Teaching at London Maths & Science College
Small groups only work if the person leading them knows the specification properly. This page sets out how classes are sized, which specification each subject is entered for, how lessons are constructed, and how progress is measured.
- 12 maximum
- Class size
- Subject specialist
- Every class
- 3 mocks
- Assessment
- Named tutor
- Every student
target of eight
as lead teacher
marked to board standard
fortnightly written report
Small Groups, with the Cap Published
Every class is capped at twelve students and targets eight. Where a class reaches twelve, a second group is opened rather than the cap exceeded. Where a class does not reach three students, families are told before term begins and offered a full refund, an alternative subject, or a place in the January intake.
Publishing a maximum rather than an average matters. An average class size conceals the large groups inside it, and the number a student experiences is the maximum, not the mean. Applicants comparing providers should ask for the cap.
Taught to the Specification, by Code
Teaching is built on the specification a student is actually entered for rather than on a subject in general. That distinction decides which topics are examinable, how questions are worded, and what the mark scheme rewards.
| Subject | Specification | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Pearson Edexcel 9MA0 | Three papers, no coursework |
| Further Mathematics | Pearson Edexcel 9FM0 | Three papers, no coursework |
| Statistics | Pearson Edexcel 9ST0 | Three papers, no coursework |
| Physics | Pearson Edexcel 9PH0 | Three papers and the practical endorsement |
| Chemistry | AQA 7405 | Three papers and the practical endorsement |
| Biology | AQA 7402 | Three papers and the practical endorsement |
| Economics | AQA 7136 | Three papers, no coursework |
| Psychology | AQA 7182 | Three papers, no coursework |
| Business | AQA 7138 | Three papers, no coursework |
| Electronics | WJEC Eduqas A490QS | Papers and a 20% non-exam assessment |
| Computer Science | AQA 7517 or OCR H446 | Two papers and a 20% NEA project |
| GCSE Mathematics, English and Combined Science | Pearson Edexcel or AQA | Confirmed at enrolment |
Two board rules apply to every entry the college makes. No candidate is entered for OCR’s B-series sciences, since Biology B and Physics B have their final assessment in June 2028 and AS Psychology in June 2027. Late private entries are routed through OCR where the subject permits, because AQA and Pearson double the entry fee after 21 February while OCR applies a flat surcharge. Entry deadlines and late fees.
How Lessons Are Constructed
- Built on published mark schemes and examiner reports rather than on a textbook. Examiner reports state plainly where candidates lost marks in previous series, which is the most useful teaching material an awarding body produces and the least used.
- Exam technique taught alongside content, because most students arriving for a resit know more than their grade suggests and lose marks on the paper rather than on the subject.
- Fortnightly timed questions, marked and returned, so that working under time is practised throughout rather than in the final term.
- Topic catch-up on request where a specific area is weak, included in the fee.
- Every lesson recorded and available in the lesson library, so a missed session can be recovered.
How Progress Is Measured
- A diagnostic assessment in week one, using the student’s own June paper where it is available. Starting from the actual script rather than from a conversation is what makes the first term useful.
- Three full mock examinations under JCQ conditions, in October, January and March.
- Marked to board standard against the published mark scheme by a subject specialist, each followed by a written diagnostic report, topic by topic and with a mark breakdown.
- A named academic tutor and a fortnightly written progress report to the student and, where requested, to a parent.
A Note on Electronics
A Level Electronics carries a twenty per cent non-exam assessment requiring physical circuit construction, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC. The teacher does not only teach the subject: they supervise the build, authenticate the work and mark it. It is the most hands-on teaching commitment on the timetable, and it is one reason the qualification is rarely offered. Fewer than seven hundred candidates sat it nationally last summer, across approximately fifty centres.
Observe a Lesson Before Deciding
Oliver Moy
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