UAE: Students, schools gear up for GCSE, AS level, A level exams

UAE: Students, schools gear up for GCSE, AS level, A level exams

Students in the UAE are gearing up for GCSE, AS level and A level exams, that are set to start on May 15, 2023 - less than two weeks from now.

The exams will return to pre-pandemic arrangements this summer all across the world.

Shedding light on how the preparations are progressing, Lewis Hammill, Deputy Head of Secondary, GEMS FirstPoint School – The Villa says, “We decided to run the timetable as normal during the examination series, not granting ‘study leave’. This increases student-teacher contact time, giving them more opportunities to learn from an expert. Directly before each exam, we provide additional time for subjects to run intensive revision sessions. Our message to staff is simple: Personalise the learning, feedback and motivational strategies. We need to make the most of every single minute with our students.”

Apart from rallying spirits and encouraging students to succeed, schools have also come up with some last-minute strategies.

“There are several things that we do to support our students," adds Hammill. "First, we can encourage them to focus on their strengths. Rather than trying to cover every topic in depth, they should prioritise the areas where they feel most confident, and then focus on the areas they need