Our classes

GCSESchool approach

The ethos at GCSESchool is a simple one: to raise our pupils’ confidence and ensure learning is broken down into accessible ‘chunks’ so that all may succeed.  Our question-by-question approach means that our pupils don’t feel overwhelmed and all of the learning is focused on exam success. We break down exam board mark schemes and translate difficult terminology so that all pupils understand exactly what is needed, mark by mark, to succeed in English and Maths.

The quality of our teaching at GCSESchool is paramount and our small group sessions (maximum 8 students) mean that every pupil will receive personalised feedback, within each session. We focus on each pupils’ subject specific strengths and weaknesses and our teaching is tailored to strengthen students’ weaker skills.

Course descriptions

AQA English Language

This course teaches students how to approach questions about the language and structure of fiction and non-fiction texts.  Students will understand what it takes to achieve the highest grade bands, using appropriate terminology. Students will also learn to develop their own personal responses to the texts they read, vital for confidence and success in Section A of each English Language paper.

Students will also learn how to write accurate and engaging texts of their own, both fiction and non-fiction which is a requirement for Section B of both AQA English Language papers.

AQA English Literature

Students will learn how to structure exam responses on the following: Shakespeare, 19^th century novel, Modern Drama and Poetry. Teachers will deal with vital aspects of social and historical context about texts, content which is crucial for higher grade bands. Choosing, understanding and learning relevant quotes for both English Literature exams will also be covered

Maths

Due to government changes, Maths is more challenging than ever. We work toward all exam board question styles for calculator and non-calculator papers, from short, single-mark questions to muti-step problems. Students will learn how to achieve the highest grade bands with respect to all exam boards and will build their confidence, question- by-question, in working toward their target grades.

KS3 English and Maths

English lessons will focus on boosting pupils’ confidence in all aspects of English: literature, language, reading, writing and the all important SPaG. 

Maths lessons will focus on the Key Components of the GCSE syllabus at KS3 with the aim of raising pupil confidence in tackling challenging problems.  Each lesson will have an underlying focus on Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning; our aim is to secure the foundation skills to ensure future progress. Difficult ideas are taught in a way that breaks down concepts into manageable, bite-sized chunks so that pupils’ experience success in every lesson.

Mock Exams

Our mock exams run during the first 2 weeks in May.  We offer papers in English Language, English Literature and Maths.

We have exam papers that are unique to GCSESchool; the aim is to give each student an exam experience as close to the real GCSE as possible.  Each paper will be marked to a formal GCSE standard with clear and personalised feedback and targets for improvement.

Online Lessons

We have an online programme running for Maths and English students.  All our classes will mirror our classroom lessons without students having to leave their homes.  The online lesson is perfect for students who are comfortable learning remotely.  Please contact Jude for more information.