Pre-GCSE Course
For international students
Courses
Fast track 1 year GCSEs in Kent
One year GCSEs
GCSE grades matter. They are looked at by universities when assessing applications and selective sixth forms require top scores. It's important then you're on top form for the best set of results.
RIC one year GCSE students experience a fresh alternative to traditional schools with no uniform and an informal environment. You can speed through your GCSE courses from scratch in a year whether you are retaking or tackling them for the first time.
It's hard work but absolutely yes! Half of RIC's GCSE students each year are on 1 year courses.
GCSEs or IGCSEs are usually taken over two years but the specialist one year GCSE route allows students to take IGCSEs in one year only. In only one year you'll get the qualifications you need to move on to sixth form.
The programme is highly structured with lots of individualised support and close monitoring of progress. Homework is set frequently and students improve their exam technique through regular practice and feedback. This 1 year GCSE course is appropriate for UK students who wish to catch up on work missed in year 10 and focus on achieving top grades. We also welcome international students moving into the UK system or those who are retaking their GCSEs after disappointing results first time round.
Moving to RIC for a one year intensive GCSE course either as a day or boarding student will ensure you get the help and support you need for the best possible grades. Class sizes are small- an average of 8- and are supplemented by one-to-one support and a highly structured programme of testing and exam practice.
As all subjects on this programme are taught intensively over three terms moving from another school mid GCSEs, directly into our Year 11 can be done with ease. Single year GCSE students can specialise in their strongest academic areas. Some students take the triple Sciences, Biology, Chemistry and Physics to prepare for A level in these areas. Others opt to take two or three subjects from our extensive range of Creative and Visual Arts GCSEs, including Photography, Film Studies, Graphic Design, Music and Drama.
Students joining the College at this stage in their education do so to enhance their GCSE grade prospects. RIC sometimes opts for IGCSEs, the international qualifications not offered in state schools. They are equally valued by universities and employers and in some subjects a better preparation for A levels.
One year programmes are also suitable for those forced to move school due to illness, family circumstances such as relocation and those needing to perform GCSE resits after disappointing results first time round. For previously home-educated students these courses work well as a preparation for GCSE exams after time out of education.
Our flexibility of approach means we are often able to help in uniquely difficult or exceptional educational circumstances. We have been offering intensive fast track GCSE courses for 40 years and have a proven record of academic success.
Students joining the College at this stage in their education do so to enhance their GCSE grade prospects. RIC sometimes opts for IGCSEs, the international qualifications not offered in state schools. They are equally valued by universities and employers and in some subjects a better preparation for A levels.
One year programmes are also suitable for those forced to move school due to illness, family circumstances such as relocation and those needing to perform GCSE resits after disappointing results first time round. For previously home-educated students these courses work well as a preparation for GCSE exams after time out of education.
Our flexibility of approach means we are often able to help in uniquely difficult or exceptional educational circumstances. We have been offering intensive fast track GCSE courses for 40 years and have a proven record of academic success.
For international students the one year course can be an excellent introduction to studying in the UK and a good preparation for A levels or IB. Students have joined our 1 year GCSE classes directly from international schools, including those where they had been following IGCSEs or the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. In only one year you will achieve the GCSEs you need to proceed to A level or IB study.
Unlike many GCSE courses for international students our programme is completely integrated with the main College for both academics and boarding. Students experience life in a British boarding college not an international study centre. Applicants for this programme must have a good level of English and a strong academic background. Otherwise our two-year GCSE programme or one year pre A level programme may be more appropriate.
All of our boarding is on campus in single rooms, offering a safe environment and a structured introduction to life as a student in the UK for those moving abroad for the first time.
Current GCSE student Peyibomi who joined the College part way through Year 11 from BIS in Nigeria says ‘The College has given me the freedom to be myself and feel just as important as every other student, even if I’m not the smartest or loudest person in the room.’ She also mentions that ‘teachers actually care about you and help you to do the best you can.’
One Year GCSE: A passport to A levels
Every student who has taken a single year GCSE course in recent years at RIC has proceeded to A levels, either in RIC’s own sixth form, other highly selective independent schools or at local grammar schools. As RIC is part of The Dukes Education Group it is also possible to use our GCSE course as preparation for entry to our sister school for A levels, Cardiff Sixth Form College. A separate application will be needed for entry to sixth form at CSFC but Rochester students will be guided carefully through the process.
Boarding for GCSE students that is a stepping stone between school and sixth form
Year 11 students on the single year GCSE courses are welcomed into boarding. There is a more informal atmosphere than is possible in a traditional boarding school but still lots of guidance and support from resident tutors. The emphasis is on providing a home from home in a comfortable, happy and fun environment. Students following fast-track GCSE courses are, where possible, grouped together in the boarding. There is extra support in boarding for students whether it is to stretch the most able or help those who need more guidance and support.
Aiming Higher on a One Year GCSE course at a UK boarding school
All subjects are comprehensively retaught and we do not depend on coursework completed or syllabus material covered at other schools in Year 10. The speed of delivery is intense and more focused on the demands of the exams than is common in many schools.
1 Year GCSE Student Testimonial
Jack, one of RIC’s top recent one-year GCSE performers, joined from Maidstone Grammar as boarder, transferring into Year 11 to ensure he got the best out of his GCSE studies. Jack celebrated his impressive collection of results with five grade 9 and three grade 8 GCSEs and a BTEC distinction. Jack said ‘RIC cares more about your learning rather than only getting you to complete the work yourself. The small classes have really helped me get where I am today.”
