Exams, real exams, are back! It’s time for our students to demonstrate that, after their hard work, they can get those top grades they aimed for, even after all the lockdowns, isolations and quarantines of these past couple of years.
The GCSE Computer Science exam was the first to be held on Monday, followed by Biology on Tuesday. Today, most Y11 students are writing their English Language exam!
In light of this decisive week, we had an interview with Sam and Osman, two Y11 students who, like many others, have started their final exams this week.
Sam, Osman, GCSE Exams are here. Do you feel well prepared for them?
S: Easy answer: yes! I feel that this College has prepared me extremely well, and I can confidently agree to this, especially after all the tutoring lessons and extra help that we have been offered. Our teachers have always been available for us.
O: Yes, I am definitely ready. We have practised abundantly and completed loads of past papers. We also received lots of handy tips from the teachers.
What tips have you found most useful?
S: As Osman mentioned, practising with past papers has been the best technique for me, as well as having teachers’ notes and powerpoints shared with us.
O: Definitely the online resources that we have been given have facilitated our learning. The fact that we have been using Google Classroom has allowed us to go back to every single lesson we have been taught throughout the year and revise from there.
Both of you have already taken your Biology exam. How did you find it?
S: Easier than expected. I really think we were ready for this week.
O: Easy as well. I couldn't have imagined not feeling worried at all about exams, but this is how things are: I feel quite relaxed and confident.
It’s so great to hear! Now, I’ve got a tricky question for you: How do you feel about being the first group that is sitting the exams properly after all the lockdowns?
S: I think our year group is showing how brave we all are by sitting - and hopefully succeeding - in these exams. After all we have been through, we have finally come to the end of our GCSE path.
I also feel that we are quite lucky about the fact that exams this year will be graded more generously.
O: I think it’s great that everything has gone back to normal. This way, we can showcase what we have learnt.
Great positive answers! It’s heartwarming to see how your answers are very optimistic and show how much you have worked to achieve great results, regardless of how hard these past years have been for you guys. My last question is about your future. What are your plans once all GCSE exams are finished?
S: I would like to continue studying at Ealing Independent College on an A-Level course. I would like to take English, Maths and History.
O: I am still not sure of what to do. I will definitely take the summer to consider all my options carefully. At the end of the line there is a Degree-Apprenticeship in Cyber Security that I would like to achieve, so I will be making sure I meet the requirements to access it.
That’s great. Everyone should really be following their own path, and it’s great to take some time to figure out what is best for yourselves. Thank you for your time and good luck to the both of you!