One-year A level courses at CIFE colleges

What are one-year A level courses?

One-year A-level courses are highly intensive, focused and effective courses, offered mostly by independent sixth form colleges. They cover the entire A-level syllabus in about 30 weeks of teaching and offer the perfect opportunity for students looking to make that grade jump; students who already have the material fresh in their mind but need the application support and exam feedback to secure the desired grade. As a result, these courses are incredibly popular for students aspiring to get straight A grades, many of whom are looking to pursue careers in medicine and dentistry.

Expert teaching on one-year A level courses

Getting students to make the necessary grade jump not only requires knowing the syllabus, but knowing the key terms that the examiner is looking for to gain the required marks. Independent colleges provide the perfect environment for achieving this, with each teacher being an exam board specialist for each of the subjects being studied by the student. In other words, what gets you a mark on a particular question on an AQA A-Level Biology paper question for example, wont necessary be the case for the exam board OCR, if the teacher isn’t a specialist. CIFE colleges are experts in these accelerated courses, so just think of us as the specialists!

How do CIFE colleges get good results?

Through a combination of:

• Small classes - · Small classes – Students only retain 5% of what is covered in a lecture, but approximately 50% of what is covered in a tuition session. The one to one/small classroom benefits speak for itself!
• Expertise - cife colleges have many years' experience in making one-year A-level courses effective, and so have refined their approach carefully over time to achieve the best results possible!
• Teaching time - most colleges provide more contact time per subject than schools do, allowing more revision time with teachers before exam season!
• Good relationships - CIFE college staff relate well to their students promoting an excellent working environment. The smaller classroom sizes also mean that teachers get to know each of their students better in terms of their academic needs, promoting more tailored sessions and a consequential boost in grades!

How difficult are one-year A level courses?

There's no getting away from the fact that these courses are tough! They must move fast, right from the first day, and they require a lot of work. Given that most students on the programme have already completed the A-Level once before, and that the teachers are experts in the subjects being delivered, this suits the needs of the students, most of whom who are looking to move on to the next stage of their academic journey quickly!

It's important however to discuss your plans in detail with those who know you well and with CIFE staff, to check whether you have the skills and experience to cope. Each of our individual A level pages contains information about taking that subject in one year, so you can see whether a one year course is the right fit for you.

What background do I need?

Most students taking these have already done at least a year of successful post-GCSE study, either in the UK or abroad. Whilst some subjects (such as mathematics) do require a strong background, others don’t, and you can successfully take them without previous experience. For all one-year A level courses a sensible and consistent approach to study is as important as prior knowledge.

Who are one-year A level courses suitable for?

One-year A level courses are a good option for the student who needs a new subject or two for the second sixth-form year, or who faces a year doing A level retakes. They are also very suitable for strong overseas students who have good English language skills and can be a good alternative to foundation courses for those who have the right academic background. A medicine applicant who didn’t meet the criteria due to falling short in a grade for one of their subjects (such as chemistry for example), would find this programme ideal for getting into medical school!

What about one-year A level resit courses?

One-year resits fit very well into the programme described above. If you need to spend a year on exam retakes (see our page on A-level retakes for more about time scales) you probably need to refresh first year material as well as learning the final-year topics. Including a new subject as a one-year course gives retakers the option of dropping an A level which just wasn't suitable with one which adds new interest to the year. It is a way of making the retake year far more engaging and intellectually challenging.

Joseph Folwell

Director of Revision Courses

Bath Academy

Do contact us for advice.