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Prospective Sixth Form
parents and pupils may find the following questions and answers
helpful. If there are any others, please do not hesitate to
contact the Headmaster.
What are the demands at ‘AS’ and 'A' Level?
It
is expected that compared to
G.C.S.E., study of ‘AS’ Level
subjects will impose greater demands on the student.
In addition to the sheer size of the syllabus and the
quantity of work to be covered, some of the topics will prove
challenging. This inevitably means that the student will need to revisit
them, perhaps several times, before they are fully grasped and
understood. Sixth
formers can expect to do considerable extra research and reading,
and to structure their use of personal study time – it is why it
exists, and is an important stepping-stone to university.
In general, Sixth Formers must be prepared to take on greater
responsibility for their own learning.
As a rough guide, work during study-time and at home should
at least be equal to the time spent in formal lessons.
How
are 'A' Levels structured?
There
are now two parts to an 'A' Level qualification:
an 'AS' taken at the end of the first year in the Sixth Form,
and an A2 (the full award) taken at the end of the second year. The full 'A' Level will be made up from 6 units of work:
3 units will be studied for 'AS' and a further 3 to complete
the full 'A' Level.
What courses are on offer 2006-2007 at 'A' Level?
Arabic, Art, Biology, Chemistry, Design & Technology, Drama, Economics,
English Literature, Geography, History, Computing,
Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Modern Languages (Arabic, French and
German), Music, Physical Education, Physics.
What about the standard of the 'AS' (Advanced Subsidiary) Level?
The standard of work is designed to bridge the gap between G.C.S.E. and
'A' Level. The 'AS' will
be worth 50% of the 'A' Level assessment.
These qualifications will have a value in their own right.
What should be considered in designing a
course of study?
Higher
education institutions’ entrance regulations should be checked for
essential or preferred 'A' Level subjects.
Aptitude for the subject is another obvious prerequisite. Ability to cope with workload, time management and
organisational skills of the student are also important factors. The usual choice will be to choose four subjects from the
eighteen subjects on offer at 'A' Level.
There will then be the opportunity to discontinue one of these
in Year 13 after taking the 'AS' examination. The alternative is to
choose three subjects from the eighteen subjects on offer at 'A' Level
and then one from the four subjects on offer as a one year 'AS'
course.
‘Cashing
in’ occurs when a student uses the marks which they have scored in
‘AS’ or ‘A2’ examinations to obtain a certificate from the
examining board.
Sixth Formers pursuing the normal full, six unit, two year
course in a subject will usually ‘cash in’ at the end of Year 13.
Where
a student is studying a one year ‘AS’ level course or is not
continuing the study of a subject taken in Year 12 into Year 13, they
may request to ‘cash in’ at the end of Year 12.
Alternatively, this option may be exercised later when the
student elects to re-sit a unit or units in an effort to score higher
marks.
‘Cashing
in’ is particularly useful when a student has to leave Dubai College
at the end of Year 12.
It gives the student a UK recognised qualification beyond
G.C.S.E. standard.
The ‘AS’ Level certificate can be used to gain access to
employment or to an ‘A2’ course in a UK curriculum education
institution elsewhere.
For
more detailed advice on the complicated and ever changing process of
‘cashing in’ please contact the examinations team at the school.
University
Applications and Funding
Applications
to British universities and colleges are made through UCAS, which is a
Clearing House system where one pro-forma serves as an application for
up to six universities.
The process begins at the end of Year 12, with completed
applications being dispatched the following October electronically by
e-mail.
Applications to Oxbridge and for one or two other courses
including Medicine are sent in slightly earlier.
For students considering the USA and Canada, applications are made
directly to the individual university during the final year, via the
common application form.
SATs scores are required by all North American universities and
in addition a TOEFL qualification may be needed by certain Canadian
institutions.
Advice on which course and which university comes from the Careers
Adviser, the Head of Sixth Form, and subject staff in general.
Students are also able to research possibilities through the
Internet and the UCAS CD-Rom and compendium, and a wide variety of
university prospectuses in the Careers Office.
Over
the years, the school has acquired considerable expertise in the
placing of students and has also become known to universities in
Britain as producing first-class undergraduates.
Virtually all our applicants are offered places in their first
choice University.
Students of British expatriate families who apply to British
universities are usually granted 'excepted' status, which means that
the all-important tuition fees are paid.
The present regulations appear complicated, but basically boil
down to the fact that British families are seen by the Local Education
Authority as being temporarily overseas, regardless of the number of
years away from Britain.
Even at this early stage, parents could approach the LEA for
assurance on their son or daughter's status.
One
part of the current regulations indicates that if students are in
Britain, unaccompanied by parents, during their final two years of
schooling and are there solely for the purpose of education they will
be classed as 'overseas' students.
The DfEE rule states that “if you were away from this country
because you or your family were temporarily employed abroad, you may
be treated as if your 'ordinary residence' in the British Isles had
not been interrupted.
However, if you were living here mainly to receive full-time
education and you would normally have lived elsewhere, you will not
usually be regarded as having been 'ordinary resident' in the British
Isles.”
The
provision of private study areas is a unique feature of the Dubai
College Sixth Form Centre.
Each Sixth Former has his or her own carrel which is the base
for extra study during non-teaching time and aims to develop
responsible and independent work habits.
The well-equipped school library is open to Sixth Formers
throughout the day.
Books, journals and magazines, together with audio and video
facilities, computers and the Internet are available to students and
ensure that up to date information can be researched on site.
It is also possible for Sixth Formers to work in subject areas,
by arrangement with staff.
Advanced
Level Examination Results
Pastoral
Care
Each
member of the Sixth Form develops and maintains a close relationship
with a Form Tutor who has contact with each student on a day to day
basis
As well as this constant support, the Head of Sixth Form and
Deputy Head of Sixth Form are freely available to help and support
students with personal or academic matters.
This 'Open Door' policy is maintained in all aspects of Sixth
Form life.
Leisure
and Recreation
Within
school, the Sixth Form common room and the patio are the centre of
social activity, where students can relax in the break and lunch hour.
Sixth Formers operate their own tuck shop and also have a
kitchen where light snacks and drinks can be prepared.
During
the course of the year, the elected members of the Sixth Form
Committee will organised two formal dinners,
- one at the end of the Winter term and the other, a graduation
dinner, in June - along with a number of informal socials and camps.
Barbecues and parties for pupils in the junior part of the
school are also very successfully organised.
Many
Sixth Formers are members of the school's sports teams and have the
opportunity to be involved in competitions with other schools in Dubai
and further afield.
Apart from team practices and Physical Education lessons,
students are given the option of selecting activities from a number of
other sports.
The
Community
Given
the growing maturity of Sixth Formers, links with the world outside
the school become increasingly important in their development.
It
is for this reason that we arrange for students to take the option of
spending some time each week working at Al Noor and the Dubai Centre
for Special Needs, contributing to the development of young people
less fortunate than themselves.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, to Gold level, is also
available to Sixth Formers, in which service to the Community is an
essential component.
It also promotes high levels of responsibility and cooperation
with others, and demands that the student be self-motivated in
achieving the set targets to obtain the Award.
Within
the school, Sixth Formers have contact with members of the community
through sporting events, plays, concerts and Open Days.
Even where they do not have a 'performing' role, their tasks as
guides or supervisors carry a real responsibility.
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