Charterhouse Online: Complete your A Levels in One Year!

More haste, less speed—this proverb implies that when we are in a hurry to do something, we may make mistakes and therefore take longer to get the job done correctly. So why, as the founding Principal of Charterhouse Online, would I develop a programme that enables you to complete three A Levels in just one year? Well, because done correctly, the time you save can open doors to many wonderful educational opportunities that otherwise might not be possible.

Here are the answers to some of your questions about Charterhouse Online:

1) What is the Charterhouse Online A Level Programme?

Building on the exceptional academic traditions of Charterhouse School, we’ve introduced an innovative one-year A Level programme for academically ambitious students who wish to study at some of the world’s finest universities. This programme is taught online with an accelerated learning approach and offers a one-week residential module twice a year (October and April) on our historic campus in the UK. For The Red Pen, I’ve also written about a day in the life of a Charterhouse Online student, which will give you a bigger picture of what the course entails.

2) How does Charterhouse Online incorporate accelerated learning?

Our accelerated learning approach helps you learn and recall teachings quickly and effectively. It essentially requires two things:

The right teaching method – our responsibility

• Active learning is an essential part of our accelerated teaching method. Our pre-recorded lessons and live sessions include quizzes and tests to make way for active learning. We also encourage you to take notes, create mind maps and participate in specific activities that improve learning and retention.
• We break down lessons into small chunks and repeat them to simplify learning and facilitate faster recall.
• Instead of learning in isolation, we encourage you to study with related materials to improve your understanding of a topic.
• We create high levels of interactivity, interest and emotional stimulation using colours, images, sound and music—all of them enhance the learning process.
• Our teachers with specialised training for online learning will effectively help you grasp complex concepts.
• We also give you access to Subject Clinics if you need additional support.

The right approach to learning – your responsibility

• Select subjects that you are good at and love. Passion matters, and so does your aptitude and ability for that subject.
• Self-motivation and hard work are critical requirements for accelerated learning. We carefully structure your daily activities to keep you meaningfully engaged.
• Get plenty of sleep as it helps absorb what you’ve learnt and build recall.
• A positive mind and physical well-being lay at the very heart of accelerated learning. So, eat well, spend quality time with your family and friends, and strike the right balance between study time and ‘me time’.

3) What A Level subjects does Charterhouse Online offer?

Charterhouse Online offers six Cambridge International A Levels:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Economics
• Mathematics
• Further Mathematics
• Physics

These A Levels provide access to some of the most desirable undergraduate degree courses in the UK and beyond. Whether you wish to study Data Science at the London School of Economics & Political Science, Medicine at King’s College London, PPE at the University of Oxford or Engineering at the University of Cambridge, these subjects enable you to apply.

4) What are the components of the Charterhouse Online A Level programme?

Our A Level programme has three main features:

Self-study: I’ve mentioned the key requirements for accelerated learning. But another essential concept underpins how Charterhouse Online makes it possible to complete the A Levels in a year. We call it ‘flipped learning’, where you begin studying basic concepts independently and engage in activities that test your recall and help you evaluate a specific topic.

Live lessons: Later, your teachers will focus on developing the knowledge you’ve gained through flipped learning during live classes. They will work on your problem-solving skills, encourage you to apply what you’ve learnt to different scenarios and prepare you for exams. The good news is that this learning approach prepares you for methods used by many undergraduate degree courses.

Residential modules at Charterhouse, UK: While studying online works well for accelerated learning, there are several advantages of spending time with our tutors on the magnificent Charterhouse campus in the UK. While you experience life on our historic campus, you will also have the time to relax, learn and share ideas with fellow students, and build bonds for a network of global peers in the years ahead. You may even visit some of the universities you wish to attend during your stay. There are two week-long, residential modules, one in October and one in March/April. While laboratory work and exams are essential for both modules, the one in October prepares you for university. If you want to study medicine or apply to the universities of Oxford or Cambridge, you will have an additional residential module in August, just before the main programme starts.

While you’re wondering whether Charterhouse Online is right for you, I would like to return to our theme of more haste, less speed and ask you to reflect on Aesop’s famous fable—The Tortoise and the Hare. In keeping with the story’s moral, where speed doesn’t win over focus and commitment, the A Level programme by Charterhouse will require dedication, hard work and self-motivation, along with speed.

If you require assistance in applying to Charterhouse Online, get in touch with the Undergraduate Admissions team at The Red Pen.