Pre-A Level Course Information

2017 – 2018

Chase Grammar School Pre-A Level Information

Welcome from the Principal

Chase Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, boarding and day school, situated in Staffordshire, UK. We accept children between the ages of 2 and 19 and deliver the English National Curriculum, GCSE, Pre-A Level, A Level and International Foundation Diploma courses. We are very proud of our excellent examination results and prepare students for entry to the world’s top universities.

At Chase Grammar School we encourage our students to:

Think for themselves & become excellent decision makers Discover a passion for lifelong learning Thrive on the many enriching opportunities available in a happy and caring

environment

At the heart of the education we provide is a love of learning, which is supported by a healthy body and healthy mind. When students have completed their education at Chase they will be happy and confident individuals, able to make a difference in society. We celebrate international awareness and highlight the similarities we share as a community:

a commitment to academic excellence through focus on scholarship and hard work

a focus on character building that will serve the students well in all situations the building of life skills through spiritual, social, cultural, physical & creative

activities an emphasis on the individual to take personal responsibility a belief in voluntary service and compassion towards others respect for cultural diversity and international awareness

We want our students to grow into well-rounded, self-assured adults, capable of navigating complex social and cultural environments with confidence. We wish to enable them to learn how to persevere and make appropriate decisions in a range of situations, developing into life-long learners, who can lead and take responsibility for themselves and others within their community.

Dr Paul SilverwoodPrincipalMA (Cambridge), MSc, PhD (Manchester), QTS, CChem

2

Chase Grammar School Pre-A Level Information

Introduction

The Pre-A Level course at Chase Grammar School is a pathway for international students to enter Year 12 of Sixth Forms at Chase Grammar School and other leading UK boarding schools.

Each year we offer two streams, determined by level of English Language skills, with entry available in September, January or April.

There is a significant proportion of the course dedicated to helping students improve their English language (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and achieve both a qualification in functional skills English and the internationally recognised IELTS. There is an abundance of support available to help students, but the commitment of the individual to practising and completing work set in their own personal time cannot be underestimated.

The course offers students the comprehensive preparation required to enable progression to study A Levels in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Business, Computer Science and related disciplines.

It is also an accepted pathway to entry onto the International Foundation Diploma course in Business, Finance and Information Technology run and assessed by NCC and offered at Chase Grammar School.

Incorporating a total of 34 timetabled hours of lessons per week, all Pre-A students will follow the same course, studying a range of academic subjects taught by experienced specialist staff, together with timetabled enrichment & extension activities and sporting opportunities.

Students will be taught the skills to enable them to undertake effective independent research, which is vital when progressing to advanced level studies in the UK. Indeed, it is expected to form a part of students’ personal commitment to achieving success throughout their course.

Pre-A students join our vertical Upper School tutorial groups, houses, sports teams and enrichment & extension clubs alongside UK students and our international students from about 20 different countries.

Full boarding arrangements, including guardianship, continued residence through half-term weeks, trips & activities are all inclusive. Students share rooms (usually two students per room) with friends of different nationalities.

3

Chase Grammar School Pre-A Level Information

Course Structure

Our Pre-A Course includes the following elements, all of which are compulsory:

English for Academic Purposes (5 hours per week) English for IELTS (5 hours per week) Mathematics (3 hours per week) Science (3 hours per week) Computer Science & Functional IT (3 hours per week) Business & Management (3 hours per week) Enrichment & Extension (4 hours per week) Sport /Games (2 hours per week) Wellbeing (spiritual, physical & mental) and Life-skills (2 hours per week) Higher Education & Careers Advice; Tutorials & Assemblies (4 hours per week)

Assessment & Reporting

There are regular assessments to gauge progress throughout the year, as well as five reporting periods through which feedback is sent to parents and students set new targets following discussions with their Tutors.

Progression to A Levels

In June the students will sit formal assessments in school and they must pass all subjects. Students must also achieve a minimum overall level of 5.5 in IELTS (with no single component part lower than 5.0) to qualify for A Level study at Chase Grammar School.

Progression to the International Foundation Diploma

In June the students will sit formal assessments in school and they must pass all subjects. Students must also achieve a minimum overall level of 4.5 in IELTS (with no single component part lower than 4.0) to qualify for the Diploma at Chase Grammar School.

4

Chase Grammar School Pre-A Level Information

English for Academic Purposes (5 hours per week)

This element considers the practical use of the language in the classroom and leads to a Functional Skills English qualification. Students are encouraged and required to demonstrate the fundamental applied skills in English that will help them to gain the most from life, learning and work during their time in the UK. This is achieved through a clear structure with reading, writing, speaking and listening being assessed in separate tests and tasks.

English for IELTS (5 hours per week)

The second element complements the above, providing English lessons which develop skills and knowledge appropriate for success in the internationally-recognised IELTS test. A high score in this test important for entry onto A Level courses at Chase Grammar and other top UK boarding schools. Additionally, with the vast majority of our students going on to study at UK universities, it is a fundamental requirement for entry to their chosen degree course.

Mathematics (3 hours per week)

Students will be given a test paper to complete during their first week. From this, we can then identify areas of knowledge and skills which require further development so that the student can be fully prepared should they wish to progress to study Mathematics and/or Further Mathematics at A Level. The course will primarily focus on the topics included in statistics and decision mathematics, as these give an understanding of the vocabulary and key techniques students will require, including problem solving and correct formats in which to present their solutions in line with the UK examinations system. Classes will be streamed and challenging, without covering the A level specification.

5

Chase Grammar School Pre-A Level Information

6

Chase Grammar School Pre-A Level Information

Science - combining Biology, Chemistry, Physics (3 hours per week)

The Science course will provide both theory and practical sessions in order to give students a strong grounding in the necessary skills and vocabularyfor the study of sciences at A Level. At the outset of the course, the students will have an initial practical assessment (consisting of a simple Biology, Chemistry and Physics practical). Having identified the strengths and weaknesses of the individual, the course will focus on building and developing practical skills, science vocabulary, laboratory safety, data collection and data analysis. The rest of the course will be tailored to the A Level choices the students are expecting to make. At two further points during the year we will assess progress and skills with further practical assessments. The course will therefore prepare students for the demands of the A Level sciences and challenge the students to plan, implement, analyse and evaluate their work, working in small groups and independently at times.

Computer Science & Functional IT (3 hours per week)

This part of the Pre-A course is aimed at improving Information Technology literacy and creativity (using Microsoft Office, together with other software), together with providing an introduction to computer programming and its applications within the technological world in which we now live. Through study in this technological area, students are able to develop their knowledge and skills using software and programming applications solely in English. In addition, they will consider more technical aspects of computer science and its application, and be expected to improve their internet research skills and knowledge of the terminology and language used.

Business & Management (3 hours per week)

Combining elements of business, economics, accounting and strategy, this element of the Pre-A course provides the student with an understanding of the subjects, focussing on the analytical, problem-solving skills and vocabulary necessary to enable selection of these subject options at A Level. The course will introduce studnets to UK companies and the UK economy through short case studies and enable them to engage with UK media, UK news programmes and newspapers to give them the broader context in which these subjects are applied.

7

Chase Grammar School Pre-A Level Information

8

Chase Grammar School Pre-A Level Information

Enrichment & Extension (4 hours per week)

Students have access to a wide range of enichment and extension activities while at Chase Grammar School. Activities enable mixing with a wide range of students of all ages and the development of new skills. There are clubs and societies in the following categories: performance, creative, physical, technical, communication, community & charitable. Students are expected to demonstrate commitment to a number of these throughout the year.

Sport & Games (2 hours per week)

Participation in sport is not only healthy but enables integration with the rest of the school community and the opportunity to represent the school in fixtures against other schools. Additionally, research shows that those taking part in physical activities actually perform better in their studies. Students dedicate at least one afternoon per week to physical education and may select from a range of seasonal sports to pursue: football, hockey, netball, basketball, badmintion, volleyball, swimming, aerobics, fitness gym, cricket, athletics and rounders are the most popular.

Wellbeing & Lifeskills (2 hours per week)

We are very much aware of the emotional, physical and spiritual dimensions of a high quality education and our Wellbeing and Lifeskills programme supports students as they become more aware of, discuss and feel more confident tackling the questions, demands and pressures that they face in their lives. As a curriculum area Personal, Social, Health & Economic Education is designed to give students the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to make safe and informed decisions, to lead confident, healthy, independent lives, and to become informed, active and responsible citizens and to contribute to the understanding of Fundamental British Values. They do this by developing respect and tolerance for others’ beliefs and by developing knowledge of British institutions and society.

Higher Education & Careers Advice; Tutorials & Assemblies (4 hour per week)

There is also time within the week specifically allocated to looking at careers, higher education opportunities. Students receive one-to-one tutorials with their Tutors to set and review targets, discuss progress, arrange participation in enrichment and extension opportunities and consider future options and pathways. Assemblies bring the whole school or sections of it together to reflect and celebrate.

9

Chase Grammar School Pre-A Level Information

Chase Grammar School, Convent Close, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0UR, United Kingdomwww.chasegrammar.com +44 1543 501800 info@chasegrammar.com

10

Chase Grammar School Pre-A Level Information

11