Academic

Year 11 GCSE Revision Evening For Parents And Pupils - Reminder

Monday 23 November 2020 – 6.00pm To 7.30pm

As part of our VESPA strategy, Princethorpe College will be holding a virtual, interactive GCSE revision evening, on Monday 23 November between 6.00pm and 7.30pm, for the parents and pupils in Year 11.

It will be hosted by Martin Griffin who has worked with more than sixty schools to develop effective character education systems using the VESPA model. During the session, Martin will explore the key principles of having a positive and proactive learning mindset and share tools and strategies for effective coaching and intervention with parents and equip parents and pupils with practical ideas and strategies to support their children throughout their GCSE courses. We do hope that Year 11 parents and pupils will be able to join us for what promises to be a very useful and informative evening.

We look forward to you joining this event. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at lizpyne@princethorpe.co.uk

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Ten Essential Revision Tips

So now we are moving towards the mock exams for Year 11 and Upper Sixth (from 5 January 2021), it’s time to focus on the best way to revise. Your youngster will be getting lots of advice from their subject teachers, but support at home is crucial for confident learners.

1. Start revising early

i.e. weeks or months, not days before the exam. 

2. Plan your revision using a timetable

Planning out your revision means you can spend more time revising and less time worrying you've forgotten something. Use a revision timetable. Your tutor can help you with this.  

3. Set up a nice, tidy study space

You'll need somewhere with good lighting, your pens close by, your phone out of sight and your TV unplugged.

4. Vary your revision with different activities

Try a variety of different revision techniques — answering practice exam questions, writing down notes from memory, creating mind maps or revision cards, watching appropriate clips on Youtube or use revision sites such as Seneca.

5. Set aside time to do fun things

Don't totally stop yourself from having fun. This'll help you stay motivated, relax, and allow you to keep up with your favourite hobbies. 

6. Keep your phone and other distractions away

Phones are great, but they're a one-stop shop for procrastination. Heed our warnings and stick it in a drawer while you're revising.  

7. Don't just read your notes

You have to write information down. This is really basic "how to revise" stuff.

8. Take your revision wherever you go

If you find books aren't quite portable enough, lots of revision guides and textbooks with handy online editions — great for revising on the go!  

9. Sleep and eat properly

Sleep is more important than you'd imagine — it helps your brain store all the juicy information you've learned throughout the day. Drinking plenty of water and eating healthy foods will also boost your concentration throughout the day.

10. On exam day, make sure you arrive in plenty of time

Nothing adds extra pressure to exam day like the fear of being late. Just make sure you set off at a little earlier than usual. While you wait, if people around you seem stressed about the exam, try to relax and not let their worries affect you.

Years 7 And 10 Progress Reports

Progress Reports for Years 7 and 10 will be published on Friday 27 November 2020 and will be available to view on My School Portal.  

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic 

Lower Sixth Parents’ Evening

Thursday 3 December 2020 - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

The Lower Sixth Parents’ Evening will take place on Thursday 3 December 2020 from 6.00pm to 8.30pm. It will be hosted virtually through of a series of Microsoft Teams meetings with your child's teachers. Meetings will be booked online in five-minute slots. Further details will follow on how to book the appointments.

Please be aware that for subjects where teachers teach more than one set, teachers may be in contact with you via email before the Parents’ Evening to update you as to your child's progress as there will be more pupils than available meetings.

You can find a list of your child's teachers under Teacher Contacts on MySchoolPortal.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

Year 11 Academic Review Meetings - A Guide For Parents - Reminder

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 4 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

Years 8 Progress Reports

Progress Reports for Year 8 will be published on Friday 4 December 2020 and will be available to view on My School Portal.  

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic 

Examinations And Assessments

Exams Summer 2021

We expect to have the final timetable for the 2021 summer exam season in the next few days and will publish it in the next edition of The Flagpole.

Individual pupil timetables will be available in the new year after entries have been made to the exam boards.

Results days will be Tuesday 24 August for A-levels and Friday 27 August for GCSEs.

Calendar Michaelmas Second Half Term 2020

20 November - Year 7 Progress Reports published
27 November - Year 10 Progress Reports published
4 December - Year 8 Progress Reports published

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