Academic Support
Our Cross-Federation Subject Leadership
We are privileged to be able to go above and beyond the standard Sixth Form offer when it comes to curriculum resourcing, intervention and revision session, thanks to our cross-Federation team of A level and vocational subject leaders. These experts ensure that every student has access to resources and support to complement their in-school provision. Additionally, they work with all teachers to draw together best teaching practice, securing the best possible classroom experience for all students.
UpLearn
As a Federation, we are also proud to finance individual subscriptions for all learners on UpLearn
UpLearn courses provide industry-leading learning content, personalised revision plans, and 1-1 tutor support. This invaluable online learning tool comprises:
- Interactive videos, meticulously designed to cover the whole curriculum in bite-sized chunks
- Progress tracking to monitor your understanding of each concept and topic, and to guide what you should do next
- An AI-powered diagnostic algorithm that identifies and fills your gaps
- Interactive exam paper walkthroughs
- Unlimited, 24/7 tutor support via online chat
Our Masterclasses and Intervention
To support you with your preparations for internal assessments and ‘mock’ exams, we offer an extensive programme of online and live revision masterclasses for A-Level subjects, as well as some CTEC subjects. These high quality, bespoke sessions are delivered by A-Level subject lead teachers and subject specialist consultants from the Federation central team, as well as experienced A-Level teachers. The masterclasses support you to develop your subject knowledge on particular topics, allow you to consider appropriate revision strategies and give you the opportunity to develop exam skills, such as essay writing. These often take place in the early evening, to support your independent study and the online sessions are interactive, so you can ask questions and participate fully in each session.
Here are some comments by Year 13 students about how useful, supportive and beneficial the masterclass programme was for them:
- The sessions were interactive. They had live explanations and examples on how to answer questions. The use of model answers was particularly effective.
- Lots of interaction between teachers and students in the online classes.
- The teachers presenting have an excellent understanding of their subject; they are real experts.
- Very detailed masterclass with great advice on exam technique, which gave me an idea of what could come up.
- Helped me to gain more understanding of previous topics which helped refresh my memory about anything I had forgotten.
- The content taught helped me understand everything more effectively in preparation for my mock exams.
The calendar of masterclasses is emailed to you directly in advance of internal assessment periods so that you can join sessions directly using the Teams app and your Harris Federation login. The calendar of masterclasses and internal assessments broadly follows this pattern:
| Term | Assessments | Masterclass Provision |
|---|---|---|
| Year 12 Spring Term | Internal Assessments 1 (for A-Level courses) | Revision organised by individual sites. |
| Year 12 Summer Term | Internal Assessments 2 (for A-Level Courses) | Full programme of online masterclasses for A-Level subjects, plus with some face-to-face masterclasses held at central academies. |
| Year 13 Autumn Term | Internal Assessments 1 (for A-Level Courses) | Full programme of online masterclasses for A-Level subjects, plus some face-to-face masterclasses held at central academies. |
| Year 13 Spring Term | Internal Assessments 2 (for A-Level Courses) | Full programme of online masterclasses for A-Level subjects, plus some face-to-face masterclasses held at central academies. |