Structure of the academic year
PLEASE NOTE THIS PAGE IS STILL IN DRAFT FORM
There is an annual cycle of events in place for students and their parents.
The college assessment cycle is rooted in "Standardised Subject Assessments" (SSAs). These are significant tests and other assessments that help us understand how students are performing in relation to their target grades.
Parents can see SSA grades online (alongside attendance and other data) using our CEDAR system.
First Year A Level Students
END OF OCTOBER - Grade for SSA1 is uploaded to CEDAR
END OF NOVEMBER - Progress reviews are conducted with personal tutors and uploaded to CEDAR
LATE NOVEMBER / EARLY DECEMBER - Parent evenings take place: meetings take place online and students are asked to book appointments on behalf of parents with their teachers.
END OF FEBRUARY - SSA2 grades are uploaded to CEDAR and personal tutors conduct a mini-review with students, in part to make initial decisions about coursing for the following year.
END OF MARCH / EARLY APRIL - SSA3 is uploaded to CEDAR
LATE MAY / EARLY JUNE - Formal assessments, what might be termed "mock exams", take place. The results of these are uploaded, alongside written progress reviews, by the end of June. These grades are part of the data that we use to make predicted grades for university entry. At this point, personal tutors also further review course choices for next year with students.
END OF JUNE - Parent evenings take place: meetings take place online and students are asked to book appointments on behalf of parents with their teachers.
MID JULY - End of college year (See details published elsewhere on this site for dates)
Second Year A Level Students
SEPTEMBER - Students start to submit university applications. A range of deadlines are published for the autumn term. Oxbridge and medical school applications need to be made quickly, usually by mid-September, but the college does not advise any application being made later than the end of October.
LATE SEPT / EARLY OCT - SSA5 is uploaded to CEDAR
END OF NOVEMBER - Student progress reviews are posted online on CEDAR
END OF DECEMBER - SSA6 grades are posted on CEDAR
EARLY JANUARY - Formal mock exams take place in college
MID FEBRUARY - SSA7 (mock exam grades) are posted on CEDAR alongside progress reports.
LATE FEBRUARY - Parent evenings take place: meetings take place online and students are asked to book appointments on behalf of parents with their teachers.
LATE MARCH / EARLY APRIL - SSA8 grades are posted online
MID MAY - Study leave and formal examination period begins
END OF JUNE - Approximate date for end of examinations, and therefore attendance at college. Exact dates will vary depending upon exam timetables; please see the "exam dates" section on our exams page for further details.
MID DECEMBER (after students have left college) - Students are invited to our Graduation & Awards Event. They are also emailed details regarding how to collect examination certificates.