MPW Cambridge – A Level Courses
MPW Cambridge offers a range of pathways for ambitious students looking to take their A levels with us:
- Two year courses
- One year courses
- Full year retake courses
- Short retake courses
Two-Year Courses
Our largest category – the majority of A level students at MPW are studying on the basis of two-year A level courses.
Two-year courses are designed for:
- Students who are continuing at MPW after GCSE.
- Students from other schools seeking a specialist A level college after GCSEs.
- Year 13 transfer students who have changed plans after an unsatisfactory first year of A level at another school. Depending on their academic progress up to the point of joining MPW, such students either repeat Year 12 or join MPW’s Year 13.
One-Year Courses
Our most varied category – self-contained courses for students who have previous experience of sixth-form work. They cover the whole syllabus in one year and are run entirely separately from the second year of our two-year A level course.
One-year courses are designed for:
- Year 13 transfer students from other schools who are able to complete in one further year but only by means of a self-contained course covering the entire syllabus.
- Retake students whose previous grade in the subject is too weak to risk a short course or a course involving only a limited selection of units.
- Retake students taking a brand new subject to widen UCAS options, give fresh motivation and avoid ‘retake status’ in at least one subject (making them more attractive to universities)
- Mature students – especially those converting to Medicine following an Arts-based first degree.
Retake Courses
MPW offers retake courses over 5 different start date/course duration combinations:
Full-year retake courses
One-year courses for students who have fallen substantially short of their target grades and who require thorough revision of multiple units, often over more than one subject.
Short retake courses
4 different options with start dates in either September or January for students who have narrowly missed their target grades and/or require retakes of only a small number of selected units – suits students wishing to pursue gap-year activities for part of the year.
"I have really enjoyed my time MPW and would recommend this college to anyone. I learnt how to work more efficiently and revise more effectively thanks to the tutorials and weekly Timed Assignments, which also allowed me to prepare myself mentally for the exams from the first day. My history teacher was phenomenal. He managed to get me to reengage with the subject, as well as giving me all the support and help I asked for and more, giving me the knowledge and exams technique needed to achieve an A*."
Grades achieved at MPW: A*AA Progressed to: Exeter University (International Relations)
"The small class sizes proved invaluable for a number of reasons, some of which I did not anticipate. Aside from the obvious individual attention, the size of the class allowed for a lot of students’ questions to turn into a fruitful academic discussion. I have found the atmosphere at the college far more friendly and supportive than I expected. The support I had from my Personal Tutor was very helpful during the application process for university. I could tell that he really did care about my future and wanted to do everything he could in order to help me secure my place at my chosen university. Overall, I am pleased to say that my high expectations of MPW were fully met."
Grades achieved at MPW: AAB Progressed to: Southampton University (Business Innovation)
"I have definitely made the right decision to come to MPW - my grades have gone from averaging Es to straight As. Teaching at MPW is much more personal and I felt like talking to teachers. They are very good and give you lots of support if you do not understand something. My Personal Tutor took me through the UCAS process step by step. We went through my Personal Statement many times to make sure it was completely perfect. I am very excited about my firm choice."
Grades achieved at MPW: AAA Progressed to: Warwick University (Chemistry)
"As a dyslexic student who initially got CCEE for my AS, I was convinced that I could not achieve any higher. My time at MPW proved me wrong. Initially I was reluctant to move from my local school in York to a college so far away from home, my parents, and friends. At the end of my first year I was overjoyed to find that many hours of hard work and renewed revision techniques had resulted in me achieving three A's in my subjects. I wanted to continue at A2 as I knew it would greatly improve my university prospects and encourage me to work even harder. After two fantastic years at MPW I can emphatically say that going to MPW was the best decision I ever made."
Grades achieved at MPW: AAA Progressed to: Nottingham University (Philosophy)
"Having a Personal Tutor to discuss ANYTHING with, from my UCAS application to organising my life in general, really did make life at the college more streamlined and in general less stressful."
Grades achieved at MPW: A*AA Progressed to: University of York (Law)
"Honestly, I could not imagine when I joined MPW that, due to language and adaptation barriers, I would achieve top grades in my first A-level exam sittings. This view changed completely after only a few weeks in the college’s supportive and motivational environment; with teachers who aimed at finding a personal touch with each student and with my Personal Tutor who made my adjustment to the UK education system not only an easy step in my life but, more importantly, an enjoyable one."
Grades achieved at MPW: A*A*A* Progressed to: University College London (Economics)
"International students have many aspects to think about, such as accommodation and guardians, but MPW surprised me by having a highly organised and supportive administration. Also, because most MPW Cambridge students are local, as an ‘international’ student, I found this very useful in both improving my English and in giving me a taste of a genuinely ‘English’ college."
Grades achieved at MPW: A*A*A* Progressed to: University College London (Mathematics and Statistics)
"The teachers really helped me overcome any difficulties I came across; they always seemed willing to offer support be it inside or outside of the classroom. I could safely say my teachers inspired me to work hard and aim for the best, sometimes simply by being passionate about what they do."
Grades achieved at MPW: A*AABB Progressed to: King's College London (International Relations)