'A' Level Courses

The College

Oxford Tutorial College is an independent college specialising in 'A' level and GCSE tuition for those intending to go on to higher education. Over the years it has established an excellent reputation for providing effective preparation for public examinations. This is achieved by thorough exam-specific teaching and close attention to the needs of the individual student, enabling reinforcement of understanding and attention to areas of weakness. Small seminar groups are combined with individual tuition, allowing for effective syllabus coverage and careful guidance with each student's understanding of material and production of written work.

In a number of ways the college offers an environment quite different to that of a traditional school. The teaching approach is refreshingly interactive and informal. The support provided by both subject tutors and other academic staff is thoughtful and creative, focusing specifically on individual needs and learning styles. Each student receives an element of one-to-one tuition as part of their teaching programme. Students are encouraged at every stage to take an active part in the learning process. Extra-curricular activities are offered, but are by no means mandatory. There are few rules, but a culture which encourages industry and a growing sense of responsibility.

Most students join the college to prepare for 'A' level examinations (AS/A2), taking their course over the traditional two years or as an intensive one-year course. Some will retake subjects in which they require a higher grade, over one term or a full academic year. A small number need to take further GCSE subjects in order to satisfy matriculation requirements for higher education. The vast majority of our students go on to university; a few embark directly on a career.

There are no restrictions as to the choice of subjects or subject combinations, although students are advised to make choices appropriate to their degree course or vocational aim and to take subjects which engage their interest and fit in with their abilities and aptitudes.

The full range of 'A' level subjects is available, not only traditional school subjects but also others which do not require previous study and may be taken up for the first time. The relative informality of the teaching method at the college, with its emphasis on small group and one-to-one instruction, its focus on individual student needs, and its flexibility, enables students to approach their work calmly and objectively, in a supportive environment which allows feedback and discussion with the tutor. Self-motivation, personal study and research are encouraged; the successful student is the one who approaches academic study in a consistent, purposeful and well-organised way and this is an important preparation for higher education.

Facilities

The college premises are in King Edward Street, in the heart of the city. In addition to teaching rooms, there is a supervised library well-stocked with essential textbooks and reference materials and a higher education resource area with prospectuses and a range of university application advice materials. The college maintains a full collection of previous examination papers, syllabuses and examiners’ reports, and a photocopier is provided for student use.

There is an I.T. suite, with a number of PCs connected to a central network, offering word processing, spreadsheet, database and desktop publishing programs. All students are given an email account and are able to access the Internet via a fast broadband connection. They also have at their disposal a multimedia CD-ROM system providing information about Higher Education courses and application procedures.

The college has a well-equipped art room, and also a music room with traditional musical instruments, plus the equipment and software required for Music Technology. Science laboratories are situated a short distance from the main college building.

Between lessons, students can relax in the student common room, where hot and cold drinks and snacks are available. This pleasant student area has table football, chess, scrabble and other games. As the college is in a city centre location, there are a large number of cafes, sandwich bars and restaurants in close proximity.

Staff

The academic staff of the college consists of over forty tutors, all university graduates and many with either a further degree or a postgraduate teaching certificate. They are an unusually gifted, experienced and dedicated team whose teaching priority is to maximise ‘A’ level performance in each individual student they work with.

The academic staff is led by the Principal, who is responsible for the smooth running of the college, co-ordinating the academic and administrative functions and, ultimately, monitoring individual student progress. Each student works closely with a personal tutor, who keeps a close eye on academic progress, through regular tutor reports and individual meetings with each student. Other members of the teaching staff take responsibility for specific areas of student support such as higher education and careers advice, study skills teaching and learning support, as appropriate.