GCSE Resit Course
TESTING IS OFFICIALLY OPEN
We are ready to launch a bunch of helpful revision courses for pupils studying English. The first one is made, but needs a little refining. Whilst we put the finishing touches on the others, it would be so helpful if we could nab some feedback from you.
What do you like? What's super annoying? Does the course need a workbook to go with it? Is it easy to follow, or are there little nagging questions that don't get answered.
Turns out making courses is a bit tricky, and we need your feedback to make sure we do it right. We'd love to hear from you.
English
Designed specifically for year 12's.
This course is for those of you who missed out on the grade you wanted in the summer exams and are having another attempt at it. If you want to make sure you pass, it might be worth getting some lessons that focus specifically on the skills you need for the language papers.
Do you need to learn how to deal with these three?
Common Problems
Examiners notice common problems in pupil work. The three most common and easily fixable problems I've spotted are these:
1) Not having a method for analysis, or having learnt a poor, oversimplified version that leaves you very likely to waffle.
2) Writing stories as if they are for children. Too much focus on narration as a list of events instead of a way of revealing the world.
3) Not having enough common or general knowledge to be able to make any argument that goes beyond your personal feelings.
Solutions
Learn simple methods
I've found this method dramatically improves the results of my pupils. It's right in the sweet spot of easy to understand, but challenging enough to produce clear and thoughtful answers.
What's the quality like?
Try the tester videos in the welcome section for free. They will help you decide if you like the style of it. It will still feel, urm, lessony.
But, unlike your lessons, it just goes over how to analyse briefly at the start, then moves on. It isn't a What How Why paragraph every day. To be clear, I've no special attachment to 'What How Why' It's just PEA by another name. But in this course you don't just here me nag you about it. I'll explain how to do each skill separately, so you can learn to write insightful ideas and never waffle again. It will also teach you how to sound as if you're writing for a grown up audience, including in your persuasive writing.
I currently work as a full time teacher, a my entire job is to improve the GCSE outcomes at my school. I have taught for over a decade and specialise in this.
The course allows you to do the lessons you need without any classroom distractions. You can replay bits if you lose your concentration. You can even submit your work to be marked if you want.
In short, the course will work if you do it. If you study the lessons, pay attention to the model answers, take notes and do the practise tasks, your investment will be worth it. You do need to commit to the time to study it. This is not a course you can cram in a day or even a weekend.
This course does have the power to transform a confused pupil into a pupil who knows how to answer each question confidently. If you really want to pass, and you just need a decent teacher, then this is exactly what you need.
- It's probably quicker to buy the course and work through it than try and find what you need on youtube
- You know it's coming from a professional teacher, not just someone who knows the content, but someone who knows exactly what you need to do to get over the pass mark. It's specifically designed for those in your position.
- It's accessible from your phone, so you can do it wherever you are.
- You can have access for an entire year.
- You won't be interrupted by annoying people in your class.
- It's a fraction of the cost of one to one tutoring, yet you get taught better and at times that are convenient for you.
- It will de-mistify the process of doing well in English. If you've ever sat there and wondered "but how does anyone revise for English?" This course will teach you what you need to include. It takes the guesswork out of it.
When my pupils are struggling to concentrate, I often tell them to do something that sounds a bit stupid. I tell them to "Act like a rich kid for this test". I know this is daft, but just roll with it for a second. Rich kids are taught by rich parents not to fear failure, but to grasp chances for success. Failure doesn't mean anything if it's just a problem you can throw money at and solve. Lots of pupils think passing GCSE is a test of intellect or worth. It isn't guys. Not at all. Rich parents are teaching their children to build momentum and establish a track record of wins. They learn from the best, so that they can be better at whatever it is. You have that opportunity too. Study like failure wouldn't even scratch you, but success would build you. English GCSE is just a key to unlock some doors you want to open. It is not a statement of your worth or value to society. It's just a matter of who knows the secrets of how to pass and who doesn't.
You'll have had a thousand assemblies on mindset, I don't need to go into it here. You wouldn't be here if you didn't have some hope that there's an opportunity lying in front of you. Imagine how good you will feel when you get your result back and you realise that you made that happen. You intentionally sought out an expert. You did the tasks. You sat the test. You made the progress. You did it all, even when others in the same position couldn't face it.
It's time to start building your momentum.
Still Not Convinced? Play it out.
-
Doing Nothing Different
The impact of this depends on your situation. If you failed the first time because you'd only been in the UK for a year, and you just needed another couple or months to improve your English, you might have already improved enough to pass. But this would be unusually fast progress from July to November. Pupils tend not to work as hard in these months on their studies.
-
Make A Little Change
Go on TikTok and get such stunning advice as 'read the questions' or 'draw a box round the text'. I think you could probably master those skills on your own.
Perhaps you'd try youtube, I'd recommend Mr Salles or Mr Everything English. They aren't perfect, but they're very good for free. They aren't going to take you through a course though or mark your work, and their videos are't fast. You're going to need a lot of time. This just isn't a successful strategy for a lot of pupils. You'd need the right videos to be cherry picked for you for this to really work.
-
A New Strategy
You try a course. You take written notes. You go into the exam with specific things memorised, so you have something to help you answer the questions. You'll have thought about English in the days or weeks before your exam which will help all that terminology come to mind when you need it. You'll learn how to get marks from your opening sentences of each answer so you don't have to worry about writing so fast. You'll have shown initiative and done something proactive which will be good for you academically and good for your confidence. This is exactly what adults do when they want to up-skill and change or improve their careers. Online learning can be transformative.
You're worry is probably, "but will it definitely work?"
If you can read, the course will teach you how to write for the exams. If you cannot read to a reading age of an 11 year old, this course is not guaranteed to work. The reading material in the exam, may just be too difficult for you at the moment. You probably need to allow yourself more time and do the vocabulary builder courses first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I split the cost?
No, but if cost is genuinely a factor. e.g. if you live in a council house and both your parents are unemployed, just email info@englishteachercpd.uk and we'll send you across a form to apply for funding to get 80% off.
Will it be worth it?
Try it and see. You decide whether to binge it at the start for maximum impact, or do a little time each week for maximum ease.
Have you done anything significantly different yet in your prep for the exam this time round? If the answer is no, then do the course. It will definitely be better than your current strategy.
Do I have to do it all on my phone?
No, you can access the courses on your computer. You decide what suits you.
Is the App related to the curriculum?
Yes. The course is made with AQA papers in mind, because that's what most schools do. Whatever exam board you do though, the narrative and persuasive questions are practically identical across the boards. If you do a different exam board, just skip the structure question help. You still need the same bookmark and same processes as everyone else.
What to expect when you buy.
1) Your Receipt
2) Instant access to the WebApp, Access to the app on the apple store is coming soon.
3) You will need to sit down an allocate when you are going to do your study sessions, it's best to start the first one straight away if you can.
4) Pin the page to your web browser so you can access it any time without thinking about it.