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Dear Parents and Carers

Exam season is now in full swing for our Year 11 and Year 13 pupils. I wanted to
recognize their maturity and the professional way that they have approached their
first full week of external examinations. It can be a daunting time, but our pupils have
come out of the exams telling us that they felt prepared for the questions and have
given their best. We have put together a comprehensive booster programme to 
support pupils,so it is essential that they attend all sessions designed for them. 

Each of the sessions have been planned to boost confidence and ensure pupils are
fully prepared prior to each exam. Year 7 and 8 took their Progress Tests last week and
I know that teachers are busy marking assessments so that feedback can be shared
with pupils in our calendared Reteach Week. Reteach Weeks are designed to reteach
elements of the curriculum where common misconceptions were identified, or pupils
need further practice to build their confidence. In individual lessons, pupils are given 
a ‘Directed Improvement and Reflection Task’ (DIRT) to complete in green pen. 

This is why having a fully stocked pencil case is important and support both teaching
and learning. DIRT tasks might include a selection of some of the following tasks: a range of 
alternative questions, improving a yellow highlighted section of work or an extension question.
Our drive on punctuality has continued this week. I would like to reiterate the importance of supporting us in ensuring your son/daughter arrives on time. Pupils need to be on the playground by 8:40am to avoid  receiving a late sanction. A reminder that the gates close at 8:45am.

You may have seen Government statistics published this week revealing that across the country 50,000  more pupils are missing school on a Friday than on a Monday. We are working hard at St Edmund Campion to ensure that we support our pupils to be in school five days a week. Every day off equates to five hours of missed learning and opportunities. We want our pupils to thrive and being in school gives pupils the best opportunities to do that.

I also wanted to draw your attention to our Summer Extra Curricular Timetable printed in this week’s newsletter. If your son or daughter is interested in trying a new club or activity, we would like to welcome them along. It is always great fun and a wonderful opportunity to develop new skills.
I leave you with a short prayer to help and guide all pupils taking exams.

Lord Jesus,
Please calm any nerves that our pupils have and let them rest in You always.
We pray that as they enter the exam, You will fill their heart with perfect peace that only comes from You.
Give them clarity of thought and help them to remember all the things that they have studied.
Give them the wisdom and the ability to transfer their thoughts to paper.
Amen

Mrs J. Quoroll
Vice Principal