77-595: Richard Huish College is a further education and sixth-form college in Taunton , Somerset , England. Located on a single site in South Road, about a mile from the centre of Taunton, it offers A-level courses, apprenticeships and vocational courses . The college has around 2,000 full-time students studying A Levels and BTEC courses, and 500 studying for apprenticeships and professional qualifications. A small number of GCSEs are offered for students wanting to progress to
154-469: A better idea than raising the grade boundaries to keep the standards consistent, and it was proposed that on top of the A, an A* grade should be available at A-level in order to stretch the most able students while ensuring others are not disadvantaged. For modular A2 exams sat from 2010 onwards, the highest A-level grade is A*, requiring an A grade overall and 90% overall average UMS in A2 papers. The 2004 reform of
231-565: A combination of school marks, via a transcript from their high school, and a college entrance exam, most commonly the SAT or ACT . In the United Kingdom , the high school diploma is considered to be at the level of the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), which is awarded at Year 11. For college and university admissions, the high school diploma may be accepted in lieu of
308-581: A dedicated space for students of the Arts, ICT, Computing and Graphics at a cost of £3 million. In December 2018, the Aspen Music Centre was officially opened, providing a state of the art space for Music students. This space includes two recording studios with RedNet Technology, two sound proof live rooms for recording, a Mac suite, an editing and production suite, two specialised classrooms, five practice rooms for instrument lessons, secure instrument storage and
385-505: A former pupil of Huish's Grammar School, was extended and completely refurbished. The Learning Centre now contains several study areas including places for both static computers and laptops, a library containing books and DVD's on several different topics, areas for reading and quiet study, a dedicated classroom and a closed off "silent zone" for either quiet study or lessons as required. Various pieces of equipment are also available for "loan", including cameras, laptops and textbooks. In 2006
462-401: A framework for an insolvency regime for further education colleges known as "Education Administration". This is a form of corporate administration adapted to the needs of further education, to be used "where a further education body is unable to pay its debts or is likely to become unable to pay its debts" and intended "to avoid or minimise disruption to the studies of the existing students of
539-451: A grade A or A*, compared with 25.2% in 2019. In response to concerns shown by employers and universities that it was not possible to distinguish exceptional candidates among the large number of students achieving A grades, and in order to mirror GCSE standards, a higher "super A" grade (like the A* grade at GCSE) was proposed in 2004. It was generally agreed that bringing in higher grades would be
616-415: A growing number of schools and sixth form colleges would now arrange for their pupils to study for three A-Levels instead of four. A-levels evolved gradually from a two-year linear course with an exam at the end, to a modular course, between the late 1980s and 2000. By the year 2000 there was a strong educational reason to standardise the exam and offer greater breadth to students through modules and there
693-453: A large geographic area. Admission to A-level programmes is at the discretion of providers, and usually depends on GCSE grades. A typical requirement would be 5 A*-C grades at GCSE, although requirements can be higher, particularly for independent schools and grammar schools. A-levels are offered as an alternate qualification by a small number of educational institutions in Scotland , in place of
770-631: A large service provider for apprenticeships where most of the training takes place at the apprentices' workplace, supplemented with day release into college. FE in the United Kingdom is usually a means to attain an intermediate, advanced or follow-up qualification necessary to progress into HE, or to begin a specific career path outside of university education. Further Education is offered to students aged over 16 at colleges of Further Education, through work-based learning, or adult and community learning institutions. Provision for further education colleges
847-474: A maximum mark of 600 (or 300 UMS each for AS and A2). The maximum UMS within AS and A2 may be split unequally between each modules. For example, a Physics AS may have two exam modules worth 90 UMS and 150 UMS, and a coursework module worth 60 UMS. The 'raw marks' i.e. actual score received on a test may differ from UMS awarded. On each assignment, the correspondence of raw marks to UMS is decided by setting grade boundaries,
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#1732876048094924-583: A mix of teacher assessment and informal "mock" exams taken earlier in the school year. This led to a grading controversy . On 6 January 2021, Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson confirmed that the 2020/21 series of A-levels would also be cancelled, pending further arrangements by Ofqual and the Department for Education. Prior to the 2015 government reforms of the A-level system, A-levels had (since
1001-577: A national level. There is also the 'Active Huish' scheme which encourages students to take part in sports they previously would not have considered and also provides a more relaxed atmosphere in which to exercise. There are several sports on offer, such as Yoga, Table Tennis, Boccia, 3v3 Basketball, Badminton and Volleyball, alongside the chance to take part in Self Defence courses. The college's A2-Level exam results are as follows: Further education Further education (often abbreviated FE ) in
1078-519: A particular grade in the Sixth Term Examination Paper . The university is obliged to accept the candidate if the conditions are met, but is not obliged to reject a candidate who misses the requirements. Leniency may in particular be shown if the candidate narrowly misses grades. A-level grades are also sometimes converted into numerical scores, typically UCAS tariff scores. Under the new UCAS system starting in 2017, an A* grade at A-level
1155-544: A place regardless of performance in A2 examinations. Far more often, the offers are conditional on A-level grades, and become void should the student fail to achieve the marks expected by the university (for example, conditional offer of three A-levels at grades B-B-C). Universities may specify which subjects they wish these grades to be in (for example, conditional offer of grades A-A-B with a grade A in Mathematics). The offer may include additional requirements, such as attaining
1232-409: A process which involves consultation by subject experts and consideration of statistics, aiming to keep standards for each grade the same year on year. Achieving less than 40% results in a U (unclassified). For passing grades, 40% corresponds to an E grade, 50% a D, 60% a C, 70% a B, and 80% an A. The A* grade was introduced in 2010 and is awarded to candidates who average 80% UMS across all modules, with
1309-557: A result, some papers were re-marked but only 1,220 A-level and 733 AS-level students saw an improvement to their results. To replace the cancelled summer 2020 examination series (owing to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 ), grades were awarded using centre-assessed grades and rankings. These were initially moderated by Ofqual but, owing to numerous problems , candidates' final grades reverted to those supplied by centres. This resulted in significant grade inflation, with initial calculations showing around 37.7% of candidates gaining
1386-576: A score over 90% UMS in all A2 modules. In Mathematics, which comprises six 100 UMS modules, only the C3 and C4 modules count towards this requirement. In Further Mathematics and Additional Further Mathematics, where more than three A2 modules can be taken, the three best-scoring A2 modules count. Recent research and the corresponding findings have shown that over a time span of several years students from Northern Ireland outperformed students from England and Wales in A-level examinations. According to UCAS and HKEAA,
1463-669: A student's predicted A-level grades, with the majority of these offers conditional on achieving a minimum set of final grades. A-levels were introduced in 1951 as a standardised school-leaving qualification, replacing the Higher School Certificate . The examinations were taken on a subject-by-subject basis, the subjects being chosen according to the strengths and interests of the student. This encouraged specialization and in-depth study of three to four subjects. At first, A-levels were graded as simply distinction, pass or fail (although students were given an indication of their marks, to
1540-568: A subsequent A-level. Most students study three or four A-level subjects simultaneously during the two post-16 years (ages 16–18) in a secondary school , in a sixth form college , in a further and higher education college, or in a tertiary college, as part of their further education . A-levels are recognised by many universities as the standard for assessing the suitability of applicants for admission in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and many such universities partly base their admissions offers on
1617-478: A theatre, providing both a space for lectures/guest speakers and a performance venue for students complete with stage lighting in order to give Music and Performing Arts students a professional place to rehearse and to showcase their pieces to an audience. 2017 saw the opening of several buildings, one of which is Oak House, providing accommodation to boarding students. Another is the Maple Building, which provides
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#17328760480941694-1417: A vast library of printed music, equipment and instruments available to loan from the college. In total, the building costed £1.4 million. In January 2021, the college acquired the Ash Meadows rugby pitch, which is used primarily to teach rugby and to provide a home ground for the college rugby team, the Huish Tigers Rugby Club. This rugby club joins the Huish Tigers family alongside the Huish Tigers Basketball and Rugby Clubs. Other buildings include; The college offers A Level and BTEC subjects. There are more than 45 subjects offered at A Level (Level 3). As well as traditional school subjects, many other A Level subjects are offered such as archaeology, classical civilisation, dance, economics, environmental studies, geology, government and politics, law, photography, psychology, sociology and statistics. A range of BTEC courses (Level 3 vocational courses equivalent to A Levels) are offered. They include applied science, business, creative media production, graphic design, health and social care/health sciences, information technology, music production, popular music and sport. A small number of GCSEs are offered for those wanting to progress to
1771-534: A vocational route after the end of compulsory education at age 16. They offer a wide range of vocational qualifications to young people and older adults, including vocational, competency-based qualifications (previously known as SVQs ), Higher National Certificates and Higher National Diplomas . Frequently, the first two years of higher education – usually in the form of an HND – are taken in an FE college, followed by attendance at university. Further education in Wales
1848-416: Is provided through seven multi-campus colleges. Northern Ireland's Department for Employment and Learning has the responsibility for providing FE in the province. Most secondary schools also provide a sixth form scheme whereby a student can choose to attend for two additional years to complete their AS and A-levels. Scotland's further education colleges provide education for those young people who follow
1925-882: Is provided through: Further education in Wales comes under the remit of the Welsh Assembly Government . Funding came from Education and Learning Wales from 2000 until 2006, when that organisation was merged with the Assembly. Further education in the Republic of Ireland is similar to that offered in the UK. Typical areas include apprenticeships and other vocational qualifications in many disciplines, such as childcare, farming, retail, and tourism. The many types of further education awards are known as Post Leaving Certificates . Further education has expanded immensely in recent years, helped by
2002-625: Is usually the minimum number of A-levels required for university entrance, with some universities specifying the need for a fourth AS subject. There is no limit set on the number of A-levels one can study, and a number of students take five or more A-levels. It is permissible to take A-levels in languages one already speaks fluently, or courses with overlapping content, even if not always fully recognized by universities. There are many options that are in place for students to choose to do coursework. The pass grades for A-levels are, from highest to lowest, A* , A , B , C , D and E . Those who do not reach
2079-422: Is worth 56 points, while an A is worth 48, a B is worth 40, a C is worth 32, a D is 24, and a E is worth 16; so a university may instead demand that an applicant achieve 112 points, instead of the equivalent offer of B-B-C. This allows greater flexibility to students, as 112 points could also, for example, be achieved through the combination A-B-D, which would not have met the requirements of a B-B-C offer because of
2156-684: The BMAT and LNAT for specific courses, or conduct interviews to select applicants. In 2005, the head of admissions at the University of Cambridge outlined changes he believed should be made to the current system, particularly the use of the Advanced Extension Awards , a more challenging qualification based on the more advanced content of the A-level syllabus. More universities have wanted to see applicants' individual module results to see how comfortably they have achieved their result due to fears that
2233-446: The CIE . OCR and CIE are both branches of the parent organization, Cambridge Assessment . OxfordAQA is a partnership between AQA and Oxford University Press . In the UK it is customary for schools to register with multiple examination boards and to "mix and match" A-levels to get a combined curriculum that fits the school profile. The exam boards finance themselves through the fees charged to
2310-525: The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man . It is available as an alternative qualification in other countries, where it is similarly known as an A-Level . Students generally study for A-levels over a two-year period. For much of their history, A-levels have been examined by "terminal" examinations taken at the end of these two years. A more modular approach to examination became common in many subjects starting in
2387-658: The Further and Higher Education Act 1992 , which removed further education colleges from local government control. Types of college include: Policies relating to colleges are primarily the responsibility of the Department for Education (DfE). Until July 2016, colleges were also covered by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS); on the abolition of BIS and formation of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), responsibility for FE colleges moved to DfE. The regulatory body for sixth form colleges
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2464-660: The United Kingdom and Ireland is additional education to that received at secondary school that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. It may be at any level in compulsory secondary education, from entry to higher level qualifications such as awards, certificates, diplomas and other vocational, competency-based qualifications (including those previously known as NVQ/SVQs ) through awarding organisations including City and Guilds , Edexcel ( BTEC ) and OCR . FE colleges may also offer HE qualifications such as HNC , HND , foundation degree or PGCE . The colleges are also
2541-458: The "Huish Kitchen" - offering both hot and cold food options - and a vending machine for drinks. The Redwood Centre was also renovated to house the drama and dance studios. In September 2020 the Redwood Building was further remodelled, including a remodel of the reception area to help secure the campus with an "airlock" style entrance. The main hall in the building was also renovated to create
2618-448: The A-level might not offer an accurate test of ability, or that it is a good prediction of future academic success. In 2002, allegations that students had been given lower marks than they deserved in order to fix overall results and make the pass rate seem lower than it had been in previous years were raised. The Tomlinson Inquiry was set up to ascertain whether this was an underhand way to disprove that A-levels were becoming too easy. As
2695-827: The Ash Meadows rugby pitch, the playing field and the Sycamore Sports Hall, which comes with an indoor sports hall and a gym which can be accessed through a payment to the college. Huish Sport runs a sports enrichment programme. Each year, over 500 students participate in Huish Sport across 19 different sports. Richard Huish College currently provides several ways to represent the college through sport, including both team and individual sports. The sports included in this are Basketball, Cricket, Cross Country/Athletics, Equestrian, Football, Hockey (for students who own their own horse), Netball, Racquet Sports, Rugby and Volleyball. Many of these teams regularly compete both regionally and on
2772-557: The BBC, the percentage of students achieving an A* is about 8–10%, which essentially lies within the A-B range of their Hong Kong counterparts in respective subjects. In the United States of America the high school diploma is the qualification generally required for entry into colleges and universities. Students are usually evaluated and granted admission to US higher education institutions based on
2849-522: The Cedar Building opened, with a further extension finishing in October of that same year. This building houses classrooms for Childcare and Education, Health and Social Care and Mathematics. During 2015, a new café area and social space was built, including the first floor Redwood Suite, a multi-use area for dedicated study, lessons, small talks and training sessions. The café area includes a Costa Coffee ,
2926-591: The College Entrance Examination Board tests, a minimum score of 600 or higher in all sections of the SAT or a minimum score of 26 or higher in all sections of the ACT along with a minimum score of 600 in relevant SAT Subject Tests may be considered as meeting general entry requirements for admission. The Equality Act says that exam boards are required to take ‘such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to avoid
3003-465: The Curriculum 2000 reforms) consisted of two equally weighted parts: AS (Advanced Subsidiary) Level, usually assessed in the first year of study, and "A2 Level", usually assessed in the second year of study. It was also possible to take both AS Levels and A2 Levels for a subject in the same examination session - this was most common with Mathematics and Further Mathematics, where a student may have completed
3080-517: The D grade. Depending on the specific offer made, a combination of more than 3 subjects (typically 4 or 5) with lower grades, or points from non-academic input such as higher level music grades or a Key Skills course, may also be accepted by the university. The text of the offer determines whether this flexibility is available – "112 UCAS Points" likely would, while "112 UCAS Points from three A-level subjects" would not. There are currently three examination boards which provide an international variant of
3157-575: The GCSE if an average grade of C is obtained in subjects with a GCSE counterpart. As the more academically rigorous A-levels awarded at Year 13 are expected for university admission, the high school diploma alone is generally not considered to meet university requirements. Students who wish to study in the United Kingdom may additionally participate in the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, which are considered to be at
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3234-620: The Hong Kong A-level examination has historically been benchmarked against the UK A-levels. In general, a UK A grade is broadly equivalent to a Hong Kong A-C grade. This conclusion is based mainly on the percentage of pupils achieving the respective grades in respective exams. In the UK, on average 25% of participants of each subject achieved an A grade every year, compared to the 25% A-C rate in Hong Kong – A(4%), A-B (10%), A-C (25%). According to
3311-479: The Mathematics syllabus, following calls that it was too hard, attracted criticism. In the change, content consisting of three modules (Pure 1–3) was spread to four modules (Core 1–4). It was alleged that this made the course easier as students did less work for the same qualifications. Further reforms in 2006 to make the Mathematics syllabus more popular were met with mixed opinions. Supporters cited it would reverse
3388-536: The Secondary School Examinations Council (SSEC) of approximate proportions of pupils for each grade. The O grade was equivalent to a GCE Ordinary Level pass which indicated a performance equivalent to the lowest pass grade at Ordinary Level. Over time, the validity of this system was questioned because, rather than reflecting a standard, norm referencing simply maintained a specific proportion of candidates at each grade, which in small cohorts
3465-510: The United Kingdom A-level examinations to international students. These are Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), Edexcel and OxfordAQA . 1980: 589,270 Note : norm* - grades allocated per the norm referenced percentile quotas described above. The most common criticism of the A-level system is an accusation of grade inflation . The press have noted the steady rise in average grades for several consecutive years and drawn
3542-493: The awarding of B and E grades to candidates, and then divided out the other grades according to fixed percentages. Rather than awarding an Ordinary Level for the lowest pass, a new "N" (for Nearly passed) was introduced. Criticisms of A-level grading continued, and when Curriculum 2000 was introduced, the decision was made to have specific criteria for each grade, and the 'N' grade was abolished. In 1989, Advanced Supplementary (AS) awards were introduced; they were intended to broaden
3619-478: The best mark contributing to the full A level, has improved results of the A level. Some believe that students are tending to select easier subjects in order to achieve higher grades. Universities in Britain have complained that the increasing number of A grades awarded makes it hard to distinguish between students at the upper end of the ability spectrum. Many universities administer their own entrance tests such as
3696-473: The boys' school, opened in 1875 in what are now the town's Municipal Buildings but by 1891 had moved to East Street. The girls' school opened in The Crescent in 1876 but the charity was unable to support both schools so the girls' school was funded by Bishop Fox's endowment from 1890. It became a sixth form college in 1979. The college occupies a site of 8 hectares (20 acres), of which 70% is sports fields, in
3773-496: The conclusion that A-levels are becoming consistently easier. A 2007 report by Robert Coe compared students' scores in the ALIS ability test with equivalent grades achieved in A-level exams over a period of approximately 20 years; he found that students of similar ability were achieving on average about 2 grades higher than in the past. In the case of maths it was nearer to 3.5 grades higher. The government and teaching bodies maintain that
3850-480: The current linear structure. British Examination Boards ( Edexcel , AQA and OCR ) regulated and accredited by the government of the United Kingdom responded to the government's reform announcements by modifying specifications of several A-level subjects. On 18 March 2020, A-level examinations were cancelled in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic . The A-level and AS-level qualifications would instead be awarded based upon
3927-450: The disadvantage’, meaning that they are required to make reasonable adjustments for students who would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage when demonstrating their skills, knowledge and understanding in an assessment. For students taking GCE A-level examinations with learning difficulties, an injury/repetitive strain injury (RSI) or other disabilities, some of the access arrangements offered are: Access arrangements must be approved by
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#17328760480944004-736: The downward trend in students taking the subject whilst others were concerned that the subject was "still incredibly difficult". Despite ongoing work to improve the image of A-levels in the business community, a number of business leaders expressed concern about the suitability of the qualification for school leavers and to urge the adoption of the International Baccalaureate in the UK as an alternative qualification at schools. Examples of concerns were those raised in 2009 by Sir Mike Rake, Chairman of BT Group , Sir Terry Leahy, Chairman of Tesco and by Sir Christopher Gent, Chairman of GlaxoSmithKline . Some schools have also moved to offering
4081-509: The entire Mathematics A-Level in their first year of study, followed by the entire Further Mathematics A-Level in their second. It was typical for an AS course to comprise two or three modules, with the A2 half of the course comprising two or three modules, for a total of four or six modules. The modules within each part may have been equally weighted, or be of varying weights. Modules were either assessed by externally marked papers, or by school-assessed, externally moderated coursework . Following
4158-544: The exam board concerned. There are others available, but these are the most commonly used. A-level examinations in the UK are currently administered through 5 examination boards : AQA , OCR , Edexcel (London Examinations), WJEC/Eduqas and CCEA . The present 5 can trace their roots via a series of mergers or acquisitions to one or more of the originally 9 GCE Examination boards. Additionally, there are four examination boards offering A-level qualifications internationally: OxfordAQA, Edexcel, Learning Resource Network (LRN) and
4235-475: The five exam boards. Although exam boards often alter their curricula, this table shows the majority of subjects which are consistently available for study. See a list of, click on the "show" below, Advanced Level Subjects (usually referred to as A-Level): The number of A-level exams taken by students can vary. A typical route is to study four subjects at AS level and then drop down to three at A2 level, although some students continue with their fourth subject. Three
4312-535: The further education body as a whole". Education administrators were appointed to run Hadlow College and West Kent College in 2019. All colleges and FE providers are subject to inspection by Ofsted , which monitors the quality of provision in publicly funded institutions in England. Membership organisations for providers include the Association of Colleges and the Sixth Form Colleges' Association . In 2020,
4389-652: The government allocated £200 million for repairs and upgrades of FE college buildings, subject to a degree of matched funding by the colleges, and the Department for Education is allocating this to colleges via the Further Education Capital Transformation Fund (FECTF). Sixteen colleges with sites in poor condition have been selected, and detailed proposals were invited for submission before October 2021, for projects which can be completed by December 2024. Further education in Northern Ireland
4466-419: The improved grades represent higher levels of achievement due to improved and more experienced teaching methods, but some educationalists and journalists argue that the change is due to grade inflation and the examinations getting easier. It has also been suggested that government pressure on schools to achieve high examination results has led them to coach students to pass the examination rather than understand
4543-470: The institutions and their relationships with their communities. Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), which was established in November 2012, is the regulator for FE qualifications. Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Advanced Level (UK) The A-level ( Advanced Level ) is a main school leaving qualification of the General Certificate of Education in England, Wales, Northern Ireland,
4620-442: The late 1980s, and standard for September 2000 and later cohorts, with students taking their subjects to the half-credit "AS" level after one year and proceeding to full A-level the next year (sometimes in fewer subjects). In 2015, Ofqual decided to change back to a terminal approach where students sit all examinations at the end of the second year. AS is still offered, but as a separate qualification; AS grades no longer count towards
4697-765: The level of the A-level qualifications and earn points on the UCAS Tariff , or may opt to take A-level examinations in British international schools or as private candidates. College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) tests, such as the SAT , SAT Subject Tests , or the ACT , may also be considered. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) recommends that in addition to a high school diploma, grades of 3 or above in at least two, or ideally three, Advanced Placement exams may be considered as meeting general entry requirements for admission. The IB Diploma may also be accepted. For
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#17328760480944774-435: The minimum standard required for a grade E receive the non-grade U (unclassified), and those who fail to complete any of the subject's components will receive an X . There is no A* grade at AS level. The process to decide these grades for modular A-levels involves the uniform mark scheme (UMS). Under this scheme, four-module A-levels have a maximum mark of 400 UMS (or 200 UMS each for AS and A2), and six-module A-levels have
4851-495: The nearest 5%). Candidates obtaining a distinction originally had the option to sit a scholarship level paper on the same material, to attempt to win one of 400 national scholarships. The scholarship level was renamed the S-Level in 1963. Quite soon, rising numbers of students taking the A-level examinations required more differentiation of achievement below the S-Level standard. Grades were therefore introduced, with recommendations by
4928-496: The reforms, A-Levels and AS-Levels have been decoupled, with AS-Level results no longer counting towards the A-Level qualification. The AS-Level consists of the first half of the A-Level course, and can be taught alongside the first year of the full A-Level course. Grades are determined by adding up the mark for each component (which is sometimes weighted) and applying a grade boundary. A wide variety of subjects are offered at A-level by
5005-804: The schools for administering the examination. In addition to the centre registration fee, A-level Mathematics will raise £120.00 per student, while Biology, Physics and Chemistry £90.00 per subject and languages such as Spanish, French and German £100.00 or £201.15 depending on the syllabus. (2019-20 AQA figures) A-levels are usually studied by students in Sixth Form, which refers to the last two years of secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, taken at ages 16–18. Some secondary schools have their own Sixth Form, which admits students from lower year groups, but will often accept external applications. There are also many specialist Sixth Form and Further Education Colleges which admit from feeder schools across
5082-741: The sixth form. The college also delivers apprenticeships and traineeships in the areas of accountancy, medical administration, business and administration, call centre operations, customer service, healthcare, IT user and IT professional, team leading and management, health and social care. At Level 4 and above, the college offers FdA and BA degrees in business and sports development and coaching, and professional courses in Accountancy (AAT, ACCA and CIMA) and Institute of Leadership and Management course (ILM). There are also short courses in computer skills and bespoke training services. Richard Huish College has access to several different sporting facilities, including
5159-538: The sixth form. The college is named after Richard Huish, a Taunton wool merchant in the 17th century who invested in property in London. He died in 1615 and his will included an endowment to establish almshouses in Taunton and support local people's university education. Increased income from the properties in the nineteenth century allowed this to be expanded to create both boys and girls schools in Taunton. Huish's Grammar School,
5236-461: The south of Taunton. Its buildings, which range in age from 1880 to 2015, take their names from some of the trees that cover the campus. The site is alleged to have previously been an Arboretum. Over the period 2000–2009, a variety of building projects resulted in; In 2003, the Learning Centre, situated in the heart of the campus, which is named after the science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke,
5313-625: The sports dome was opened, which at the time was a ground breaking project for an inflatable dome for sports. Plans were formed to replace this during 2016 with a state of the art sports facility including a viewing area, gym, changing areas and a classroom for sports students. The project was completed in January 2017 and was named the Sycamore Sports Hall. In 2010, the Juniper Building was opened, providing facilities for students of Photography, Media and Film Studies, Music and Business. In March 2012,
5390-582: The standard Scottish Higher , and the Advanced Higher levels of the Scottish Qualifications Certificate . The schools that offer A-levels are mainly private fee-paying schools particularly for students wishing to attend university in England. Many international schools choose to use the British system for their wide recognition. Furthermore, students may choose to sit the papers of British examination bodies at education centres around
5467-407: The subject. In 2000, the A-level system was changed to examine students at the end of each of the two years of A-level study, rather than only at the end of the two years. The results of the first year's exam (AS-level) allowed students to drop subjects they find difficult after one year and to retake AS examinations to achieve a higher grade at that level. The availability to resit the AS paper, with
5544-498: The subjects a pupil studied post 16, and were to complement rather than be part of a pupil's A-level studies. AS-Levels were generally taken over two years, and in a subject the pupil was not studying at A-Level. Each AS level contained half the content of an A-Level, and at the same level of difficulty. Initially, a student might study three subjects at A-Level and one at AS-Level , or often even four subjects at A-Level. However, due to decreasing public spending on education over time,
5621-909: The world, such as those belonging to the British Council . According to the British Council, A-levels are similar to the American Advanced Placement courses which are themselves equivalent to first-year courses of America's four-year bachelor's degrees. A-level students often apply to universities before they have taken their final exams, with applications administered centrally through UCAS . British universities (including Scottish universities, which receive many applicants taking A-levels) consider GCSEs, AS-level results, predicted A-level results, and extracurricular accomplishments when deciding whether applicants should be made an offer through UCAS. These offers may be 'unconditional', guaranteeing
5698-890: Was already DfE prior to the 2016 changes. Following the merger of the Education Funding Agency and the Skills Funding Agency in 2017, funding for colleges is provided through the Education and Skills Funding Agency for all further education students.In 2018/19, colleges' income totalled £6.5 billion, of which £5.1 billion (78%) was public funding. Most college funding follows the learner. Colleges must attract students, competing with each other and with other types of education and training provider. Colleges can borrow commercially, own assets, employ staff and enter into contracts, and they may make financial surpluses or deficits. The Technical and Further Education Act 2017 laid out
5775-613: Was also a pragmatic case based on the inefficiency of linear courses where up to 30% of students were failing to complete or pass. Curriculum 2000 was introduced in September 2000, with the first new examinations taken in January and June of the following year. The Curriculum 2000 reforms also replaced the S-Level extension paper with the Advanced Extension Award . The Conservative Party under Prime Minister David Cameron initiated reforms for A-levels to change from modular to
5852-553: Was laid out in sections 41 to 47 of the Education Act 1944 ; their role was to offer "full-time and part-time education" and "leisure-time occupation" for persons over compulsory school age. In the 1960s, A-level students predominantly studied at school rather than colleges (often referred to as "techs" at that time). More types of colleges were introduced over the next decades, and by 1990 colleges took in almost half of A-level students. Colleges in England are corporate bodies under
5929-426: Was subject to statistical fluctuations in standards. In 1984, the government's Secondary Examinations Council decided to replace the norm referencing with criterion referencing: grades would in future be awarded on examiner judgement thus eliminating a possible inadequacy of the existing scheme. The criterion referencing scheme came into effect for the summer 1987 exams as the system set examiners specific criteria for
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