• Are you kicking yourself for missing the 6th form registration deadlines for the schools of your – and your child’s – dreams?
• Are your friends’ children proudly announcing offers from the UK’s top schools?
You’re not alone. Many families only decide during their child’s GCSE year that a change of school for 6th form would be the right move, and then realise that the deadlines, entrance tests and interviews have come and gone and that schools have already sent out their offers. Most of the top boarding and day schools select their 16+ intake in the autumn preceding entry. It can be a huge shock and cause much guilty anguish to parents, when they realise that they may have missed the boat. It’s especially frustrating for international families who may be more used to a system where schools are generally able to consider late applications or which operate a rolling admissions policy.
However, it’s not too late to apply for 6th form entry at many of the very best UK boarding schools.
If you have missed the main round of admissions, this is a good time to be approaching schools, as they are in the process of finalising numbers for the next academic year. Offers will have been sent out and parents will be choosing which to accept and which to reject. This inevitably means that there is a certain amount of “give” in the system and even some of the most competitive and sought after schools will still consider strong candidates if a late vacancy arises.
So, if you have decided to apply for a 6th form place for your child for 2017 entry this is what you need to do:-
• Make sure that you have all your child’s school reports available, along with predicted GCSE grades if they are taking these exams in the summer
• Talk to your child about what they want from a school and encourage them to write a personal statement to introduce themselves to potential schools
• Identify your target schools, based on your child’s needs, interests and academic ability
• Be prepared to visit prospective schools and for your child to be tested an interviewed
The whole process, especially outside the main application window, can be daunting and confusing for parents. We offer free eGuides to choosing a private school as well as impartial advice to parents. Contact us for a free consultation to discuss your personal circumstances and we will be happy to advise you and help you find the best solution for your child.
Call +44 1622 813874, email info@educationadvisers.co.uk, or complete an Enquiry Form.
Education Advisers Blog
News and views brought to you by UK independent educational consultants, Education Advisers Limited.
Tuesday, 31 January 2017
Wednesday, 17 August 2016
A LEVEL REFORMS & THE IMPACT ON RESITS
The UK Department
for Education is pushing through big changes to AS and A-level exams, aimed at
making them more ‘fit for purpose’. The new A Level reforms place an increased
emphasis on the performance in an exam as there will be little coursework and
few opportunities for resits.
For most
subjects this already means that students will only be examined at the end of
their two year course and AS Levels will no longer count towards the final A
Level grade but rather stand-alone from the final A Level, having been
‘decoupled.’
The
curriculum of most A-level subjects has not and will not be significantly
changed, the exception being maths, which is receiving a major shake-up.
The
other notable change is a reduced emphasis on coursework. Now simply referred
to as ‘non-exam assessment’ the reforms will see a drop in this form of assessment
as the new principle is that if it’s possible for something to be assessed
through formal examination then it will be. The practical work, in Science,
will be a practical endorsement, which must be passed but will not contribute
to the final A-Level grades awarded.
Existing
(‘legacy’) A levels are modular and they comprise AS modules (50% of total A
Level marks + UCAS tariff value) taken in Year 12 (lower sixth) and A2 modules
(50% of total A Level marks + UCAS tariff value) taken in Year 13 (upper
sixth).
The new
AS is not an advanced subsidiary but instead more of an advanced supplementary
qualification. If you just study for an AS you should finish it at the end of
Year 12 (lower sixth). Marks gained in the reformed AS level cannot count
towards a full A Level. They are worth 40% of an A Level (+UCAS tariff value).
This means that when you apply to university under the new UCAS tariff an
A-level A grade will be worth 48 points and the A grade in AS will be worth
only 20.
Schools
have been left in a rather difficult situation in trying to decide what to
offer their sixth form students. There are three options;
1. One
Year AS ->
course taught in Year 12 (lower sixth) and examined at the end of that year.
Worth 40% of a full A Level and can be taken no further.
2. Two
Year AS ->
course taught over a two year period and examined at the end of Year 13 (upper
sixth). Still only worth 40% of an A Level and no A* grade available. This can
be taken alongside option 3 (below)
3. Full
A Level ->
reformed ‘linear’ course taken over the two year period. All exams taken at the
end of Year 13~, no marks can be picked up throughout. ~Schools can consider
internal testing to gauge the level of a student at the end of Year 12 (lower
sixth).
New A
levels will be graded with the same A* to E pass marks as currently used and
teaching of the new syllabuses is being phased in over three years having
started in 2015.
Most AS
and A-level courses are being designed to be “co-teachable” so that both groups
of students will learn the same things in year one. The key difference is that
those students who have opted for the A-level course will not be assessed at
the end of year one, but those taking an AS exam will be.
Timeline of Reforms
Phase One: Subjects – English Language, English Literature, English Language and Literature,
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Computer Science, Business, History,
Art and Design, Economics, Sociology.
Sept
2015: Start teaching new A levels and new AS in phase one subjects
June
2016: New AS exams in phase one subjects. Penultimate existing/original A
level exams.
June 2017: First
A level exams in phase one subjects. Last exams for existing/original A level subjects.
Phase Two: Subjects - Geography, Ancient Languages, Modern Foreign Languages, Dance,
Music, PE, Drama and Theatre, Religious Studies.
Sept
2016: Start teaching new A levels and new AS in phase two subjects.
June
2017: AS level exams in phase two subjects.
June
2018: First new A-level exams in phase two subjects.
Phase Three: Subjects - Maths, Further Maths, any other AS or A Level subjects taught
from this point.
Sept
2017: Start teaching new A levels and new AS in phase three subjects.
June
2018: AS level exams in phase three subjects.
June
2019: First new A-level exams in phase three subjects.
The new UCAS Tariff will also be
used for university courses starting from September 2017.
Resits & Retakes (A resit requires that you sit
one item of assessment on a further occasion. / A retake requires
completion of all elements of assessment on a further occasion.)
The new
‘linear’ A Level system undoubtedly makes it more difficult for schools and
colleges to accommodate AS Level and A Level retakes.
The new
system means it is no longer possible to RESIT individual units/modules of a
course, instead you have to RETAKE the entire theory exam (it will be possible
to carry forward internally assessed marks). Therefore, it will still be
possible to complete an A-level course in one year, so long as all the
assessments are completed at the end.
With no
reintroduction of January resits, at AS and A level, students will have the
chance to retake in May or June the following year.
Retakes should
only be available to students who have taken the qualification previously, or
had a good reason not to have taken it when planned (such as illness).
An
important announcement from Ofqual in March 2016 ensured that students taking
existing (legacy) AS and A levels will have the opportunity to resit them if
they want to improve on their results. The decision from Ofqual, following a
public consultation, means that those taking existing (‘legacy’) exams during
the period of reform will not be forced to study for reformed qualifications
should their original results not go to plan.
EPQ
Another
increasingly popular option for a number of schools to offer is the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
Already in place in a number of schools this can be a 5000 word research based
essay, a performance or a creative artefact etc and involves several months of
work during the sixth form. An EPQ will still be marked at full A Level standard
(A* available), unlike the reformed AS course. It also equates to 50% of a full
A Level.
University Opinion
How
universities respond to the changes is going to be vital and already we are
seeing that their attitude is not uniform. The University of Cambridge is in
favour of schools continuing to offer AS Levels as they believe that they are
useful indicators of future A Level performance (http://bit.ly/2a3N0DQ). The University of Edinburgh
has said that it will still require a fourth AS or a fourth A-level for
medicine courses and The University of Newcastle has said that it could use an
AS-level qualification as a deciding factor on results day if lots of other
students miss their grades. Other universities put more store by GCSE results
as a good indicator of future academic ability. UCAS has a list of
qualification reform statements from universities.
If A
Level grades drop nationally then it is possible that universities will reduce
their entry requirements on the basis that course content is tougher. After
all, they have long complained that more rigour is required in the sciences and
that resits, and teaching for exams is not sufficient preparation for degree
courses. We shall see.
Education Advisers…how can we
help?
If a
student does not achieve the exam results they’d hoped for,
don’t panic!
We can
talk through all the options, and then, based on what is most important to,
recommend the most appropriate colleges, private tutors or exam centres. We
deal with all the private sixth-form colleges and major tutoring firms in the
UK and can give you candid and objective advice to help make the right
decision.
Most
private sixth-form colleges have a wide range of subjects to choose from so whatever
the requirements please just get in touch with us for further information.
Education
Advisers also has a team of experienced university consultants including
ex-university admissions staff who are able to offer an outstanding service for
all university and college candidates applying to the UK and the USA. So if you
need assistance once results have been published please visit our University Advice site for more information.
Tuesday, 12 July 2016
PROVISIONAL IB LEAGUE TABLE 2016
In this post we give you our own provisional assessment of the Top IB Schools in the UK for 2016. These positions are compiled from the average points achieved by sixth formers taking the Diploma Programme of the IB.
A candidate can receive between 1 and 7 points for each of the 6 subjects taken. He or she can also get up to 3 points for The Theory of Knowledge and The Extended Essay – thereby meaning a maximum score of 45 points.
Position
|
School
|
Average Point Score
|
1
|
North London Collegiate
|
41.7
|
2
|
King’s College School
|
41.2
|
3
|
Whitgift
|
41
|
4
|
Stephen Perse Foundation
|
40
|
5
|
Cheltenham Ladies College
|
39.6
|
=
|
Sevenoaks
|
39.6
|
7
|
Headington
|
39
|
=
|
The Abbey School
|
39
|
9
|
Charterhouse
|
38.8
|
=
|
King Edward's School, Birmingham
|
38.8
|
10
|
Portsmouth Grammar School
|
38.7
|
11
|
Manchester High School for Girls
|
38
|
=
|
Bromsgrove
|
38
|
13
|
Haileybury
|
37.7
|
14
|
Brentwood
|
37
|
15
|
Oakham
|
36.9
|
16
|
Christ’s Hospital
|
36.6
|
17
|
Bedford Girls
|
36.4
|
18
|
Red Maids
|
36.3
|
19
|
Bedford Boys
|
36
|
=
|
Bryanston
|
36
|
=
|
Marymount
|
36
|
22
|
St Clare’s, Oxford
|
35.87
|
23
24 |
Stonyhurst
ACS Egham |
35.7
35.5 |
25
|
Gresham’s
|
35
|
=
|
Leighton Park
|
35
|
27
|
Bradfield College
|
34
|
=
= |
Warminster
Windermere School |
34
34 |
30
|
International Community School (ICS)
|
33.9
|
31
|
Felsted
|
33.8
|
32
|
King Edward’s, Witley
|
33.5
|
=
|
International School of London (ISL)
|
33.5
|
34
|
ACS Cobham
|
33
|
=
|
Rydal Penrhos
|
33
|
=
37 |
Taunton
ACS Hillingdon |
33
32.6 |
38
39 |
King William's College
Cobham Hall |
32.2
31.3 |
Note 1: There are a few gaps in our data, because the information is not freely available, a school will not supply it or it has not offered the IB for long enough to have DP results. If you represent a school and wish to let us know your score, please get in touch by emailing info@educationadvisers.co.uk
Note 2: We make a substantial investment of time and effort in preparing these tables, and all copyright and database rights in the tables belong to us. Please respect this by not reproducing the tables or the information within them, in whole or in part, without our consent. If you wish to reproduce any of our tables or the information within them then please contact us for details.
Tuesday, 5 July 2016
WHEN ARE GCSE, A-LEVEL, IB AND SQA RESULTS DAYS?
International Baccalaureate (IB) Results Day
Date: Wednesday 6th July 2016
Results will be available on the IB candidates site; you will need a personal code and PIN in order to log in. The course director at your school or college will be able to provide you with these. In the UK, results generally come available between midday and 2pm. Check your candidate page for a specific time.
Scottish Qualifications (SQA) Results Day
Date: Tuesday 9th August 2016
Results will be posted to individuals to arrive on the morning of August 9. You can choose to have your results emailed or texted to you instead by signing up to MySQA by 5pm on Monday 18th July.
A-Level Results Day
Date: Thursday 18th August 2016
Students will be able to collect results from their school or college in the morning. If you are not able to attend in person, you can arrange with the school to have your results emailed to you.
(I)GCSE Results Day
Date: Thursday 25th August 2016
Students will be able to collect their results from their school or college in the morning. If you are not able to attend in person, you can arrange with the school to have your results emailed to you.
Thursday, 9 June 2016
Friday, 20 May 2016
BURSARIES...AN INTRODUCTION
With school fees galloping ahead of UK inflation, most
parents are very interested in ways of reducing their fees drastically, as
confirmed by the current Daily
Telegraph article.
With ISC statistics stating that 41,000 children (8% of
total children in ISC private schools) are receiving financial assistance to
reduce fees, one could be forgiven for thinking that getting a bursary was a
simple matter of turning up and asking for one, however the reality is quite
different.
For several years there was a trend for more money to be
allocated to bursaries (based on financial means) by moving funds away from
scholarships (based on merit). However, we believe that trend has reversed with
schools more likely to give a bursary if the child has first won a scholarship.
Additionally it is an extremely complicated process to secure a bursary,
usually involving an investigation of all income and assets of not just the
parents, but also other family members (grandparents for example) to a level
more detailed that annual income tax returns!
The relationships between school bursars and parents has
become a little "adversarial" because there are far more requests
than available funds. Thus many of the larger senior schools have subcontracted
out the bursary process to independent accountants to take the sting out of
possible arguments with parents if their request gets denied. It can be
reasonably assumed that accountants will pay more attention to the numbers
rather than the emotion behind a bursary request. For this reason we have put a
detailed description of the process on our website.
Education Advisers does not give bespoke advice on
bursaries, although we can give advice on scholarships. Furthermore, we have
just introduced a 2016 eGuide entitled "TOP 10 TIPS FOR REDUCING YOUR
SCHOOL FEES", which is available free of charge to bespoke school choice
advice clients.
Wednesday, 4 May 2016
MAKING A UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT PERSONAL
For students applying to university through UCAS, arguably
the most important part of their application is the Personal Statement. The
opening sentences can make or break an application and have an Admissions Tutor
either keen to read further or to deposit the application form on the reject
pile. To keep him reading is to grab his attention straightaway and not use
hackneyed or trite phrases such as “…I have always been passionate about…”, or
….what really fascinates me about this course is…”
You are about to make one of the biggest decisions of your
life: so it is important that you give solid reasons why you want to study a
subject and that your A Levels are entirely suitable for your choice of degree.
You should state that your academic track record and extra-curricular
activities relate to the subject you are opting to study at undergraduate
level, as this all helps a university to understand why you are a suitable
candidate for the course. Admissions Tutors are very keen to know that you have
the experience, skills and personality that would enable you to succeed on a
three or four year course.
One golden rule to be followed is never, ever, stretch the truth
about your voluntary work as it will inevitably come back on you. Think really
carefully about how you are going to structure your Personal Statement so that
it reads well, is truthful and is about you. This might take several drafts,
but it is time well spent. Never forget that your application may be the only
thing that an Admissions Tutor will base his decision on. Don’t try to be
clever, but rather write a Personal Statement that is to the point, clear and
that demonstrates what you can offer a university.
Never be tempted to plagiarise other student’s personal statements or purchase a ready-made one online, and if you require advice and help with any aspect of your University or Higher Education applications do contact Education Advisers Limited, who have an experienced and professional team of consultants.
Never be tempted to plagiarise other student’s personal statements or purchase a ready-made one online, and if you require advice and help with any aspect of your University or Higher Education applications do contact Education Advisers Limited, who have an experienced and professional team of consultants.
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