The less starry are in high demand too because there is such a shortage of well-qualified computer experts.What do students say? “I’m finding it very interesting It’s good that we get the chance to try out computer models. I think that it is going to be very useful.” (Moya Lucas, 16, doing OCR computing at Our Lady’s Catholic High School, Lancaster.)Which awarding bodies offer it? OCR, Edexcel and AQA.How widely available is it? It is available in most schools and colleges around the country.. What is it? A new AS-level in which you learn how to evaluate claims and counter-claims and to present your own arguments in a clear, logical and consistent way; available from the autumn as one of the new advanced extension awards (the qualifications that Tony Blair calls world-class tests). What is it? A new AS-level in which you learn how to evaluate claims and counter-claims and to present your own arguments in a clear, logical and consistent way; available from the autumn as one of the new advanced extension awards (the qualifications that Tony Blair calls world-class tests).
Why do it? Because it has the potential to improve your performance in other subjects, and is good preparation for the cut and thrust of higher education. It means that you can come up with better arguments for why you deserve to borrow the car tonight.What skills do you need? None specified, although most students will have reasonable GCSE grades in English.How much practical work is there? A lot of group discussion. A group might discuss a hypothetical request from an A-level music student for a parking space in the college car park, because she finds if difficult to transport her cello to college.

Her colleagues will decide whether that is a fair argument when no other student has the right to use the car park, and others may have pressing needs too.Ratio of coursework to exams: There are two written exam papers lasting 90 minutes each.Is it hard? Pretty demanding; it will stretch the more able. Question papers are quite dense, with a great deal of text to read But there isn’t masses of revision. This is a concept subject, not a content one; you will be dipping into yourself, rather than into other people’s ideas.Is it enjoyable? Yes You draw on your own interests. It is brilliant for those who can express themselves with flair.Who takes it? Fairly even gender mix of more able boys and girls.How cool is it? Pretty cool, because it’s one of those new subjects that makes life at school or college a little bit more interesting.Added value: It could help you to do better in your other exams. One sixth-form college teaching the course found that students of critical thinking who took vocational A-level modules in January achieved one grade better than forecast.What subjects go with it? Anything does really, but it goes particularly well with psychology, sociology, English or languages.What degrees does it lead to? Almost anything.

It’s a good general enabling subject that will set you up for any degree course.Will it set you up for a brilliant career? It depends what you want to do. It could set you up as a brilliant newspaper columnist or as prime minister.What do students say? “It’s great. We’ve only had 40 minutes a week of lessons, but I’ve already learnt so many things It helps you look at the structure of arguments Then you formulate arguments without weaknesses. It’s so useful, because people can’t pick holes in what you say. I think it should be part of the core curriculum.” Kate Mulkaye, Richard Huish College, Somerset, taking AS-levels in philosophy, history, French, English literature and critical thinking.Which awarding bodies offer it? OCR.How widely available is it around the country? Not that widely available yet Currently to be found mainly in sixth-form colleges.. What is it? A mixture of the nuts and bolts – how archaeologists do archaeology – and the ideas behind ancient civilisations. You don’t do any actual digging but you do a lot of practical work – field-work techniques, using maps and other documents, survey equipment and picking up items from ploughed fields You use real material from real sites.

You learn about excavations and how to rush about like the people on the Time Team TV programme. Finally, you do a paper on religion and ritual and are given a choice of four topics for study: prehistoric Britain and Ireland, the Maya, ancient Egypt and the Roman world. What is it? A mixture of the nuts and bolts – how archaeologists do archaeology – and the ideas behind ancient civilisations. You don’t do any actual digging but you do a lot of practical work – field-work techniques, using maps and other documents, survey equipment and picking up items from ploughed fields You use real material from real sites. You learn about excavations and how to rush about like the people on the Time Team TV programme. Finally, you do a paper on religion and ritual and are given a choice of four topics for study: prehistoric Britain and Ireland, the Maya, ancient Egypt and the Roman world.
Why do it? Because it interests you. You have seen Tony Robinson getting excited on Time Team and you think you would like to make similar discoveries.