Welcome to Year 11
Welcome back
Welcome back Year 11, I am delighted to return again to support you as you navigate your GCSE year. It has been great to see you develop over the last few years. You have grown into great role models, being respectful and kind members of the school community. It is now time to build on the foundation of year 10 to achieve your very best. This year will go so quickly and it won’t be long before we are all celebrating your achievements at prom.
From an academic perspective, it is essential that Year 11 students are aspirational and all highly motivated towards the challenge of achieving the best results possible in their GCSEs. Every lesson and piece of home learning counts, so 100% attendance is vital. This year will be a high pressure environment. It is important that you take the time to look after yourself and your mental health by speaking to others and if stuck using the school section of the website to help.
Your GCSE results are a platform for opportunities beyond Year 11, whether that be in continued education or in a career pathway. This year we will support you in this journey and make sure you attend the Sixth Form Open Evening on the 14th January 2025.
Overall a crucial year ahead and the tutor team and I can’t wait to support you through this year.
Mrs Stockwell
KWS Expectations
Please take the time to re-read Mr Martin’s outline of our high standards and expectations as KWS students return at the start this academic year.
All students should be Ready, Respectful and Responsible. These 3Rs guide our students on how to conduct themselves in their learning and how to interact with students and staff.
Our school values of Knowledge, Wellbeing and Success are key to the character development of our students and how they can achieve personally and academically.
Tutor Team
11 Nightingale Tutor
Mr Lawrence
Year Group Team
Head of Key Stage 4
Mr Ellershaw
Student Officer KS4
Mrs Trunham
Curriculum in Year 11
The curriculum year 11 students follow is outlined in the diagram to the right.
Details of the curriculum studied in each subject in Year 11 can be found on the Curriculum Pages of the website here. As a reminder, the details on programmes of study and exam specifications for options can be found here.
If you would like more detail, please do ask your child to show you the student site and/or google classroom for each of their subjects – this provides access to each lesson and associated resources along with knowledge organisers (KOs) for topics studied.
Careers Education in Year 11
Students will have one form time per week dedicated to the ‘World of Work’, as well as undertaking a PSHCE unit, consolidating their knowledge of careers through Unifrog. Year 11 students will be involved in a drop down day in November, which will involve workshops and presentations focussing on pathways beyond Year 11. This will include information about sixth form colleges, vocational colleges, apprenticeships and technical qualifications, as well as higher education. Students will also have opportunities to meet with visitors from industry and participate in careers trips, should they wish to. Students in all year groups will also take part in careers based lessons in all subjects during KWS Careers month in March.
Home Learning in Year 11
Home learning expectations for Year 11 are outlined here. As in previous years, additional enrichment tasks can be found on each of the subject’s curriculum pages – do encourage your child to dive into some of these.
Super Curriculum in Year 11
Period 7 changes once more for students as they enter Year 11. One session a week remains Independent Study and twice a week students will complete subject specific intervention. The focus of this will change across each block for them. Once a week students have the opportunity to take part in an elective – with many of their favourites from years 7 to 10 repeated alongside some interesting new opportunities to support study or aid relaxation, as they choose at this time.
As in other years students have the opportunity to select Period 7 and clubs twice this year, in July of Year 10 and again in January of Year 11. Choices will be sent home for review and discussion the Friday prior to choices being made the following week in form time, guided by their tutor.
Students will continue to be provided with a large range of other opportunities across the year, such as those outlined here and on our Performing Arts Webpages here
External Examinations in Year 11
To enable students to be prepared for their GCSE examinations, we aim to run all of our mock exam series’ in the same way our public exam season will run. Students will be provided with an Examinations Handbook prior to the first set of mock exams, which they must familiarise themselves with. It is also vital that students are equipped for each exam they sit, and that they understand the rules and regulations of the examination room. Should any students be entitled to special arrangements for any of the examinations, the SEN team will communicate these with staff, students and parents/carers. The ‘Exams’ area of the school website will be updated with key documents throughout the year, in preparation for the summer examination series.
Dates to note for Year 11
All our key events are on the school calendar which can be viewed here and should be reviewed in detail.
Some to note for Year 11:
- The 1st Mock Exams are in the fortnight commencing Monday 4th November 2024- 15th November 2024
- There will be a Mock Results Day on on 5th December 2024, inc. reports home
- Parents Evening (subjects) is scheduled for Tuesday 10th December 2024
- The 2nd set of Mock Exams, focused on Core Subjects, will be in the week commencing 24th February 2025. These will be reported on 20th March 2025
- GCSE Drama final performances – TBC March/April 2025
- DT and Art Exams will be between 22nd April- 2nd May 2025
- GCSE external examinations commence from 7th May
Your first port of call in school is your child’s form tutor, please do get in touch with them via ClassCharts if you have any questions or concerns. Please be aware of agreed protocols for such communications here.