Examinations

Key Stage 3 Pupils

Pupils will receive frequent tests and assessments throughout the year. This will help inform pupils, teachers and parents of what areas pupils have understood and what areas they have yet to grasp.

Key Stage 3 pupils will sit summer exams alongside the National Tests in Reading, Numeracy and Reasoning each year. The dates of these can be found on the calendar section of our website.

Pupils should be encourage to develop positive revision habits by preparing for these tests and examinations fully.

Key Stage 4 Pupils

As with Key Stage 3, pupils will receive frequent tests and assessments throughout the two years of study. Year 10 pupils will sit internal examinations in all subjects in the summer term. However, many subjects, such as Science, have GCSE module examinations at the end of Year 10, and these results contribute towards the final GCSE grade.

In year 11 some pupils may sit GCSEs in November and all will have mock examinations in the penultimate weeks before the Christmas break. Actual GCSE exam dates are set by the exam board and usually begin at the beginning of May until the end of June.

Throughout the two years many subjects will be working on coursework or ‘controlled assessments’ which are a type of extended exam. These usually require some preparation which can be carried out at home before the assessment starts. It is imperative then, that pupils fully prepare for these as the results form part of the final GCSE grade.

Parents are invited to a parent’s information meeting in Year 10 and also in Year 11 in which we outline the examination and assessment plan for the year and distribute timetables.

Parents should be aware that Heads of Department will make the decision on what tier of paper a pupil will sit and when they will sit it. Should the need arise the school are always happy to have a dialogue about this.