Dear Families, I am writing to confirm the arrangements for the final stage of Year 11. We have met with students at a special assembly and would like to ensure you too are fully briefed.

This is an important time for students, their families and their teachers, as we move forward with the final stage of our journey towards the completion of GCSE examinations. I therefore, want to take the opportunity to update you on a range of issues relating to your child’s final few weeks as a member of Year 11 at Welling School.

From today, students will have permission for optional study leave. We do not require you to provide consent for your child to study from home. All students will receive full attendance marks as ‘present - educated offsite with permission from home’.

We will continue running all lessons. In practice this means that English, Maths, Science, History and Geography lessons will run as normal, until their respective exams are completed. Students are welcome to attend if they work best in school, but they do not have to. For other option subjects we will ensure classrooms are available and staffed as normal so there are plenty of quiet study spaces.

Please note that any outstanding coursework or requests for coursework improvements must be completed as soon as possible - this refers to students of: Childcare, Music Technology, Music Performance and Health & Social Care. Students who study languages - French and Spanish - must also continue to attend these lessons

Registering when On Site

When attending examinations students will be registered in the exam room and will be registered as usual when attending timetabled lessons. All students who are attending revision sessions or who are using study facilities at the school outside of this must sign in and out at the main reception. All students on site need to be studying in their normal classrooms, not congregating in communal areas.

Arriving for Examinations

The start time and duration of exams are detailed on your child’s individual exam schedule. Morning exams start at 9am and afternoon exams at 1:15pm. Students must assemble for exams in the Dining Room in good time (8:30am and 12:30pm) enabling them to focus their attention and seek advice from staff should they need to.

Breakfast will be available to students prior to each morning exam and will be served until 8:45am in the Dining Room. Lunch will be available for students with free school meals at 12:30pm for afternoon exams. All students should arrive in full school uniform for examinations.

Today (Friday 20 May)

Most students will be dismissed to go home after the maths exam finishes at 10:40am. Though please note that students of the following subjects will be needed to stay on at school today for essential exam preparation:

• Geography (paper 1 exam on Monday)
• Spanish (listening and reading exam on Tuesday)
• French (listening and reading exam on Thursday)
• Health & Social care - students with work still outstanding.
• Media Studies students will need to remain in school very briefly to sign coursework paperwork.

We know it has been a tiring week, but with no exam tomorrow it is vital that we prepare the students to start next week’s exams with confidence. These students will be dismissed home at lunchtime at about 1:30pm.

Examinations - Water and Essential Materials

We ask that you supply your child with a refillable water bottle that they can use throughout the exam period. There is an outside tap with fresh drinking water near the exam sports hall. The bottle must be transparent and have no labelling attached.

For longer exams students might also want a banana or a couple of sweets like jelly beans. Do note - sweets would need to be in the transparent pencil case or placed on the desk. There can be no wrappers or paper of any variety at exam desks, in pockets or on their person.

We do supply exam materials, though a reminder that there are some other crucial items each individual should have to ensure their exam success:

• A scientific calculator
• A decent pen that is easy to write with - we suggest the 16mm bics pens that most supermarkets sell. The main exam pen can only be blank ink.

If a student is going to be late for an exam please contact the school immediately. GCSEs are national examinations and we are not able to delay published start times. In some circumstances it is possible to admit students to the exam room within a specified period once the exam has started.

If you would like any clarification on these matters or to discuss other ways in which we may be able to support you and your child, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Reid (Head of Year 11) or Mr Roberts. Contact details for subject staff and Heads of Department are also available on our website.

I would like to thank you for your ongoing partnership and support and hope that we can continue to work together to ensure that, we all have many reasons to celebrate our students’ success in their final GCSE results in August.

Yours faithfully,

Mr D Roberts

YEAR 11 RAISING STANDARDS LEAD