16
GCSEs, AS levels and
A Levels
At Abingdon you will be
studying for GCSEs (or
iGCSEs in some subjects),
and A level exams. These are
tough qualifications and will
require you to work hard.
Before you arrive you
should look at the school
website and see what
you will be studying in
your subjects. You can
then do some additional
preparatory reading and
research to make sure you
are ready for the start of
your time at Abingdon.
You may want to look at
the course syllabus on the
exam board website. It is
often a good idea to email
the heads of department
for the subjects you are
studying in order to get
some details about what
to prepare. Their email
addresses can be found on
the school website (www.
abingdon.org.uk/staff_list).
Teachers
Obviously one of the
best places to go for help
with your studies is to
your teachers. They will
be teaching you lessons
during the week so
will know you well. At
Abingdon the teachers are
very friendly and willing
to help. They actually
want you to come and
speak to them if you don’t
understand anything. They
certainly wont think that
by asking them questions
then you are criticising
their teaching (they want
you to ask questions). Your
teacher will recommend
extra reading if you want
to learn more and will also
arrange extra time to meet
you and help you if you ask
for it.
Tutors
Another person who can
help you with your work
is you house tutor. These
teachers have a special
responsibility for helping
you. Your tutor may not be
a specialist in the subject
you are finding difficult but
they will be able to arrange
help or tell you how to
find it. Your tutor is a very
sensible place to go for
help.
Other pupils and
Prefects
Sometimes the other
pupils in your house might
be a good source of help.
They might be studying
the same thing as you and
may be able to help you
out. Another place to ask
is the house prefects; they
will be the older pupils in
the house and will have
studied your work in a
previous year. Even if they
can’t help you themselves,
they will be able to tell you
where to go to find help. If
you get help from another
pupil you should make
sure that you do not copy
them. You can ask them to
explain something so you
understand but you are not
allowed to copy their work
or let them do it for you.
This wouldn’t be any real
use in helping you develop
your own knowledge and
understanding!
Learning Support
Department
At Abingdon we also
have something called
the Learning Support
Department. The staff
in this department
specialise in helping pupils
improve the way the
work by teaching them
organisational, study and
revision skills. If you have
a special educational need
then they can also help
you with that. If necessary
they can arrange for you
to be allowed to type your
exams or for you to have
extra time in your exams.
English as a
Foreign Language
Department
We recognise that pupils
who come to Abingdon
from a country where
English is not the first
language might need
extra help. The English
as a Foreign Language
Department specialises
in teaching English to
pupils who do not speak
it as their first language.
You will need a good level
of English to do well in
GCSEs and A levels so
you may well need extra
lessons from EFL. The
department also helps
prepare pupils for the IELTs
exam. Many universities
will require a particular
IELTs score from pupils
who do not speak English
as their first language
before they will offer a
place.
ApplyingtoUniversity
The system for applying
to University is called
UCAS in the UK. There
is a dedicated UCAS
department at Abingdon
that assists people
applying to university in
the UK. You will be given
advice by the UCAS
department at certain
points in your years in
the sixth form. Your tutor,
working with the UCAS
department, will help
you with your UCAS
application.
There is also a special
program for pupils who
are interested in applying
to Oxford or Cambridge
Universities (Oxbridge for
short). If you are interested
then you can speak to the
member of staff in charge of
Oxbridge applications and
to your head of department
who will run special
WHAT SUPPORT IS THERE
FOR MY ACADEMIC STUDIES?
Master. If youwish tomiss a sports fixture
that you have been selected for you will
also need to write to ask permission
from Mr Dawswell one week in advance
of the event, and you will also need to
ask your coach.
The start and end of term
At the end of each term Mr Golding
needs to receive the details about where
you are going to stay from your parents/
guardian. This is extra-important for you
if you are studying in the UK on a Visa.
Mr Golding also needs to know when
to expect you to return to the school
after the holiday. Again this information
should come from your parents prior
to your departure on holiday. If you are
delayed for any reason your parents
must inform Mr Golding so that he
knows when to expect you.
