Frequently Asked Questions

There are many differences between studying for A Levels at school and college, and you may not have come across ‘application and enrolment’ before you join us. Here we’ve compiled some of the questions we get asked most often – and the answers:

HOW DO I APPLY FOR A LEVELS?

Our website works in the same way as your favourite online shops. Find the A Level you would like to to apply for and click ‘Apply Online’ to add it to your basket. Repeat for your other A Level choices – we recommend choosing at least three.

Once you’ve applied, we will invite you for an interview. If you’ve also applied for vocational courses, you will be invited for separate interviews for those, in addition to your A Levels interview.

WHAT HAPPENS IN MY INTERVIEW?

We use interviews to get to know our students before they join us at City and Islington College, so we can ensure your programme of study is right for you.

Your interview is not a test, so you are not required to carry out revision beforehand. We will expect you to show an interest and enthusiasm for the subjects you want to study and may ask you about the topics you have studied at school, to help us understand which pathways are most appropriate for you.

You will also be asked about your time at school, including your attendance and punctuality record. If you live a long distance from the college, we will discuss this with you to make sure that you have considered how you will manage your journey to us.

At the end of the interview, we will agree a conditional programme of study with you – we will send you an email to confirm what we have discussed.

WHEN WILL MY INTERVIEW BE?

Most of our interviews are held between December and April – we will send you a letter with the exact time and date.

We are currently holding interviews online using Microsoft Teams – we will send you an email with a date and time. On the day/time of your interview (not before!) you should click ‘Join Meeting’. You will be able to attend the interview online through your internet browser – you won’t need to download any additional software. Please turn your camera off – we only need to hear you.

I HAVE ADDITIONAL LEARNING NEEDS – WILL THESE BE DISCUSSED AT INTERVIEW?

If you have any additional learning needs, please talk to your interviewer about them. We want to do everything we can to support your studies at CANDI, and need to know your needs in order to help you.

HOW WILL I GET GCSE GRADES WITHOUT EXAMS?

As the government has cancelled exams in Summer 2020, due to Coronavirus (Covid-19), your school will award your GCSE grades based on a variety of evidence.

The government has said that you can sit GCSE exams in the autumn term if you are not satisfied with the awarded grade. At this point in time, we are waiting for further information on what this might look like (i.e. when these exams might take place and what subjects will be offered).

WHAT IS ENROLMENT AND WHEN DO I ENROL?

Enrolment is the name of the process that allows you to study at CANDI. You will get your ID card, your student login details (for emails, MyDay – our app, which contains all the information you need to study with us) and timetable information.

We usually begin enrolling new students in late August. We will send you a letter with your enrolment date and time once you have accepted your offer.

WHAT IF I CHANGE MY MIND BEFORE I ENROL?

You can change your options on the online student portal before your interview. We will also discuss your choices with you during the interview, to ensure that your chosen A Levels will give you the best chance of getting a place at your first-choice university.

When you come to enrolment at the end of August you can make any final changes to your programme, provided that you meet the entry requirements, the balance of your programme is sensible and we still have places on the subject you want to take

WHEN DOES TEACHING START?

Our A Levels commence teaching in September. Once you have been offered a place, we will get in touch with you to advise you of your enrolment dates in August and September.

Once you’ve enrolled, we will give you the exact start dates and times for your chosen course. Most of our courses follow our main term dates.

WHEN WILL I HAVE CLASSES?

Classes usually take place between 9am and 5pm on Monday to Friday. However, the exact times will vary depending on your chosen course. Your teacher will be able to advise you of the full timetable during induction.

WILL I HAVE FREE TIME IN-BETWEEN CLASSES?

There will be times when you do not have timetabled classes – our A Levels involve 3-4 days of teaching per week. However, you will be expected to use this time for private study and to complete your homework.

WHAT IF I DON’T GET THE GCSE RESULTS I NEED?

Don’t worry! Although we may need to reassess your situation, we offer a wide variety of courses at many different levels – come in for your enrolment interview as planned, and we can discuss the best option for you then.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR TO COLLEGE?

At CANDI, each of our students is individual and that is reflected in what they choose to wear! We don’t have a uniform, nor do we stop you wearing make-up or styling your hair how you want to. All we ask is that you don’t wear any offensive slogans or statements on your clothing. For some courses there may be required clothing that you will need to wear whilst you are undertaking certain tasks; for example, laboratory coats for science experiments.