Important information for Year 2 A Level students about their exams.
As we are approaching the final revision period for A Level students, we would like to provide you with information that we hope will be useful in the context of this year's exams.
Full details have been emailed to Year 2 A Level students but can also be read below.
2024 A Levels - a very different experience from GCSEs
A Level revision is always challenging, and we are aware that some Year 2 A Level students are feeling daunted by the amount of revision they need to do.
We would like to highlight ways we are supporting you and your fellow Year 2 students and suggest ways that might help at home over Easter and in the lead-up to the final A Level exams. It is vital that all students establish a routine for revision and have a clear plan, so they feel prepared for each of their exams and allow enough time to revise the topics that appear on each paper.
We hope that this information will be useful and supportive to help all our students cope with their workload whilst also managing their own wellbeing through the exam period. We have included key dates for you at the end of this information regarding exam timetables, study leave and results day.
Support available in college:
- College campuses are open over the Easter holidays so that students can revise in a quiet environment:
English Bridge Campus
8.30am until 3.30pm – 25 to 28 March and 2 to 5 April
London Road Campus
8.30am until 4.30pm – 25 to 27 March
Welsh Bridge Campus LRC is closed for the Easter break, normal hours resume Monday 8 April.
- Subject specific support continues to be available on Tuesday and/or Thursday lunchtimes. Students can drop in or they may be directed to attend by their subject teachers in which case they should prioritise attending wherever possible.
- Students need to make sure they ask their teacher(s) for help to plug any gaps in their knowledge of specific topics. Teachers are expecting students to ask if they need help.
- Exam papers and mark schemes are available in all subjects. Students should check with their teacher that they have all the resources they need (on Teams, Moodle or on paper).
- Revision sessions are available throughout the exam period to provide a focus for each paper. Details will be shared by individual subject areas.
- Student support tutors are the first point of contact for general support with making a revision timetable, study skills, attendance, or other pastoral concerns.
- Our Academic Study Skills Coordinator is providing sessions on preparing for exams and revision. Students are encouraged to sign up for these and can also ask their tutor for an individual referral if they feel this will help their revision.
- If you are feeling anxious around exams, or anything else during the exam period, you can call our Student Assistance Programme on 0800 028 3766 where a trained counsellor will discuss strategies to help manage any feelings of stress so that students can perform at their best.
- An additional source of help is Wisdom App from Health Assured. As well as practical help students can sign up to a 4-week programme to help cope with pressure or follow the guides for sleep and meditation. Students can download Wisdom from the App Store or Google Play using the college code of MHA249996.
Support at home
Discuss a revision plan with your parents/carers to ensure all subjects and topics are covered but also ensure there is time for relaxation and sufficient sleep.
- Please seek support from teachers, tutors, or exam workshops as needed.
- Discuss with your parents/carers how to approach negotiating reduced hours of part-time work with their employers, from now through until the end of the exam period – time invested in studying to secure higher grades and better progression opportunities will be worth more to you in the long-run than short-term wages in the next few weeks.
- Make sure that you have full attendance for all lessons in college up to May half term as well as final revision sessions during the exam period.
- Devise a regular routine of sleep/getting up throughout the exam period - morning exams start early!
- Secure access to a quiet space to work or come in full-time to college from Easter onwards to work in the LRC or other study areas during the day when you are not in lessons.
- Make sure that you print a copy of your exam timetable (see below) – stick this up somewhere at home so that you can have appropriate reminders of the exam dates and times.
- Make sure transport to exams is planned and reliable.
Key Dates
- Individual student exam timetables will be available for students on ProPortal from Monday 29 April – these will include candidate numbers, rooms and seat numbers, access arrangements and will show details to resolve any clashes in exams.
- The process for downloading the timetable will work in the same way as for the mock exam week earlier in the year – instructions will be available through tutorial if students need reminders for how to do this.
- Normal lesson timetables continue through next half-term from Monday 8 April until Friday 24 May.
- Half-term is Monday 27 May until Friday 31 May with study leave for Year 2 A level / CTEC lessons beginning from Monday 5 June onwards – teachers are still available throughout this period for supporting students.
- A Level exams begin during the week beginning 13 May for some subjects – lessons continue through this period, but students can take the morning before an afternoon exam as study leave where needed; they must report their absence via the MySCG App in this case
- Exams continue throughout much of June. The exam boards have collectively agreed Wednesday 26 June as the final national contingency date. In the case of significant national or local disruption they reserve the right to move the date of any exam at short notice and this is the last such date which they could use. All students must remain available until this date – absence due to a holiday will not be accepted by an exam board as a reason for missing a rearranged exam.
A Level Results Day is Thursday 15 August – details will be sent out next term for how you will receive your results and the support available to students for progression queries after receiving their results.