Year 11 Exam Information 2009

SEM/ETT/AMG

25 March 2009

Dear Parent/Carer

Re: Important Information Relating to Year 11 Students

All students in Year 11 are now at a crucial stage of their compulsory schooling, as they begin their final preparations for their GCSE examinations. The following information may help you to support your child through the rigours and demands of the remaining weeks.

Attendance

Examination sessions start at 9 am and 1 pm and will finish approximately 30 minutes later than published.

Attendance at all lessons for all students is a legal requirement, irrespective of whether they have been entered for GCSE examinations or not.

Regular attendance is very important if students are to have the best possible chance of success in the forthcoming exams. Please ensure that your child attends regularly and that the College is informed by letter if your child has a genuine reason for being absent. Students who do not attend for examinations for which they have been entered will be charged the appropriate examination entrance fees unless a medical certificate is provided.

Due to the early finish of the College day it is possible, on some occasions, that any GCSE examinations that are 2 hours or over may not finish in time for students to catch the College buses. In this event, parents will have to arrange a contingency plan for students to get home.

Please note:

In the unlikely event of any student being found guilty of causing serious disruption to GCSE examination classes in the remaining vital weeks or involving themselves in unacceptable behaviour, he/she will not be permitted to sit their GCSE examinations at this centre.

I am sure you are aware from the national press regarding last year's exam season that there has been major concern expressed regarding cheating in exams. Please be aware that to ensure no individual in this College jeopardizes anyone else's exam success we will be using scanning devices to detect mobile phones, MP3 players, iPods, pagers and other similar electronic devices. These items must not be brought into the Examination Hall whether switched on or not. Possession of unauthorised electronic equipment is a breach of Examination Board rules and may result in disqualification from all examinations.

Important Dates

STUDY LEAVE

Year 11 will continue in College until 3:15 pm on Friday 22 May, after which they can remain at home to study and attend only for examinations.

GCSE EXAMS

11 May 2009 to 24 June 2009

Students must be present in College dress for all examinations for which they are entered.

During the examinations students MUST attend in flat shoes to protect the Sports Hall floor. Shoes with pointed heels must be removed on entry.

GCSE EXAM RESULTS - 27 August 2009

Available from the College between 9 am and 12 noon.

During the examinations, a supervised revision room will be provided for students who wish to stay in College. Further information relating specifically to the GCSE examinations is attached.

The College is anxious to give your child the best possible chance of GCSE examination success. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns or if you require any further information. The following staff will be able to assist you:

Mrs E Taylor
Mr S E Moon
College Examinations Officer
Vice Principal

It is important that we know that you have received this information. May we ask, therefore, for a prompt return of the acknowledgement slip below.

Yours sincerely

Mr S E Moon
Vice Principal
Mr D J Hampson, OBE
Principal and Chief Executive

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Acknowledgement Slip - Year 11 Information Letter

I acknowledge receipt of the above letter.

Signature ........................................................................................................................................................................ (Parent/Carer)

Name of Student ............................................................................................................................................................

House Group ..................................................................................................................................................................

Please return to your child's House Tutor by Friday 24 April 2009.


TOLLBAR BUSINESS ENTERPRISE & HUMANITIES COLLEGE

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS REGARDING THE GCSE AND A-LEVEL EXAMINATIONS 2009

During the examinations students MUST attend in flat shoes to protect the Sports Hall floor. Shoes with pointed heels must be removed on entry.

  1. Morning examinations start at 9 am.
    Afternoon examinations start at 1 pm.
    Students should arrive at least 10 minutes before the start time.

  2. If there is an incident, car breakdown etc, which means that a candidate will be late, please telephone the College on 01472 500505 and ask for a message to be given to Mrs Taylor (the College Examinations Officer).

  3. Suitable College dress must be worn.

  4. Black/blue ink pen or biro can be used. A HB pencil is a must when answering computer marked cards. Candidates are responsible for providing their own writing implements, protractors, calculators etc. For English and English Literature exams, students must use black ink only.

  5. No tippex. No red ink. No boxes/bags/cases of pens etc.

  6. No mobile phones, pagers or other similar electronic devices should be brought into the examination room. Students who breach this rule could find themselves disqualified from all of their exams.

  7. Your son/daughter has been given a candidate number on the Statement of Entry. Please help them to learn it.

  8. Any illness that results in a candidate missing any part of any examination must be covered by a doctor's note.

  9. The College will be open from 9 am to 12 noon for A-Level results on Thursday 20 August and for GCSE results on Thursday 27 August, when results will be handed to candidates or their parent/carer. Parents will require a letter of authorisation from the candidate to collect the results on their behalf. Results will not be issued to neighbours/friends etc.

  10. If you know that you will be unavailable to collect the results slips, then please arrange for a stamped, addressed envelope (with candidate number in top left hand corner) to be given to Mrs Taylor.

  11. The results issued in August are not official confirmation of achievement, that comes in the form of certificates which arrive in College in late Autumn. These certificates may be vital for vocational and/or educational purposes.

    In the past, some candidates have not collected their certificates for months, or even years, after the examinations. In future they will not be able to do so, as we are now required to return uncollected certificates to the Boards which issue them. Should your son or daughter require official confirmation of results, it will be necessary for them to write separately to each Examination Board in order to receive uncollected certificates at a considerable cost.

    To save you and your son or daughter inconvenience, time and money, we ask you to co-operate with us in a procedure that will ensure that all students receive their certificates directly from the College.

    If you wish certificates to be posted, candidates should give to their Form Tutor postage stamps to the value of £1.18 to cover the cost of Recorded Delivery. The College will provide envelopes.

    Certificates can be collected from the College office from December 2009 onwards. Those not collected, with stamps supplied, will be posted to the home of the candidates. Those not collected, with no stamps, will be returned to the Boards.

  12. Any appeals concerning the GCSE results must be lodged with Mrs Taylor by 4 September 2009.

    Some candidates (they know who they are) have an examination "clash". They must inform Mrs Taylor as soon as they discover the details of the clash, i.e. two exams at the same time. They will be issued with a slip containing the solution to the clash once details have been cleared by the relevant Examination Board. If candidates are unsure they should see Mrs Taylor. On clash days, candidates should bring a packed lunch.

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