Posted: 26 May 2016
Important: Letter To Parents
26th May 2016
Dear Parents and Guardians
I am writing to provide you with information for the remainder of this academic year. However, I would first like to thank you for your support over the last year. I have enjoyed having the opportunity to meet with many of you and working together to improve the quality of your child’s education.
RAMADAN TIMINGS
The timetable below will be effective from Sunday 5th June
PRIMARY SCHOOL | SECONDARY SCHOOL
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8.00 – 8.10 | Registration | 8.00 – 8.10 | Registration |
8.10 – 8.40 | Period 1 | 8.10 – 8.40 | Period 1 |
8.40 – 9.10 | Period 2 | 8.40 – 9.10 | Period 2 |
9.10 – 9.30 | Break | 9.10 – 9.40 | Period 3 |
9.30 – 10.00 | Period 3 | 9.40 – 10.00 | Break |
10.00 – 10.30 | Period 4 | 10.00 – 10.30 | Period 4 |
10.30 – 11.00 | Lunch | 10.30 – 11.00 | Period 5 |
11.00 – 11.30 | Period 5 | 11.00 – 11.30 | Lunch |
11.30 – 12.00 | Period 6 | 11.30 – 12.00 | Period 6 |
12.00 – 12.30 | Period 7 | 12.00 – 12.30 | Period 7 |
Please ensure that your child is collected from school at 12.30pm as staff are also required to leave the premises by 1.00pm.
YEAR 10 AND KS3 (Years 7,8&9) EXAMS
Year 10 exams will run from Sunday 29th May – Thursday 2nd June. Year 10 students are on study leave during their exam week. Students must ensure that they sign in at Reception when arriving at school. They must also sign out when leaving the School. Students choosing to stay in school will be provided with a study room. Students may only visit the Cafeteria during break and lunch.
(Please see the attached timetable)
We would like to take this opportunity to stress that classes will continue after the exams. Year 10 students are following an IGCSE programme and it is essential that they attend all classes until the end of the academic year. Work covered in this period could easily appear in their final IGCSEs at the end of Year 11.
KS3 EXAMS
KS3 exams will run from the Sunday 5th June until the Thursday 16th June.
Please be aware that the timetable for Years 7 – 9 has changed as a result of an earlier finish during Ramadan.
(Please see the attached timetable)
We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that classes will still be running throughout the examination period and until the end of term.
CEM
An Introduction to the CEM projects at AAESS
During 2015-16, a decision was taken to enrol our primary and secondary students in projects run by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring at Durham University, England (CEM). Our first cohort of Year 9 will take CEM tests at the same time as their end of year exams (documented on the attached exam timetable).
The following information explains what this means for students and for parents.
What is CEM?
The CEM project started in the 1980s in England and has since spread internationally. By 2007, over 7300 schools were engaged over 37 countries. The project, however, remains focussed on British educations systems.
What do the CEM projects do?
The projects aim to develop monitoring and quality assurance systems in schools that focus on the key outcomes of education: achievement; attitudes (including self-esteem), and value-added. The tests make predictions about the potential and future performance of individual students based on statistical models drawn from the research at the Durham CEM Centre. These baseline tests are in the form of multiple choice puzzles and are designed to be enjoyable and stress-free. This is to maximise the predictive ability of the test – no-one performs at their best under too much stress.
YEAR 9: INSIGHT
This CEM project is taken at the end of Year 9. The project is in two parts. The first part is a series of computer adaptive tests based on the core subjects of the National Curriculum for England. Students take 45 minute curriculum based tests in reading, mathematics and science.
The second part is a set of computer adaptive baseline tests lasting around an hour. The tests cover vocabulary, skills and non-verbal ability. The more questions a student gets right, the more the questions increase in difficulty – the computer adapts the test to each student.
The results we get from CEM provide individual student scores showing relative learning strengths and predictions of likely success in the various (I)GCSE subjects at age 16.
Can my child revise?
No. Naturally, the vocabulary tests assess certain aspects of English language ability. The result of the tests will be used to guide students, inform teaching and set realistic but ambitious targets for individuals; they are not tests to rank or grade students.
Will parents get the results?
Parents who would like to discuss the full details of their child’s profile will have an opportunity later in the term to make an individual appointment with one of the Secondary Senior Leadership Team who will help interpret the various scores and indicators.
When are the tests?
The tests will take place at various times during the Year 9 examination weeks as published on the exam timetable. The tests take place in the ICT rooms so need to be spread throughout the week to ensure access to sufficient computers.
What if my child is not in Year 9?
In order to establish a full set of data for all our students, a number of tests will be carried out at the start of the next academic year for different year groups. This will mean that every student will eventually be tracked throughout their time in the school.
If you have questions about CEM please do not hesitate to contact me at school.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
Please be informed that a new uniform will be introduced for the 2016-2017 academic school year. You will be able to purchase it from the School Shop which will be set up in the PE Hall from the middle of August (dates to be finalised and you will be notified via the website and email).
Details of the new uniform and the new dress code will be sent to you shortly, once the finer details have been confirmed, to avoid any confusion. This will also be available on the school website. Please do not purchase or tailor any current school uniform items as these will become redundant.
PRIZE GIVING
There will be a formal prize giving ceremony on Monday 27th June. Parents of prize winners are encouraged to attend and invitations will be sent at the beginning of June. We hope that you will be able to join us in celebrating your child’s successes this academic year.
If you have any questions arising from any of the information provided, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Peter Gillmore
Head of Secondary School