CO-HEADTEACHERS’ UPDATE 03/03/2021

Dear Parent/Guardian

This week we are writing to update you on Lateral Flow testing arrangements, the return to school from 8th March and grading for GCSE, A Level and BTEC qualifications.

Lateral flow testing
We are pleased to report that the wider testing of students has been going smoothly. Please check again the timetable sent last week as to which days and times are for which year groups.  If you have already consent you will have been sent a message regarding the timings.  As you can imagine, this has been a huge logistical challenge to organise and we are very grateful to Mrs Martin, Mrs Maynard and their team for setting it all up in such a short time period and making it work.

Return to school for face to face lessons
What a relief that schools can reopen next week and that cases are falling as well as hospital admissions.  However, we are fully aware that systems of control remain vital to reduce the transmission of the virus.  During the first registration back, tutors will go through reminders of the Covid protocols with your daughter/son. Additionally we have sent out a letter to parents with some attendance and uniform reminders….please check your daughter’s uniform before she starts school next week.   Please see the table below for the return to school schedule:

GCSE, A level and BTEC exam grading
The government has confirmed that students taking GCSE, A level and BTEC exams should be awarded grades based on assessments by their teacher (TAGs)
The full guidance can be found here Awarding qualifications in summer 2021 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Below is a summary of the actions we will be taking in school, following the guidance.

Assessment Evidence
Teachers will use a range of evidence to make a judgment of the grade at which the student is performing now, not their potential.  This is a change from how grades were awarded last year for CAGS (Centre Assessed Grades).
Teachers will use the time remaining in school to consolidate content alongside setting any assessments they want to undertake.  Assessments will test only what has been taught to date.

 Types of assessment evidence:

Exam timetables are on the website and individual timetables will be emailed out shortly.

• Mini tests
  • These tests, using past papers questions, will supplement the most recent PPE exam evidence as they will allow students the opportunity to further improve on their March/April PPE grades.
  • Most subjects will be doing approximately three (GCSE) to four (A level) mini tests to supplement these PPEs exams. Your daughter/son’s subject teacher will talk to students about the dates of these tests.
• Non Exam Assessments (NEA) work, even if this has not been fully completed.
• Records of a student’s capability and performance over the course of study in performance based subjects such as music, drama and PE.
• Records of each student’s progress and performance over the course of study. This means totality of performance, not based on one assessment in the first year of the course.

Please note

• More recent evidence is likely to be more representative of student performance although there maybe exceptions.
• We need to be confident that work produced is the student’s own and that the student has not been given inappropriate levels of support to complete it either in school, at home or with an external tutor. Exam boards will investigate instances where it appears that evidence is not authentic.   For this reason we need to keep all March PPEs and subsequent mini test scripts in school.

Submission of Exam Grades

• All exam grades need to be sent to the exam boards by Friday 18th
• A period of internal moderation will happen from Monday 7th June – Friday 18th Whilst there will not be any lessons for Year 11 and 13, students must be available from the week beginning Monday 7th June so we can make students aware of the evidence we are using to assess them.
• Students will then have the opportunity to confirm the evidence is their own work and make their teachers aware of any mitigating circumstances they believe should be taken into account. We will update you nearer the time with the exactly how this will work.

Exam Results Day

• A level and BTEC level 3 exam results will be emailed to students’ school email addresses on Tuesday 10th August
• GCSE and BTEC level 2 exam results will be emailed to students’ school email addresses on Thursday 12th

Appeals

• If any student wishes to appeal the grades they have been given we will set up a special email inbox following results day. More information to follow.

Year 12 BTEC Level 3

• We are aware that the teacher assessed grades will have an impact on the summer exam season for Year 12 BTEC as well. Please be reassured that your daughter’s teacher will talk her about it.

Last of day of lessons for Year 11 and 13 will be Friday 28th May but as explained above, your daughter/son needs to be available to come into school between Monday 7th and Friday 18th June.

Internal Assessments for Key Stage 3 and Year 10 and 12 PPEs
With no external exams to accommodate in school over the summer term, we have been able to rejig the assessment schedule for the rest of the school.  The new dates are as follows

• Year 7, 8 and 9 Monday 17th May – Friday 28th May
• Year 10              Tuesday 8th June – Tuesday 22nd  June
• Year 12              Monday 21st June – Friday 25th June

More information about these exams, including ‘what to revise’ lists and revision workshops will be shared in due course.

Finally, please find attached a reminder to students who will be using public transport next week.

Enjoy the last few days of having your children at home and we look forward to welcoming them at the school gate from 8th March.

Best wishes
Anne Kennedy and Katie Pearce
Co – Headteachers