Raising achievement at GCSE

1. Raising achievement at GCSE

2. 2 main areas linked to Year 11 • Improve the proportion of students achieving at least 8 A or A* grades. • Improve the proportion of students achieving at least 5 GCSEs A*-C including English and Maths.

3. Why does grade C in Maths and English matter? You need grade C in Maths and English for: • Many A-level courses. • Almost all degree courses. • Apprenticeships in Engineering, Teaching Assistant, Customer Service etc.

4. Re-sitting English is practically very difficult. If controlled assessment isn’t a high enough grade you need to do new tasks, which takes a long time. • There are alternative courses, but we can’t predict whether employers will accept them. • Making every effort NOW to achieve grade C in Maths and English is crucial for opening doors in the future.

5. What if your child is predicted grade d?

6. Why get more A or A* grades? • Look at the link between GCSE grades and A-level targets. • University entrance requirements. • University bursaries.

7. These are the targets we set at A-level, based on GCSE performance

8. University entrance requirements Oxford (All courses) • It is more important that a potential Oxford applicant has a GCSE profile which is strong overall (i.e. contains a large majority of A and A* grades). Edinburgh • English - AAA (A Levels) with a strong set of GCSE A* grades Bristol • Medicine - Minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade A to include English Language, Mathematics and two science subjects • Veterinary Science - A minimum of six A* / A grades would normally be expected. Exeter • English - We also look for excellent GCSE results which may include a high number of A*/As and preference will be given to candidates offering A* in English Literature and English Language where both subjects are offered.

9. University entrance requirements • Bath – Architecture • Typical Offer: A*AA • GCSE or equivalent: An A grade in Mathematics if not offered at AS or A2 level. • In order to remain fair to all candidates, we only consider grades obtained at the first attempt of any given examination (at unit level). Therefore candidates re-sitting any of their GCSE, A-level (AS/A2 or equivalent) exams will not normally be considered unless there are exceptional circumstances.

10. University entrance requirements • Bath - Economics • GCSE Mathematics A or A* • A2 Mathematics is required at grade A or above

11. University bursaries for academic excellence University of Swansea Excellence Scholarships • £3,000 will be awarded to all students who achieve AAA at A-Level (or equivalent). • Each Scholarship will be worth £3,000 over two years. Merit Scholarships • £2,000 will be awarded to all students who achieve AAB at A-Level (or equivalent).

12. University of East Anglia

13. Coventry University - Academic Excellence Scholarship • The Academic Excellence Scholarship will reward students who obtain ABB or better from three full A-Levels, or equivalent qualifications with either £1,000 cash a year or £1,500 discount a year on University owned accommodation. • The scholarship will be extended in the second and third year of the degree subject to satisfactory performance. This could mean a reward of up to £3,000 or £4,500 during the length of your studies if you satisfy the renewal conditions each year.

14. 2 main areas linked to Year 11 • Improve the proportion of students achieving at least 8 A or A* grades. • Improve the proportion of students achieving at least 5 GCSEs A*-C including English and Maths. • We can’t be sure how entry requirements to jobs and courses might change in the future, but we do know that by working together and helping our students do their best we give them the best opportunities in the future.