The Three R`s:
Recruitment
Retention
Results
Recruitment
We continuously analyse the situation of our incoming students to ensure a smooth and confidence boosting transition from GCSE level.
In our department we are commonly faced by students who:
- are from as many as twenty different schools in the area,
- have
GCSE qualifications ranging from 5 grade Cs to 10 grade As.
The department is not afraid to change courses and the current syllabi on offer were chosen to best suit our students. The first six weeks of our A-level courses are carefully tailored to fit the varied GCSE backgrounds of our students and this is constantly reviewed.
We actively set out to attract students to our college and department via Open Days and Open Evenings.
Open Days
The college has 3/4 open days (June) each year when year 10 students from our feeder schools have the opportunity to visit the college and department of their choice. In chemistry, we try and give the students a flavour of the subject during these sessions. The `lesson` involves discussion and demonstrations on a familiar topic – rates of reaction, which is taken a little further than the GCSE coverage. We then discuss the importance of chemistry and its requirement for a number of career paths. (See departmental handout given to prospective students).
Open Evenings
The college has three open evenings (January) to which students and parents are invited. This again provides an opportunity for students to find out more about subject areas, courses available and other activities the college has to offer. During the evening all members of staff within a department are available for consultation. There are also a number of students who are currently following the courses offered, carrying out experiments during the evening. These volunteers are particularly helpful and appreciated since they can often put into perspective some of the queries and anxieties of our visitors. (See departmental handout given to prospective students).
The effectiveness of our approach can be measured to some extent by considering
- the number of students studying chemistry
- there has been a dramatic rate of growth over the last 12 years
- although the national retention rate for science courses is about 76%, figures for Greenhead chemistry have been well above this, the average retention rate over the last seven years being 87%
|
Year
|
1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
| % National Retention |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
76
|
76
|
76
|
| % College Average Retention |
|
|
|
|
78
|
85
|
84
|
87
|
83
|
| % Dept of Chemistry Retention |
74
|
77
|
89
|
83
|
83
|
90
|
92
|
85
|
90
|
- the pass rates over the last 10 years have steadily increased
|Recruitment, Results & Retention|