Cribsheet: 04.02.11

Not all A-levels are created equal

The subjects you pick for A-level make a big difference to how universities respond to your application; it's official. A guide, seen by the Guardian, acknowledges that top universities favour students with traditional A-levels.

As Jessica Shepherd reports on the front page of today's newspaper:

The guide compiled by the Russell Group, a lobbying group for Oxford, Cambridge and 18 other leading universities, confirms rumours that have circulated for years that they favour those subjects over newer ones such as business studies or photography.

The guide states that if you do not study at at least two of: maths, English, geography, history, any pure science or a classical or modern foreign language, "many degrees at competitive universities will not be open to you".

Media studies, art and design, photography and business studies are given as examples of "soft" subjects.

"If you plan to take more than one perceived 'soft' subject, some caution may be needed," the guidebook states.

Jessica Shepherd also talks to the author of the report, Andy Gardner.

"I just felt I had to do something about the fact that teenagers are given such misleading information about what subject choices to make," he said.

Read what universities actually want we asked them to state their "preferred" and "non-preferred" A-level subjects for applicants.

Understandably, pupils are confused. There is now a great deal of pressure on choices that are made aged 15 or 16.

Lucy Tobin talks to pupils about the decisions they are facing.

"I didn't know that some unis say you have to do certain A-levels," says Sufayan, who wants to study either accounting or business studies at university. "I'm really worried now."

Education news from around the web

The Telegraph reports that geography has almost "disappeared" in one in 10 primary schools, and that according to Ofsted, the subject is not well enough taught in half of all state schools.

The BBC reports on a study from the University of Manchester which suggests that schools are unlikely to be able to bridge the gap between pupils from rich and poor backgrounds.

Insight into journalism seminars for teachers

A unique opportunity for teachers to spend a day at the Guardian, find out how a national news media organisation works and get ideas and resources that can be used in the classroom.

News 11 March Learn about the 24 news cycle; meet news re! porters, feature writers, picture and sub editors; understand the role newspaper advertising; go on a tour of the editorial floors and take part in a workshop creating you own news front page which will be evaluated by an editor.

Multimedia 31 March Writing for a news website, web editing, blogging, the use of social media, video production; podcasting.

Places are limited and likely to fill up quickly, so book soon.

Competition

Children aged between seven and 14 can now enter the Young Human Rights reporter of the year competition, run by learnnewsdesk, the Guardian's online news service for schools, and Amnesty International. A winner and two runners-up in the primary and secondary school categories will win a trip to Amnesty International and the Guardian headquarters in London as well as an MP3 recorder. The closing date for entries is 14 February.