Independent Sixth Form Colleges | A Level Courses

The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is the name of a set of qualifications, generally taken by secondary school students at the age of 14-16 years. The GCSE examinations mark the completion of the first stage of secondary education.

Students receive a grade for each subject taken; the pass grades, from highest to lowest, are: A* to G.

The Science GCSE subjects were overhauled in 2006, for first examination in 2008. From September 2008 most coursework will be removed from GCSE subjects, including that in Mathematics, Economics, Science and History. In 2010 there will be changes to the GCSEs in English.

GCSEs are a requirement for entry to the 6th form to study for the General Certificate of Education at Advanced Level (A-level).

The General Certificate of Education at Advanced Level (A-level) is the name of a set of qualifications, generally taken by secondary school students at the age of 16-18 years.

The qualification enjoys world-wide recognition and is used as an entrance examination for university. Students receive a grade for each subject taken; the pass grades, from highest to lowest, are: A* to E.

Students must hold sufficient academic qualifications to gain entry to a university.

Admission to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge

Most applicants for admission to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge are expected to achieve high grades in three or four subjects at A-level. Admission is also subject to the applicant's performance in interviews and the university admissions tests.

All courses require very good results in GCSE examinations, or in the equivalent secondary school examinations sat by international students in their respective countries.

All students whose first language is not English must provide recent evidence that their command of written and spoken English is sufficient for the course for which they have applied. At Oxford and Cambridge universities this means an overall pass in the IELTS test at 7.0, with not less than 7.0 in any of the components of the test; some courses will require a yet higher pass.

Other British universities

The admission requirements vary between university and between courses.

Generally speaking, three passes with good grades are required at A-level, but some universities require a pass at AS-level in a fourth subject. Admission to some universities is also subject to interviews and performance in the university admissions tests. All courses require at least five passes in GCSE examinations, or in the equivalent secondary school examinations sat by international students in their respective countries.

All students whose first language is not English must provide recent evidence that their command of written and spoken English is sufficient for the course for which they have applied. At the London School of Economics, for example, this means an overall pass in the IELTS test at 7.0, with not less than 7.0 in any of the components of the test. A pass at 6.5 is usually required by other universities, but some courses at some universities will require a yet higher pass.

The Advanced Extension Awards are qualifications. They were introduced in summer 2002 to replace Special Papers. The qualifications are graded at Merit and Distinction.

The AEA papers are designed to challenge the most able A-level candidates. They provide opportunities for students to show a greater depth of understanding than required at A-level; they are aimed at the top 10% of students in the A-level examinations.

The last AEA examinations will take place in June 2009, with results issued in August 2009.

The decision to withdraw the papers recognises the introduction from June 2010 of the new A* grade at A-level, which overlaps with the purpose of the AEA papers.

The need for additional methods to identify the suitability of candidates and their potential for success in higher education is gaining increasing importance.

The higher education institutions increasingly use carefully targeted admissions tests to help in the selection process. There are two types of test: Specialist tests and Generic tests.

Specialist tests assess the potential the individual has to succeed in the particular subject for which they have applied to study. For example: the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) and the English Literature Admissions Test (ELAT).

Generic tests assess the thinking skills of the individual that can be applied to any subject area. For example: the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA).

The Sixth Term Examination Paper in Mathematics (STEP) examination is a well-established Mathematics university admissions test, which is used to help select very academically able students for courses that are usually oversubscribed.

Preparation for the tests comprises practise with the specimen papers provided by the examining body, undertaken as an extension to the standard lessons of our A-level curriculum.

The Olympiad Papers are a set of examination papers set by the professional institutions for 6th form students. There are Olympiads in Biology, Chemistry, Informatics, Mathematics and Physics.

The Olympiads are competitive examinations with the most successful students going on from the preliminary to later rounds. The most successful students gain membership of the British teams competing in the annual International Olympiads.

The Abbey Colleges University Foundation Programme is a one-year, full-time course designed to prepare international students for direct entry to a number of British universities.

Students have a choice of five subject pathways, each of which comprises Core Skills and Pathway Specific modules:

• Business, Economics & Accounting Pathway
• Computing & ICT Pathway
• Engineering Pathway
• Law & Humanities Pathway
• Science & Pharmacy Pathway

Core Skill modules

All students must complete modules in Academic English, Mathematics, Information Technology and Presentation Skills.

Pathway Specific modules

All students must complete Pathway Specific modules in addition to the Core Skills modules.

Pathway Specific modules are designed to give students a thorough grounding in the key concepts and theories they will meet during their undergraduate studies.

Enrolment dates

There are two enrolment dates each year:

September - for the standard one-year programme (September to June)

January- for the accelerated programme (January to July)

Admission to university - entrance requirements for international students.

Matriculation marks the formal admission of a student to membership of an university. Proficiency in English is one of the requirements for matriculation.

British universities require prospective students to hold an English qualification as well as passes at A-level in the General Certificate of Education.

The normal requirement for admission is that before entry the candidate should have achieved a satisfactory standard in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) tests.

The required standard is defined by each university in the conditional offers they make to students. An IELTS score of 6.0 is the minimum; some university courses require a score of at least 7.5.

An alternative qualification is a .pass at Grade C or above in GCSE in English Language or IGCSE in English Language (as a First Language).

English as a second language - our curriculum

It is essential that the English language skills of prospective university students are sufficient for undertaking an intensive and challenging academic course that is taught and examined in English.

We teach English as a foreign language .through a dedicated department, and we prepare international students for the IELTS tests, which are recognised by all British universities.

We require international students whose first language is not English o attend IELTS classes unless their IELTS score is sufficient for the university of their choice. The classes are embodied into our curriculum.

We provide international students with tuition in English as a Second Language tailored to their individual needs.

We require all students who do not posses an IELTS score of at least 6.5 to follow an appropriate course of study in academic English.

We test students within the first few days of their enrolment and use the results to place them on an academic English course that best suits their needs.

Our courses aim to develop our students' general English language skills; they also aim to help our students become more proficient in use of English in their A-level examinations.

Our courses also provide instruction in the academic skills required at British universities, such as note-taking and delivering presentations at seminars.

Our academic English courses

(1) General English

This course is designed for students who hold an IELTS score of 4.0 to 4.5.

Students receive 20 hours tuition a week in English language. The aim of the course is to develop the students' language skills to the level where they will be able to cope with their A-level studies.

Students also receive 4 hours tuition a week in their A-level subjects.

Students who hold an IELTS score of less than 4.0 are given extra hours of tuition in English language according to their individual needs.

(2) IELTS preparation

We offer IELTS preparation classes at two levels.

(a)Students who hold an IELTS score of 5.0 receive 8 hours tuition a week in academic English, which they undertake alongside three A-level classes.

(b) Students who hold an IELTS score of 5.5 to 6.0 receive 4 hours tuition a week in academic English, which they undertake alongside four A-level classes.

We require our students to complete the full 4-hour or 8-hour a week IELTS preparation course before they are entered for an IELTS examination in May or June.

(3) Academic English Higher

This is an advanced course designed for students who hold an IELTS score of at least 6.5 but need to achieve a yet higher score because of the conditions of their university offers.

The course is suitable for students who simply wish to develop further their language skills. The course focuses on communication skills and the mastery of the finer points of structure and lexis.

Students receive 4 hours tuition a week.

Easter Revision is an established feature of our annual programme.

Intensive revision classes are available in most academic GCSE and A-level subjects.

A Summer School is an established feature of our annual programme.

The Summer School runs for 8 weeks and is designed for overseas students who intend to enrol at one of the colleges in the Abbey DLD Group. Four-week schools can also be arranged.

Objectives

To provide a rigorous English language course (which is streamed according to level of proficiency) with a focus on academic English. The course includes an introduction to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

To provide an introduction to British culture and institutions, with a particular focus on the British education and examination systems.

To assist the integration of overseas students into the British way of life through a programme of visits, talks and placement of students with British host families.

To provide an introduction to the concepts and themes in the A-level subjects that the students will study from September onwards. Students choose options according to their interests and objectives:

• Mathematics
• Sciences (Biology, Chemistry & Physics)
• Finance (Business Studies & Economics)

Individual tuition is an important part of the academic programme at each of the colleges in the Abbey DLD Group. It is available in all subjects.

Students who encounter difficulty with their studies are encouraged to arrange individual tuition at a time mutually convenient to themselves and their tutors.

Individual tuition ensures that students have the opportunity to discuss specific problems in depth and to receive detailed guidance on their areas of difficulty.

The results from the colleges' programme of stage tests and mock examinations identifies students who would benefit from additional, one-to-one classes.