October 18, 2021

A-Level Maths, English, Biology, Chemistry & Physics Exam Boards in High Wycombe Secondary Schools

Advanced Levels - also known as A-Levels, are subject-specific qualifications that many students over 16 must attain after their GCSE tests if they want to gain more knowledge in a specific study area or profession they are into. A-Levels are also the favoured entry qualification for many leading universities in the UK, so you need these qualifications to pursue higher education.


The educational institution where you choose to study your  A-Levels is responsible for selecting the exam board or awarding body they prefer based on their unique requirements. This choice determines the type of examination the students will receive because there are differences in the marking and scoring of each test - based on the awarding body. Also, each exam board can select the content and layout of each exam paper, as long as it follows legal guidelines. This article presents a list of the exam boards each college or school in High Wycombe uses for A-Levels Maths, English, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.


Which Exam Boards Are Responsible For Awarding A-Levels?

There are five main awarding bodies for UK schools to choose from when making decisions regarding A-Levels.


AQA

The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is the UK’s largest test board, with more than 3.5 million exams taken by students annually. It was formed due to the unification of the AEB, NEAB, and the vocational City & Guilds in 1997. The AQA is run as an educational charity and is taught in 44 countries worldwide.

OCR

The Oxford, Cambridge, and RSA Examinations (OCR) was formed in 1998 due to a merger between the Cambridge Assessment Group (formerly known as The University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Examinations Board. It is the only major exam board owned by a university. Pupils take about 10% of OCR's tests from private schools.

Edexcel

Edexcel, also known as Pearson Edexcel since 2013, is an internationally-recognised British exam body formed in 1996 due to a merger of the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) and the University of London Examinations and Assessment Council (ULEAC). Its name is a combination of the words “education” and “excellence.” It is the only privately owned exam board in the UK, and students between the ages of 14 and 19 qualify to take their examinations.

WJEC

The Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) is a non-profit Welsh exam board established in 1948. WJEC provides exams, educational resources, and professional development to colleges and schools in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales under its own name or the new Eduqas brand. Many English schools are now studying the WJEC syllabus.

CCEA

The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) is a public and non-departmental body set up in 1994 as a replacement for the Northern Ireland School Examinations and Assessment Council. It is Northern Ireland’s awarding exam body, and it oversees the development of educational programmes by advising the government concerning what Northern Ireland’s colleges and schools should teach.

A-Level Exam Boards for High Wycombe Secondary Schools


It is crucial to understand what exam board your chosen provider chooses to help your child prepare accordingly and know what to expect when taking the exam. You can consult your sixth form education provider to ask about their exam board choice, as well as any additional information like pass rate statistics of the various awarding bodies. Here is a list of secondary schools in High Wycombe, as well as their selected exam board for 5 popular A-Level subjects.


  1. The Royal Grammar School


  • Mathematics- Edexcel
  • Further Mathematics - Edexcel
  • English Literature -OCR
  • Biology- OCR
  • Chemistry- Edexcel
  • Physics- Edexcel


  1. John Hampden Grammar School


  • Mathematics - Edexcel
  • Further Mathematics- Edexcel
  • English Literature- AQA
  • Biology- OCR
  • Chemistry- OCR
  • Physics- OCR


  1. Wycombe Abbey


  • Mathematics - Edexcel
  • Further Mathematics- Edexcel
  • English Literature- OCR
  • Biology- Edexcel
  • Chemistry- OCR
  • Physics- AQA


  1. Wycombe High School


  • Core Mathematics- AQA
  • Mathematics - OCR
  • Further Mathematics- OCR
  • English Literature- OCR
  • Biology- OCR
  • Chemistry- OCR
  • Physics- AQA


  1. Sir William Ramsay School


  • Mathematics - Edexcel
  • English Literature- AQA
  • Biology- AQA
  • Chemistry- AQA
  • Physics- OCR


  1. St. Michael’s Catholic School


  • Mathematics - Edexcel
  • Level 3 Mathematical Studies- AQA
  • English Literature- AQA
  • Biology- AQA
  • Chemistry- AQA
  • Physics- AQA


  1. The Highcrest Academy


  • Mathematics- n/a
  • Further Mathematics - n/a
  • English Literature- Edexcel
  • Biology- n/a
  • Chemistry- n/a
  • Physics- n/a


  1. High Wycombe Hospital School


  • Mathematics - n/a
  • English - n/a
  • Biology- n/a
  • Chemistry- n/a
  • Physics- n/a


  1. Chiltern Wood School


  • Mathematics - n/a
  • English - n/a
  • Biology- n/a
  • Chemistry- n/a
  • Physics- n/a


  1. Unity College


  • Mathematics - n/a
  • English - n/a
  • Biology- n/a
  • Chemistry- n/a
  • Physics- n/a


  1. Cressex Community School


  • Mathematics - n/a
  • English - n/a
  • Biology- n/a
  • Chemistry- n/a
  • Physics- n/a


  1. The Chalfonts Independent Grammar School


  • Mathematics - n/a
  • English - n/a
  • Biology- n/a
  • Chemistry- n/a
  • Physics- n/a


Does Your Choice Of Exam Boards Influence Your A-Level Results?


There is no denying that the marking and scoring process for each awarding body varies. However, passing your A-levels is not as simple as finding a school that uses an exam board with the lowest pass rates. Your marks will be based on how you answer the questions, finish assessments based on instructions, and meet all other criteria.


It is crucial that you fully understand the assessment objectives, the different learning methods, and spend a sufficient amount of time practising questions from past exam papers. All these tools can be obtained directly from the exam board website. Also, remember that pass rates and qualifying criteria depend on the questions and difficulty level of each paper.


Why Select Think Smart Academy As Your A-Level Tuition Centre?


Our dedicated team of A-Level specialists offer top-notch private tutoring in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Further Maths, English, and other subjects to prepare you for your A-level exams. Also, our personalised approach to education fills in your knowledge gaps and prepares you for university adequately.


Contact us today at https://www.thinksmartacademy.co.uk/locations/high-wycombe to get started.

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