Academic Development through the British Education System

Our programme allows for individually tailored academic pathways, which students can follow as they discover and develop their academic interests and strengths.

The pre-university model that shapes our curricula encourages the development of independent learning, building up towards A Level qualifications in Years 12 and 13.

A Levels were created by universities and for universities.

They allow a free choice of subjects and depth of study that gives a solid preparation for higher education, certifying students’ interests and their ability to pursue academic studies.

A Levels also give a unique opportunity to lay an extensive and in-depth interdisciplinary foundation for university study.

Why A Level?

Why A Level?

All students at Akademeia High School work towards A Level exams, giving them the opportunity to build their own academic profile from the wide variety of subjects on offer. A student may choose to combine Sociology and Politics with Economics.

The flexibility of choice at A Level is wonderfully liberating for students in academic terms but also a serious responsibility.

A Level subjects must be well chosen and students need to be prepared for them in order to maximise their learning possibilities. For this reason, we have carefully crafted our programmes for Years 10 and 11, combining Akademeia Assessed Courses with subjects that fulfil iGCSE specifications.

All students follow Core Subjects that incorporate iGCSE standards but go beyond them to prepare them for A Level.

British qualifications are recognised around the world for the integrity of their academic rigour.

Akademeia High School is an accredited examination centre for the AQA and Pearson Edexcel exam boards, and for Cambridge International. All our students sit their major public exams, as set by these boards, within our school premises.

A Level vs IB Diploma

What are the main differences?

A Level

A Levels allow students to specialise in the subjects they enjoy and in which they are more able, allowing them to play to their strengths.
There are no compulsory elements at A Level; students choose only those subjects in which they can succeed.
A Levels offer access to UK universities.
They are also accepted in the USA and Europe.
There is no ideological programme behind A Levels which are purely about the academic subjects themselves.

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP)

The IB offers a wide range of subjects many of which are compulsory.
Many students benefit from the breadth of study which is seen as the main advantage of the IB but other students dislike the compulsory core elements, especially Theory of Knowledge and CAS.
The Arts are not compulsory in the IB but students have to study Maths, Sciences and languages, which are all compulsory, along with the core component. This does not suit all students.
IB allows access to European and US universities and is accepted in the UK too.

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IB and A Level - comparison

"I would never have been accepted by Oxford with only my IB exam results!

Never ever! A Levels gave me the opportunity to choose the subjects I was good at and interested in. I could easily focus on the three subjects I was predisposed to and that was it! I got accepted and I’ve been able to study within the major I wanted.”

– Former student
Chemistry, University of Oxford

	Polish “Matura”	IB*	A Level*
Language of instruction	Polish	English	English
Number of subjects	4 – 8	6	3 – 4
Obligatory subjects	Polish, Foreign Langauge, Maths	Maths and 5 other EE, CAS, TOK
Elective subjects	1 (obligatory) – 5 all on advanced level	Within 5 groups 1 from each group	All
Academic load	Medium to high	High	Low to high
Accepted in Poland	Yes	Yes (unified conversion table)	Yes (university sets conversion)
Accepted Worldwide	Limited	Yes	Yes
Correlation with SAT II*	Limited	Some	Some

*IB – International Baccalaureate
*A Level – GCE Advanced Level
*SAT II – Scholastic Assessment Test / II: subject specific