Which Way Now? A-Levels, the IB, and British Education in Prague

Which way now?  The Case for A Levels as a Curriculum Pathway to University and Beyond

Predicting the future is a hard enough job for young people as it is but especially when choosing the right programme of study and curriculum pathway at the age of 16. In a very crowded market of international schools offering recognised global curricula such as IB or AP, for many it is a confusing decision making process, especially when it comes to making the right choice.

The British model of A Levels for post 16 study, are 75 years old this year, older than any similar models, and are universally recognised as the gold standard of university entry qualifications as well as being the most popular curriculum chosen by international schools around the World. Perrott Hill British School, Prague, is one of the first and oldest Cambridge accredited international schools in the Czech Republic and our A Level alumni have studied and are studying all over the World.

There is a simple reason why A Levels are so popular with international schools and that is the depth of academic rigour and study required that truly prepares students for university study and specialist careers beyond Higher Education. A Levels cover every academic subject and have broadened over the years to allow students to study everything from Further Maths to Music to Philosophy. I am very proud of the experienced and dedicated international and Czech teachers who are dedicated to wanting the best for their students.

The programme of study is specially designed for students to take three or sometimes four A Level subjects, to allow a depth of understanding, knowledge and skills to prepare students for a Higher Education pathway. This curriculum approach is in its 8th decade, and is recognised by not only the best universities globally but more or less all universities around the World. Admissions officers recognise the high level of academic study and examinations, the A Levels have prepared students for, over the 2 year course.

By not focussing students on too many subjects, where they miss out on depth study, specialism and overburdening a student, the A Level study programme at Perrott Hill British School, Prague also has time to develop important skills such as leadership, critical thinking, work/life balance, careers guidance and greater knowledge through our highly acclaimed programmes such the Model United Nations, Student Council, Sports and the Duke of Edinburgh leadership scheme. We are creating the next generation of leaders and global citizens with values to make the World a better place.

At PHBS Prague, we believe strongly in supporting individual students in their approach towards managing their studies and each A Level programme is a result of finding out what a student may want to do after A Levels and focus on the pathway that gets them to that goal and ready to study at Higher Education. A Levels are seen as one of the best ways of preparing students for the next stage of education.

The rigour of A Level study means we have a clear academic focus as a school through regular data points, mocks, home-school liaison and partnership and career guidance so we can focus on the holistic approach to developing students and PHBS Prague is not a simple “exam factory” through this philosophy and culture of education in our schools.

We believe our students should value their time with us and we are proud of our charity work and how students organise their much loved proms and social events. There is a balance in our approach to young people and preparing them for their futures. We want these years to be the best years of their lives. We are a school who cares for our students and we believe in our community of over 50 nationalities as an international school in Prague.

All post 16 programmes in any system and in any country, if it wants to prepare students for the future, should have regular opportunities for the outside World to come into the classroom and inspire and challenge students to think about the World outside of school. At PHBS Prague we use our alumni, outside speakers and organisations, representing all fields of employment, to speak with students so they get real life experiences and not just abstract learning. We are also introducing the Cambridge IPQ, extended essay, into our programme of A Levels, to sit alongside our community activities for all students.

The case for considering A Levels at the next choice for Post 16 study and preparing for university, is an overwhelming one. Students in Prague and the Czech Republic have a lot of choice between the national programme, IB and AP. But there is only one international school in all of this offering the oldest post 16 qualifications, and the “gold standard” of A Levels, and that is PHBS Prague.

At PHBS Prague, we are looking forward to welcoming prospective families and students on the 25th February, but for us, open day really is every day. Come and see our beautiful campus, likened to a university, and see why we think our model of education could be the right choice for your child.

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Want to know more about how the British system works?

Read our article where we explain the differences between A Levels and IGCSEs in detail here.