Young students often have an idea of what they’d like to accomplish academically and what type of career they intend to pursue, but as university approaches, this choice needs to be narrowed down so no time is wasted on studies that won’t help them achieve their aims.
The A-Level subject choice influences career decisions, and many universities might not accept a student onto a course unless they have an A-Level in a particular subject — meaning students either can’t pursue the course they want, or have to sit an additional year at sixth form to catch up.
Whatever stage your child is at – choosing A-Level subjects in Year 11, refining their options in sixth form, or exploring routes like a gap year, apprenticeship, or study abroad – Lionheart Education’s Careers & Futures consultancy helps them build a clear, confident path toward the career they have their heart set on.
The wrong A-Level choices or IB choices can lock students out of the university or career path of their choice, so it’s important to strengthen applications as early as possible in Year 11 by getting your further education studies started on the right footing. Students can often choose A-Level courses that they are interested in and hope that it’s the right path towards their intended career choice, but Lionheart Education consultants work backwards from the student’s goal.
A-Level choices for medicine, engineering, and law have specific pathways, but if you don’t have the right A-Level or grade that you need, university applications can falter before they’ve even been started.
Medicine
Engineering
A weak Mathematics grade at GCSE can have the same effect on students considering a career in engineering.
Law
This is where private A-Level tuition and careers consultancy can work together with Lionheart to give them the support they need to achieve their career ambitions.
Whatever career path your child wants to take, we offer first-class advice from sector-specific experts to help them achieve it.
With so many universities and courses to choose from, the decision of which one to choose can be overwhelming for a teenager contemplating a variety of factors such as distance from home, finances, travel arrangements, and career paths. Lionheart’s university course choice consultants have an excellent record of working with students in these circumstances to narrow down the best university course choices that tick all of their boxes.
This includes UCAS course research and Common App planning for students wishing to study in the United States. We compare universities, specific modules of courses, assessment and teaching style, placement years in the UK and abroad, graduate career potential and much more.
If you’re considering a degree apprenticeship, then a different kind of tack is needed, as GOV.UK apprenticeships include both training and paid work, whereas the other type leads to bachelor’s and master’s qualifications. Students considering degree apprenticeships vs university attendance need to understand the pros and cons of both. We give solid advice on the best degree apprenticeships in the UK as well as funds not commonly known about, such as company-specific school leaver finance schemes.
Alternatively, if a respite from education is something you’d prefer before many years studying at university, our team can help you plan a gap year before medical school in the UK that includes volunteering work as well as preparing for the UCAT and MMIs.
Many students already have an idea of what kind of career they’d like to pursue, and Lionheart’s consultancy team works closely with each child to create a list of potential choices and explore the pros and cons of each.
Our career advice for GCSE students helps them to select the right A-Levels, but can also assist them in gaining relevant work experience if required, as well as volunteering opportunities. Our career advice for sixth form students can help to bridge the gap and create structure for them so they know exactly which milestones they have to hit to achieve the career they would like
If a pupil is considering a career in a sector such as finance, psychology, or architecture, we work with their academic strengths, motivation for study, and studying stamina to help develop the most credible route. Students can often have an idealistic view of their career path, but putting it into practice often requires more work than they realise, and we’re here to put them on the right path and give them the resources and motivation to achieve it.
Over time, a student’s ideas on which career path they’d like to follow can change slightly, and our team is ready to steer the student on the best new path that takes into account previous work experience, results, course choices, and current trajectory of study.
Careers & Futures
"We have a big database of organisations that regularly offer internships...we make sure that our students are presenting as strongly as possible."
Dicky Broadhurst Educational Consultant & Mentor
After a student turns 18, there are a variety of options available to them that Lionheart consultants can help them explore. One of the most popular routes is higher education, whether it’s a UCAS application in the UK, or for an international university. Another route is a degree apprenticeship to Level 6 or 7, which is ideal for trade-based routes. A direct route into work is also possible, as is a gap year to allow students to explore the world.
Ideally, students in Year 10 should begin receiving formal consultancy because choices made in the GCSE and A-Level years can have a significant effect when it comes time to apply to university. Our careers and future advice includes discussions with students in Years 11, 12 and 13 to point them in the right direction, and lay out clearly the roadmap to their chosen career.
A degree apprenticeship is a combination of formal study at a college or university at Level 6 or 7, and paid employment. The pay may be reduced while they train, but it’s an excellent alternative to full-time university and is available across the UK. The best placements are highly competitive, so preparation should begin early to secure the placement that will support their career pathway.
By working with the team of education consultants here at Lionheart, students can balance their strengths and interests with their potential future career paths. First of all, we discuss non-negotiable subjects that all universities need for entry, such as an A-Level language for studying any language in higher education. We compare several different models and pathways so the student doesn’t accidentally close doors to university because of subject choice.
Full-time education until the age of 18 can take a toll on children and young adults, and a year break from formal education might be just what some students need to rediscover their passions. We can help you plan a structured gap year that blends in international travel, language immersion, clinical work, commercial experiences, and volunteering to strengthen a university application in a chosen field.
