Dear Parents/Carers and Students
As more information is gradually shared with schools about the procedures for deciding GCSE grades this year, I am writing to provide you with an update and links to some key documents.
The first document to share is the JCQ-Guidance-for-Students-and-Parents-on-Summer-2021
Secondly, please find our HA Summer 2021 Assessment Policy for Determining Teacher Assessed Grades in Summer 2021.
By Friday 23rd April, we will be able to share with you how assessment activities will contribute to overall grades and the assessment ‘portfolio’ for each subject. This will include the timetable for the additional assessments. We will be taking a very careful approach to deciding what additional assessments activities students will need to take in the weeks after Easter: it is essential that we balance student workload and the additional pressure on our students. We will also provide clear information about the opportunity to make representations and appeal procedures.
In the meantime, the best advice we can give students is to remain focussed on their lessons and the work that teachers are setting in class and for homework. Class teachers have been setting home learning over recent weeks and for Easter, to support the additional assessment activities. These will made available through Show My Homework. Home learning is been carefully planned to ensure that students have the opportunity to continue to prepare for their work after Easter while also taking opportunities to support their wellbeing.
No assessments will take place during the week commencing 19th April; assessments will be spread evenly between Monday 26th April and Wednesday 26th May. To ensure staff have time to complete our moderation, standardisation and review of grading decisions, the last day that Year 11 will be in school is Wednesday 26th May. After Easter, we will share with students, parents and carers our plans to celebrate their time at Hayle Academy. We will provide eligible students with Free School Meals vouchers to cover the rest of May and part of June.
For now, please be assured that our teachers, subject leaders and the leadership team are carefully reviewing the information that is being shared with us by the DfE and the awarding bodies and that we will ensure that parents and students are given clear information about the grading process after Easter.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our families for their continued partnership. As always, parents with any questions are warmly invited to contact the school on enquiries@hayleacademy.net or via the Head of Upper School on emma.parker@hayleacademy.net for further advice and support.
Yours faithfully,
Simon Horner
Head of School
Hayle Academy