The first round of Year 11 GCSE mock examinations will take place during the week beginning 31 October, which is immediately after the half-term break, and will continue until Wednesday 9 November.

Year 11 students will be taking mock exams in the following GCSE subjects where applicable: English Language, Maths, Science, History, Geography, French, Religious Studies, Music and Art. Pupils will also sit mock exams in Health and Social Care and Enterprise in order to help prepare them for BTEC examinations in February 2023.

Mock examinations are an important part of our on-going assessment process. Class teachers will use mock exam results to help inform their professional predicted grades; however, mock exam grades should not be viewed as the grade that a student is guaranteed to achieve in the real GCSE exams. In many cases, mock papers form only part of the whole exam and some topics will not be included, students will be told these topics in class and they are included as an attachment within this communication. Additionally, class teachers know the questions in advance and may tailor their lessons to support students prior to them exam.

We believe the mock exam process is worthwhile and will help the pupils to do the following:

* start their revision of these subjects early so that exam content is embedded and it is not such an onerous task when the real exams arrive;
* create effective revision resources which can be used and tweaked in preparation for GCSEs;
* experience exam conditions in the sports hall, understand the exam procedures and develop skills in how to manage their time during examinations.

In order to support pupils in their preparation for these examinations, as well as practising the skills and content in lessons, many subjects will be running booster sessions during and after-school. Saturday schools are also running on the following days:

Saturday 8 October – History
Saturday 15 October – Science
Saturday 22 October – English
Saturday 5 November – Maths

There will be on-going communication throughout the next few weeks – including a range of different information and resources to help you to support your child in their exam preparations – so regular checks of email inboxes will be a plus.

We also provide the following documents to help with the mock exams:

Y11 Mock Exam Timetable
Y11 Mock Exam Topics

 

There is also further guidance being given out in special assemblies and extra website details on revision here.

Bex Oldfield, Assistant Headteacher, said: “The mock exams are a great chance for students and teachers to identify strengths and weaknesses – and with the latter we have the information then to address them and turn them into strengths for the February Mocks and Summer Final Exams. With the extensive support we provide, including the after-school boosters and Saturday Schools, success in exams is largely a matter of choice. If a child and family throw themselves into the work, provision and support then it will only end well for them. You usually get out of life what you put in and the exams are no different to this.”