A Level Retake Courses
Retake your A levels at Ashbourne and achieve excellent results so you can study at a world-class university.
Retake your A levels at Ashbourne and achieve excellent results so you can study at a world-class university.
Ashbourne’s retake A level courses are specifically designed to help you re-build your confidence, improve academic performance and attain the grades to get in to the university of your choice.
For example, one of our former students achieved A*A*A* in Further Maths, Maths and Physics after previously attaining DAA. He went on to study Aerospace Engineering at Bristol.
Extensive teaching time
We build in far more teaching time for our retake A level courses than is typical for most schools. You will receive at least 50% more time in lessons for Maths, Economics and Science and around 25% more for the humanities.
This provision, together with small class sizes, allows you to confidently and thoroughly cover all the required material and still have plenty of time for revision.
Exam board transition
Changing exam boards, where needed, is straightforward and has never been a serious issue for our retake students. The core content for all exam boards is almost identical. Most importantly, the unusually high contact time we provide inside and outside of the classroom makes this transition very smooth.
New A level subjects
You even have the option of replacing one of your original subjects and taking up a new one, as many of our students successfully do. This is a particularly attractive option for Psychology and Politics.
For example, one of our retake students improved his grade E to B in Maths whilst taking up Economics and Politics from scratch. He attained two A grades and went on to study Religion, Politics and Society at King’s College London.
Students in Year 13 have a tutor dedicated to the university application process. This helps them gain places at top universities.
Outstanding Ofsted Report, 2021.
UCAS applications
This is often a concern for students who will only be here for a short time. You should be reassured that regardless of background, around 60% of our students go on to study at world-class universities.
You will receive one-to-one support from your Personal Tutor, who is an experienced UCAS advisor. They will guide and support you through the whole process, including subject selection, writing a compelling personal statement, completing the UCAS form and preparing for interview.
Lessons take place in small groups, usually fewer than 10. This allows you to engage more effectively in class and receive plenty of one-to-one attention from your teacher. You will also be set more assigned work and get personalised feedback.
We put a great emphasis on exam technique as this is vital for achieving the highest grades.
Another retake student needed an A* in Chemistry to study medicine, which he attained after previously achieving a B grade. He went on to study Medicine at Manchester University.
Each half term (six weeks) you will sit mock exams based on previous exam paper questions, after which you will receive a progress report.
Throughout your time at the college you will work closely with your teachers and Personal Tutor to track and improve your performance.
Ashbourne’s approach to education is refreshing and different from most traditional schools. The grown-up relationship between students and teachers encourages critical thinking, imagination and independence.
We offer outstanding opportunities for retake students with the option to take up additional one-year courses for A level. This allows you to create an educational pathway that suits your needs and goals. We will then support you to ensure you feel secure, confident and able to reach your potential.
Everyone at the college is expected to help make Ashbourne a friendly, safe and dynamic place to learn. We encourage and support all students to embrace this adult-approach to learning through mutual respect, collaboration, discipline and holding high expectations.
Ashbourne welcomes students from all over the world so there is a wonderful diversity of personalities, interests and goals, in part because we offer more than 25 different subjects at A level.
The learning environment is vibrant and collaborative and is complemented with an exciting programme of extra curricular activities, events and clubs so you can quickly settle in and form lasting friendships.
Ashbourne is superbly located in a beautiful part of London near Kensington Palace and Hyde Park, with world-class attractions and venues within walking distance.
Please contact Ashbourne’s friendly Admissions team on +44 (0) 20 7937 3858, email [email protected] or complete the enquiry form.
