The GCSE and A Level results days bring mixed emotions for students across the country. Will all of your hard work culminate into a passage to the sixth form, university or career path which you had envisioned for yourself? If you did not achieve your predicted grades, what does this mean for your future? Should you make do with a university or course you did not originally plan for?  

Decisions surrounding the next steps after disappointing GCSE or A Level results have become much more complex in recent years. The GCSE and A Level reforms that have been gradually rolled out over the last two years make some students anxious about committing to an intensive retake year for grade improvements. Aggressive university admissions and clearing processes can be confusing and allow students to stray away from their original goals. 

“Take control of your own future,” says Dr Ian Moores, Principal of Ealing Independent College. “Through our focus on the individual, we guide and support all of our students towards achieving their personal goals. Receiving an unconditional offer does not mean it is the right offer, and it can often have a detrimental effect on dedication to studies and performance in public exams. We have been emphasising this very point to our students linked to the significant increase in the number of unconditional offers issued each year by universities, as they chase financial targets.” 

Ealing Independent College was founded as a tutorial college, with a particular emphasis on helping students who had underperformed on their A Level courses. It gradually expanded into also offering GCSE intensive courses, and by 2002 it was offering complete GCSE and A Level programmes for students from the age of 13 to 19 years.

“Whilst we do offer high quality GCSE and A Level retake intensive courses, and are known for being amongst the top schools in the country for helping students improve their grades, we very much encourage students and their parents to choose wisely from the start,” says Allan Cairns, Vice Principal (Academic) of Ealing Independent College. “To ensure this, we put in place a strong parent, student and teacher partnership as soon as students join the College, whether that be for Pre-GCSE, GCSE or A Level. Through ensuring that students make informed decisions about their subject choices, have regular meetings with their personal tutors and with staff consistently tracking students’ progress in all subjects, we feel confident that each of our students will achieve their potential.”

With an exceptional A-level Progress Score that no other West London colleges can beat and strong links to top universities in London and across the country, the academic team at Ealing Independent College has many years of experience in providing guidance and advice to students who are unhappy with their results and considering their options.