Academic

Lower Sixth A-level Information Evening

Thursday 12 November - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

Following the success of our virtual Year 8 Parents' Evening, we intend to hold our Lower Sixth A-level Information Evening in the same way. You will be invited to attend a live Teams talk by Dr Reddish explaining what the ALIS predictions are and how we can use them, and then a personal Teams meeting with your child’s tutor or member of the Sixth Form Team to discuss your child’s individual ALIS predictions, progress and future targets. The meetings will follow a very similar format to what would normally occur at our Academic Review Evenings on site.  Further information and instructions on how and when to make your bookings will follow next week.

We look forward to seeing you on 12 November.

Ben Collie, Head of Sixth Form
Dr Michael Reddish, Deputy Head - Academic

 

Black History Month - Book Lists

To celebrate Black History Month, The Book Trust has produced a list of historical fiction and non-fiction books suitable for a range of reading ages and levels. Please click on the link here to view. 

Many of these selected titles are available to borrow from Princethorpe College Library. In addition, we have a list here of relevant fiction and non-fiction titles, also DVDs, which can also be borrowed on request.

Refinements To Full Reports - Reminder

The Covid outbreak has brought many changes to the school as we reimagine our campus, timetable and procedures in order to be able to care for the pupils safely back in the College. We are very grateful for your support in making these changes and for the kind words of encouragement that you send us.

As part of these changes, we have reviewed some aspects of our reporting and we have decided to refine our annual Full Reports, making them shorter and timelier, combining them with phone calls home as appropriate.

The essential content of the reports will remain the same, including: an attainment grade showing the pupils’ current attainment; and appraisals of the pupils’ systems and organisation, effort in their homework, and their attitude to their learning.

It will also now include an indication of their teacher’s judgement of their academic progress. This will be on the following scale:

• Academic progress is excellent
• Academic progress is very good
• Academic progress is satisfactory
• There are slight concerns about academic progress
• There are significant concerns about academic progress

That will be followed by a short comment. In this comment, the teacher may praise and encourage the pupil, elaborate on any concerns and, if there are any significant concerns, state that they will be in touch directly by phone or refer to phone calls that have already taken place. The report will conclude with a short comment by your child’s form tutor.

We believe that this will give a more timely insight (current Full Reports have to be written almost three weeks before publication) and enable richer feedback through appropriate phone calls, all in a more efficient manner. If you would like further information about any subject or if you have any concerns you would like to share, you may of course contact your child’s teachers directly and they will happily provide you with it.

Thank you once again for your support.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic 

Year 11 Full Reports - Reminder

Reports for Year 11 will be published today, Friday 9 October 2020, and will be available to view on My School Portal.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

Examinations And Assessments

Calendar Michaelmas First Half Term 2020

5 October - A-level Autumn Series exams start

9 October -  Year 11 Reports published

23 October -  A-level Autumn Series exams end

Calendar Michaelmas Second Half Term 2020

2 November - GCSE Autumn Series exams start

4 November - Oxford and Cambridge University Assessment tests

5 November - Oxford and Cambridge University Assessment tests

23 November - GCSE Autumn Series exams end

27 November - Year 7 and Year 10 Progress Reports published

4 December - Year 8 Progress Report published

Oxford and Cambridge Assessment Tests

The closing date for applications to sit the Oxford and Cambridge University Assessment Tests is 15 October 2020.  Should any students wish to apply to sit the exam, please complete this application form and return it to examinations@princethorpe.co.uk.  Tests will take place on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 November 2020.

Subject Specifications

Pupils wishing to buy revision booklets or revise online may need to know the exam board and exact exam specification for each subject they are studying.

The A-level subject specifications for next summer (2021) are available to view here

Subject specifications for Lower School for next summer (2021), including GCSEs, are available here.

Shellagh Dodds
Examination and Assessment Manager

 

Year 11 New Study Areas - Reminder

As Year 11 gather momentum with their studies, we appreciate that the pupils need a time and place to study. Consequently, from Monday 28 September, we will be offering new areas for Year 11 to undertake private study to support their progress. The expectation is that these sessions will enable pupils to complete independent study and revision in a quiet environment. Therefore, as pupils will be silently studying, they will not be allowed to socialise during these sessions. 

Mornings

Monday – Friday 8.00am until 8.30am - Sixth Form Lecture Theatre

Lunchtimes
 
Monday (Lunch 2) - Library
Tuesday (Lunch 1) - S1
Wednesday (Lunch) - S1
Thursday (Lunch 2) - S1
Friday (Lunch 2) - S1        

After school

Monday - Friday 4.00pm – 5.00pm - Library
 

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

 

Year 11 Academic Review Meetings - A Guide For Parents

To support the progress of our Year 11, we will be offering Microsoft Teams meetings with your child’s tutor to discuss progress and future targets. The meetings will follow a very similar format to what would normally occur at our Academic Review Evenings on site.

Between Monday 2 November and Friday 6 December 2020, tutors will be in touch (by email) to make a convenient time for the meeting. During the meeting tutors will have information to share about current progress for your child.  It will be an opportunity for you to discuss all subjects and overall study skills. Importantly, targets will be made for further improvement and for the mock exams and therefore it is expected that pupils will also attend the meeting.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Half Term Homework Expectations

Years 7, 8, 9 expectations: 

No formal homework will be set for the half term (although some pupils may have to complete homework set for the last week of the half term).  Pupils will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders.


Year 10 expectations:
 

Homework may be set for certain subjects. Pupils will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or Teams/OneNote folders.

Year 11 and Sixth Form expectations:

  • Work priorities for each subject
  • This is based on 2 hours work on each weekday of the half term
  • Complete homework set
  • Complete coursework set
  • Complete any outstanding work
  • Sort out your Teams folders/OneNote into good order
  • Keep on top of revision for January mocks (Year 11)

You want to come back from half term refreshed but up to date. 

Good luck and enjoy the break.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

 
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