KS4 Parents’ Information Meeting
THE LEADING PROVIDER OF PRIVATE WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION IN ABU DHABI & AL AIN .
BAND A RATED BY THE ABU DHABI EDUCATION COUNCIL.
Agenda
1. GCSEs
(Timeline, Mocks, Entries, Costs & Results)
1. AS/A2 requirements
(Process for Post 16 Study at Al Yasmina School)
2. University & Post 18 Study
(Process, support & potential entry requirements)
3. Shahadat Al Thanawiyyah Al-Ammah
(What is it, why does a student need it and how do they achieve it?)
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General Questions
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GCSEs
(Timeline)
4th Dec 2013
Key Stage 5 Options Evening
5th Jan 2014
Mock exams in all GCSE subjects
20th Jan 2014
Mock exam results released
Feb – Mar 2014
Exam Entry Booklets
Individual interviews with students
(Suitability for AS/A2 level study / subject combination / future plans)
Apr 2014
Post-16 Conditional offer letter
May – Jun 2014
Final GCSE external examinations
24th Aug 2014
GCSE results released to students
Aug/Sep 2014
Follow up meetings with individual students
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GCSEs
(Mock Exams)
• Mock exams will begin on 5th January and continue through until 12th January
2014. All mock exams take place during normal school hours
• When not in an exam, students will be given study time (in school) to prepare
for their remaining exams
• Students will sit a full past paper in each of their GCSE subjects
• Grades will be released in the same manner as the formal GCSE results
• Students can and will be disqualified from their mock exams based on standard
examination requirements
• Students should begin revising for these exams NOW…
our predicted GCSE results and TIERS of ENTRY will be
based largely on the Mock exam results.
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GCSEs
(Exam Entries and Costs)
Exam Entries Booklet
a) Students will be provided with an Exam Entries Booklet, which will show all of
the exams they are being entered for…
b) Parents, students and their teachers will need to sign the booklet to show they
are in agreement with the entry (tier/title/cost)
c) Once the booklet is complete, it should be returned to Mrs Gale (Examinations
Officer) who will then raise an invoice based on the agreed details.
d) Once payment is received, exam entries will be made (late payment and/or
changes will incur additional fees)
Costs
The charges levied upon parents will be for the actual cost of the examination (as
charged by the exam board EDEXCEL). In addition, a small fee is added
to cover the costs of postage and packing.
Total costs are likely to range from Dhs 2500 - 3950
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One more year or two?
Study beyond GCSE falls into one of two categories:
• Do you intend to leave after Year 12?
(to study at University in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, UAE & some universities in the UK and
the USA)
• Do you intend to leave after Year 13?
(to study at University in most UK institutions and most institutions in the USA).
This is particularly important for students who will begin studying at Post-16 in
September 2015, as due to changes in the UK curriculum, AS levels will become
stand-alone qualifications, separate from A2 levels.
As a UK Curriculum school operating in an International context we aim
to provide the best possible support and guidance for the diverse
needs of our students.
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General Questions
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AS & A2 Requirements (1)
To move from Y11 GCSE study into Y12 study, students must meet minimum
entry criteria as set out by the school and by ADEC
ADEC Requirements
• 5 GCSEs at Grade E or better.
Al Yasmina Expectations
•
•
•
5 GCSEs at Grade C or better, including Maths & English
Meeting the minimum expected grade for further study in specific subjects
Attendance on the relevant foundation/bridging course(s) if opting for Biology, Chemistry
or Physics having followed GCSE Double Science
• Appropriate attendance levels throughout GCSE study, particularly
in the run up to the final exams. The school study leave policy will
sent to all parents along with the Mock exam results in January.
Where students meet ADEC minimum requirements, but not those of AYS, we
strongly recommend that they follow a combination of GCSE retakes plus 1 AS
Level in Year 12.
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AS & A2 Requirements (2)
Course Specific Requirements
Grade A
Maths, Biology, Chemistry & Physics
Grade B
All subjects not listed above or below…
Grade C
Drama & Resistant Materials
Psychology
Media Studies
Grade B in each of Maths, English & Biology/Double Science
AYS Post-16 minimum requirements
All research indicates that students achieving the highest grades at GCSE
are the ones who are successful at AS/A2 level. No data is available on
the grades achieved at AS/A2 level by those students getting Grades D/E
at GCSE because in the UK such students do not go on to study AS/A2
courses.
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AS & A2 Requirements (3)
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General Questions
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University & Beyond
As a UK Curriculum school we are best placed to provide guidance on entry
expectations and processes for UK universities. However, as an international
school we also provide advice and guidance for entry to non-UK universities.
We offer the following support:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Careers guidance counselling
Attendance at local Higher Education fairs
University course guidance
Guidance on University fees and ‘Home Status’
University entry requirements guidance
University applications guidance
Links with local universities
Head of Post-16
Post-16 LMs
2 Careers Guidance Counsellors
However, none of the above can replace the individual research that
should be conducted by students and their families, due to the vast
range of courses, institutions and countries that our students might be
interested in.
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General Questions
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Shahadat Al-Thanawiyyah Al-Ammah (1)
What is the Shahadat Al-Thanawiyyah Al-Ammah?
The Shahadat Al-Thanawiyyah Al-Ammah or ‘Secondary
School Certificate’ is a student’s evidence that they have
successfully completed Secondary education at an Arabic
Curriculum School in the UAE. Students who have studied at
an International school such as Al Yasmina are expected to
achieve the ‘Equivalence Certificate’ if they complete their
Secondary education within the UAE.
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Shahadat Al-Thanawiyyah Al-Ammah (2)
Why does a student need the Equivalency Certificate
Any student who has studied in the UAE for his/her final Secondary School Years
(Year 10 onwards) is advised to make all appropriate efforts to achieve the
Shahadat Al-Thanawiya Al-Amma, unless they can answer ‘No’ to all of the
following statements:
• Do you intend to study in the UAE after the age of 18?
• Do you intend to study in another Arabic country (eg. Jordan, Lebanon and
Egypt) after the age of 18?
• Do you intend to work in the UAE at any point after the age of 18?
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Shahadat Al-Thanawiyyah Al-Ammah (3)
How does a student achieve the Equivalency Certificate? (1)
• Have studied for 12 continuous years in the UAE or have studied continuously
since arrival in the UAE
• Achieve at least 5 GCSEs (at Grade E or above) from the prescribed list of 21
subjects.
• Achieve (again from the specified list of 21 subjects) either
2 Advanced Subsidary (AS) Levels in Year 12 at Grade D or better or;
1 Advanced (A) Level in Year 13 at Grade D or better
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Shahadat Al-Thanawiyyah Al-Ammah (4)
How does a student achieve the Equivalency Certificate? (2)
• Pass the UAE Ministry of Education Arabic Studies exam in Year 12. This can
be taken as either Native Arabic Studies (for students of Arabic Nationality as
shown on their passport) or as Non-Native Arabic Studies (for students of nonArabic Nationality as shown on their passport).
In addition to the 3 sections above, there is a 4th section which is only applicable to
Muslim students:
• Pass the UAE Ministry of Education Islamic Studies exam in Year 12. This can
be taken as either Native Islamic Studies (for students of Arabic Nationality as
shown on their passport) or as Non-Native Islamic Studies (for students
of non-Arabic Nationality as shown on their passport).
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The ‘21 Subjects’
1. English Language
2. Mathematics
3. Physics
4. Chemistry
5. Biology
6. Geology
7. General Science
8. Economics
9. French Language
10. Business Administration
11. Accountancy
12. Computing
13. Sociology
14. Dietetics (Food) & Health
15. English Literature
16. Genetics
17. History
18. Geography
19. Psychology
20. Information Technology
21. Arts & Design
The subjects in bold type are offered at Al Yasmina
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General Questions
ALDARACADEMIES.COM
The leading provider of private world-class education in Abu Dhabi & Al Ain. Band A Rated by the Abu Dhabi Education Council.