Dear Parents/Carers,
We truly appreciate how difficult it has been for your child over the last 24 months. They have been extremely resilient in the face of the pandemic and have worked hard to be where they are now.
Currently, the Government are stating that GCSE examinations will go ahead this year. They have put a raft of support in place to ensure that the transition back to GCSEs is possible, including the following: advance_information_postcard_2022-02-03_1446
-Changes to non-exam assessments/ coursework;
-Less topics to learn per exam;
-Advance Information – see booklet which shows your child which topics will be assessed in each examination;
-Support materials – formulae sheets in Science and Mathematics;
-Generous grading – exams graded more generously this year to provide a safety net for students.
To support your child, we have included the following links to information so you are explicitly clear of how we are supporting our students:
-Mock examinations to take place Tuesday 8th March – Friday 11th March 2022. Mock Exam Timetable March 2022.docx – Google Docs
-Food Preparation and Nutrition exam (60% of final GCSE grade) to take place, in small groups of six, week beginning Monday 14th March 2022. You will find the date of your child’s exam in one of the columns (Initials used due to data protection) Food and Nutrition Practical Exam Groupings March 2022.docx – Google Docs
-GCSE Exam and Non-Exam Assessment Timetable May – June 2022; GCSE Examination Dates 2022.docx – Google Docs
-Advance Information: the exact topics/ content which will be assessed. Advance Information GCSEs.docx – Google Docs
Please can we ask that you support your child in giving 100% to their GCSE mock examinations. If we do go into another lockdown and GCSE examinations are cancelled, the mock exam grades will be used as evidence.
Furthermore, please can we implore you to talk to your child about the fact that mobile phones, digital watches, headphones and MP3 players cannot be taken into the exam rooms. This format must also be used in the mock examinations to provide parity and fairness for all students.
We have put in place a range of interventions to help students. If you feel there is anything else we can do to support your child, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Yours faithfully,