We are in the midst of our enrolment period, meeting a range of students with very different needs, who are considering coming to Brampton. During this time, we have been quite alarmed at the number of students we’ve met, who have received very disappointing AS results, yet have been advised to continue to A2 whilst retaking their AS level at the same time. Our concern with this is that, even with a decent amount of support and good teaching, these students are going to lack some of the fundamental understanding necessary to progress to A2 levels let alone achieve good grades. This is especially true in the sciences where A2s involve an application of what has been taught at AS level.
This incredibly unprofessional counselling does not take into account that these students will have to cram two years of work into one, in subjects that they are already struggling with. The chances of these students handling this pressure and achieving successful A level results or a university place are slim.
At Brampton College, students’ well-being and academic aims is of paramount importance (over and above what one could argue are potential funding or financial concerns). We meet every one of our prospective students to understand their academic goals, but more importantly, to make a crucial assessment of what subjects and educational route would be best suited to them in order to reach their goals.
For potential retake students, this involves thoroughly reviewing their situation, every one of their subjects and creating a realistic educational programme for them. This may mean we offer some students a one year programme, but only if we feel they can manage the workload and can progress successfully. However, for others, we may advise they consider alternative subject options or recommend they retake their AS levels in order to achieve the foundation level of understanding required to progress to A2s and achieve good results.
The extraordinary level of care and assessment that Brampton offers is based on many years of experience and an outstanding track record of success. Ultimately, we want happy, resilient students, who have the confidence to succeed. Please read some of our retake student stories here or find out more about the courses here . If you have any queries relating to A level retakes, please don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss your options further.
