Special Booster Classes to help towards Teacher Assessment before awarding GCSE and A-level grades in the summer of 2021
These Teacher Assessments are a marathon and not a sprint!
The time between now and 18th June is critical, as every bit of work matters. At Excel, we are more determined than ever, and we will make sure that we provide our students the highest level of support in the remaining three or so months before teachers summit their grades to the exam board. We are actually running a special nine-week course – a weekly Saturday online course between March and May, designed to help boost performance in teacher assessment.
Effective small group tuition (online lessons via Zoom/Microsoft Teams)
Summary of the course (everything is done online and takes place on Saturdays)
- Week 1 – a diagnostic test in each subject
- Week 2 – a diagnostic interview and also the first lesson
- Week 3 to 9 – teaching the content, including exam technique and one or two more tests before the end of the course.
- You will receive two reports – the first one is within three weeks after the diagnostic test, and the second is a progress report in early May.
- You can also request a progress update about your child at any point during the course.
One the first Saturday, the student takes a diagnostic test in each of the subjects they are studying with us. The following week, there is an interview and the lessons also start. This is followed by seven more Saturdays – a total of nine Saturdays – including the diagnostic test. The diagnostic test helps to gauge where the student is when they start with us, so we are better placed to set a target and address their needs.
Below is what the student gets each week per subject
GCSE – Y11 or Y10
1. 40 to 50 minutes of small group teaching
2. 60 minutes of homework assignment setting mainly exam questions, based on topic(s) covered in the lesson
3. 10 to 15 minutes of one-to-one tutorial (live video session) – dedicated to addressing individual student's weaknesses
4. Milestone work set and marked, with written feedback provided. This should be work that is focused to the need of individual students and included in the homework assignment
5. One subject takes a total of about 1 hour; 2 hours for two subjects and so on, and this includes both the small group teaching and one-to-one tutorial. There is also a homework assignment of about an hour per week for each subject. Most students take English, Maths and at least two Science subjects – studying for a total of about four hours each Saturday. However, some take just a couple of subjects.
A-Level
1. 60 to 70 minutes of small group teaching
2. Between 75 to 120 minutes of homework assignment, set mainly exam questions, based on topic(s) covered in the lesson
3. 15 to 20 minutes of one-to-one tutorial (live video session) – dedicated to addressing individual student's weaknesses
4. Milestone work set and marked, with written feedback provided. This should be work that is focused on the need of individual students, and is included in the homework assignment.
5. One subject takes a total of about 1 hour 20 to 1hour 30 minutes; 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours for two subjects and so on, and this includes both the small group teaching and one-to-one tutorial.
Most A-level students take two or three subjects – studying for between 1.5 to 3 hours each Saturday. However, some students take 3 subjects.
How to contact us:
In order to speak to someone directly, you can
- call between 2 and 3pm on weekdays or
- between 10am and 12pm on Saturdays.
- alternatively, call at other times and leave a message and we’ll get back to you.
- send us an e-mail, and let us know when we can call you.
Mr. McManus BEd (Hons) MA(Ed) NPQH)
Senior Physics Teacher and Head of Science speaks about the impact of the Saturday Classes in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. He talks about the benefits the revision classes bring in maximising students’ potential and enhancing their understanding of the topics – allowing them to obtain top exam grades in Triple Science and Combined (double) Science.
Mr. J Smith MA Oxon – Mathematics
In this short video, Mr. J Smith compares the differences between the two-day or three-day intensive revision courses and the regular, weekly Saturday Classes for GCSE and A-level students. In his explanation, you can see the benefits for each of the two courses, and how they can help in making a difference to students’ understanding and examination performance.
Call us now on 020 7112 4832
or request a call back
FAQs
Why nine Saturdays?
Given the time remaining before teachers recommend grades to the exam board, nine Saturdays are sufficient to do an initial diagnostic test and cover much of the core aspects that students often struggle with in the exam
What material is covered on the course?
We will ask for details about your child’s curriculum, including the exam board, and any topic to be avoided as your child school may decide to exclude those. Just before the classes start, we will provide your child with a list of the topics we will be covering. It will be mainly the core concepts in the specification, and every session will include exam questions on the topics covered on that day. We actually do the teaching and explain concepts, before a question practice session
What equipment does my child need?
- A computer with a camera – preferably via a laptop or desktop and not a mobile. Tablets are OK!
- Access to the Internet
- Writing material: pen and paper or notebook – in case your child wants to make notes
- A scientific calculator for Maths and Science subjects. No, mobile phones are not allowed to be switched on during lessons – to avoid distraction
- A quite place to learn and concentrate.
How do classes take place?
We will provide you a Zoom link in advance and, upon arrival, your child will be welcomed in a reception area, before being transferred into the teaching room (break out room), where the subject teacher is waiting
After the first lesson, your child will come back to the reception area and be transferred to the next class, and so on
For the group lessons, there are, on average, about four or five students in the group, and the teacher is teaching them by using PowerPoint presentations or writing on a paper or using a digital pen – usually a combination of all the above, and what is being written is displayed on students’ screens
For the one-to-one tutorial, the student is in the room (virtually!) with just one student and they can see and speak to each other. Tutorial sessions are used to address the needs of the individual student
The students can see the teacher when the teacher is teaching, and he or she can ask questions
We expect students to login and show up in the reception area five minutes before the lesson starts, and we will call you if your child does not show up within five minutes of the lesson starting
Most classes take place on Zoom, but we occasionally use Microsoft Teams for some lessons.
Is this live teaching?
All the teaching is done by live video lesson, where the teacher interacts and your child can ask and usually will be asked questions. We expect the video camera for both students and teachers to be turned on during lessons.
Are lessons on video?
Yes, all lessons are on video and most classes are recorded. Your child can request access to most classes to view and reinforce their learning at a later time.
We expect the video camera for both students and teachers to be turned on during lessons. We believe that body language is an essential aspect of teaching and learning and our teachers like to see the students they are teaching, to ensure full participation and avoid unhelpful distractions!
Can my child use their mobile phone as a calculator?
No, mobile phones are not allowed to be switched on during lessons – to avoid distraction. A proper scientific calculator is required for Maths and Science subjects.
How can I join?
Contact us to find out if we have a place for your child and to ask any questions you may have.
Complete the application form and pay the fees.
We will provide you timetable of the lessons, which are usually between 9am and 4pm on a Saturday.
Can I pay the fees by instalments?
Yes, you can split the fees into two instalments – with the first payment due before starting and the final by 2nd April. However, there is an incentive of 5% discount if you pay the total in full at the start of the course.
Are all students taught together?
Each class only has students of the same year group and there are about four to five students.
The one-to-one tutorials are just a live video teaching between one teacher and a student.
Are students of the same ability?
Our classes are very small, about four to five students, and there is not usually a wide range of ability. Yes, some students are better in a specific subject than others, but, because classes are small, the teacher is able to identify the need of each student.
Maths groups are in set, as ability range can vary widely, even among those who are academically strong. Science subjects are similar but not as strictly streamed as Maths.
We move the student out a group if they are too weak or two strong for that group.
On average, our students are at around B region when they join us; however, some are much stronger and some are a little weaker.
We strive to help them improve by two grade points, and in fact, on average, this is the result we have achieved with our students, year in year out since 2004
Our courses are not suitable for youngsters who are unlikely to be able to achieve at least a C grade or much higher. It does not mean they have to be at that level when they join, but they must have the ability.
Your child’s grade(s) will markedly improve with Excel in Key Subjects, or we will give you a full refund of your tuition fees.
That’s how confident we are of our proven system.
Why Students & Parents Love Us
Mr De Bernier, parent of a former student
Nathaniel, former student at Excel In Key Subjects
Israel, former student at Excel In Key Subjects