A Level Subject Options Secret | Maximizing A Level Curriculum Advantage at Harrow Beijing to Boost Academic Excellence

In the 2024 Harrow Parent Satisfaction Survey, British education and university admission outcomes were the top reasons for choosing Harrow Beijing. As one of the few international schools that focuses solely on the A Level curriculum, Harrow Beijing provides a comprehensive course experience, diverse subject choices, personalized university counseling, and a unique admissions system built through deep connections and interactions with top universities worldwide.

Global Connections, Future Pathways: Harrow Beijing’s Deep Engagement with Global Universities

Harrow Beijing is committed to a student-centered approach, providing every student with the best pathway to university. From Ivy League universities like Yale, Cornell, and Columbia to the UK’s G5 institutions like Oxford and Cambridge, and other top 100 universities around the world such as Imperial College, NYU, UC Berkeley, UCL, Rhode Island School of Design, Boston University, and the University of Manchester, Harrow Beijing alumni have made their mark globally and achieved remarkable success in various fields. This is a testament to Harrow Beijing’s unparalleled educational resources and admissions advantages.

Harrow Beijing maintains strong connections with top universities worldwide, helping students gain access to the latest admissions information and opportunities. This year, several world-renowned universities have visited Harrow Beijing, providing firsthand guidance and interaction opportunities for students. These institutions include NYU, Boston, Tufts, Toronto, UBC, ANU, Warwick and Bath. These visits not only showcase Harrow Beijing’s influence in the international education sector but also strengthen our relationship with top universities, building solid bridges for our students’ future development.

Notably, on October 21, Durham University hosted a special VIP dinner in Beijing, attended by high-profile guests from the UK. Harrow Beijing’s Headmaster, Philip Akerman, was the only representative from British standardized international schools. Guests included representatives from the British Council, British Embassy, and UK Research and Innovation.

During the dinner, Durham University President Professor Karen O’Brien held in-depth discussions with Philip Akerman, acknowledging Harrow Beijing’s impact in international education and highly appreciating our commitment to providing a global and personalized education model. The event marked an important moment in strengthening the long-term friendship between Durham University and Harrow Beijing.

In global education, Durham University is highly regarded for its academic excellence and reputation, ranking fifth in The Times 2025 UK University Rankings. Harrow Beijing, a leader in international education, has maintained a strong relationship with Durham University, continually providing students with excellent support and opportunities. This not only highlights Harrow Beijing’s educational strength but also demonstrates our commitment to helping our students achieve academic excellence and gain access to world-class higher education institutions.

Ms. Huang, University counsellor, stated, “In the past two years, Durham has visited Harrow Beijing three times to meet with students and parents. In September, Dr. Oliver Belcher, Deputy Director of the Combined Honours Degree Programme, provided an in-depth introduction to students interested in interdisciplinary studies, aligning with Harrow Beijing’s wide range of humanities course offerings. Our college counseling team works closely with Durham’s China Office, and we are grateful for the opportunities and support they offer our students. In April, we took Year 10 and Year 12 students to visit Durham’s campus, and many were impressed by the collegiate system and world class research opportunities.”

In the past two years, Durham has visited HarrowBeijing three times to meet with students and parents. In September, Dr Oliver Belcher, Deputy Director of the Combined Honours Degree Programme (a cross-disciplinary joint honours degree programme), visited Harrow to give detailed explanations of the programme to students with cross-disciplinary learning interests. As one of the very few UK universities that offer a cross-disciplinary academic programme, Durham University is committed to providing high-quality academic experiences for students with diverse interests and who want to further challenge themselves and broaden their academic horizons, and to cultivate cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills that are needed in today’s society. Its Combined Honours Degree Programme includes three directions: social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. Students can choose two to four subjects for combined learning, and can design a unique learning path based on their personal interests and career planning. This is particularly in line with Harrow Beijing’s philosophy of providing students with a variety of subject choices and fully supporting them in exploring their full academic potential. The university counselor at Harrow Beijing maintains good communication with the Durham University China Office, and we express our sincere gratitude for the opportunities and support they provide for Harrow Beijing students. In April this year, we took 10th grade and 12th grade students on a campus visit to Durham University, and many students were impressed by its ancient tradition of college system and top-class academic research resources. At the same time, we learned from our visit to the Harrow UK that Durham University is also one of the top choice target universities for Harrow UK graduates, and we are excited about the continuation and further expansion of the long-term friendly relationship between Harrow and Durham in China.

In addition, Harrow Beijing’s college counseling team maintains close relationships with top universities like Oxford and Cambridge. This year, Oxford’s international admissions office held a closed-door session to answer questions on admission criteria and the latest application trends. Cambridge’s East Asia admissions manager also warmly welcomed Harrow Beijing’s delegation, sharing key information on the application process and requirements. These exchanges further strengthen Harrow Beijing’s connections with world-renowned universities, providing essential support for students’ university applications.

Connecting with World Universities

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Flexible and Customized Options: Harrow Beijing’s Subject Choices Advantage

A survey of Harrow Beijing’s 2019 graduates showed a diverse trend in their major choices, ranging from Economics, Mathematics, and Business to more specialized fields like Chemistry and Sciences, and even niche areas such as Music, Film, Psychology, and Design Technology. This diversity is made possible by the broad subject offerings at the IGCSE and A Level stages.

Each year, Harrow Beijing offers around twenty A Level subjects, including Geography, Business Studies, Drama, Chemistry, Mathematics, Music, Economics, Biology, English Literature, Further Mathematics, Design Technology, Computer Science, Physics, Chinese, History, Media Studies, and Spanish (subject offerings may vary each year). Students can choose three subjects to study.

Harrow Beijing customizes the learning path most suited to each student. The A Level curriculum allows students to focus on subjects they are truly passionate about, and the flexibility and diversity of subject choices ensure that students can find their academic interests. Every student entering the A Level program receives direct guidance from teachers to help them fully develop their potential. In addition to A Level results, universities consider other skills such as leadership roles, sports or music contributions, charity work, and community service. Harrow Beijing is committed to developing students’ full potential and guiding them through the university application process to showcase their strengths, thereby increasing their chances of acceptance. Our tutor and house system allows us to highlight each student’s strengths in recommendation letters, maximizing their success in applications.

Personalized Guidance: Harrow Beijing’s College Counseling System

At Harrow Beijing, the professional college counseling team is both the backbone of students’ university applications and a guiding force for their career paths. They start preparing students for university from Year 9. Subject teachers, college counselors, students, and parents are crucial to the successful university admissions of Harrow Beijing graduates. Our university counselling team is not only highly experienced and familiar with global university application requirements but also maintains close connections with admissions officers at top overseas universities, establishing a solid foundation for Harrow Beijing students.

Whether applying to G5 universities like Oxford and Cambridge or aiming for the Ivy League in the United States, Harrow Beijing students benefit from diverse subject choices and personalized application planning, giving them a unique advantage in applying to the world’s top universities.

At Harrow Beijing, students are not just pursuing academic excellence; they are stepping toward a global future full of opportunities. With diverse course options and close ties with top universities, Harrow Beijing provides every student with the best university application support. We believe that in the future, more Harrow Beijing students will stand on the stage of world-renowned institutions, achieving their bright futures!

Join us in witnessing more students reaching the world’s top universities!