Year 11 Examinations - Summer 2026

Dear Parent/ Carers,

As you are aware, your child in Year 11 is approaching their external GCSE examinations which will take place this April, May & June.

Timetable & Attendance

Please find the timetable for the whole of this period attached with this letter. Your child must attend every one of their exams – each student will receive an individual timetable in addition to the attached at a later date. Missed exams will result in zero marks and most likely a U grade.

Please note that students must be available until the end of Wednesday 24^th June 2026 (in case exam dates need to be moved). Therefore, no holidays or absences can be planned until after this date.

Uniform & Phones

We always have the highest expectations of our students, including during exam season, when arguably expectations should be at their highest to ensure students are able to focus on their performance. To that end, we will be always enforcing school uniform during the examination period – we will provide items of uniform at the exam venue if necessary. The only exception to full uniform will be that students in Year 11 will be able to wear trainers in examinations if they wish, to reduce noise level when entering/leaving venues.

Students will not be able to have written notes, phones, ear pods or watches (digital or analogue) in any examination venue. Students with these items in exam venues will be reported to the exam board and disqualified.

Masterclasses

As part of our Raising Achievement programme, we are committed to providing your child with the most effective support to help them succeed in their exams. To support this, we will be introducing masterclasses before each exam, replacing our previous ‘laser sharp tips’ sessions. These masterclasses will offer a full 75-minute lesson focused on key content and skills for the upcoming exam. This approach also allows us to prioritise your child’s wellbeing immediately before they enter the exam, ensuring they are settled, have eaten, and have water to drink.

Support, Advice & Guidelines

A very informative 1-page overview of all regulations for external exams, produced by the JCQ (regulatory body for exams) is attached. We ask you and your child to read it carefully as it will avoid malpractice, and subsequent issues/disqualification in the summer. 

In addition, the exams area of the school website has more detailed guidance from the JCQ – including the banned use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to write coursework, a designated page of revision support – for both students and families – and a copy of the exam timetable. https://www.swanshurst.org/exams-information-timetables/1541.html

Study Leave

Study Leave for Year 11 students will start from Friday 22^nd May 2026. We will send out further correspondence of the expectations and support in place for after May half term.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support throughout your child’s journey at Swanshurst and to reassure you that with hard work and dedication, pupils will be able to meet their potential this summer.

We look forward to celebrating their successes with you in August - GCSE results day Thursday 20^th August 2026. We urge all students to attend in person to ensure their effective progression to Post-16 courses and access support if necessary.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs S Fletcher
Deputy Headteacher