Dear Parents/Carers

I hope your son is enjoying the start of his GCSE courses. This morning I have spoken to all the Year 10 students regarding the Minimum Expected Grades (MEGs) that have been published alongside their current AtL Judgements.

Since 2017 GCSE subjects have been graded 1-9, with 9 signifying the highest level of achievement. A ‘U’ grade is still possible which signifies the students work as ungraded (below a grade 1).

The number scale is not directly equivalent to the old letter one. But if you are still used to thinking about the old A* to G grading scale, the old and current grading scales are comparable at the following points:

• the bottom of a grade 7 is comparable to the bottom of the old grade A

• the bottom of grade 4 is comparable to the bottom of the old grade C

• the bottom of grade 1 is comparable to the bottom of the old grade G

The MEG grades are based on a national database using prior attainment to predict likely outcomes. It is certainly not a ceiling and many students will exceed their MEGs. Please do discuss the MEGs with your son with a particular focus on the word ‘minimum’.

It is worth noting that the statistical model used does not take into account specific pupil’s talents but is based on prior academic attainment. For example, if a child had an aptitude for music and had undertaken piano lessons weekly for the past five years their MEG for GCSE music may appear lower than expected.

Last academic year our year 11 students, on average in all subjects sat, achieved at least 1 grade higher than their MEG (some students significantly exceeded their MEG in some subjects where as other may have failed to meet their MEG).

At this stage in their GCSE courses all pupils should focus on their attitude to learning; if their effort is appropriate, they should make substantial progress.

If you require any further information, please do make contact via the school office.

Yours sincerely

Mr M Cox

Assistant Headteacher

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope your son has enjoyed the first half term of this academic year. I am writing to reinforce the critical role that a positive Attitude to Learning (ATL) plays in determining a pupil’s academic progress and overall development at our school. This term’s judgements are now available via Bromcom (MCAS).

ATL is not simply about grades; it is about the effort, the commitment, and the maturity that your child brings to every lesson and interaction. I firmly believe that behaviours demonstrated daily are the strongest predictors of long-term success, both in school and beyond.

This year we have adapted the judgement descriptors to hopefully be more informative to parents, easier for teachers to use and more impactful for students.

Teachers have been asked to make a ‘best fit’ judgement regarding each pupil’s attitude for every subject, not every example needs to be met for a specific judgement to be made.

Examples of the types of behaviour/attitudes could include -

Above and Beyond (ABO)

• Anyone going above and beyond the criteria for Expected.

• Someone who completes extension work or independent activities over and above what their teacher has asked them to do.

• Contribution in class is exceptional

Expected (EXP)

• Arrive at lessons fully equipped and prepared to learn.

• Complete all CW to the best of their ability.

• Respond to advice on how to improve their work.

• Participate in lessons and work well with their peers.

• To be polite and punctual, participative and cooperative, learning from mistakes, taking pride in what they do.

Just Below Expected (JB)

• Does not always have the correct equipment to complete their work.

• Could participate more fully.

• Does not always respond to advice and feedback.

• Punctuality may be a problem.

Some Concern (SC)

• There could be issues with equipment on a regular basis.

• They could have failed to complete classwork on a number of occasions.

• There could be persistent behavioural issues that affect their or other students’ learning.

• Picking and choosing when they are prepared to work and when they aren’t.

Teachers have also been asked to make judgements regarding homework. Judgements regarding completion and/or quality have been recorded. We have also highlighted where some student’s homework has exceeded the expected standard.

Homework Key:

Exceed Homework often exceeds the expected standard

None No Concerns about Homework

Comp There are concerns about completing work on time

Qual There are concerns about the quality of homework

Comp Qual There are concerns about both quality and completing work on time

When a pupil receives an ‘Above and Beyond’ judgement, it signifies that their daily habits are setting them up for success, and we celebrate that commitment.

However, if your child receives a judgement of ‘Just Below’ or ‘Some Concern’ in a subject, it is a crucial signal that their learning habits are hindering their potential. We urge you to take these judgements seriously and use the reports as a basis for conversation at home. Teachers will be making a second ATL judgement at the end of the Autumn term.

The report also includes attendance and punctuality statistics and a numerical count of positive and negatives recorded on Bromcom (MCAS). Please do have a conversation regarding these measures, the report itself has some graphics and information regarding attendance.

We ask that you focus on the following with your child:

• Review the Report: Discuss their ATL grades with them, the judgements shouldn't be surprising

• Create a Plan: Help them establish a routine for packing their bag the night before, setting aside dedicated time for homework, and encouraging them to use teacher feedback constructively.

• Reinforce Resilience: Remind them that true learning involves struggle and that effort, not just innate ability, is key.

By reinforcing these expectations at home, we can create a powerful and consistent message that effort and attitude are non-negotiable foundations for achievement.

If you have any questions about your child's recent ATL judgements or would like to discuss strategies for supporting them at home, please do not hesitate to contact their Year Leader.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support in ensuring our pupils thrive.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. M A Cox.

Assistant Headteacher 

Dear Parents/Guardians,

I am writing to you to follow up on an important assembly about Artificial Intelligence (AI) that was delivered to year 10, connected to their PSE sessions on Study Skills.

As technologies like Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and Gemini become more prevalent , our goal is to ensure students understand how to use these tools

effectively, responsibly, and ethically in their education.

Here is a brief summary of the key messages from the assembly, designed to guide your son's use of AI:

________________________________________

Effective Student Use of AI (The 'Do's'):

• Study Planning: Ask AI to help create a personalised study schedule.

• Instant Support: Request explanations to help understand difficult concepts for homework.

• Practice and Review: Generate quizzes or practice questions to test knowledge.

• Essay Assistance: Use AI to brainstorm ideas, create an outline, or get feedback on a draft you have written.

• Prompt Engineering: If you are going to ask AI for help, be specific by telling the AI exactly what you want it to do, including the exam board and specification you are studying for.

________________________________________

Poor Student Use of AI (The 'Don'ts'):

• Doing the Work For You: Do not use AI to complete entire assignments, as copying out answers involves no thinking and prevents the development of necessary skills. Remember, learning happens when we have to think hard.

• Plagiarism: Do not submit AI-generated content and pretend the work is your own. This is considered cheating.

• Ignoring Concerns: Be aware that AI can be affected by bias, can confidently generate incorrect information (known as a "hallucination"), and raises privacy issues.

• Using AI unnecessarily: Every use of AI has an environmental impact. Use it only when you are looking to get something specific that you can’t get elsewhere.

________________________________________

JCQ (the Joint Council for Qualifications) Message on AI Misuse in Assessments:

• Malpractice Warning: If a student misuses AI by submitting AI-generated work as their own, they run the risk of losing marks for that assessment or even being disqualified from the subject completely.

• Assessment Rules: Students are not allowed to use AI tools in an exam. For Non-Examined Assessments (NEA/ controlled assessment/ coursework), teachers will state the specific rules, but marks cannot be given for content just produced by AI.

• Reference and Declaration: If AI tools are permitted for a task, students must reference them clearly (including the tool, date, and how it was used) and ensure they have added all references before signing the declaration that the work is their own. Class teachers will provide guidance on this at an appropriate time.

We believe that by setting clear expectations, we can help our students harness the benefits of AI while upholding the highest standards of academic integrity. We encourage you to discuss these important points with your son.

Thank you for your continued support in reinforcing these vital messages at home.

Yours sincerely,

Matt Webber | Deputy Headteacher 

Dear Parents/Carers of Year 10,

Richard Challoner School is committed to ensuring students have the best resources available to plan ahead for their future and as part of that students are provided with impartial Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance.

This can be in lessons, through school events, the careers library and also through the Careers Lead and CEIAG Advisor, Mrs Stansbridge.

Throughout the year Mrs Stansbridge will focus on seeing students either in small groups or individually beginning with students in year 11 to help them think about important choices for post 16 education. Students in years 7-13 will also be offered opportunities as the year progresses and at key points in their decision making.

For year 10,

• Careers appointments will begin in the summer term and are made with students through their student email. Please join us in encouraging students to check their emails and to think ahead about any questions they may have, or areas to explore. Students may be seen in pairs or small groups or as requested through pastoral staff.

• If, as a parent, you have questions or would like to speak to me please make contact through the email address below.

• Year 10 will also complete their careers unit in tutorial at the same time and this will focus on getting ready for making choices in year 11 about their next steps. They will reflect on their first year of GCSE’s and think ahead to end of year papers and revision.

• virtual work experience which will take place during February where we encourage students to sign up via springpod to engage in a placement activity.

• National Apprenticeship Week in February and National Careers Week in March are celebrated in school with activities taking place during tutorial time and materials are placed on the website in advance.

Introducing the concept of careers and future planning at an early stage does allow students to explore their strengths and help to make informed choices. Each year group will also have time in their pastoral programme to explore these themes in more detail. Students are also welcome to drop into the careers office.

There will also be support for school activities and arranging for professionals from varying careers backgrounds to come in and work with students to inspire and bring the working world further into education.

This year we are continuing to use our careers platform called Xello. More information is available on the careers pages linked above and we hope to roll out a parent side later in the academic year to allow you to see your sons progress and career ideas. Students have access to this platform via their ipads and can use independently and during guided time in careers units

Please also visit the careers pages on the school website https://www.richardchalloner.com/careers where there will regularly be information regarding events or opportunities as well as some useful information for parents around career planning. I will write to you again with an update once I have completed the appointments.

I am also excited to introduce a weekly newsletter in association with The Careers People, which will be published on the careers pages of the school website and circulated to students which will give information on national and local events as well as spotlights on varying careers.

If you are able to support in these activities through giving a talk, representing your company or industry or sharing stories with students please complete the following short google form- https://forms.gle/5NQCtPLRzyEhPUiu5

Please take this opportunity to talk at home about future plans and if you have any queries, questions or would like to support these activities in anyway please contact the school or email careersiag@challoner.kingston.sch.uk

Yours sincerely

Mrs LJ Stansbridge

CEIAG Lead (Careers Education and Information Advice and Guidance)