How We Teach
Our objective is to provide the best possible learning environment for our students.
Teaching, Learning and internal assessment (formative and summative) is based on the fact that students, if they are to excel, must truly understand the subject they are studying. To achieve this goal courses are organised as follows:
Formal Lectures each week given by senior academic staff and subject specialists.
Teacher led workshops where students apply the knowledge they have gained.
Tutorials with senior academic staff to examine the work of each student in each subject each week.
In addition to this, students are expected to complete directed reading in preparation for lectures, complete private study tasks and engage in broad general study around each subject.
A normal A level student studying 3 A Levels will have 6 lectures per week, 6 hours of teacher led workshops, and 3 one hour tutorials. They will also complete 15 hours per week of private study.
IGCE students have a similar programme.
Assessment
Cambridge IGCSE's and A Levels are assessed by external examinations set by Cambridge. They occur in December, January and June of each year. Results are published by Cambridge 6 to 8 weeks after each examination series.
We assess students every week internally on:
Progress
Comprehension and Application of Knowledge
Commitment
A weekly mark is given which is either a pass or fail in each subject. A pass indicates that the student is moving towards a high grade in the external examinations. A fail indicates some weakness. To remedy this, an action plan is agreed with the student to be completed by the following week.
Three consecutive fails in internal assessment normally results in a meeting with the parents and student to establish a plan of action to improve matters.
Reports are sent to parents once a term.
Discipline
We do not tolerate misbehaviour.
Students are expected to be motivated, polite and attentive at all times.
If a student fails to behave appropriately they are normally excluded from classes until the problem is resolved.
Having said this, we do take great care to support and help young people to deal with the challenges of emerging in to adulthood. But we do expect students to meet our efforts with a similar level of commitment.
