Choosing A Level courses is one of the most consequential decisions a student will make. Get it right and the next two years build genuine momentum. Get it wrong and the subjects feel like a grind, the grades suffer, and the university application is weaker for it.
In London, students have more options than almost anywhere else in the country. More colleges, more subjects, more combinations. That breadth is valuable, but it also makes the decision harder. This is a practical guide to understanding your options.
What A Level courses are available in London?
Most sixth forms and independent colleges in London offer the core A Level subjects: Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Literature, History, Geography, Economics, Business Studies, Psychology and the main modern languages. Beyond those, provision varies considerably.
Specialist and independent colleges tend to offer a wider range, including subjects like Politics, Philosophy, Sociology, Law, Art and Design, Photography, Media Studies, Drama and Music. At Collingham, the full range of A Level subjects is broad, and the admissions team will always have a direct conversation about whether a particular combination works for a student’s goals.
How many A Levels should a student take?
The standard is three A Levels, and for most university applications three strong grades are worth far more than four average ones. Some students take four, particularly those applying to highly competitive courses or institutions that specify a fourth subject. A very small number take two, usually in specific circumstances where a different programme structure makes more sense.
The quality of teaching and the student’s engagement with the subjects matter far more than the number of subjects chosen. Three A Levels, taught well, in subjects a student genuinely cares about, will almost always produce better outcomes than a broader programme that spreads effort too thin.
Choosing the right subjects
The most important question is not which subjects look best on a UCAS application but which subjects will this student work hardest in. University admissions tutors are experienced at reading personal statements and predicted grades. A student who has chosen subjects they find genuinely interesting is almost always more compelling than one who has picked strategically but without conviction.
That said, some courses and careers do require specific A Levels, and it is worth checking entry requirements early. Medicine and Dentistry typically require Chemistry and Biology. Engineering programmes often require Mathematics and Physics. Law, Politics and similar humanities courses tend to be more flexible.
If there is any ambiguity, speak to the college’s admissions team before finalising subject choices. At Collingham, that conversation happens at the start of the process, not as an afterthought. Get in touch to arrange a conversation.
What a difference the right environment makes
It is easy to focus on subject choices and miss the thing that matters most: where a student learns, and how well they are known there.
Maddie came to Collingham after receiving grades that disappointed her. Her school encouraged her to accept Clearing and settle for less. She did not.
“I knew those grades did not reflect my ability or my potential, and I wasn’t ready to give up on achieving what I knew I was capable of.”
She retook Biology and Maths, added English Literature in a single year, and left with A*A*A. Some of the first people she told about her Oxford offer were the staff at Collingham.
“Collingham gave me the confidence to aim high and the independence to find the systems and approaches that worked best for me. Those are lessons I still carry with me today.”
Maddie is now reading Law at the University of Oxford.
Her story is not unusual at Collingham. What is consistent is the pattern: a student who needed a different environment, found one, and discovered what they were actually capable of. The subject choices mattered. The teaching mattered. But the thing that changed everything was being somewhere small enough for someone to notice. If you are considering an A Level retake, it is worth understanding what that environment can do.
A Level courses in Kensington
Collingham has been offering A Level courses from its Kensington base since 1975. The college operates across two townhouses in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, a short walk from High Street Kensington. Classes are capped at nine students, with an average of five, and teaching is delivered by subject specialists rather than generalists.
The timetable is built around the student, not the other way around. Students can combine subjects across different year groups, adjust their programme if circumstances change, and access individual support from their personal tutor throughout the year.
For students who need to retake one or more A Levels alongside new subjects, or who are starting an A Level course after a different educational pathway, Collingham’s flexible structure makes that straightforward.
What to look for when comparing A Level colleges
Beyond subject range, the questions worth asking are: how small are the classes? Who does the teaching? What happens if a student is struggling and needs additional support? What is the college’s track record with university applications?
A large sixth form with a broad subject offer is not automatically better than a smaller college with fewer subjects but far more personalised provision. The right environment for one student may be entirely wrong for another, and the best colleges are honest about that rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
Collingham’s ISI inspection in January 2026 confirmed all standards were met, with inspectors noting the strength of personalised support and the quality of teaching across subjects.
If you are exploring A Level courses in London or Kensington and want to understand whether Collingham is the right fit, start with a conversation.