The Flagpole

Please find below details regarding homework expectations over Christmas. Whilst homework is of course vital, especially for those taking external exams this coming summer, Christmas is a very important family time and it follows a long and demanding term. All pupils should make sure to include at least three days of total rest and family time.

Years 7, 8 and 9

1.  No formal homework will be set for the holiday (although some pupils may have to complete homework set for the last week of the half term).
2.  Pupils will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders.
3.  Review of internal assessments and completion of corrections as directed by subject teachers.

Year 10

1.  Homework may be set for all subjects.
2.  Pupils will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders.
3.  Review of internal assessments and completion of corrections as directed by subject teachers.

Year 11

1.  Pupils should be revising for their mocks beginning Monday 7 January. This should include revision work as indicated by subject teachers and areas of revision that pupils have identified for themselves.  Pupils should aim for at least four hours’ productive work per day.
2.  Pupils will also be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders. 
3.  Review of examination papers and completion of corrections as directed by subject teachers.

Sixth Form

1.  Homework may be set for all subjects. Students should aim for at least four hours’ productive work per day
2.  Students will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders.
3.  Review of examination papers and completion of corrections as directed by subject teachers.

Wishing you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and a healthy and successful 2019.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head – Teaching and Learning

Thank you to those who were able to join us for the GCSE Revision Session on the evening of Monday 26 November – I hope that those who did found the evening very informative.

We have now uploaded the materials from the evening for you – there is a link to them on the front page of the Parent Portal which you can access them by clicking here.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

Progress Reports for Year 8 and Lower Sixth will be published today, Friday 7 December 2018, and will be available to view on the Pupil and Parent Portals.  

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic 

This year we have introduced two significant improvements to the assessment system at Princethorpe: a change to the November assessments and the addition of a second set of formal mocks for our Year 11 pupils.

We have moved away from a specific ‘exam week’ in November and instead each Department chooses the best time, according to their particular curriculum, to assess the pupils in class. These assessments happen within an appropriate window to inform relevant reports. We hope the change will reduce the pressure on the pupils and dissipate the stress that many used to feel in the run up to and during the exam week. It will also allow departments to craft their assessments in a way which is most helpful to the pupils in their particular subjects. Please note that the end of year Exam Week remains in the same format as previous years and will take place in the week prior to Whitsun half term break, the week commencing Monday 20 May 2019.

As many of you may know, Year 11 pupils traditionally have mock exams at the beginning of the Lent Term, usually over seven days. This year we will be refining and building on that model by giving the pupils two mock weeks – firstly in the week commencing 7 January and then again in the week commencing 25 February, over five days in each week.

This will give the pupils two opportunities to really test themselves and learn from their successes and difficulties, supported by their teachers, before sitting the real exams from 13 May onwards. It will also allow us to spread out the exams a little more within each week to ease the strain on the pupils and make the experience that much more realistic as well as give them that bit more experience of what it is like to work in proper examination conditions. We hope this will be another important step in giving our pupils the best possible support for academic success.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

Tuesday 15 January 2019

Parents are reminded that the Lower Sixth Parents’ Evening takes place on Tuesday 15 January from 6.00pm to 8.30pm in the Sports Hall. This is a crucial chance to discuss your son or daughter’s academic progress with their subject teachers and check how they have settled into their GCE courses. We look forward to seeing you then.

Dr Michael Reddish
Assistant Head - Director of Studies

We wanted to bring to your attention an important date change: the Year 9 and 10 Academic Review Evening will now take place on Tuesday 5 March 2019, instead of the previously published date of Monday 25 February 2019.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic