Success at ‘A’ Level:

Home/Sixth Form links

20-25 minutes to: Explain how A level works! Why Year 12 is so important! Establishing a strong relationship between home and Sixth Form! Study skills needed! What are A level targets and how to use A level Targets!

3 types of course on offer: Modular A level: Accounting Mathematics Media Geography Theology DT Languages Music Science Applied Btec modular courses: Health and Social Care Sport Art IT Business Terminal A levels: Literature and LL Physics, Chemistry and Biology History Economics Psychology Sociology

3 types of course on offer: Modular A level: Points at AS count towards final grades. Maths/Science are a 6 unit 300/600 system. All other subjects are a 4 unit 200/400 point system. 80%=A 70%=B etc. Bonus mark culture. Increased difficulty between AS and A2. AS ‘A’= A2 ‘D’. Btec modular courses: Points style system where gaining distinctions in Year 12 takes the pressure off of Year 13. Pass unit =70 Merit unit =80 Distinction unit=90 Overall Distinction* =520 out of 6 units i.e. 4x Dist + 2x Merit=520 Terminal A levels: Student complete AS level but mark do NOT contribute to final grades. How are grades arrived at?

320/400 (must attain 180/200 90% at A2)=A* 320/80% = A 280/70% = B 240/60% = C 200/50% = D 160/40% = E How do students get graded in modular A levels? Try to gain bonus points at AS above the desired grade boundary i.e. ‘B’ grade AS border is 140, so aim for 160 or above. This would give you 20 bonus marks above your ‘B’ target. Bonus mark culture:

How you need to think. The RIGHT way I want an ‘A’ grade! I need 320/400. At AS I get marks of: 84/100 88/100 =172/200 I have gained 12 BONUS points. This has taken some pressure off my A2 required point score. Instead of 160/200, I need 148/200. I must try to get points above 148. I know that 319/400 would mean a ‘B’ grade.

How you need to think. The RIGHT way I want an ‘A’ grade! In Year 12 I gained: 88/100 68/100 =156/200 I have no bonus marks and am –4 marks below the boundary. This will make an ‘A’ grade difficult at A2. I will re-sit Paper 2 and aim to be awarded at least 88/100. This would leave me with UMS bonus marks of 16.

AS Year 12 performance: Modular A level: Btec modular courses: Terminal A levels: AS/Year 12 results have to be confirmed on UCAS applications. So they remain important for whatever qualification! Universities value AS results. AS results will determine entry to Year 13

Target grades Based on: The mean! Performance of students in each individual subject, given their average GCSE (best 8) points score the previous academic year. This will result in an individual points score per subject based on each subjects level of difficulty as exhibited by performance at A level the previous year.

Target grades Where the points score is in the top half between grades, the student will be given the higher grade. Where the student is in the lower half between grades, both the top and lower grade are assigned. The higher grade is the ambitious one. New QCA Points system - A-Levels A* 60 points A 50 points B 40 points C 30 points D 20 points E 10 points New DfE Estimated QCA points (2015) 2015 Estimated Grade 32.7B/C 44.3A/B 23.3C/D 28.0C 29.7C 47.0A 36.0B 34.7B/C 29.7C 32.7B/C

How do we use Targets? Teachers will use Targets to judge performance and effort throughout the AS and A2 courses, particularly at the start of A2 and in March of Year 13. Students should use their Targets grades to judge how well they are performing in the course. To stimulate discussion at parents evenings.

If as a student or parent you are disappointed with the predicted grade… Ask and answer the question: What am I as the student or parent going to do to ensure that a higher grade is, in fact, attained? ‘Working at’ grades?

How have things gone so far this term? The right attitude of mind to avoid stress or failure- Has your son/daughter balanced work, rest and play? hours of homework per week? Independent learner?

How have things gone so far this term? The right attitude of mind to avoid stress or failure- Is your son/Daughter organised? Are notes in folders, coloured for each subject, or paper spread out all over the floor?

How have things gone so far this term? The right attitude of mind to avoid stress or failure- A part time job of no more than hours?

How have things gone so far this term? The right attitude of mind to avoid stress or failure- Good attendance and punctuality? 95%+? No letters or telephones expressing concern? Amber/red report?

Relevant changes happened and happening: Unpredictable nature of A level terminal courses. Dealing with stress! Discussion on removal of National Health bursary for Nursing etc. University funding changes. No more ‘grants’. Extension of loans system. 17 th March UCAS Fair/Convention.

Finally: 74 vs 1 Why? Poor study skills. Lack of independent learning. Wrong life/work balance. And/or Wrong subject choice. And/or Poor attendance.