Courses & Entry Criteria

General Entry Requirements: Calculating your points

At West Hatch Sixth Form, we use a points system to calculate our general entry criteria.
We also require a satisfactory school reference.

Eligibility is based on the total points from your best eight GCSE grades, including English and Mathematics.

Our minimum entry criteria is 35 points, including a grade 4 or above in English and Mathematics.

To calculate your points, you need to add the following:

1) Your points from your GCSE Mathematics result.
2) Your points from your best GCSE English result.
3) Your next six highest GCSE, or equivalent qualifications, results.

You will also need to meet the subject specific entry criteria, which is mentioned below.

Grade : Points Calculation Chart

Qualification Type	Grade	Points
GCSE	9	9
GCSE	8	8
GCSE	7	7
GCSE	6	6
GCSE	5	5
GCSE	4	4
GCSE	3	3
GCSE	2	2
GCSE	1	1
BTEC Level 2	Distinction (D)	7
BTEC Level 2	Merit (M)	6
BTEC Level 2	Pass (P)	4
BTEC Level 1	Distinction (D)	3
BTEC Level 1	Merit (M)	2
BTEC Level 1	Pass (P)	1

For example, if you achieve one 7, two 6s, four 5s, and one 4, you would have 43 points.

In exceptional circumstances, where students have been unable to sit 8 GCSEs due to medical reasons, please contact the Sixth Form Team to discuss your application.

Our Academic Pathways

At West Hatch Sixth Form, we have four Academic Pathways. The points required for each are as follows:

Points Range	English & Maths Requirement	Pathway	Program
56+	Grade 7+ in both	Advanced Pathway: Achievement Plus Programme (APP)	Up to 4 A Levels + targeted support
48–55	Grade 5+ in both	A Level Pathway	3 A Levels
40–47	Grade 4+ in both	Combined Qualifications Pathway	1–2 vocational + A Levels
35–39	Grade 4+ in both	Vocational Qualifications Pathway	3 vocational courses or the Business triple award.

Our Subject Specific Entry Requirements

A-Levels

We highly recommend that you have studied the subject at GCSE level to move on to the A Level course. Where this is not the case, there is an element of flexibility in some subjects as outlined below.

A Level Subject	Entry requirements (if taken at GCSE)	Entry requirements (if NOT taken at GCSE)
Art	A grade 6 or above in Art.	This subject cannot be taken.
Biology	A grade 6 or above in Biology or Combined Sciences at Grades Double 7 or above.	This subject cannot be taken.
Business Studies	A grade 6 or above in Business Studies.	A grade 6 or above in another GCSE subject and a grade 5 or above in Mathematics.
Chemistry	A grade 6 or above in Chemistry or Combined Sciences at Grades 7-7 or above.	This subject cannot be taken.
Computer Science	A grade 6 or above in ICT or Computer Science.	This subject cannot be taken.
Drama and Theatre Studies	A grade 6 or above in Drama.	A grade 6 or above in another GCSE subject and a grade 5 or above in English.
Economics	A grade 6 or above in Economics.	A Grade 6 or above in Mathematics.
English Language & Literature	A grade 5 and 6 or above in English Language and English Literature, respectively.	This subject cannot be taken.
English Literature	A grade 6 or above in both English Literature and English Language.	This subject cannot be taken.
Geography	A grade 6 or above in Geography.	A grade 6 or above in another GCSE subject and a grade 5 or above in English.
Government & Politics	A grade 6 or above in Government & Politics.	A grade 6 or above in another GCSE subject and a grade 5 or above in English.
History	A grade 6 or above in History.	A grade 6 or above in another GCSE subject and a grade 5 or above in English.
Mathematics	A grade 6 or above in Mathematics.	This subject cannot be taken.
Media Studies	A grade 5 or above in Media Studies.	A grade 4 or above in English Language.
Philosophy & Ethics	A grade 6 or above in Religious Studies.	A grade 6 or above in another GCSE subject and a grade 5 or above in English.
Physical Education	A grade 6 or above in Physical Education.	A grade 5 or above in Science.
Physics	A grade 6 or above in Physics or Combined Sciences at grades 7-7 or above, plus a grade 6 or above in Mathematics.	This subject cannot be taken.
Product Design	A grade 6 or above in Resistant Materials, Product Design or Systems & Control.	This subject cannot be taken.
Psychology	A grade 6 or above in Psychology.	A grade 6 or above in another GCSE subject and a grade 5 or above in English.
Sociology	A grade 6 or above in Sociology.	A grade 6 or above in another GCSE subject and a grade 5 or above in English.
Spanish	A grade 6 or above in Spanish.	This subject cannot be taken.

Vocational Qualifications: Combined Pathway

Vocational Programmes (1 A-Level equivalent)	Entry Requirements (if taken at GCSE )	Entry Requirements (if NOT taken at GCSE)
Cambridge Advanced National (AAQ) Applied Science	Grade 4 ore above in any triple Science or Grade 4-4 or above in Combined Science	This subject cannot be taken.
BTEC National Extended Certificate Business	Grade 4 or above in GCSE Business Studies	At least 35 points from your best 8 subjects including at least a grade 4 in English and Mathematics.
BTEC National Foundation Diploma Dance (*equivalent to 1.5 A levels*)	BTEC Dance Merit or GCSE grade 5 in Dance or medals/grades from dance school, and a successful audition	Evidence of dance experience and qualifications must be uploaded onto the application form at submission.
Cambridge Advanced National (AAQ) IT	Grade 4 or above in ICT or Computer Science	At least 35 points from your best 8 subjects including at least a grade 4 in English and Mathematics.
BTEC National Extended Certificate Sport and Exercise Science	Merit in BTEC First Certificate or Diploma in Sport or Grade 4 in PE or Dance	At least 35 points from your best 8 subjects including at least a grade 4 in English and Biology.

Vocational Qualifications: Full-Time Vocational Pathway

Vocational Programme (3 A-Level equivalent)	Entry Requirements
BTEC Subsidiary and Extended Diploma Business	At least 35 points from your best 8 subjects including at least a grade 4 in English and Mathematics.

West Hatch High School