Newsletter
30.05.06 Last Friday saw years 11 – 13 start their study leave and this week there have been a number of GCSE examinations taking place. After the May half term, AS and A2 examinations will start and the remainder of the GCSE examinations will be completed. It is clearly a very important, and sometimes stressful, time for all the pupils involved. Parents can play their part by encouraging pupils to establish a routine for revision, ensuring they attend school if they need help and support, and in testing the work that pupils have learnt. Please keep the school informed if there are any circumstances that might affect the performance in exams. For example, if the pupil has been ill. The examination boards take into consideration extenuating circumstances provided they are supported by documentary evidence. Normally the information is forwarded to the board by the school at the time of the examination. Please contact Mrs Griffiths, the examinations officer at school, if there any concerns. For some in Year 11 and 13 the examinations represent the last time they will be involved with the school as pupils, as they leave to take up employment, go to college or university. We hope that for those pupil’s who will be leaving at the end of the academic year, the exams will be a success and they will enjoy the challenges that new opportunities will bring. We also wish every success to those who will be sitting examinations but returning to us in the new academic year as members of the sixth form. Those in Year 12 will be expected to return towards the end of June in order to start the process of completing their UCAS forms in readiness for applying to university or college in the Autumn term. Mrs Parfitt will keep you informed. We also say goodbye to two members of staff on
Friday of this week. Mr Mark Couch will be leaving to take up an appointment
in industry making use of his IT skills and Mrs Einor Shore is relocating to
Devon when her husband takes up a new job in the area. On behalf of the
school we thank them both for their invaluable contributions to the school
and wish them all the very best and every success for the future. Mr Alan
Lewis will be joining us June 5th to take up appointment, as
Subject Leader for ICT and Miss Rebecca Austin who is already with us will be
covering the work of Mrs Shore in Welsh. Year 9 has now completed their Key Stage 3 examinations and we await the outcomes of these sometime in June. Meanwhile, all pupils in Year 9 should now have completed their option choices for their GCSE subjects in Year 10. Inevitably, where there are 160 pupils and over 15 subjects to chose from, it is a logistical nightmare trying to match the choices of pupils with the restrictions of having to work in the confines of the school timetable. I hope that you will bear with us as we try to juggle the various combinations to meet the requirements of the pupils. It is inevitable that not all choices can be met, although I believe that in all cases pupils have been able to follow at least 2 of their 3 choices and it is in only a very small fraction of cases that the third choice has proved impractical to accommodate. In formulating the option blocks consideration has been given to the long-term career aspirations of the pupils so that even where it has been impossible to follow all their choices, pupils will not be disadvantaged educationally or in terms of future career aspirations. Finally, since the school breaks up tomorrow for the May half term, may I take this opportunity of wishing you all a relaxing and enjoyable break.
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