January Start Courses at Abbey College Cambridge

Abbey College Cambridge offers a wide range of academic programmes for students aged from 13 – 21 years.

Courses Available in January 2027.

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Our Year 9 curriculum has been developed to provide the perfect preparation for not only GCSE study, but for A Levels, university and the wider globalised workplace environment.

January 2027 Year 9 study options

Why study Year 9?

Year 9 provides students aged 13 years with the opportunity to study in our unique and inspiring school community, a place that is energised by a love of learning and the pursuit of outstanding academic achievement for all. Our Year 9 curriculum has been developed to provide the perfect preparation for not only GCSE study, but for A Levels, university and the wider globalised workplace environment.

Click here to read an article written by one of our current Year 9 students about the reasons why she would recommend joining Abbey College Cambridge at Year 9.

How are they taught?   

Year 9 Sample Timetable

Our Year 9 programme operates on a bi-weekly timetable with lessons spread across a two-week teaching block. Here is a sample timetable for our Year 9 students:

Week 1

Week 2

These timetables are for illustrative purposes; actual timetable may differ.

Assessment

Year 8 performance is assessed by in-school testing. Their are no formal external exams at the end of year 9.

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General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSE) represent the first stage on the path to study at a UK university. Many institutions will ask for at least 5 GCSE passes for entry.

Over the last 5 years 91% of GCSEs awarded to Abbey College Cambridge students achieved grades 9-5/4 (A** – C).

January 2026 GCSE study options

Why study GCSEs?

Depending on the duration of studies, GCSE students will take between 6-8 subjects. GCSEs provide a great ‘grounding’, offering students a wide breadth of subjects. time to familiarise themselves with the UK education system and improve their English (English Language is a compulsory GCSE subject). GCSEs also provide a natural pathway to A Levels, and students who have taken them tend to perform better in higher-level examination.

How are they taught?   

GCSE course content is broken up into units, each unit is taught in a linear structure, with an emphasis on understanding the connection between topics within the wider context of the subject.

Assessment

GCSEs are assessed by an end of course exam. Some subjects will also by coursework or practical work.

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Advanced Level courses, commonly known as ‘A-Levels’ are the most widely recognised qualification for entry to UK universities.

Over the last 5 years, 82% of A-Levels awarded to Abbey College Cambridge students were at grades A* – B.

January 2027 A-Level study options

Why study A-Levels?

Most students will take 3 A-Level subjects over the duration of their studies. A Levels offer a good balance between subjects specialisation and choice, allowing students to focus on the subject that really interest them with the option of maintain breadth of subject choice. A-Levels also offer progression the widest range of universities, and are the best options for students looking to join a top rated university.

 How are they taught?

Course content is divided into different sections, and students are encouraged to develop and understand the links between them. Learning is underpinned by the key concepts of the skills of the subject, with a strong focus on their practical real world application.

 Assessment

A Levels have a linear structure, which means that all exams take place at the end of the final year. Most A Level subjects are assessed by written examination unless the course has a large practical element (such as in Art of the sciences).

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Abbey College Cambridge is offering a special 6 Month Foundation Programme for ambitious international students who want to complete their studies and progress to university in 2027.

January 2027 Foundation Programme study options

Why study Foundation Programme?

Our Foundation Programme is an intensive six month course that is specially designed to prepare students to study at UK universities.

Students join Abbey College Cambridge in January 2027 and immediately begin studying Term 2 of our International Foundation Programme alongside students who started the programme in September.

Because January-entry students join part-way through the academic programme, they must independently study the content covered during Term 1 in addition to completing their Term 2 and Term 3 studies.

Students should therefore be confident independent learners with a strong previous academic record and the motivation to manage an intensive programme of study.

 How is it taught?

Our Foundation Programme follows a modular structure, with students studying 4 key modules each term. Assessment takes place at the end of every term, giving students the flexibility to assess their performance and resit their first and second term assessments if they need to improve their overall score.

 Assessment

Content from Term 1 will be formally assessed through examinations taken at the end of Term 3.

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Our Abbey College Cambridge Academic Preparation Course is designed to raise students’ ability in general and subject-specific English to enable them to join our GCSE, International Foundation Programme and A-Level courses.

Dependent on the student’s level of language and academic abilities our Pre-Sessional Programme can be taught for one, two or three terms. As well as strengthening English language skills, we will prepare students to learn in a typical British classroom environment. This includes skill development in areas such as pair work, project work, independent reading, discussion work and team building. Physical Education (PE) and Personal Health and Social Education (PHSE) also form part of our pre-sessional curriculum.

Timetable and Curriculum

Our Pre-sessional programme consists of 2.5 hours per week of each of the following core academic subjects:

• Mathematics
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Economics or Biology

Lessons in these core subjects will expand your language specific to these subjects and maintain your subject knowledge and skills. The remainder of the timetable is made up of English. Lessons in English will raise your proficiency in the use of general and academic English, improving your communication skills and giving you the ability to write a range of texts in a variety of registers with improved grammatical and lexical accuracy. For students of compulsory school age (13-16 years old), the programme includes one lesson of Physical Education (PE) per week.

Assessment

Students sit three internal stage tests over the course of one year:

Stage Test 1: October/November
Stage Test 2: January
Stage Test 3: February

These tests include a test of the full range of English language skills (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking) as well as tests in the core academic subjects.

In addition, students sit the B1 Preliminary external exam in English and the Cambridge First Certificate in English (B2 level). Students who achieve the B1 Preliminary exam will progress on to study for the Cambridge First Certificate. It is desirable for students to achieve a B2 level for increased chances of success on their chosen path of progression the following year.

Extra-curricular Activities

The full range of Abbey College Cambridge extra-curricular clubs and activities is open to you on the pre-sessional course, and you are positively encouraged to get involved with as many activities as possible. The course also includes educational and recreational residential and non-residential trips, sometimes alongside our GCSE cohort of students who are of a similar age, and sometimes exclusively for the Pre-Sessional Programme.

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Spend two terms studying the British curriculum and improving your English whilst boarding in the heart of one of the UK’s most exciting cities.

Course benefits:

• Improve your written and spoken English.
• Live and study in one of two beautiful, historic and vibrant British cities.
• Study the globally recognised and admired British curriculum.
• High quality accommodation and pastoral support included.
• Study and live with ambitious students from around the world.

Whilst you study you will become a full member of our diverse student community, with access to our exciting extra-curricular programme of weekly clubs, sports and activities, lectures, and university preparation sessions.

Upon completion of your studies, you will receive a comprehensive academic report and completion certificate to take home. If you enjoy your time here, you can also choose to join the full GCSE, A-Level or International Foundation Programme course and complete your university studies in the UK or at home.

BBSE Course Duration and Start Dates

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All Fees shown are for for the first two terms of study (January – July 2027) unless otherwise indicated. Second year fees will be a full year fee plus inflation.

January 2027 Tuition Fees

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Boarding Fees

Boarding rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

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