Dear Parents and Carers
It is the last whole cohort GCSE exam this morning, and for many of our Year 11s their last exam. Overall, I’ve been impressed by our Year 11s, and especially our Year 13s as for them this is their first public exam season. They of course missed half their Year 10 and a significant part of Year 11, including their GCSE exams, due to lockdowns. So, as they complete their A Levels it marks another significant step forward away from the COVID disruption, for which we are thankful.
The Year 11s have ploughed through their extensive exam season in a pretty determined fashion and have given us some reasonably positive feedback after sitting their papers, which we always enjoy hearing. I like to see their reaction once they have finished a subject and it dawns on them that it is now done. We saw it with the Maths paper three this week and will see it this morning for Science. Early on we had pointed out to many of them, after English Literature paper one, that they had now finished their Shakespeare element and that from now they only had to read Shakespeare for fun. This provoked a range of responses, none of which it has to be said were particularly Shakespearean. The other traditional part of this season is the Year 11 leavers’ assembly with the shirt signing which was on Wednesday and very enjoyable. So many students want staff to sign their shirts, which I’m always happy to do if I can find a spot on the shirt free of the lovely pictures (a load of teenage boys with marker pens and shirts to draw on, give you three guesses what they draw, though I suspect you’ll get it on the first go). It was a nice event and a lovely atmosphere as we waved them off wearing their obscene shirts into the community with the hope they claim to be from any other school but this one.
As said, for many of you your child will come home today having finished their GCSE exams and, if not today, it will be next week. Similarly, your child may have already completed their A Levels or, if not, will do so over the next week or two. I haven’t yet experienced exams season as a parent but knowing many who have, and hearing what it can be like at home, a sincere congratulations for getting your child through it all. I understand it is high pressured and very difficult to know what to do to support your child and many parents say they end up getting the brunt of everything at home. All I can say is enjoy this evening if your child has finished, or whichever evening you can look forward to if they are still in next week, and enjoy this summer, it is well deserved. And a personal thanks for all your support over your child’s time here, especially to the parents of our Year 13s – this was the first cohort I welcomed as Head Teacher of Myton, when they arrived in Year 7, and it has been an honour and a pleasure to see them through.
Best wishes
Andy Perry
Head Teacher
