Year 11 Information and Updates

It has been a busy and productive half term for Year 11. The focus has been on getting students back into a routine, engaging them in the classroom, preparing them for online learning and most importantly looking after their mental health and wellbeing.  A safe and happy student is one who will achieve. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support over the last few weeks.  It really has been a pleasure to speak to so many of you.

Now that we are settled into our routine and feel that we understand our new way of blended learning where we combine online learning with classroom based learning I have a number of updates about next half term.

Practice Exams

In order to support all students in Year 11 the practice exams will take place from Monday 23 November to Friday 4 December. Exams will take place in the Sports Hall with students sitting in the same seat for every exam to support a smooth start to the exam and to ensure we can track and trace every student. Please see the timetable attached to this letter. More details about exam procedures will be issued closer to the 23 November.

Intervention

Intervention will begin across all subjects from Monday 2 November. Teachers have been working closely with students to enable them to provide targeted academic tuition before and after school. This programme will run on a two week timetable to enable all students to access support across all subjects. As a school we will be constantly evaluating and reviewing this programme to ensure that it meets the needs of the students and has maximum impact.  Each faculty will be contacting you with the information for their sessions and attendance is compulsory for students. If your son/daughter does not attend we will contact you.

Classwork, Homework and Revision

Students have access to all classwork through their individual google classrooms and the study hub on the school website. Both online learning platforms are directly linked to the curriculum and will support your son/daughter should they need to work from home. It is essential that you check that your son/daughter has joined every classroom for every subject. In addition to any classwork and homework set students should also be preparing revision material and revising in preparation for their practice exams in November. Students will be receiving a revision guide to support them with preparing revision timetables and resources.

GCSEPod

To support students, Welling School has invested in GCSE Pod, the award winning digital content and revision provider. Y our son/daughter has already registered to use the resource and now has access to GCSEPod’s library of over 6,000 ‘Pods,’ 3-5 minute videos designed to deliver knowledge in short bursts.  Every Pod is mapped to an exam board, and contains all the right facts, quotes, keywords, dates and annotated diagrams needed for GCSE

 
success. The school is able to track student usage and this will be linked to rewards given to students throughout the academic year. GCSEPod also works in collaboration with Google Classroom and at the start of the next half term, students will be given a presentation on how this will help them to access their school work more easily. Please see the attached parent guide which provides more details about the programme.

Learning Hub

From Monday 2 November students will have access to the school library to provide a quiet space to complete homework, revise and access computers should they need to. This session will be staffed so it will also provide an opportunity to ask questions and receive support about A Level/college courses and 6th Form/college applications. In addition, a quiet space to revise and complete homework will be provided every morning break.

Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance

Students will be completing a survey about their career aspirations to enable us to support them in their next phase of education. This will lead to information being shared about different pathways for students Post-16. Information about courses available at Welling Sixth Form will also be shared with students on Wednesday 11 November to enable them to make informed choices about where and what they wish to study.

To conclude, it has been a busy half term with many variables to navigate but I have been impressed with the maturity, resilience and positivity the students have shown. As a new member of the community the engagement with the students and with you has been encouraging. I am confident that if we continue to work together in this way the students will reap the benefits of their hard work.

Please continue to contact any member of the Year 11 team via email or telephone. We look forward to continuing to work with you over the next half term.

Yours faithfully

Miss Sangster
Deputy Headteacher: Raising Standards Key Stage 4