GCSE/IGCSE & A-level
Programme Overview
On 6 January 2021 the Education Secretary announced that GCSE and A-level exams will not go ahead in England this summer, but will be replaced by ‘‘a form of teacher assessed grades”. He went on to say that the government will “put our trust in teachers not algorithms”. This is welcome news indeed after last year’s fiasco, but what does it mean in practice, and what must students now do to ensure successful progression from GCSE to A-level, or from A-level to higher education?
It goes without saying that this news does not give GCSE and A-level students a free pass to down-tools and coast through the rest of the year! Quite the opposite in fact, as we will explain:
Last year the botched grade-calculating algorithms had to be abandoned and students were simply awarded their predicted grades. These were generally inflated as teachers naturally sought to support their students at the end of a difficult year. This grade inflation led to serious problems as many sixth forms and universities found themselves having to admit more students than they had capacity for, as so many students had met the requisite grades. This will not be allowed to happen this year.
This year students will be graded by their own teachers based on a range of criteria including internal assessments, mock exams, coursework, predicted grades and ranking within the class. But students must not assume that they will be awarded soft grades like last year.
This means that in order to achieve good teacher assessed grades, students must perform consistently well from January to June 2021.
At Oxford Science Studies we have responded to this challenge by developing a range of on-line programmes to help students achieve the best outcomes in their Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs).
How Students Benefit:
- Mock exam revision: Mocks will undoubtedly form a key part of your TAGs, so preparing for these is more important than ever this year.
- Our Expertise: We are the UK’s leading GCSE and A-level short course specialists with 23 years’ experience in delivering premium revision courses in the UK and around the world. We are also part of Oxford International College, the UK’s No.1 ranked school for A-levels since 2019.
- Our Tutors: Our tutors are the best in the business. Many teach at Oxford International College during the year, some are GCSE and A-Level examiners, and a few are studying for their PhDs.
Our online tuition offerings run throughout the year, with individual sessions or days that can be booked ad hoc. There are no set course dates and we are happy to take requests for tuition any day of the week, 9am to 7pm. Please note that weekend bookings have to be 1-to-1. Due to the nature of online tuition and the need to set up accounts, we do need at least 24 hours from confirmation of a course to its delivery. Online tuition is currently facilitated via Microsoft Teams. For all bookings there is a £10 set up fee for the online accounts, though this fee is waived should you choose to extend a booking. Students will need a desktop or laptop, an internet connection, webcam, microphone and speakers (most of these do come built in). In our experience, we find that the tuition works best if both tutor and student can see each other. Students are able to ask questions as if they would in a classroom. Microsoft Teams provides an interactive platform, allowing for audio and visual contact, screen sharing, link sharing and whiteboard features. You may request individual sessions, with a minimum required booking of 4 x 50 minute tutorials. Alternatively, you may request a full day, which will follow our Half Term Timetable, with 4 x 50 minute tutorials and 3 x 50 minute independent exam practice sessions.
The Fees
- Small group – per session: £49.00 with a minimum requirement of 4 sessions – not currently available at the weekend
- Small group – per day: £196.00 with no minimum requirement – not currently available at the weekend
- Guaranteed 1-to-1 – per session: £70.00 with a minimum requirement of 4 sessions
- Guaranteed 1-to-1 – per day: £280.00 with no minimum requirement
Why choose to attend an Online Course?
Online tuition provides the ideal opportunity to add in some regular supplementary tuition during term time. Our offering is flexible and tailored around you. You may request as many sessions or days as you may like, these may all take place in the same week or you may choose to have one per week. It really is all about the individual student and what assistance is required for them. It’s also easy, as students don’t even need to leave the comfort of their home or school, there is no need to think about travel or to book accommodation!
Apply now and join us for an Online Course!