A Level retakes and how you can get back on track

Jun 12, 2017

Studying full-time can be a real challenge, both mentally and physically. So when your A level results come back with grades that are somewhat underwhelming, it can feel like all your weeks and months of study was pointless. So what’s next? The short answer is to take a deep breath and start preparing for your A level retakes.
Getting disappointing A-level results can be really worrying….

A Level retake options

Getting exam results, especially for your A levels, is a big deal. Every year it makes the news. As we watch footage of nervous students up and down the country opening their results envelopes, we see the realisation that the world is their oyster.

But not everyone gets the results they want. Sometimes they don’t even get the results they need to take the next step in their career plan. It’s at that point when their immediate world collapses. Panic sets in and the feeling of getting left behind begins to take over as their course mates hug it out and the parties start.

It’s an unfortunate statistic that not everyone gets the right results to take that next step and move onto university. So when you’re in that situation and everything seems a bit hopeless and empty, that’s the time to start making a plan. Your number one priority should be your A level retakes, but there are a couple of options you could look into, just to tick the boxes.

Getting back on track

Once you’ve looked into these options, you should have settled on the decision that retakes are the best way forward. It might be hard to accept that fact and one question you might be asking yourself is “what’s the point?”. But there are great advantages to having more study time that will make it worthwhile.

Your aim is to get into the uni you want, studying the course you want. Better A level grades give you the freedom of choice to go on and get the best degree you can without compromising. If you didn’t get the best results first time round, A level retakes are the perfect opportunity to push yourself and improve your grades. Especially if you already have the confidence of knowing you can do better.

It’s possible a lot of your friends and course mates will be taking a gap year to travel, volunteer or work before their next move. That’s another fear factor for you – the fear of missing out. But you can have time out too. Take a month or two off and forget all about study. You may have to cut your downtime short, but the quicker you can get back to the study, the quicker you can sharpen up and get back on track.

Focus on improvement

The other advantage with retakes is that there’s the distinct possibility, with the right tuition and study programme, your grades will improve. This is the case with a large majority of students who commit to A level retakes. Apart from anything else, this additional time will allow you to look back on your previous study regime and look at any areas that were lacking first time round.

It’s an ideal opportunity to assess your study methods and speak to your tutors about where improvement could be made. Ask their opinion about your skills and techniques and be receptive to their constructive criticism and advice. Also, how did you perform in the exam itself? Did you feel under more pressure than normal and panic? Were you feeling ill? Any one, or combination of things, can affect your grades, so use this additional time to focus on improvement and make sure previous shortfalls don’t recur. Also, where you study for your retakes can be hugely beneficial.

A new start

If you feel like your previous school isn’t the right place to go back and restudy, ask yourself why. Perhaps the class was too big for any dedicated one-to-one time with your tutor. Maybe you felt the tutor wasn’t encouraging enough or didn’t give you the support you needed to get through confidently. There can be any number of reasons and it’s why venturing into a new private sixth form college could be the route to go down.

Having a fresh start in a new place with a college which specialises in A levels could be the answer you’re looking for. And studying for your A level retake in London at Westminster Tutors, you can be guaranteed of experienced teachers, allowing you to see your study through fresh eyes, giving you momentum to move forward.

Westminster Tutors is a top private sixth form college in London, specialising in A level retakes.

Our average retake improvement was 1.7 grades in 2016 with 56% of students placing at Russell Group universities.

What makes us one of the best? Almost all our A level retake courses in London are taught by Oxbridge graduates one-to-one or in small groups, allowing time to focus on each student’s specific needs.

So if you need a fresh environment with expert, individual tuition to get the grades you need, get in touch and see what we can do for you.

Call one of our qualified advisors today on 020 7584 1288 or submit an enquiry to get back on track – fast!

Why Choose Westminster Tutors?

  • Top independent sixth form college
  • Average grades 57% A*-A and 80% A*-B
  • 68% placed at Russell Group unis
  • Superbly qualified teachers who care
  • Average A level retake improvement is 1.5 grades
Student studying for her A-Levels
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Westminster Tutors is one of the oldest and best independent sixth form colleges in London. Established in 1934, our culture of scholastic excellence is deeply embedded and sets the standard for other colleges to follow.