Preparing for 2017 A level exam specs CPD with Andy Homden, Consilium Education

First of all, when I'm going to a continued professional development session I like to have a bit of notice so I can work out how to get the maximum impact from the experience so when I asked asked on Tuesday whether I wanted to go to two, two and a half hour session on Thursday and Friday of this week I felt really wrong footed. I initially said I couldn't go because of working with the BTEC students. I reflected on this over night and changed my mind about this.

This was one of these sessions where there must have been some miscommunication with someone at some stage because I was told that it was going to cover areas to improve extended writing in the curriculum  however, it turned out to be about preparing ourselves and our subjects for the new two year continuous A level programmes which are starting to roll out.

It's a new way of thinking for me, baring in mind that I have never, as a teacher or a student, been involved in a linear way of working. Attending this CPD course has made me realise that our college and the new system has some strengths already which will be heightened with the new system as well as some challenges to over come.

Strengths already present include the students we teach. Out students already have a strong drive to succeed. They are keen to do well and are prepared to do with work required in order to achieve the grades that they need. For some they need time to develop in order to achieve their best. While some arrive at the start of year twelve with the skills required to do their best, generally they need time to develop and grow and the new exam structure gives them this time and space.


Challenges to overcome include the AS exams not counting towards overall grades
On first inspection the decoupling of the AS and A2 looks terrifying. It is going to be a high stakes exam at the end. This certainly would not have suited me as a student because I wouldn't have been able to handle the stress (this worries me as the teacher actually) but this does mean that they are not limited by grade which they have developed as they go along. They will be judge right at the end of the process when they are at their absolute best. Or that's the theory at least.

It's going to be an interesting experience moving across which will require a lot of changes. There is going to be a substantial learning curve and this is inevitably going to have an impact on outcomes and high grades. Currently we are operating within a framework where we can predict with certainty what will be on each exam paper and can coach students for each one. We won't be able to do that anymore and students will be forced to think for themselves.

It is certain to be a challenge but I really and truly believe that our students will be better and stronger for the experience.