A levels are usually taken around 16– 18 years old (following successful completion of GCSEs). In my research I asked pupils what they had chosen at GCSE (discussed in Chapter 5) and also what they were hoping to study at A level. As was noted in Chapter 5 regarding GCSE options, the Eagles Academy pupils’ A level choices were restricted by a timetable blocking system. As well as demonstrating inequalities in subject options across the three schools, Chapter 6 explores the different ways in which young people in each school were informed of and supported in developing a ‘package’ of ‘useful’ and ‘valued’ A level subjects which would help them gain access to (elite) universities. As with Chapter 5 this chapter draws upon the theorising of Bourdieu and Passeron (1990 [1977]) to consider the unequal and arbitrary ways in which different subjects become legitimised and constructed as representations of superior forms of intelligence; something which, it is argued, transforms social-class distinctions into academic distinctions. I also engage with the work of Bowles and Gintis (2011 [1976]) by reflecting on how education today can still be argued to be functioning as a sorting mechanism, whereby young people are sifted into labour market positions based on their social-class backgrounds

The inequalities noted in Chapter 5 regarding GCSE ‘choices’ re-emerged with respect of A level options. The Einstein High pupils appeared to benefit from being able to select from the most A level subjects (35), closely followed by Grand Hill who offer 32 options. The Eagles Academy pupils, by far, had the fewest options (22), and once more the options are arranged in a blocking system. This is partially related to the size of their sixth form. Table 6.1 documents the subjects offered at A level in each school.

In addition to variations in the number of subjects on offer, similar to the case with GCSEs, there appeared to be vast differences in young people's freedom to choose particular combinations. Grand Hill is very clear on its website that its timetables are ‘constructed around student choices’, meaning that their pupils are able to opt for any combination of subjects listed in Table 6.1. Grand Hill specifies that ‘it is very rare for a student to be unable to study all of their first-choice subjects’. Einstein High also adopts this choice structure.