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YEAR 11 - 11 September 2026 Welcome to Year 11
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11th September 2026
Dear Parents and Carers,
We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our students on an exemplary start to Year 11. They have embraced the increased expectations and responsibilities of their final year of Key Stage 4 extremely well, and we have been very impressed by their conduct, maturity and commitment to learning.
Welcome to Year 11 Evening
Thank you to everyone who attended our Welcome to Year 11 Evening. We appreciate that families have many commitments and understand that not everyone was able to join us.
A copy of the information slides shared during the evening can be found via the ‘Parent Zone’ tab on the school website.
Key Dates
Please make a note of the following important dates:
Year 11 Parent Subject Consultation Evening 1: Thursday 8th October 2026
Year 11 Mock Exams 1: Tuesday 3rd November–Thursday 26th November 2026
Year 11 Parent Subject Consultation Evening 2: Thursday 21st January 2027
Year 11 Mock Exams 2: Tuesday 23rd February–Friday 5th March 2027
English, Maths, Science and Humanities
Year 11 Mock Exams 3: Monday 22nd March–Thursday 25th March 2027
Other subjects
Summer GCSE Examinations Begin: Monday 10th May 2027
Our GCSE Countdown
The GCSE examinations may feel some way away, but the countdown has already begun. There are:
4 weeks (20 school days) until Parent Consultation Evening 1
7 weeks 5 days (38 school days) until Mock Exams 1
19 weeks (95 school days) until Parent Consultation Evening 2
23 weeks 5 days (118 school days) until Mock Exams 2
27 weeks 4 days (137 school days) until Mock Exams 3
34 weeks 4 days (172 school days) until the GCSE examinations begin
Every lesson, every day and every opportunity to learn counts.
Year 11 Interventions: Prep and PM Tutor
As we begin the important Year 11 journey, we are pleased to introduce our PM Tutor and Prep sessions, which are designed to provide targeted support and additional opportunities for students to strengthen their knowledge and make progress across their GCSE subjects.
PM Tutor Sessions
From Tuesday 15th September, PM Tutor sessions will run during school time from 2:30–3:00pm, Tuesday to Friday.
These sessions will be delivered in small intervention groups by subject experts. Heads of Department are carefully creating group lists so that students receive targeted support in the areas that will be most beneficial to them at different points throughout the year.
If your child is invited to a PM Tutor intervention, this will be visible on their Arbor account, so you can see which session they should attend.
Monday PM Tutor - Year 11 Assemblies
On Mondays, PM Tutor will be dedicated to Year 11 assemblies. These assemblies are particularly important and will include information about Post-16 pathways, opportunities and upcoming events. It is therefore vital for students to attend these assemblies.
Prep Sessions
Prep sessions will begin on Wednesday 16th September and will run from 3:00–4:00pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The subjects that offer Prep are:
Wednesdays:
Science
Art, Design and Technology
Performing Arts (Music and Drama)
English
Thursday:
MFL (French and Spanish)
Humanities (Geography, History and RE)
Sports and Health
Maths
As with PM Tutor, these sessions will be carefully targeted, and students may be invited to attend different Prep sessions at different points throughout the year. If your child is invited to a session, this will appear on Arbor, so you will be able to check where they need to be.
It is absolutely fine if your child is not currently allocated to a PM Tutor or Prep session this half term. These groups are not intended for every student, every week. They will change throughout the year in response to students' needs, progress and upcoming assessments. Our aim is to ensure that the right students receive the right support at the right time.
We are very grateful for your continued support as we work together to help every Year 11 student make as much progress as possible. If you have any questions about PM Tutor or Prep sessions, please do not hesitate to email me.
Looking Ahead - Post-16 Opportunities
Some Post-16 providers have already begun advertising their open evenings and other opportunities for prospective students. A table of the current opportunities is included at the end of this letter.
We will continue to update this as further opportunities are advertised, so please check back regularly.
Supporting Our Students
Year 11 is a vital year for our students. We will continue to provide them with the support, guidance and opportunities they need to make excellent progress and achieve their potential.
Your support in helping students to maintain positive routines, attend school every day, complete independent study and revision, and engage positively with feedback from their teachers will be crucial. We are very grateful to work in partnership with you.
We will continue to share important information with students and families throughout the year. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of the Year 11 team if you have any questions or if there is anything we can do to support your child.
Yours sincerely,
The Year 11 Team
Orchard School Bristol
