Year 11

‘By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.’ - Benjamin Franklin 

Our Year 11 students have now reached the most vital stage of their academic careers so far and it gives me great pleasure to be their Achievement Team Leader (ATL) for Year 11. I will be supporting and guiding them on their important journey to GCSE and/or BTEC results alongside Ms Symons, our Year Care Team Leader. We are supported by a team of experienced and committed form tutors. I look to continue the outstanding work from Year 10 and expect all students to embed mature attitudes and commitment towards their on-going GCSE course in order to achieve outstanding grades. However, this will not come without hard work. 

Year 11 is one of the most exciting, challenging and important times in a child’s education. During this year, the students will aim to achieve their GCSE and/or BTEC qualifications that will act as a gateway to success for the rest of their lives. The high standards of behaviour and conduct, expected from all students at The Warren, will continue in Year 11.  We expect Year 11 students to continue to follow the school Code of Conduct and ‘be in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing.’  Students’ behaviour and attitudes should reflect the importance of this academic year and should include outstanding attendance and punctuality, engagement in lessons, enthusiasm for learning and a keenness to improve.  Year 11 students will also require resilience – lessons will be challenging and will push students to reach their full potential.  Students must learn that they will not always master and understand things first time.  They will make mistakes; it’s learning from these mistakes which will help them achieve their full potential. Students will be expected to extend their learning at home, particularly with practice exam questions and papers, and we thank parents and carers for their support and encouragement with this. This can be done in various ways such as: 

• Encouraging your child to complete coursework on time 
• Checking they are doing their homework and signing their planner on a weekly basis 
• Making sure they are at school every day and on time 
• Ensuring the balance of work and social life is right 
• Encouraging your child to attend all revision/intervention sessions and study support sessions which will be held on a weekly basis in school. 
• If your child is struggling in any way, let us know straight away by contacting their form tutor, Mr Goodman or Ms. Symons 

Your child will be supported by an experienced pastoral team. Both myself and Ms. Symons have previously led Year 11 groups and supported them in their GCSE year. The tutor team is the most experienced in the school in order to support your child as best as possible. As an experienced team of professionals, who have expert subject knowledge and have led pupils through GCSE courses before; we ask that you trust our judgement and are supportive of our decisions throughout Year 11. 

The behaviour, achievement and progress of the year group are closely monitored and reinforced by myself and all staff at The Warren. Students who display outstanding work and effort are rewarded with positive SIMs entries, public acknowledgment, weekly assembly awards, Year Team rewards and positive phone calls.  Sanctions are used when students do not meet our high standards and parents/carers are asked to support us in the application of these sanctions.  Students are encouraged to have a say in the life of the school: each tutor group will act as representatives to the Year Council meetings and two selected students take part in Student Council meetings to discuss various aspects of school life. 

Form groups will change at the start of Year 11 and, for some students, during the academic year too, to allow additional time for support in English; Maths and Science interventions. This forms part of our intervention programme to ensure students have the best possible opportunity to succeed in their crucial examinations. The linear assessment schedule for GCSEs means the majority of their exams will take place in May/June, with controlled assessments taking place earlier through the year. This means it is all the more important that students remain diligent and committed throughout this year. Students must make sure that their books and notes are well-organised and cared for so that they have them ready to use for revision. 

After school and during the school holidays, students will be required to attend revision classes leading up to their GCSE examinations.  We will continue to push our students to make outstanding progress and urge our Year 11 students to continue to aim high and achieve their full potential. 

Last year, it was a pleasure to be able to provide pupils with a range of trips and extra-curricular opportunities – something that had previously been restricted during Key Stage 3 due to COVID. In Year 10, many pupils attended careers fairs, university fairs and university campuses. As well as focusing on GCSEs at the end of the year, we shall continue to promote to pupils the importance of thinking about their medium and long term futures, as well as providing them insights into future educational and career opportunities. 

The vision of the Year 11 team is to encourage all students to achieve the best outcomes possible with the full support of the year team and their parents/carers.  A positive relationship with home is essential if the students are to achieve this.  Success does not happen by working in isolation – we all need to help and support the most important person, which of course is the student.  Parents’/Carers’ attendance and engagement in information events such as Parents’ Evenings is vital to ensure that we are all aware of any issues or concerns surrounding each student.  Parents/Carers may also be invited in for meetings with subject teachers or members of our Leadership Team to discuss their child’s progress and how best we can support them to achieve their full potential.  We thank you in advance for your attendance and support with this. 

The time between the start and end of Year 11 is not very long, and exams are not as far away as they may seem.  It is imperative that your child – if they have not already – develops efficient and effective working habits, ensuring they are continually revising previously-taught content and completing practice papers. To return to the quote that Benjamin Franklin famously stated, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” – pupils shall need maturity, resilience and discipline from the start of the next academic year.  

Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to another extremely successful year. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at the school.  

Mr J Goodman 

Achievement Team Leader for Year 11