A Level Options: IELTS

All students in Year 12 will also take one compulsory double period of English Language. For the majority of the year, this will be used to prepare them for the IELTS exam, which will often be taken into account in their UCAS and US university applications. 

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is a widely used qualification for providing proof of English language skills. UK universities are legally required to offer places only to students with a sufficient level of proficiency and this test is one of the ways in which they measure it. Because it offers an oral component (as well as listening, reading and writing) it is often considered as a necessary supplement to the IGCSE in First Language English and is used as part of a conditional offer in many cases.

A typical university requirement might be 6.5 overall with no component lower than a 6, although this will vary from course to course and university to university (to give you an idea, Oxford University requires no lower than a 7 in any component).

Over the course of the year, students will also take part in debates, deliver presentations in groups, build their vocabulary, and work to eliminate the second language errors which can impact negatively on their written communication in all subjects. 

Year 12 students will take the exam in April, and they will then continue to have classes until the end of the year, covering topics such as feminism, media bias and current affairs.