Three steps help students to maths and English success

Bradford College is celebrating the achievements of students who have achieved their best ever results after resitting their exams in November.

Despite not achieving the grades they had hoped for in the summer, learners used a variety of support tools – targeted additional provision in ‘English and Maths Success Centres’, an artificial intelligence system called Century Tech, and focused targets, known as “The Three Big Things”, to achieve the results they needed in the Autumn resits. As a result, a higher percentage of students achieved grade 4s and above than ever before.

Bradford College’s Head of Maths and English Adrian Hutchinson said: “We have had an amazing set of results that will make such a huge difference to the students’ lives.”

Adrian explained that over the past two years, the college has been encouraging students to achieve good grades using “Three Big Things.”

“The students who were most likely to succeed had at least 80% attendance, completed at least two and a half hours per week on Century Tech and attended the Maths and English Success Centre.”

Focus on future success

The college began running the Success Centre last year. Of the students who attended, 40% achieved grade 4s and above in their resits. Adrian said: “This is an amazing achievement, considering they didn’t pass their exams previously and some have had to resit their exam more than once.”

“Simply amazing”

Based on the fifth floor of the David Hockney Building, the ground floor of Trinity Green campus, and at Bowling Back Lane and Lister Building, the Success Centres are spaces where students can get support from achievement mentors to develop maths and English skills. One student described the success centre as “Amazing, due to the way the teachers have taught me.” Another said it was “The tutors are really talented and experienced tutors that are ready to help a student any time. I had failed my GCSE English language and GCSE Maths in the summer 2021, but since I came in the college, I had received lots of help from my class tutors, since I went to the Success Centre, everything started to make sense and everything was clear. I did the November exam series 2021 and got excellent grades, thanks to the Success Centre program and experienced tutors.”

Transforming lives

Adrian said: “It offered bespoke specialist support and really impacted their success. If you attended the centre, and used Century Tech, you were three times more likely to succeed.”

Century Tech is an AI-powered online learning platform helping students to successfully learn English and maths online, while promoting a positive longer-term change in the way that students learn.

Bradford College began using the platform in early 2020. In its first two months, Bradford College was the top further education college in the country for the highest number of questions answered by students via the learning tool. During the first period of lockdown in 2020, they answered more than half a million questions in total.

Adrian said: “I’m delighted with their results. It pays testament to the whole-college approach in developing skills and goes to evidence how much Bradford College transforms lives.”

Maths and English at Bradford College

Bradford College aims to help everyone to learn and reach their full potential.

Learners that do not have a Grade 4 or C in Maths and English can attend Maths and English classes as part of their programme.

GCSEs

GCSEs at Bradford College will give learners the qualifications for progression to further study or employment. Alternatively, learners may just have an interest in the subject and would love to learn more. Whatever the circumstances, Bradford College will ensure that they pass with flying colours!

All tutors are highly trained and bring a wealth of technical experience and creativity to their classes.  They will support learners throughout their course and students will learn in a warm and welcoming environment.

Visit https://www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/gcses/