Experience your British Boarding Journey

Queen Margaret’s One-Year GCSE Programme offers a bespoke curriculum for girls in Year 11 (QM’s Year V). The Programme acts as an excellent springboard into the British education system, enabling girls to go on and study A Levels at the School and, later, to apply for entry into British universities.

The QM One-Year Programme is an intensive course of study and requires a good level of English as well as a strong academic background to take part. We also offer the standard two-year GCSE programme of study.

As well as the core subjects, a broad range of additional subjects is available as part of the One-Year GCSE Programme. The subjects available may vary slightly from year to year, depending on timetables and demand for subjects, but we work with girls and their families to find the perfect combination of subjects for each individual.

One-Year GCSE Programme - in detail

QM welcomes girls from many corners of the world, currently 16 different countries. Yet with almost 70% of our girls from the UK, those joining our One-Year GCSE or Pre-A Level Programmes are fully immersed into the academic, cultural and social aspects of life in a British boarding school. The school is right on the doorstep of the historic City of York - awarded the ‘Best Place to Live in the UK’ by the Sunday Times.

Our One-Year GCSE Programme offers a bespoke curriculum for girls in Year V. The programme acts as an excellent springboard into the British education system for girls to go on and study A Levels at QM and, later, for entry into British universities.

All girls are fully integrated into the mainstream academic and boarding life of the school. QM offers outstanding boarding accommodation in the Year V boarding house (Winnie’s), where each dorm has a dedicated study room opposite

Our One-Year GCSE Programme is an intensive course of study, at the end of the programme girls will sit GCSE examinations in Mathematics, Science, English Language (or an English as an Additional Language examination), plus one or two additional GCSE subjects. Girls join Year V lessons where they benefit from expert teaching and small class sizes.

The One Year GCSE Programme runs for three terms in Year V (made up of two terms of teaching plus examinations in the third term). Girls require a good level of English as well as a strong academic background - they will be required to complete 15-20 hours of self-directed study per week.

The programme also includes additional lessons to support the curriculum such as Sport and Drama, as well as inclusion in the school’s Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) programme and access to QM’s extensive co-curricular enrichment opportunities.

Pre-A Level Programme

For those girls simply wishing to experience the many benefits of British boarding and develop their English language skills in preparation for Sixth Form, QM also offers an unassessed Pre-A Level option.

Our Pre-A Level Programme provides an invaluable cultural experience whilst enabling girls to build their linguistic confidence. Like the One-Year GCSE Programme, girls are fully integrated into the mainstream academic and boarding life of the school.

Students join Year V lessons where they benefit from expert teaching and small class sizes, and will participate in Sport, creative subjects (Music, Art, Drama), the school’s Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) programme, and our extensive co-curricular enrichment opportunities. English as an Additional Language (EAL) lessons are included in our non-UK/EEA full boarding fee.

QM’s Pre-A Level Programme runs for three terms; two terms of teaching and one term of sample A Level lessons, leaving girls fully prepared for life in our Sixth Form, which itself is a truly unique experience. (Girls choosing this unassessed route should be aware that not gaining a GCSE or equivalent qualification in core subjects such as English or Mathematics may later impact their entry to British universities)

Admissions

Prior to their arrival, girls must complete QM’s own entrance assessments in Mathematics and English, girls enrolling on the OneYear GCSE programme will also sit a Combined Science paper and be assessed for their aptitude in the additional subjects they intend to be examined in. School reports will be reviewed and girls may also be interviewed by our Head, Sue Baillie (or another member of the Senior Leadership Team).

To apply for a place on either the One-Year GCSE or the Pre-A Level programmes, please contact our Admissions Team at admissions@queenmargarets.com or call +44 (0)1904 727630.