Thank you!

Thank you all for the positive start to the new year that Y11 students have made in logging on to Microsoft Teams and engaging with remote learning. We understand the uncertainty that you must be feeling about the current situation and appreciate the flexibility and resilience that have been shown in the continued excellent attitudes to learning that many students have demonstrated.

 

Changes to exams: How will I get my grades?

The government announced today that students’ qualifications will be awarded through ‘Centre Assessed Grades’. As a school we will need to ensure that the grades we give are fair, evidence based, and that we give all our students in Year 11 the best chance of demonstrating the grades they are capable of achieving. It is therefore vital that Y11 students maintain a positive attitude to learning during this time as there will be a need for further assessment in all subjects when students return to face-to-face learning, in order to award valid grades for final qualifications in the summer. It is also vital to maintain learning to support the transition to post-16 programmes of study which we hope that all students will be successful accessing.

The harder Year 11s work now, and when they return to school, the more evidence they will provide school with to award them the excellent grades that truly reflect their potential.

 

Remote Learning

The online lessons that are currently being planned and delivered by teachers are a continuation of students’ normal Y11 curriculum and when students do return to face to face teaching, we will expect that they have maintained their learning in lockdown in line with their timetable and the remotely taught lessons.

Expectations of all students are:

• Log into Teams every morning and follow your normal timetable of lessons.
• Engage in each lesson – your teacher will be available to give support and answer questions, and to check your work and offer feedback.
• Submit the work you have been set by the agreed deadline, ensuring it is the best work you can do!
• Ask for support if you need it from your teacher, form teacher, Pastoral Manager or Head of Year.

From next week we will be monitoring the attendance and attitudes to learning of students with regard to remote lessons, just as we would do for face to face lessons. We will contact parents and carers, both to congratulate students for demonstrating very positive attitudes and where we have concerns regarding engagement.

 

What about Period 6?

We will not run remote lessons for Period 6 as we understand that spending a full day in front of a screen will probably be enough! We encourage students to take opportunities to revise and complete work outside of the five hours of learning that we will provide online.

 

Applications for Sixth Form, College and Apprenticeships

You will be aware that the deadline for post-16 applications is 22^nd January 2021. Please be reassured that our Post-16 Progression Team will keep in touch with all Year 11 students, parents and carers to share plans on how we will support students through the final part of the application process.

 

Year 11 Parents' Evening

Given all of this information, we are looking forward to the opportunity to discuss subject specific progress and attainment at the Year 11 Parents’ Evening on Thursday 7^th January. If you have not already made appointments for this event, please do so by logging onto the Parents Evening portal via the remote access area of the school website or via the link here.

 

Best wishes,
Joe Birkbeck
Head of Westfield School