Dear Parent/Carer,

I am taking this opportunity to write to you, before the exam season begins in earnest, to outline our expectations over the weeks and months ahead.

As a cohort of students, Year 13 conducted themselves in exemplary fashion during the prep exams in January and this has set a positive precedent for the summer exams.  I have congratulated students on their attendance, punctuality and conduct during the prep exams and fully expect the same commitment in the summer term.

Thank you too for your attendance at parents evening last week.  Parental support is very important to us and a key part of your child’s success. 

As you know, exams begin in early May. To ensure all students maximise the remaining weeks in college and fulfil their own ambitions and high expectations we have for them, I am sharing this key information with you.

Attendance

Where a student’s attendance is below 80% – it is the equivalent of missing 38 days of college.  This is nearly 8 weeks per year. 

We know that attendance at college is a major factor in contributing to a student’s success at the end of their two years with us.  It is therefore extremely important that your child’s attendance to lessons is 100%.  Your child’s attendance to each subject is stated on the progress review you received last week.

Holidays

In line with our college policy, holidays are not permitted during term time and these will not be authorised. 

Absence

If your child is absent from college, we ask the student or their parent to telephone the college before 9am and speak to Mrs Tracey Barratt in the office or leave a message. Absence must always be explained. 

Absence from college, when known in advance, should be requested by the completion of a Leave of Absence request and approved by Mrs Edmundson, Bev or me.  In the case where a student needs to leave college due to illness, may I respectfully remind you that students must inform a member of the 6th form team.

Independent Study

Your child is expected to attend all timetabled lessons, this includes two hours of study support lessons each week. 

Students are directed by subject teachers to the work they should be completing out of lessons and this time, along with studying at home, is designed to support this.  We have a newly refurbished study area which is specifically allocated for quiet study. 

Students may also make use of the common room which has a less formal atmosphere. 

Please note that students who are not observing the request to work quietly in the study area, will be asked to leave and work elsewhere.

The study area is available for students to use before and after college and they are invited to use it in their free lessons, not just their timetabled study support lessons. 

At this stage in Year 13, students should be completing 1 hour’s independent study, outside of lessons, for each A level subject every day.

Thank you for your support in this important preparation time for your child’s exams in the summer term.

If you have concerns regarding any aspect of your child’s life at EMS6, please feel free to contact me;  lhenderson@ems.bhcet.org.uk  or Mrs Edmundson; cedmundson@ems.bhcet.org.uk

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. L. Henderson
Head of Sixth Form