A-LEVELS PRIORITIES

What is going well / Who needs praise?

• Clear guidelines on key assessments throughout the year. Teachers take to inform you when they are and topics covered

• Students like the opportunity to have discussions with each other on class tasks

• Use of GC by teachers is good, information is clearly laid out

• Students have enjoyed making new friends

• Feedback given by teachers has been helpful in making progress

• That in Science subjects, you enjoy doing the required practical assessments

• Lessons are engaging, teachers are supportive of you

• Students are interested in the topics that they are doing

• Feel confident in the knowledge you are developing.

• In Sociology / Criminology the support in structuring of essays is really helpful.

• You like the way in which you receive group feedback on key assessments / mark scheme.

• You feel there is a good range of Biology questions for different marks / extended questions.

• Trips & visits have been useful and have expanded their horizons – and feel could this be extended to also include apprenticeships and other options.

• Booklets for exam being prepared by the teacher for Sociology & Criminology which learners like and appreciate.

• Teachers have listened to feedback and are making lessons more active, and more exam questions have started to be embedded.

• Support in assignments in Psychology with good constructive feedback that helps them improve.

What could we do better?

You Said: That recall activities during the lesson to previous lessons are not done consistently in all lessons

We Will: Make sure that in each lesson teachers will plan specific recall activities that not only recall learning in the last lesson, but from any other previous lessons.

You Said: That your knowledge on how to structure an essay needs improving to help you in your A level subjects

We Will: Make sure that in lessons, teachers designate time to cover essay structure in those subjects where essay writing skills are essential to success

You Said: You would like some revision lessons

We Will: Make sure that when the A level course syllabus’ are delivered, that revision lessons are delivered

You Said: You would like to know what is coming up in future lessons, and how your current lessons builds into the next

We Will: Make sure that in each lesson teachers will identify where students have been, where they are currently and where they are going.

You Said: You would like more exam questions to do in lessons and for independent study time.

We Will: Make sure teachers build into their lesson exam practice, and also have available on their GC relevant exam resources

You Said: You would like more time in class to practice higher mark questions, and how to structure them.

We Have: Provided time in lessons after Easter break to help students with their exam technique.

You Said: The timing of key assessments could be managed between within content delivery, so you get a better feel as to how you’re doing overall, as well as have individual feedback at a greater depth. – You feel it would be beneficial across teachers to share good practice seen in Criminology and ensure there is a standardised way of giving feedback / having front sheets

We Have: Shared this good practice within the A level department and are also work towards creating a standardised feedback sheet for teachers to use.

You Said: You would like more info on Mocks and have guided revision skill / sessions to support preparation. You would like Mocks pushed back, but appreciate we are unable to do this.

We Have: Created a Mock exam timetable which will be released to students during the first 2 weeks of term after Easter. Teachers have been asked to provide time in lessons to help prepare students for the mock exams.

You Said: You would like greater clarity on WEX – perhaps an additional session in tutorial as well as the group assembly planned

We Have: Already delivered specific tutorial lessons on WEX. Information on WEX has been provided on the yr1 GC, with clear links to information on my student life and also links to a video showing students how to log WEX. We will provide a recap on this in tutorial.

You Said: Feedback could be more timely.

We Have: Reminded staff and students that feedback from teachers on work should be within 2 college weeks as stipulated by college guidelines.

You Said: For chemistry you would like a greater variety of different marked questions, and in maths some more exam practice / review of questions rather than starters

We Have: Introduced more exam practice during the final term leading up to the mock exams, and will incorporate this type of activity to replace some starter activities throughout next academic year.

You Said: We would like more exam practice in terms of structure and even more exam questions with a breakdown on step by step on how to write it. Also group practice to pull an answer together would be helpful.

We Have: Arranged for Rachel Mahony to deliver some extra revision sessions leading up to the Criminology exams. Revision booklets detailing hint, tips and assistance with answer structure have been provided. These booklets also contain exam questions. Students have been encouraged to come together and study to help prepare for the exams where they can pull together their knowledge.

You Said: They do receive verbal feedback and written but would like feedback discussed in class.

We Have: Provided additional opportunities for the feedback received to be discussed as a class.

You Said: Once every fortnight a planned revision session in class would be useful. Also learners to utilise individual study time to go through revision/mind maps so that these can be taken into the teacher led revision session.

We Have: Provided revision sessions in normal lesson time, and also additional sessions provided by Rachel. Students have been encouraged to maximise their time in college by studying in their free period.

You Said: 3.00 start on a Thursday – doesn’t help with attendance.

We Have: Listened to your feedback, and whilst this can’t be resolved for this academic year, we are always looking at timetables/blocking to see how any changes can be made to help students.