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This year, 2012, A level results will be 16 August and GCSE/IGCSE results will be 23 August. Examination results day is always exciting and often it can be a day of great celebration. However for a few candidates there can be disappointment and in some cases, justified confusion. External or Private Candidates are particularly vulnerable […]

So how can Tom – how can any A level or GCSE student – be sure that he will be awarded the same marks no matter which examiner marks his paper? The process to ensure that this happens is known as standardisation. It’s part of a quality control system that is used with baked beans […]

In Oxford Open Learning’s distance learning Chemistry IGCSE course students learn about the production of calcium oxide, also known as quicklime. In today’s blog, one of our science tutors takes a look at the history of quicklime and limelight. ‘Being in the limelight’ is a common expression meaning being at the centre of attention, or, […]

I was stopped the other day by my neighbours.  Their grandson Tom had just been for an interview at London University; “but he’s worried because he thinks his A level marks will depend on who marks his paper,” they explained.  “You’re an examiner, you reassure him,” they urged confidently. I hesitated because Tom actually had […]

Despite what Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw believes, teaching can be an incredibly stressful job. Happily, it is almost impossible to work alongside young people without them doing or saying something so utterly ridiculous that the only appropriate response is to burst into laughter. Over my teaching career, I’ve had some amazing conversations with pupils […]

In part two Jane Bradley, an Oxford Open Learning tutor and professional CV writer, provides five more tips for home study students on how to write an effective CV. 6.  Sending the same CV for every position Carefully tailoring your Personal Profile and Objective sections to suit the position you are applying for is crucial. […]

Most employers will want evidence that you have a good understanding of the core subjects, including English GCSE and maths GCSE. If you don’t have these, then home learning can be one way of ensuring you are not missing out on opportunities.

Having a perfectly polished CV can help to put you at the top of the recruiter’s pile. To avoid the most common mistakes made by job seekers Oxford Open Learning’s professional CV writer and English tutor, Jane Bradley, has put together a list of things you must avoid if you want to make the right impression.

Teenagers’ exam results are more likely to be influenced by their parents than their school, according to new research. Arnold Chevalier from the University of London has analysed teenagers from Danish schools over an eight year period, starting in 2002. The study was a comparison between pupils who were made to change school at 16 […]

In the last blog in our current series on studying distance learning IGCSE French and IGCSE Spanish, an Oxford Open Learning tutor looks at the four key skills in language learning. For some students, an IGCSE is the ultimate accolade and also the culmination of years of hard work and language learning. For others, those […]