The Flagpole

Key dates in the reporting and examinations cycle for this half term are:

· 6 December – Progress reports published for Year 8 and Lower Sixth pupils

· 17 December – Individual timetables distributed for January external examination candidates

External Examinations:

January 2020 - this examination season is relatively short and only affects a few pupils. The final timetable can be viewed by clicking here. 

Results for these examinations will be published on Thursday 5 March 2020.

Summer 2020 - the exam timetable was amended by JCQ in November. If you downloaded the previous version please delete it and download the updated one which can be viewed by clicking here.

Please note the examination contingency day of Wednesday 24 June 2020. In the unlikely event that there is national disruption to a day of examinations causing a last-minute change to the timetable, all candidates must be available up to and including this date.

Entries for these examinations will be made in January 2020. As soon as pupils have checked and confirmed their entries, their individual exam timetable will be distributed.

Exam Subject Specifications and Awarding Bodies:

If you’re buying revision guides it’s important to choose the correct one for the specification being followed in school. The documents below show the exam board and specification code for each subject for GCSE and A-level.

GCSE

A-level

Shellagh Dodds
Examinations and Assessment Manager

This year we have introduced a further significant improvement to the assessment system at Princethorpe: the addition of a second set of formal mocks for our Upper Sixth students. This follows the successful introduction of additional mocks for our Year 11 pupils last year. The Year 11 mocks will continue in this model in the weeks commencing 6 January and 24 February.

As many of you may know, Upper Sixth students traditionally have mock exams after the Lent half-term. This year we will be building on that model by giving the students two mock weeks – firstly in the week commencing 6 January and then again in the week commencing 24 February. The first set of mocks will be over three days to best balance assessment time and curriculum coverage. The second set of mocks will be over seven days to allow for more papers and the most realistic examination experience.

This will give Year 11 pupils and Upper Sixth students two opportunities to really test themselves and learn from their successes and difficulties, supported by their teachers, before sitting the real exams in the summer. It will also allow us to spread out the exams a little more within the second 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

Progress Reports for Year 8 and Lower Sixth have been published today, Friday 6 December 2019, and are available to view on My School Portal.  

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic 

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 6 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 - Lower Sixth

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.

Sixth Form - Upper Sixth

1.  Students should be revising for their mocks beginning Monday 6 January. This should include revision work as indicated by subject teachers and areas of revision that pupils have identified for themselves.  Students should aim for at least four hours’ productive work per day.
2.  Students 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.

Wishing you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and a healthy and successful 2020.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head – Teaching and Learning

Tuesday 14 January 2020

Parents are reminded that the Lower Sixth Parents’ Evening takes place on Tuesday 14 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 Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning