| There are many reasons why students decide to | | | | essential. A level retakes are about more than |
| do A level retakes, but it is mainly because they | | | | just waiting a year and sitting the same exam |
| know they could do better with a little extra help | | | | again. It is important to find out why your grades |
| and a second chance. In some cases, illness or | | | | were disappointing and to turn things around. A |
| personal problems mean that lessons have been | | | | good college will look at your strengths and |
| missed through no fault of the student. Some | | | | weaknesses, concentrating on the gaps in your |
| may have the ability to do well but not the | | | | knowledge. There is an art to answering exam |
| motivation until disappointing grades give them a | | | | questions and some are better than others at |
| wake-up call. Sometimes life just gets in the way | | | | decoding the language. Often students can |
| of a good education. For many students, | | | | improve their grades by having a better |
| confidence is a big problem. They may have all | | | | understanding of what is expected from each |
| the knowledge and skills to do well, but they | | | | answer. Learning good exam skills can make all |
| freeze and their minds go blank when it comes to | | | | the difference and this is achieved through |
| sitting down in an exam hall. It is important to | | | | studying past exam papers and examples of |
| dispel the myth that doing retakes is a waste of | | | | model answers. There are many Sixth Form |
| a year. People who make such a claim are | | | | Colleges offering various different options for A |
| assuming that a year later they would come out | | | | level retakes. You can start in year 12, just |
| with the same grades again, which almost | | | | repeat year 13 to retake A2 modules, or do a |
| certainly will not happen if they properly apply | | | | combination of AS and A2 exams over a year. |
| themselves and rectify the issues that held them | | | | The classroom atmosphere is usually far more |
| back first time around. What would be a waste of | | | | stimulating and the pupils more motivated than at |
| time would be to turn down the chance to do A | | | | school, and the resulting grades are usually well |
| level retakes in favor of taking up a poor job. | | | | worth the time and effort involved. |
| Once people get out of education system, few | | | | So, if you are not happy with your A level |
| make it back into it again. So, if you have | | | | grades, do not be afraid to repeat the process. In |
| aspirations to go to university, then doing A level | | | | the long term, it may well be one of the best |
| retakes is not just an option, it is basically | | | | decisions that you ever make! |