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 GCSE 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)
£17.50/hour
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For students in Year 11 or below
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Two 1-hour lessons a week on Mondays
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Small class sizes of up to 8 students
Group Class (2 years)
£17.50/hour
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For students in Year 10 or below
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Two 1-hour lessons a week on Tuesdays
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Small class sizes of up to 8 students
Private Tuition
£40/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 2023
Complete revision and practice for Edexcel GCSE Russian exams, covering all themes, grammar, and vocabulary!
Study the Russian GCSE 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 and understanding in Russian (1RU0/1H)
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Speaking in Russian (1RU0/2H)
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Reading and understanding in Russian (1RU0/3H)
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Writing in Russian (1RU0/4H)
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Two 1-hour lessons a week on the same weekday
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1-year and 2-year GCSE 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
GCSE Russian Classes
Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of this qualification are to enable students to:
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develop their ability to communicate confidently and coherently with native speakers in speech and writing, conveying what they want to say with increasing accuracy
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express and develop thoughts and ideas spontaneously and fluently
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listen to and understand clearly articulated, standard speech at near normal speed
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deepen their knowledge about how language works and enrich their vocabulary in order for them to increase their independent use and understanding of extended language in a wide range of contexts
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acquire new knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking through the ability to understand and respond to a rich range of authentic spoken and written material, adapted and abridged, as appropriate, including literary texts
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develop awareness and understanding of the culture and identity of the countries and communities where the language is spoken
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be encouraged to make appropriate links to other areas of the curriculum to enable bilingual and deeper learning, where the language may become a medium for constructing and applying knowledge
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develop language-learning skills both for immediate use and to prepare them for further language study and use in school, higher education, or employment
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develop language strategies, including repair strategies
The Edexcel Russian GCSE Specification
Our teachers closely follow the Russian GCSE specification provided by Edexcel 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 5 main themes in the Russian GCSE, 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.
Theme 1: Identity and culture
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Who am I?: relationships; when I was younger; what my friends and family are like; what makes a good friend; interests; socialising with friends and family; role models
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Daily life: customs and everyday life; food and drink; shopping; social media; technology
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Cultural life: celebrations and festivals; reading; music; sport; film and television
Theme 2: Local area, holiday and travel
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Holidays: preferences; experiences; destinations
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Travel and tourist transactions: travel and accommodation; asking for help and dealing with problems; directions; eating out; shopping
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Town, region and country: weather; places to see; things to do
Theme 3: School
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What school is like: school types; school day; subjects; rules and pressures; celebrating success
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School activities: school trips; events and exchanges
Theme 4: Future aspirations; study and work
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Using language beyond the classroom: forming relationships; travel; employment
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Ambitions: further study; volunteering; training
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Work: jobs; careers and professions
Theme 5: International and global dimension
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Bringing the world together: sports events; music events; campaigns and good causes
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Environmental issues: being 'green'; access to natural resources
Exam Overview
Click to view information about each GCSE Russian exam:
Each exam is weighted equally, making up 25% of the total qualification. However, it is likely that the Speaking Exam will not take place this year. In the previous academic year, the exam was replaced with the Speaking Endorsement which did not contribute to the final grade.
Taking Your Exams
There are 3 options when you study with us
Option 1: At your school
This should always be your first choice as it is the most convenient and affordable. You should contact your school and ask them if you can enrol as a Russian GCSE 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 GCSE exams in one place, without having to travel to an exam centre during the assessment period. If a Russian exam time clashes with another GCSE 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 GCSE 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.
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 3 past exam papers (Listening, Reading, and Writing) in strict exam conditions.
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 GCSE 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 GCSE 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!