A Levels, Science, and GCSES
Further education is more than just a continuation of your time at school.
Studying with us gives you the opportunity to specialise in the subjects that interest you the most.
Take responsibility for the direction of your own education. With our help, you can identify your interests and strong points and start to think about your next steps after college.
A Levels
A Levels are versatile, internationally-recognised qualifications that are highly valued by employers and can help you gain entry to any university in the country. All A Levels, no matter the subject, will help you improve your communication skills and prove that you are capable of high-level academic work. Therefore, if you haven’t decided yet on a career or further study, A Levels can help you keep your options open.
During your time with us, we’ll also help you to pursue additional activities, both to broaden your skills and prepare yourself for life after college. Some students take up internships during the summer.
You can pick a choice of three A Levels from our business, science, communication, and social sciences pathways.
Science
If you are focussed on a career in science, our full-time science programmes offer you the opportunity to specialise in applied science, forensic science, or applied psychology. These provide the equivalent points you will need to progress to university.
GCSEs
If you want GCSE grades that are more reflective of what you are capable of, we offer one-year, full-time programmes for 16–19-year olds who want to improve their grades, or who didn't get the results they needed the first time around.
You'll do more than just study the same things again; you'll be studying using our award-winning Learning Philosophy, which helps you identify how best you can learn and keeps your studies relevant to you. Furthermore, during your programme, you’ll gain the practical skills, knowledge, and attributes you need to make a success of your next step, whether that’s university, an apprenticeship or entering work.
Every year, hundreds of our students go on to study higher-level programmes at almost 100 top universities across the UK and abroad. Recently this has included 18 of the world-class Russell Group’s 24 universities, such as University of Oxford, Newcastle University and King’s College, London.
Saffron, A LevelsRead my storyI really enjoy coming to college, it’s so different to school and the staff are really supportive and encouraging which helps to build our confidence in our abilities.
Industry partnerships
At Farnham College we offer four A Level pathways in the following areas:
- English and communications
- Humanities
- Maths and science
- Ecology
Expand the boxes below to find out more about each A Level pathway.
English and Communications pathway
Our English and communications pathway offers a series of programmes within the field of English language communications; equipping you with the necessary skills to enter further or higher education or simply to begin your career in a variety of valuable roles in the workplace. Whether it’s exploring literature, what it tells us about the cultures it reflects and the motivations of those who write, or if you’re keen to apply your critical and creative thinking to communications in social work, teaching, or journalism, this pathway is for you.
Courses available in this pathway:
- English Language A Level
- English Literature A Level
The communications industry is worth over £3 billion to the UK economy annually. This pathway is the perfect starting part to both your education and career in the communications industry.
Qualifications in English and communications are highly regarded by universities and employers. They provide you with a toolbox of transferable skills and therefore open a variety of opportunities for study or work in areas such as business, health, education and telecommunications to name just a few! The communications industry is expected to grow by nearly 10% from now until 2027, creating over four thousand jobs. In the same period, over 45% of the current workforce are expected to retire, creating 18,900 job openings.
Our dedicated English and communications pathway combines a series of qualifications that will ensure you are best placed to enter further or higher education or directly into the workforce. These programmes will give you the opportunity to study the English language and its uses in contemporary communication. They aim to encourage a critical response to texts in a wide range of styles, formats and contexts through extensive enrichment opportunities.
Throughout your studies, you will develop a brand new and extensive vocabulary and the ability to read and analyse material as well as developing your own skills as an independent, creative and reflective communicator.
Humanities pathway
Humanities subjects are areas of study that go right to the core of the human experience and explore this world’s various cultures and what we can learn from each other, and ourselves. In humanities, human culture, experience, and perception are the object of study, while at the same time acknowledging that the student is a learning and developing individual with their own opinions. These courses will give you a different outlook on your everyday world and present you with questions and controversial subject areas that are not usually taught at school.
Courses available in this pathway:
- Geography A Level
- History A Level
- Sociology A Level
You will learn through presentations, group work, discussions and online research that will challenge you and provide you with a set of transferable skills that are desirable to both employers and universities. One of the benefits of a humanities degree is the emphasis it puts on teaching you how to think, critique, and persuade—often in areas where there isn’t much data available or you need to work out what to believe.
Qualifications in humanities can lead to a diverse range of employment opportunities in a number of fields. This is the ideal entry point into a rewarding career or further education in journalism, social care, criminology, management and many more.
Maths and Science pathway
There is not a single industry where mathematical skills are irrelevant. If you have a passion for numbers, our maths and science pathways will kick start your career and education in the world of numbers, science and logic.
Courses available in this pathway:
- Biology A Level
- Chemistry A Level
- Physics A Level
- Psychology A Level
- Mathematics A Level
- Applied Psychology BTEC Level 3 National Certificate
- Applied Science BTEC Level 3 Diploma
The study of maths and science can explain and demystify the world through the objective gathering and analysing of data. It also provides you with a host of transferable analytical and communication skills and can present you with a wide range of career opportunities.
Mathematics is a subject that can be studied for its own sake, but its techniques can be applied in many areas of study, meaning that the career prospects are vast and rewarding. Our courses provide students with the ability to learn new mathematical concepts and solve related mathematical problems.
With one of our science courses, you can explore the natural world, engineering, space, military technology, physics, psychology and even supernatural phenomena. These highly practical courses provide you with the relative skills needed for employment within science organisations whilst enabling you to develop practical scientific skills. You could move on to a science degree or employment in a science-related industry as a forensic scientist, quality control technician in a production plant laboratory, an editor of a scientific publication and many more!
These courses, while fairly demanding, are also very satisfying and popular choices at Farnham College, due to our small class sizes and therefore increased support from our expert teachers. With the support and knowledge of our tutors, success rates for these courses are excellent and present endless career opportunities. Former students who achieved A Levels in mathematics or science have moved onto university and studied courses including maths, engineering, computing, architecture and teaching.
Ecology pathway
On this pathway, you’ll have the opportunity to achieve the A Levels needed to continue onto university to study subjects such as environmental science, conservation, sustainability and ecology at degree level.
You can choose three A Levels from the five on offer:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Environmental Studies
- Geography
- Maths
Alongside A Levels, you’ll be undertaking a range of environmental, ecological and conservation projects. You will be involved in practical activities such as bat, badger and deer surveys; conserving wildlife; butterfly releases; researching energy use; water management and monitoring weather changes.
At the end of this programme, you won’t just be leaving with valuable qualifications. You will have a wealth of practical experience and rich examples of how you’ve really made a difference to the environment, perfect for showcasing your skills and commitment to employers and universities.
Opportunities within the environmental sector are rapidly growing. Nearly 70,000 people work within environmental conservation roles in the UK, with 2,500 job openings per year and a further 3.2% growth expected by 2026.
Careers in this sector are diverse, spanning areas from conservation and sustainability to environmental research and education. Possible job roles include environmental protection manager, ecologist, conservation officer, sustainability consultant, water quality scientist, marine biologist and many more.
