If you used Clearing in 2024, how did you find it?

LAE or NCS

It's getting close to results/ enrolment day and I am unable to decide the best sixth form for me. (assuming I have the grades for both!)
I intend on studying: Politics, English Lit, Psych and Econ

Reasons I like LAE:
- very close to home (1/3 of the time to NCS)
- SO MANY TRIPS (NCS does not have many at all)
- apparently 2nd in the world for mental health?

Reasons I like NCS:
- THE LIBERAL ARTS PROGRAMME (LAE as tutor-style classes depending on what you want to study)
- Better results (80% A*/A, as compared to 61%)
- 10 students in humanities based classes (LAE has about 20)

Can someone give me advice on what they would choose? Or if you are studying any of the courses I am interested in at these schools, why did you choose the school?

Reply 1

vaesthetikx

Is this LAE Tottenham or Stratford?

Reply 2

beeeeeeeeeela

Original post by vaesthetikx

Is this LAE Tottenham or Stratford?

Stratford!

Reply 3

Daisy._.7777

Original post by beeeeeeeeeela

It's getting close to results/ enrolment day and I am unable to decide the best sixth form for me. (assuming I have the grades for both!)
I intend on studying: Politics, English Lit, Psych and Econ
Reasons I like LAE:
- very close to home (1/3 of the time to NCS)
- SO MANY TRIPS (NCS does not have many at all)
- apparently 2nd in the world for mental health?
Reasons I like NCS:
- THE LIBERAL ARTS PROGRAMME (LAE as tutor-style classes depending on what you want to study)
- Better results (80% A*/A, as compared to 61%)
- 10 students in humanities based classes (LAE has about 20)
Can someone give me advice on what they would choose? Or if you are studying any of the courses I am interested in at these schools, why did you choose the school?

I have an offer from LAE and personally didn’t apply for NCS because I didn’t like their history course. So many you can compare based on your courses?

For example, compare the books studied at LAE to NCS for English lit and decide which ones you’d be more interested in. Maybe you can read the first chapters of each if you’re up to it!

For politics, both NCS and LAE are Edexcel. At both you’ll study UK government and Politics, and then at LAE you’ll do US politics, whilst at NCS you’ll do global politics, so whichever you prefer!

I don’t know to much about psychology and economics, but I’ll assume the courses are very similar regardless of exam board (but correct me if I’m wrong), so maybe decide by looking at the specifications for both schools exam boards and see which ones you’d like to study more.

NCS is Edexcel psychology - https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/psychology-2015.html

LAE is AQA psychology -https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/psychology/as-and-a-level/psychology-7181-7182

NCS and LAE are both Edexcel economics -
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/economics-a-2015.html

Also, might I add that I think LAE being closer should be something important to consider. It’ll mean you’ll spend less time travelling, meaning that when you get home from school you’ll have more time to study, and will also be able to include more breaks because you’d be less short of time. Whereas NCS being further means more travel, being more tired so studying will be harder, and you’ll have less time to take breaks since you’ll have to study the same amount as you would for LAE in less time.

I hope this helps!! I good luck on results day, I hope we both get the results to get into LAE, or NCS if that’s what you decide to do :smile:

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 4

Daisy._.7777

Original post by Daisy._.7777

I have an offer from LAE and personally didn’t apply for NCS because I didn’t like their history course. So many you can compare based on your courses?
For example, compare the books studied at LAE to NCS for English lit and decide which ones you’d be more interested in. Maybe you can read the first chapters of each if you’re up to it!
For politics, both NCS and LAE are Edexcel. At both you’ll study UK government and Politics, and then at LAE you’ll do US politics, whilst at NCS you’ll do global politics, so whichever you prefer!
I don’t know to much about psychology and economics, but I’ll assume the courses are very similar regardless of exam board (but correct me if I’m wrong), so maybe decide by looking at the specifications for both schools exam boards and see which ones you’d like to study more.
NCS is Edexcel psychology - https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/psychology-2015.html
LAE is AQA psychology -https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/psychology/as-and-a-level/psychology-7181-7182
NCS and LAE are both Edexcel economics -
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/economics-a-2015.html
Also, might I add that I think LAE being closer should be something important to consider. It’ll mean you’ll spend less time travelling, meaning that when you get home from school you’ll have more time to study, and will also be able to include more breaks because you’d be less short of time. Whereas NCS being further means more travel, being more tired so studying will be harder, and you’ll have less time to take breaks since you’ll have to study the same amount as you would for LAE in less time.
I hope this helps!! I good luck on results day, I hope we both get the results to get into LAE, or NCS if that’s what you decide to do :smile:

Another thing I forget to mention is what is important to you. Personally, a school environment that focuses on both your educational progress, as well as the happiness and wellbeing of the students is very important to me. So LAEs strong emphasis on their students happiness and mental health is perfect for me.

Access to extracurriculars is also important for me when thinking about University applications, and while I’m sure NCS is also strong in this areas, LAEs trip, work experience and club opportunities win for me personally.

However, I see why your very interested in NCS’s liberal arts program as it also sounds like a great opportunity that could look great on a university applications, but I still feel that LAE has more options.

Also, even though the cohorts are smaller in NCS, 20 students per classroom is still not crazy high, and from what I could tell from going to LAE’s opening evening, the teachers seemed very capable of giving each student the right support, and all the students seemed happy in the classroom, so I wouldn’t get hung up on it.

I feel like I’m being incredibly biased here 🥲🤣, but regardless I hope this helps.

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 5

rushika137

Original post by beeeeeeeeeela

It's getting close to results/ enrolment day and I am unable to decide the best sixth form for me. (assuming I have the grades for both!)
I intend on studying: Politics, English Lit, Psych and Econ
Reasons I like LAE:
- very close to home (1/3 of the time to NCS)
- SO MANY TRIPS (NCS does not have many at all)
- apparently 2nd in the world for mental health?
Reasons I like NCS:
- THE LIBERAL ARTS PROGRAMME (LAE as tutor-style classes depending on what you want to study)
- Better results (80% A*/A, as compared to 61%)
- 10 students in humanities based classes (LAE has about 20)
Can someone give me advice on what they would choose? Or if you are studying any of the courses I am interested in at these schools, why did you choose the school?