downside is that you will have to pay to take each A level which isn't cheap on top of the cost of a tutor...
Reply 3
I imagine that it's something that you'll have to discuss with your school as obviously they will want good A2 results for the school so it's a risk to them i suppose, if you can convince them how keen you are then i shouldn't see any problems with it!

I think they will let you take 1 maybe even 2 but 3 will be unlikely as along with A2 (which are of course harder) will mean too much work/risk on their part so maybe a compromise is best!

good luck!
Reply 4
Original post by laura1234
If you register as an external candidate then it's possible but the downside is that you will have to pay to take each A level which isn't cheap on top of the cost of a tutor...



No, I don't think I would have to pay. I'm 17 years old and next year I'll be in my 2nd year of A levels. You get 3 years of free education in college so yeah! I wouldn't have to pay.
Reply 5
Original post by RosieH7
I imagine that it's something that you'll have to discuss with your school as obviously they will want good A2 results for the school so it's a risk to them i suppose, if you can convince them how keen you are then i shouldn't see any problems with it!

I think they will let you take 1 maybe even 2 but 3 will be unlikely as along with A2 (which are of course harder) will mean too much work/risk on their part so maybe a compromise is best!

good luck!


hmmm, yeah, I see where you're coming from! I'll have to have a word with my school's exam officer. Thanks :')
Reply 6
Original post by laura1234
If you register as an external candidate then it's possible but the downside is that you will have to pay to take each A level which isn't cheap on top of the cost of a tutor...


And actually, to be honest, I'm thinking about not having a tutor! I don't even want one. I just put it in my question so people don't think I'm insane (for not having a tutor with my AS's!) I think, If I work really hard and get notes from my friend's in the younger year who are doing the same AS subjects as me in school, and if I really set out the time for these subjects, read my textbook well and research online...I should be in for a good chance of passing :smile:

Optimistic!
Reply 7
Original post by happyfeet1234
No, I don't think I would have to pay. I'm 17 years old and next year I'll be in my 2nd year of A levels. You get 3 years of free education in college so yeah! I wouldn't have to pay.


But you wouldn't be doing the A levels through the school (as they pay on your behalf to sit each exam) if you were doing them externally you would have no form of third party funding i.e. from your school/college as they aren't letting you take those subjects in the first place.
Reply 8
Original post by laura1234
But you wouldn't be doing the A levels through the school (as they pay on your behalf to sit each exam) if you were doing them externally you would have no form of third party funding i.e. from your school/college as they aren't letting you take those subjects in the first place.


I'm going to enroll for these AS courses just like all the fresh year 11's who are applying for their first set of AS's but, the difference will be that they'll go to lessons throughout the whole two years, and I won't. I only want to do the AS not A2 bit because I'm planning on going to uni in Sept 2013, I just want more AS's. (back ground info)

- So why wouldn't the school fund it?- So I'm going to speak to my exam officer (my sixth form's) and then tell her that I won't attend any lessons, I just want to sit the exam with the other students because I need to be in an exam setting so therefore I am doing the AS through the school am I not? What's the difference between an external applicant by the way?
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 9
Original post by happyfeet1234
I'm going to enroll for these AS courses just like all the fresh year 11's who are applying for their first set of AS's but, the difference will be that they'll go to lessons throughout the whole two years, and I won't. I only want to do the AS not A2 bit because I'm planning on going to uni in Sept 2013, I just want more AS's. (back ground info)

- So why wouldn't the school fund it?- So I'm going to speak to my exam officer (my sixth form's) and then tell her that I won't attend any lessons, I just want to sit the exam with the other students because I need to be in an exam setting so therefore I am doing the AS through the school am I not? What's the difference between an external applicant by the way?


I thought you mean't that you had asked your school and they said you wearn't allowed to do it at all so you were going to do them outside of school but then ask the school if you could be entered for the exam with the others? An external applicant means that you sit the exam at the school but you don't attend any of their lessons in the lead up to it and teach yourself instead. If thats what your planning on doing then the school might be a bit :s-smilie: about it because they want to be sure your going to pass as all the results go on their league tables. It all depends on what their policy is I guess, but my school were always really weird about it and said if you want to sit the exam you have to go to the lessons...sorry if Ive confused you :P
Reply 10
Original post by laura1234
I thought you mean't that you had asked your school and they said you wearn't allowed to do it at all so you were going to do them outside of school but then ask the school if you could be entered for the exam with the others? An external applicant means that you sit the exam at the school but you don't attend any of their lessons in the lead up to it and teach yourself instead. If thats what your planning on doing then the school might be a bit :s-smilie: about it because they want to be sure your going to pass as all the results go on their league tables. It all depends on what their policy is I guess, but my school were always really weird about it and said if you want to sit the exam you have to go to the lessons...sorry if Ive confused you :P



Oh haha! I'm clear with it all now. Oh, I hope my school won't mind...I'm sure they won't; when I asked my exam's officer last year if I could do Spanish AS as an external applicant she said yeah of course! But this time it's for three subjects... My school I hope won't mind at all! I'll pray on it :] Thanks!

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