Exams Information

JCQ Contingency Date - Wednesday 24th June 2026

Parents, please be aware of the mandatory JCQ Contingency Dates for all Year 11 students' GCSEs this summer; these are official reserve days scheduled in the event of widespread exam disruption. This means your child must remain available until the final date, Wednesday 24 June 2026, as they must be able to sit any exam rescheduled by the examination boards. Their attendance on this day is non-negotiable and essential to successfully complete their qualifications.

How to help at home

To further support your child's success during this period, I would like to share with you the 5 stage revision strategy that we have shared with the students to best prepare them for their exams:

Make a revision checklist: Help your child list everything they need to study.
Create a revision timetable: Use the school's calendar to plan what to study each week.
Revise effectively: Flashcards should be used for active self-testing, not just reading.
Identity gaps: Self-testing and practice exams will show where they need more work.
Fill in the gaps: After practice questions, use notes to learn what they missed, then test themselves again later.

Here is a useful guide for the most effective way for students to revise: How to study effectively. We also recommend that students use online flashcard creators such as Brainscape to ensure they maximise their use of self-testing.

GCSE Grading System

Please see here for a breakdown of the new GCSE grading system and how it compares to the previous A*–G system. All students should be aiming for at least a Grade 4 (a ‘standard pass’) in every subject.

Foundation vs Higher Tiers

In some subjects, students sit either a Foundation paper (covering grades 1–5) or a Higher paper (covering grades 4–9).
Your teacher will guide you towards the tier that best matches your ability and helps you reach your potential.

Vocational Subjects
Vocational courses are not graded in the same way as GCSEs. Instead, they follow a system of:

Pass (equivalent to around a Grade 4/5)
Merit (equivalent to around a Grade 6)
Distinction (equivalent to around a Grade 7/8)
Distinction* (equivalent to a Grade 8/9)

This allows vocational qualifications to be compared with GCSEs while recognising the different style of learning and assessment.

Page updated

Report abuse