The Sixth Form College Farnborough

Choosing a Course

Choosing subjects

It is important to choose subjects you think you will enjoy but also those that offer you the greatest chance of success. You will be required to have at least four subjects on your timetable to provide breadth to your studies and help you make effective use of your time.

Experience shows us that GCSE grades are a good guide when considering suitability for a subject and tutors will discuss your achievements with you at interview and again at enrolment. They will calculate your average GCSE grade to help decide upon the right course for you. 

How is the average GCSE calculated?

By using a very simple table which converts your GCSE grade to a number like this: 

Once the conversion has been made, your score is added up and the average calculated by dividing the total points by the number of subjects that you have taken.

Example: Nicky has one A* GCSE which gives her 8 points; two subjects at grade A (2 x 7 = 14 points); two at grade B (2 x 6 = 12 points); three at grade C (3 x 5 = 15 points) and one other grade D (4 points). In total she has 53 points.  To obtain the average, divide this score by the number of GCSE subjects she has taken: 53 points divided by 9 subjects gives Nicky an average GCSE score of 5.9.

You should work out your own average GCSE score using using the predictions provided by your teachers. The College requires you to have an average GCSE score of at least 4.0 (including Mathematics and English Language) to consider an Advanced level programme. The higher your average GCSE score, the broader your choice of subjects is likely to be. Other level 2 qualifications, including BTEC and OCR National Certificates, will be considered.  Please note a Merit grade will be required to progress from such courses on to a level 3 programme at the College.

There are individual subject entry requirements and these are outlined in the College Course Guide.  Some individual Advanced level subjects will, for example, expect a grade B in that or a closely related GCSE. 

Students without a grade C in English Language and/or Mathematics may experience difficulty in progressing on to an Advanced level programme. If you do not have a grade C in either English Language or Mathematics you will be required to retake one or both subjects in your first year as part of an individual programme of study.

The following table should act as a guide but your choice of subjects, and how many, should be made following discussions at your College interview and with careers advisers.