Cherwell College has been running Easter courses for more than 25 years. The courses are very responsive to a student’s varying needs — as you would expect from a college offering its year-round students individual tuition as the main method of teaching, writes Cherwell College’s principal, Andy Thompson

Getting it right in public exams has never been more important. The last few years have seen major changes — university admissions officers look more closely at grades for individual A-Level exams, and decisions to make offers on the basis of GCSE and AS performance can be very tight.

This year the bar has been raised again with a number of top universities using the new A* grade as a means of discriminating among the best A-Level students.

Many students are asking: “What more can I do to get the grade?”

The answer for many students is to attend a revision course during the Easter holidays.

Easter courses are very attractive, socially as well as educationally; offering the chance to meet other students facing the same problems and to share ideas in the intimacy of a small group — a major feature given the size of so many school sixth form groups these days.

“But how do I choose a course?”

Check that what you want to study will be included in the course.

Mathematics, the sciences, and modern languages are relatively straightforward, but others — history, geography, and English literature — offer many varied pathways.

Is the course designed with you in mind, or merely the parroted learning of the teacher looking after the group? A good course will offer a balance of revision teaching, testing through mock exam, and those all important discussion sessions.

At my own college, Cherwell, we place emphasis on students developing a personal revision plan.

Our main method of teaching for our full-time students is individual tuition, so we are used to offering personalized support in group study.

Prior mock exam results are often the starting point — while schools will give students all the guidance they can in the wake of mock exams, at Cherwell we have the time to support students as individuals, helping each one to make key improvement.

Parents should be looking for a reputable course with an established record of success.

What kind of institution is offering the course? Are they only in business for Easter, offering no support beyond? There is a limit to what can be achieved on a one week course — beware the momentary feel good factor. It vanishes. The problems remain.

This is also a key Easter for those students who are working under the old A-Level system with final exams available this summer.

At Cherwell we are making special provision for these students for whom grade achievement is essential — we have helped many already through the January exams.

The best courses will offer inspiring teaching that reinvigorates students on the drive towards the June exams, helping you plan ahead and offering further support beyond the week.

At Cherwell we leave you with a final report detailing guidance to pinpoint progress, as well as the opportunity for short term tuition in the final run up to the exams.

We are here to offer advice, support, and expert tuition all year round. More information is available on 01865 242670 or e-mail secretary@cherwell-college.co.uk