A Level Results Day with a Difference for the Second Year Running
Today was A Level Results Day and for the second year running, exams were not how grades were decided, instead it was through the process of “Replacement Grades” that dictated the outcome for all A Level students across the UK.
Statistics showed that top grades for A-level results for England, Wales and Northern Ireland reached a record high - with 44.8% getting A* or A grades, and in Scotland the grades were slightly higher than the pre-pandemic levels. And whilst the method of “testing” may have been distinctly different pre-Covid, students have been put through their paces with constant testing. Simon Lebus, interim chairman of the exams watchdog, Ofqual, said: "We've always said outcomes from this year were likely to be different," said but he assured students they had been "fairly treated" and grades, based on teachers' judgements, could be trusted.
Whatever the challenges are for students moving from A Levels to University, it is obvious that there is no possible way to compare the last 2 years to any other.
The cohort of students will never have sat an exam in the traditional way and may have spent a great deal of time navigating their studies via Teams and Zoom; they will have developed a skill set that may be quite alien to those who studied A Levels pre-Covid. Being self sufficient and making sure that they were able to meet set deadlines without a teacher breathing down their necks. And whilst their parents, guardians and carers may have been working from home, they too would have to adapt from the transition from school to home and back again, ensuring that they understood the requirements of Covid Protocols.
From Trainer to Student - Susie Crolla's Point of View
It has been said that there is nothing worse than a teacher or trainer sitting in on a training session but wearing a different hat, that of a learner. There's a feeling that a trainer can often approach being in a classroom with an air of arrogance - of knowing it all, yet being on the receiving end of learning is quite rewarding and most definitely very relaxing.
Over the last 2 and a half years, after 30 years of delivering training, I decided to venture back into formal education - first to complete the GDL and then in January of this year to start the LPC.
I remember being very excited when I received formal offers to the universities I applied to and even more excited when I ventured back into the lecture rooms for the very first time. I had of course been on training courses in a wide range of different subjects, but I had not studied a qualification since the early 90s.
I am formally trained and traditionally taught, therefore, I have witnessed a huge amount of change in education - from delivering very to the psychological aspects of both teaching/training to learning, so my approach to both has evolved dramatically. So being in the classroom is a privilege and quite extraordinary for someone who talks for a living and is required to deliver results, inspire, motivate and encourage.
The Importance of Law - an 18 Year Old’s Bird’s Eye View
It is clear to everyone how important the Law is throughout our the whole of our lives, however, when you are young you don’t realise how just much it really does impact your life. Turning 18 is a pivotal point in your life you gain so much freedom but along with that freedom comes responsibility.
When you’re a teenager who is restricted because your Mum or Dad say ‘No, you can’t go there or you can’t do that, until you’re 18’. We question, we challenge and often we don’t really understand why we are so limited.
And then you turn 18 and everything changes because so many doors that open - the freedom to go out late (or not - consider Lockdown), buy alcohol, get a tattoo, without that restriction from your parents.
Great! Freedom, but on the other hand, you are now classified as an adult in the eyes of the Law and therefore, now responsible for your own actions. This means acting appropriately and responsibly, there are expectations as you can no longer say that you are a child. You have to be accountable for yourself and even sometimes others.
Preparing for University - Student Update on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Now that the A Level results have been released, students will be planning for the next phase of their academic lives. Whilst none of us know what the next few months will bring, universities and academic institutions will be set on creating a safe, clean and vibrant place to live by ensuring that ‘COVID-secure’ measures are in place.
Before moving to university it is important to ensure that the Government guidelines issued by Public Health England, the NHS and Foreign & Commonwealth Office and check the protocols put in place by the university.
How can you protect yourself from COVID-19?
The most effective method of protecting yourself and others is to social distance. Also ensure that you have very strict cleaning and hygiene protocols in place - wash your hands regularly and keep surfaces clean.
Personal waste, for example, tissues and face coverings (disposable masks) should be placed securely within disposable rubbish bags. These bags must be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in your usual property waste bin. Other household waste can be disposed of as normal.