At Buxton & Leek College we are acutely aware of the issues that are continuing to unfold around calculated results and Centre Assessed Grading and are working with our progressing students to ensure that they are not disadvantaged by the outcomes of this year’s programmes.
We are very much focussed on preparing to support those whose GCSE results are different from what they were expecting. e collect predicted results when students apply for a programme with us and also ask previous schools to provide a personal reference. We will take all available information into account and agree appropriate starting levels with students individually. We will then continue to monitor progress and put in place the appropriate level of support to ensure that our students learn the new knowledge and skills that they need to be successful.
Most of those who have applied to commence programmes this September will have received an offer of a place based on their predicted GCSE results. Our current policy allows those who have missed one of these GCSEs to join our Level 3 programmes as long as they have Grade 4+ in the overall required number of GCSEs. At these uncertain times, we will be flexible around this and will take the highest of the calculated grade, the mock exam grade or the teacher-assessed grade when we consider the best programme and level of study. We are confident that we will be able to provide the most appropriate programme to enable progression in a student’s chosen career pathway.
Our programmes are prepared to help those students who missed the grade 4 GCSE in maths and English and we typically provide an extensive re-take programme for these students, which focusses on those aspects that an individual student finds most difficult and also boosts their maths and English skills more generally.
Buxton & Leek College has a track-record of significantly exceeding the national average re-take achievement rates. We have also been shortlisted for a TES FE Award for Outstanding GCSE resits Programme and are part of the North Midlands Maths Hub, supporting resit projects for the National Centre of Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.
In terms of specific services to potential students over the coming 2 weeks, we have both a remote and an on-site advice, guidance and enrolment service on 20th and 21st August until 5pm. We then have the same the following week on 24th to 26th August. On 24th we are open until 7:30pm to provide an extended opportunity to enrol for adults seeking to join our part-time or evening programmes. After these specific events, we will continue to provide advice, guidance and enrolment opportunities each day throughout September, either in person or remotely, in order to help and support those who may have appealed their grades or decide that their first choice of programme or institution does not suit them. We also have remote telephone and video-call support and text-chat via our website.
