Newsletter 13.02.2026

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

This half term whilst short, has flown by and has been incredibly productive for us.  There have been several external quality assurances from different sources.  We have had an external provider carry out a safeguarding audit this week that was extremely successful.  The member of the local authority that carried it out was extremely impressed with the safeguarding culture in the school.  They were able to speak to students, visit classrooms and check our policies and procedures.  It is vital to us that children are and feel safe at school.  This is our primary function- if children feel safe and secure then they will learn, it is a simple but effective philosophy.  As mentioned last week we had external visitors in previously to visit our classrooms to look at classroom practice- and feedback from them focussed upon engaged learners and the quality of learning in rooms and was extremely positive.  Finally, we have had a Governor Visit from our chair of governors, Mr J Jackson to look at behaviour and attitudes, which again highlighted the levels of engagement and standards of behaviour around school.

One of the key areas we need to work on is around the attendance of learners to school.  We have a really positive ethos and approach taken from students when they are at school and whilst our attendance sits just above the national averages, it should be higher.  This school does not strive to be just above national averages, it strives to be the very best and to do the very best for students and our community.  Therefore we ask please that you support us by ensuring that your child attends school every day where possible.  Whilst we never want a genuinely unwell child to come to school, if your child is feeling just a little ‘under the weather’  or reluctant, getting them through the door makes a huge difference.  If you need some support then please reach out to your child’s form tutor.

Attendance at school really matters, this week I saw some data that stated that at Key Stage 4 (Year 10 and Year 11), students who attended school nearly every day in Year 11 (with an attendance rate of 95-100%) were 1.9 times more likely to achieve the Grade 5 in English and Maths GCSE compared to students who only attended 90-95% of the time (relating to up to 2 weeks more time in school over the course of a year) and 3 times more likely than persistently absent pupils who only attend 85-90% of the time (relating to 4 – 6 weeks more time in school). This means missing 10 days reduced the likelihood of achieving grade 5 in English and Maths by around 50%. These are really sobering statistics and clearly show the importance of attendance.

We therefore are running an attendance initiative for the form group in each year group with the highest and most improved attendance in February having the reward of a non uniform day at the end of the month of February.

On a final note, I hope that you all enjoy a well-earned half term break and I look forward to welcoming all of our students back to school, in school uniform, ready for a prompt start to registration at 8.40am on Monday, 23 February 2026

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

Our exams officer Mrs Pathan communicated the PPE timetable and reminder about necessary equipment required for exams. Kindly remind your child to be come to school prepared with equipment. This will help ensure that they can focus on doing their best during their exams without any avoidable distractions. It is essential that you make sure your child has the following items:

• Clear pencil case
• Several black pens
• A pencil and eraser
• A ruler
• A calculator
• Any subject-specific equipment (e.g., geometry set, highlighters, etc.)
• A water bottle (with no labels or logos)

We have also shared details with students about exam conditions we expect all students to adhere to during PPEs. Please do talk to your child about the importance of adhering to exam conditions and make sure they do not bring to school prohibited items such as a mobile phone or any other digital devices.

Progress Reports and Parents Evening

Once PPEs are completed, teachers will be populating data for progress reports. This will give everyone an idea of the grades as follows:

• Spring PPE result: Pre-Public Examinations (PPEs) results from February mock exams. Grades from these PPEs range from U to 9 for GCSE Subjects and U to LD*2 for Vocational subjects.
• Working at Grade (WAG): This is the grade that students are currently working at.
• Autumn GCSE Prediction: GCSE subject predictions reflect content covered, evidence of work and attainment to date. Teachers have drawn on a range of evidence to determine Autumn GCSE predictions. This evidence may include:
• In-class assessments
• PPE (mock exam) results and internal tests
• Non-examined assessments, for example, coursework
• Classwork and homework

We have done a lot of work with our Year 11 students to help them understand what their progress reports show through our PSHE lessons, and what steps they need to take to accelerate their own progress.

We look forward to meeting parents at the Parents’ Evening on Thursday 26^th March to discuss progress reports. Parents will need to book individual time slots with subject teachers to review their child’s progress. This will be a valuable opportunity to ask questions about your child’s performance, revision strategies, available resources, and the preparation required for the upcoming final exams.

Interventions and Easter School

Subject teachers are hosting lunchtime and afterschool intervention sessions. Students who require support are invited to attend these sessions. Please do talk to your child about the importance of attending interventions they are invited to as it will enable teachers to provide bespoke support in addition to lessons.

We will also be hosting Easter School during the first week of the Easter break [Monday 30^th March to Thursday 2^nd April]. Details for this will be shared closer to time. Please do speak to subject teachers during Parents Evening on Thursday 26^th March about this.

Study Skills and Revision

We are committed to providing as much academic support as possible for our Year 11 students. To enhance their preparation for exams, we invited an external company, Maximize Your Potential, to deliver a seminar on essential study skills. This session aimed to help students set clear academic goals and understand the steps needed to achieve them. It emphasized effective time management, enabling students to take control of their learning and reduce stress. Students provided positive feedback, highlighting key takeaways they could apply to their revision.

Please encourage your child to use information and resources to help them ahead of their final exams. This also includes information about revision timetable, which students should have in place.

Attendance and Progress

Thank you for encouraging your child to attend school every day. Consistent attendance is essential for learning, as it allows teachers to provide the necessary support. With final exams approaching, it is crucial for Year 11 students to be in school daily. Research shows a clear link between attendance and academic progress. We have been sharing the impact of attendance on progress with Year 11 students each week. The graph below illustrates that students with 100% attendance achieve nearly a grade and a half more progress compared to those with lower attendance.

Support Initiatives:

To support students, we have shared the following study skills that you may find useful when talking to your child about revision:

1. Structured Revision Timetable: Allocate specific time slots for each subject or topic to ensure comprehensive coverage.
2. Active Recall Techniques: Engage in active recall methods such as flashcards, summarising key points, and teaching concepts to others to reinforce memory retention.
3. Past Papers Practise: Regularly attempt past exam papers to familiarise yourself with the format, time constraints, and types of questions likely to be asked.
4. Study Groups: Collaborate with peers for group revision sessions to discuss challenging topics, share knowledge, and test each other’s understanding.
5. Healthy Lifestyle: Maintain a balanced diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep to support cognitive function and overall well-being during the revision period.
6. Utilise Technology: Explore educational apps, online resources, and interactive platforms to supplement traditional study methods and enhance learning.

We want to do all we can to support students in their final stretch, this includes:

• Exam timetable – shared with students in December. Please do consider this when planning holidays and other out of school activities.
• Interventions – afterschool targeted intervention sessions are continuing. Please do make sure your child attends as requested by their subject teacher. We are planning some additional Saturday and Easter school sessions. This will be communicated directly by subject teachers to you.
• Revision resources – we have invested in many printed revision resource packs, including past exams papers and your child’s teachers will have provided these. Please encourage your child to use the resources and seek support from their teachers should they need to.
• Study space and support – study centre remains open every day till 5.30pm. Students are welcome to use this for independent or group study, and staff will be available to support and answer questions.
• Pastoral care – House Managers continue to provide pastoral care to all students, but are available for students who need any additional TLC or support.

Furthermore, we are planning the following to maximise every opportunity for Year 11:

• SLT support clinics – we will be facilitating time and space for students to come and talk to a member of Senior Leadership Team should students have any apprehensions or questions about their exams.
• Revision breakfast – research has shown a direct link between nutrition and focus in studies. We will be hosting breakfast for all Year 11 students every day of their final exams.

We hope this information helps you understand our school’s efforts to support your child. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need guidance on how to further assist your child during final few months.