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Can you do A-Levels if you didn't do the GCSE equivalent to them?

We were told we need to have at least a B in the subject we want to take for our A Levels. (I have not done my GCSEs yet.)

I regret my GCSE options now ;^^ My interests have changed, and I would like to take history, unfortunately I have not taken it for GCSE. It's too late to change my options now. Is it possible to pursue history A Level regardless?

Advice would be much appreciated.

Reply 1

Youni-chan

Yes. I took A Level Psychology without doing the GCSE version. I was fine. It's probably a completely different ball game in A Levels anyway.

Reply 2

Exceptional

I do History A-level. Didn't do it for GCSE.

GCSE equivalents of Maths, English and Sciences are required to take them at A-level and that's it.

My Sixth did want a B in English Lang for History, though.

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Reply 3

Robertus

There was a student in my History class who never did History GCSE, but was encouraged to take it up due to his high grade in English GCSE. (He didn't want to do English A Level)

It's entirely possible, though it does rely on your Sixth Form/College's flexibility in regards to subject choices. Of course there will be subjects such as Classics (Which I did without a GCSE), Psychology, Sociology etc. that require no prior experience to take at A Level; however your school may have more strict requirements with the likes of History as they usually do.

Reply 4

AmyPilot

The sixth form at my school wanted you to have done gcse in the subjects you picked (where it was available) but the actual college I went to didn't insist on it. Lots of people did psychology never having done it before and I did sociology which was a new one to me.