Register now to begin studying at Volna!
1. Fill in our short Registration Form by clicking below.
2. Our teacher will contact you to book a free consultation.
3. A group class will be recommended based on the student's speaking, reading, and writing ability.
4. You will be invited to join the A Level class for two free lessons (1 hour each).
5. If you choose to continue learning with us, we will send you an invoice for the remaining lessons of the school term.
Group Class (1 year)
£20/hour
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For students in Year 13 or below
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Two 1-hour lessons a week on Wednesdays
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Small class sizes of up to 8 students
Group Class (2 years)
£20/hour
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For students in Year 12 or below
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Two 1-hour lessons a week on Thursdays
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Small class sizes of up to 8 students
Private Tuition
£45/hour
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Choose the days and times that fit your schedule
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Great for catching up to the group class if joining late in the year
Pricing
School Holiday Calendar (2022-2023)
Our 2022-2023 academic year begins on the first week after summer holidays, starting from 5th September 2022.
Autumn Term (14 weeks)
Autumn Half Term Holidays: 24th October - 30th October
Christmas Holidays: 19th December - 1st January
Spring Term (12 weeks)
Spring Half Term Holidays: 13th February - 19th February
Easter Holidays: 3rd April - 16th April
Summer Term (13 weeks)
Summer Half Term Holidays: 29th May - 4th June
Summer Holidays begin on 24th June 2022
Complete revision and practice for Edexcel A Level Russian exams, covering all themes, literary work, grammar, and vocabulary!
Study the Russian A Level Online
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Qualified and experienced teachers trained by Edexcel
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Focused learning and practice for each exam paper:
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Listening, reading and translation (9RU0/01)
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Written response to works and translation (9RU0/02)
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Speaking (9RU0/03)
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Two 1-hour lessons a week on the same weekday
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1-year and 2-year A Level Group Classes
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Optional mock exams twice a year
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Small class sizes of up to 8 students
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Private 1-to-1 tuition available
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Two free trial lessons without any payment
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Advice on when and where you can take your exams
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Weekly homework tasks specific to exam content
Lesson Times
A Level Russian Classes
Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of this qualification are to enable students to:
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enhance their linguistic skills and promote and develop their capacity for critical thinking on the basis of their knowledge and understanding of the language, culture and society of Russia and the Russian-speaking world
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develop control of the language system to convey meaning, using spoken and written skills, including an extended range of vocabulary, for both practical and intellectual purposes as increasingly confident, accurate and independent users of Russian
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develop their ability to interact effectively with users of Russian in speech and in writing, including through online media
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develop language learning skills and strategies, including communication strategies to sustain communication and build fluency and confidence
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engage critically with intellectually stimulating texts, films and other materials in the original language, developing an appreciation of sophisticated and creative uses of Russian and understanding them within their cultural and social context
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develop knowledge about matters central to the society and culture, past and present, of the country or countries where Russian is spoken
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mediate between cultures and between speakers of the language and speakers of English
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foster their ability to learn other languages
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develop as independent researchers through the language of study
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equip themselves with transferable skills such as autonomy, resourcefulness, creativity, critical thinking, and linguistic, cultural and cognitive flexibility that will enable them to proceed to further study or employment
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develop their capacity for critical and analytical thinking through the language of study
The Edexcel Russian A Level Specification
Our teachers closely follow the Edexcel Russian A Level specification to ensure that students are fully prepared for each exam. We have included the most important details of the specification below, but if you would like to see the full document click here.
Themes and Topics
There are 4 main themes in the Russian A Level, with each theme having its own topics and subtopics. Students will study every topic in detail over the course of the academic year, while also learning the relevant vocabulary and grammar.
Тема 1: Развитие российского общества
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Жизнь российской молодёжи: Здоровье; отдых; новые технологии.
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Образование: Система образования; жизнь российских школьников.
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Мир труда: Отношение к труду; возможности для молодых россиян; равноправие.
Тема 2: Политическая и художественная культура в русскоязычном мире
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Средства массовой информации: Свобода выражения; печатная и онлайн пресса; влияние на общество и политику.
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Массовая культура: Музыка; цирк; танец.
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Праздники, фестивали и традиции: Фестивали; праздники; обычаи; традиции.
Тема 3: Москва или Санкт-Петербург - Изменения в жизни большого российского города
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Изменение населения: Жизнь в городе; жизнь в пригородах.
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Общественные проблемы: Бездомность; преступность.
Тема 4: Последние годы СССР – М.С. Горбачёв (1985-1991)
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Окружающая среда: Реконструкция и благоустройства города; загрязнение.
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Перестройка: Что вызвало перестройку; экономические изменения; исходы.
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Гласность: Что вызвало гласность; общественные изменения; исходы.
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1991 год: Проблемы для СССР к началу 1991 г.; путч в августе; распад СССР.
Exam Overview
Click to view information about each A Level Russian exam:
Please note that the Speaking Exam may not take place this year. Pearson (Edexcel) could replace this with another assessment, or with class speaking tasks that our teachers will grade. When you join our A Level classes we will keep you updated!
Taking Your Exams
There are 3 options when you study with us
Option 1: At your school or college
This should always be your first choice as it is the most convenient and affordable. You should contact your school or college and ask them if you can enrol as a Russian A Level candidate. Most schools and colleges will be happy to do this for you, and they will guide you through the whole process. The best staff to contact are the school’s Head of Language or the Exams Officer.
The main benefit of taking your exams at school is that you will be doing all of your A Level exams in one place, without having to travel to an exam centre during the assessment period. If a Russian exam time clashes with another A Level exam, your school will be able to adjust your exam times. Additionally, as it is likely that the Speaking Exam will not take place this year, you will not need a Russian-speaking teacher to come to school to do the assessment.
Option 2: At an exam centre in Buckinghamshire
We are working together with the Buckinghamshire Adult Learning Centre to set up Russian A Level exams in one of the local schools in High Wycombe. This option is best for students that live nearby and cannot arrange Russian exams through their school.
We aim to make this as affordable as possible for you, and we will not charge you anything to take these exams. However, you will be charged by the exam centre for the course fees and the exam's invigilation. We will do our best to keep these costs as low as possible.
Option 3: At any Exam Centre in the UK
There are many Edexcel-registered exam centres around the UK that conduct Russian exams. You can find a list of these exam centres on the Pearson (Edexcel) website by clicking here.
Please note that exam registration can be expensive. Each exam centre sets their own prices, and many centres charge as much as £100 or more for a single exam. We will be happy to assist you to find an exam centre that is local to you and the most affordable.
Mock Exams
Every school year we have two mock exams, one in the Spring Term and one in the Summer Term. Although taking mock exams is completely optional, we strongly recommend them as they are a very useful resource. Our mock exams are done online, on Zoom, and provide students the best practice in an exam environment.
The price of our mock exams is £50, which includes postage, invigilation, and marking. Students will complete 2 past exam papers (Paper 1 and Paper 2) in strict exam conditions. If the Speaking Exam goes ahead this year, we will also arrange an oral mock exam for each student.
Mock exams are also great because they teach students about the structure of each exam. Students will know what to expect when they sit their real exams and will be able to allocate their time appropriately to each question.
Students will receive valuable feedback once their exam papers are marked, and they will know which areas need further work. In class, our teachers will use the results of the mock exams to evaluate each student’s individual performance and suggest various improvements.
Benefits of learning with us
Speaking more than one language will always be a valuable skill that will give you many advantages throughout life. Learning A Level Russian at Volna will provide you with more opportunities in the future and will improve many transferable skills.
1. You can connect with a huge number of people
Russian is the 8th most spoken language in the world, used by hundreds of millions of people. It’s also the largest native language in Europe!
2. You will learn about the Russian-speaking countries and their interesting cultures
You will understand and be able to speak to lots of people when you go abroad to a Russian-speaking country.
3. Being a bilingual has many cognitive benefits
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Improved problem-solving and critical thinking skills
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Better memory and brain capacity
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Enhanced concentration and attention-span
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Stronger speaking and listening skills
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Better ability to multitask
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Higher levels of creativity
4. You can watch films, listen to songs and read books in Russian
5. You will become more confident in yourself
Learning a foreign language will boost your self-esteem and develop your confidence. Once you start having conversations in Russian and receive positive feedback from native speakers, you will be motivated to learn more!
6. You will stand out from the rest when applying to universities
A Russian qualification not only increases your chances of receiving a university offer, it also displays that you are a keen learner. You will have a qualification in a language that is not taught in UK schools, sixth forms and colleges, which shows that you have done additional independent learning in your spare time.
7. Every employer sees the value of knowing an additional language
Language skills are among the top eight skills required for all types of occupations, no matter the job role or skill level. Even if the job does not require you to speak Russian, it still shows the employer that you have a range of transferable skills. Learning Russian will also improve every aspect of your communication skills, which will greatly help you advance in your future career.
Doing the Russian A Level prepares you for the future - university, employment and beyond.
This is why you should choose to study with us at Volna - we provide professional tutoring to help you achieve top grades while learning a range of transferable life skills along the way!
Literary Works
Students at Volna will study and analyse one literary text and one film, in preparation for their 'Written response to works and translation' exam (Paper 2). Students will learn about the different characters, their personalities, characteristics and emotions, and the themes of the literary work. The correct way to structure an essay for top marks will also be taught!
The literary film studied in our A Level classes is
'The Caucasian Prisoner' (Кавказский пленник) by S. Bodrov (С. Бодров)
The literary text studied in our A Level classes is
'The Queen of Spades' (Пиковая дама) by A. S. Pushkin (А. С. Пушкин)
Independent Research Project
If the Russian A Level Speaking Exam (Paper 3) goes ahead this year, students will work towards completing their Independent Research Project, both in class and as homework. Our teachers will help each student individually at every step of the way!
The independent research may be based on one of the four themes or on the student's own subject of interest. Any research topic can be chosen as long as it is related to the Russian-speaking society and culture.
Students will have to thoroughly analyse their chosen research, find and use relevant statistics, and form an opinion based on all they have learned.
In the second task of the Speaking Exam, students will do a short presentation on their research project and then have a longer discussion about it. The examiner will ask questions about the presentation, followed by a wider discussion on the research project.
Students will practice their speaking skills in every lesson and will have the opportunity to take a speaking mock exam. A speaking mock a great way to check the student's knowledge and understanding of their chosen research. Students will get feedback on the quality of their research and their discussion responses.