Exams, reviews, Progress Reports & References

 

Entries:  The College will enter you for your examinations at the appropriate times, providing satisfactory commitment and progress have been maintained.  The majority of external exams generally take place in January/May/June in both the Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth. November GCSE re-sits may be available in Mathematics and English Language, but this provision is currently being reviewed. 

 

Results: At the time of printing this prospectus, our current year’s results were not yet known.  A summary of three-year averages of AS and A Level results, including the most recent data available at the time of publication, is therefore printed on page 23. A summary of the current year’s results can be found on a separate sheet in your application pack. 

 

 

At the outset of your College career, you will be given a series of Minimum Performance Standards (MPS) relating to each of your AS programmes, and you will be expected to try to ensure that you always keep above this minimum standard.  Reviews of your progress in meeting these standards will be held with your subject teachers, Personal Tutor and Senior Tutor during the academic year.  A summary of the outcomes of these reviews will be recorded on Data Sheets, a copy of which will be shared with your parents/carers.   

 

Subject Reference Comments for students are completed in early September after the publication of the AS results, and parents/guardians also receive a copy of these. 

 

Data Sheets and Consultation Evenings

 

Details of the dates for Consultation Evenings and the publication of Data Sheets and Subject Reference Comments can be found in a Dates For Your Diary sheet which is distributed to parents/carers at the beginning of the Autumn Term and printed in the Students’ Planner. In the event of particular difficulties, Senior Tutors will contact parents/carers and may request that they come into College to discuss their daughter’s or son’s progress.    

 

 

Most students make a successful progression in the Upper Sixth to complete their A Levels, having fulfilled their commitments and passed their AS examinations.  However, you should note that entry into the Upper Sixth is not automatic: it is dependent upon a satisfactory Lower Sixth year, in terms of effort, attendance and performance, compliance with College expectations and the completion of an A2 Application process beginning in March of the Lower Sixth.    

 

 

For the minority of students who choose to leave after completing their AS examinations and gaining their AS Levels, the College offers full support, guidance and access to Careers advice.

 

A great deal of work goes into the careful preparation of detailed references for Higher Education and employment applications.  You will be encouraged to assess your own performance in terms of skills and qualities you display, and to discuss this with your Personal Tutors so that the fullest information is available to support your applications.  The Personal Tutor’s and subject teachers’ comments form the basis of the reference, which is prepared by your Personal Tutor and finalised by your Senior Tutor.  Attendance, punctuality, contribution to the life of the College and the acquisition of key skills as well as your personal qualities feature alongside academic progress and, in our experience, carry great weight with admissions tutors for Higher Education and with employers.  All references include comments on your record of attendance. 

 

 

Student records are  stored in College, including: application forms, Learning Agreements, photocopies of your pre-College examination results, all commitments made to the College course change/withdrawal sheets, reports, reference material, correspondence and reply slips.  Much of this information is also held in electronic form.  Students have a right to see their own file on application to their Senior Tutors.  Parents and carers have a right of access to their son’s/daughter’s file if he or she is under 18 on written request to the Principal.  If the student is over 18, parents and carers must demonstrate to the Principal that they have received their son’s or daughter’s consent before access to the file can be given. A range of student information is also held on the computer database within the administration computer network.

 

The College retains the following information: students’ names, addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, previous school, courses, timetables, Tutor Group, examination dates and entries. 

 

 

Under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act, you have the right to request information about all aspects of the College’s business.  Please see the College website for full details. 

 

 

The College has an Internal Appeals Policy which is available, by request, from the Examinations Manager. If you would like to appeal against Internal Assessment (ie: coursework), or Enquiries about Results, please contact the Exams Office.