TCSED Sixth Form qualification provision and rationale 

This page is linked to in all UCAS references to help university admissions tutors understand the school context.  

The Charter School East Dulwich context

All students applying to start university in 2023 are part of the founding cohort of students at The Charter School East Dulwich. The school is a coeducational, non-selective academy opened in 2017, expecting its first set of A level results in 2023. Intake is from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds in the London borough of Southwark, with a significant proportion from disadvantaged circumstances. Over 20% of Yr13 are eligible for Free School Meals and 50% are from a BAME background.

In 2022, the first cohort of pupils at The Charter School East Dulwich sat full national examinations with results surpassing national averages in many areas:

  • 83% of students gained a standard pass or above in both English and Maths (grade 4 to 9)

  • 62% gained a strong pass in both English and Maths (grade 5 to 9)

  • 54% of students gained the English Baccalaureate

  • 36% of all GCSEs gained by Year 11 pupils at the school were graded 7-9

  • 67% of students gained at least five GCSEs at Grade 5 or higher

  • 62% of students gained at least one GCSE with a grade 7-9

Buildings

The school was founded in 2017 and began its life in temporary buildings. In January 2020, staff and students moved to the main site with phase 1 developed. Phase 2 development has not been started resulting in no school library and other susbtantial compromises on space and facilities, including limited study environments for Sixth Formers.

Staffing

As a new school that has grown every year since 2017, we have recruited many new teachers every year. As a result, many teachers will have taught GCSE or A level for the first time to this cohort of students. To help support teachers, East Dulwich staff have worked closely on curriculum design and delivery with the high achieving sixth form at The Charter School North Dulwich, which is also part of The Charter School Educational Trust.

Qualification Provision

The majority of students study A levels at Key Stage 5, with just under a quarter of students studying a combination of A levels and vocational qualifications (Applied General BTECs) or just three vocational qualifications. Nearly all students take three subjects, with A level external assessment taking place only at the end of Year 13. A minority of students study Further Mathematics AS. AS exams are only offered in Further Maths. Approximately 20% of students study for an EPQ, which is completed in Year 12.

Predictions

UCAS predicted grades are professional teacher predictions based primarily on performance in the end of year 12 examinations. Given the reduced content of GCSE exams in 2021, we were conscious of the need to have a rigorous and robust year 12 summer examination series. The summer exams were taken under formal examination conditions, marked using examination board mark schemes and moderated within departments and across the educational trust. In some subjects, performance to date on coursework was also used to inform the predicted grade. Work produced for homework and during lessons was given minimal weighting to the predicted grade.

Covid-19 impact on teaching

  • Students at Charter had no ‘live’ lessons from the first lockdown in March 2020 to July 2020.

  • Jan to 8th March 2021 – All lessons were taught ‘live’ online via Google Classroom. Vulnerable students or those unable to study at home were able to access these lessons in school.

  • During the academic year 2021-2022, the acute rates of Covid in our school community meant that PHE were on site testing staff and students. Staff and students had to self-isolate and this caused a higher rate of absence for both staff and students and thus an associated loss of learning.