Tutors onLine

Tutors onLine has been developed to support the learning of students who wish to pursue an independent course of study. Together students and tutors form a community of learners. The study of humanity and the environment form the core of the curriculum.

Maths, English and General Science are considered to be essential subjects in senior external exam preparation. Students select two additional subjects from the available courses. Each student’s programme can be personalised to allow for multi level learning and for student focus as learning is accelerated when students pursue their particular interests.

Year nine and ten courses are built on student selection. There is a strong International Baccalaureate influence in project completion which is required for the Alpha Diploma Award at the end of year ten.

Senior courses (Years 11 to 13) are more proscribed as these are external exam years. Students may select the qualifications and courses which are appropriate to their country.

The curriculum is based on a time frame consisting of twenty periods of student study per week, each of 50 minutes duration plus task completion which is linked to each period. Students may arrange study periods according to their personal learning profile recommendations. Tutorial times are negotiated with tutors.

Weekly tutorials with tutors are in addition to the student study timetable. Time tables are negotiated directly with students and are dependent on student subject choice and current performance level. Each Learning Contract consists of two weeks of work in each selected subject. There are 5 Learning Contracts in each of terms 1 and 3 and 4 each in terms 2 and 4 because those terms include mid year or end of year exam schedules.

Throughout the year, students also develop an independent project which is negotiated with tutors and is based on knowledge of the environment and on student interest. Entrepreneurial skills and environmental guardianship are emphasised in the Alpha curriculum. Individual projects may be completed in each year or an extended project may be pursued over years nine and ten and presented at the end of year ten.

Sophisticated digital competence is a characteristic of Alpha students. These skills are taught and incorporated into each subject.

Alpha students are taught a Study Skills programme - accelerated learning techniques which allow them to study in depth – resulting in exceptional performance in external examinations.

Social and Emotional literacy forms an essential part of the TOL programme and is delivered via The Leading Edge Social and Emotional programme.

All students are assessed via the Synergistic Learning Profile which is unique to Alpha. Such in-depth analysis is the starting point for provision of a fully personalised programme.

For details of Achievement Objectives to be covered in each subject please refer to Alpha staff. The Alpha year and term overviews provide course coverage descriptors. .

Year Nine and Ten

Year 9 and 10 students work towards an Alpha Diploma which is awarded at the end of year ten.

Senior Years (11 to 13)
The entire curriculum above plus student selected studies according to availability.

Especially recommended - Media Studies, Classics

Senior students enter national qualifications programmes according to choice.

Social Interaction
Social interaction is provided on national and international scale via the senior common room syndicate facilities which are provided in the Alpha Digital School Environment.

Locally, groups of Alpha students interact on a regular basis via social and educational activities which are organised by Alpha personnel and by parent groups.

Alpha personnel advise parents on arts development and the establishment of fitness / sports programme but we do not provide the programme. All Alpha students are expected to negotiate, complete and provide Alpha personnel with a Social Contract and a Sport Contract for each term. These documents sit at the top of the Alpha Course list. They can be copied and pasted for completion.