Dear Parents/Carers
As we approach the beginning of the main GCSE examination period on Monday, I wanted to take a moment, on behalf of the whole school community, to wish all of our wonderful Year 11 students the very best of luck.
Whilst some students have already completed speaking assessments and a small number of examinations, for the vast majority this marks the true beginning of an incredibly important period in their educational journey. Over the coming weeks, our students will demonstrate not only the knowledge and skills they have developed over the last five years, but also the resilience, determination and character that make us so proud of them each and every day.
I have taken the time to write individually to our Year 11 students, and these letters should begin arriving through your doors next week. It is incredibly important to me that our students know just how valued they are and that their hard work, commitment and dedication are recognised and celebrated within our school community.
They truly are a wonderful year group and I am constantly impressed by their attitude, their work ethic and their determination to be the very best versions of themselves. They have faced challenges along the way, as every young person does, yet time and time again they have shown resilience, maturity and perseverance. They should be incredibly proud of themselves already, regardless of what happens over the next few weeks.
We also fully appreciate that examinations can be an extremely stressful and emotional time, not only for students but also for parents, carers and families at home. The pressure young people can place upon themselves can feel immense, and as adults we often feel that pressure alongside them because we care so deeply about their wellbeing and future.
At school, we have always tried to develop far more than academic success alone. We hope we have helped our Year 11 students build the resilience to overcome hurdles, the confidence to keep trying even when things feel difficult and the understanding that setbacks do not define them. Hard work and effort do pay off, and it is never too late to keep striving, improving and believing in yourself. Most importantly, our students know that they are never facing this alone.
Pastoral staff, form tutors, subject teachers, Heads of Year, SEND staff and senior leaders remain available throughout the examination period to support students academically and emotionally. Whether students are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, worried or simply need reassurance, we are here for them every step of the way.
Equally, we recognise that this period can place additional pressure on households and families. Parents and carers are often supporting revision routines, managing emotions, encouraging positivity and helping to maintain calm during what can be a very intense few weeks. Please remember that support is available to you too. If there are concerns, worries or if your child is struggling in any way, we encourage you to contact school so that we can work together to provide the right support.
As a school community, we are incredibly proud of every single one of our Year 11 students. Success looks different for every child, and what matters most is that they approach these examinations with courage, determination and pride in the effort they have put in.
On behalf of everyone at school, we wish all of our Year 11 students every success and every happiness over the coming weeks. We believe in every one of them and cannot wait to celebrate all they go on to achieve.
Good luck, Year 11 — the Boteler Family are right behind you.
Beverley Scott-Herron
Headteacher
GCSE Exam and Revision Timetable
As we approach the start of the GCSE exams, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your ongoing support and collaboration. As you will be aware, the GCSE exams begin on Tuesday 5th May and last for six weeks. I have met with the Year 11 students on Monday 20th April, to talk them through what will be happening in terms of lessons and exams over the coming weeks. Form Tutors are further reinforcing this information during registration.
Normal timetabled lessons will continue to run until all exams in a subject have been completed. Where possible, students will have a one-hour revision session either the day before, or the morning before sitting a GCSE exam. These revision sessions are compulsory and are highly beneficial to how your child performs in their exams. Students must attend all revision sessions in full school uniform and bring the correct equipment.
Where students have sat the final exam in a subject, they will still attend the lesson for supervised study where they can revise for their other subjects. Students must be prepared and bring revision materials with them to these sessions. Appropriate materials may be revision cards, past exam papers, mark schemes, model answers and note paper or subject exercise books. Students need to be active in these sessions and not simply reading notes. As I have said to Year 11, time now should be spent on practicing answering questions several times. This will help them in recognising what a question requires, initiating their response with a correct answer that gains the marks available on the exam.
I have included a copy of the Exam and Revision Timetable to inform you when key revision sessions are taking place. Please familiarise yourself with the timetable. Form Tutors will be displaying the timetable for the week ahead during registration each morning. Period 6 sessions will also be continuing for subjects that are still to be examined. Click here for the Exam and Revision Timetable.
Many thanks for the role you are playing in encouraging your child to revise and succeed. Your child’s engagement with revision should have increased significantly over recent weeks with their revision continuing each evening through the exam period. As a guide, students should be spending two hours each evening preparing and revising for their exams. One of the best forms of revision is answering past examination papers and creating and reviewing summary notes/cue cards/knowledge organisers. Please ensure that your child is active in their revision and revising several subjects each evening to ensure their revision is balanced. We appreciate that this can sometimes be overwhelming, and it is important to chunk the revision and build in appropriate breaks. We are always here and happy to support in whatever capacity is needed.
I hope that results day on Thursday 20st August 2026 will be a rewarding day for your child. I wish them well in the weeks ahead and thank you for your support once again.
Preparedness for Learning
At our school, we are proud that the vast majority of students arrive every day fully prepared for learning, equipped with the tools they need to succeed. Being organised and ready to learn is one of the simplest, yet most important, habits that supports positive educational outcomes, excellent behaviour for learning and ultimately stronger examination performance.
Recently, however, we have seen an increased number of students arriving without the correct equipment for school. Missing equipment can disrupt learning, reduce independence and impact students’ ability to fully engage in lessons. It also prevents students from developing the routines and personal responsibility that are essential for future success.
Students are expected to bring the following equipment to school every day:
Essential Pencil Case Equipment
- Pen (black or blue)
- Pencil
- Purple pen
- Ruler
- Eraser
- Pencil sharpener
- Compass
- Protractor
(All of the above should be kept in a suitable pencil case.)
Other Required Equipment
- Scientific calculator (we recommend the Casio fx-83GTX)
- Coloured pencils
- Suitable school bag
- Reading book
- Knowledge organiser (provided by school)
Art Equipment List
- Good quality A4 sketchbook
(available from the Art Department for £1 during the first two weeks) - Selection of graded art pencils: B, 2B, 4B, 6B
- Black fine liners
- Felt tips/Sharpie pens
- White gel pen
- Tin watercolour paints
- Fine paintbrushes
- Glue stick
- Plastic zip clear wallet to keep equipment organised
Optional Art Equipment
- Acrylic paint set
- Oil pastels
- Paper smudge stick
Equipment checks are carried out daily by members of staff and we will continue to monitor standards closely. We understand that some families may occasionally need support, and we have successfully supported many students in ensuring they have the correct equipment. If assistance is needed, please contact the school and we will do our best to help.
Being fully equipped is not simply about having stationery — it is about developing pride, responsibility, resilience and readiness for learning. Students who are organised and prepared are better able to focus, participate confidently and make the most of every lesson, leading to stronger progress and improved outcomes over time.
Thank you for your continued support in helping all students arrive at school ready to succeed.
Year 8 Immunisations – HPV
Please click on the following link to view a letter and consent form from the Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral School Age Immunisation Service, regarding the upcoming Year 8 Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations. These vaccinations will take place in school on Tuesday 19/05/26.
Parent/Carer letter for HPV vaccines
If you have any questions, please contact the Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral School Age Immunisation Service.
Lidl Voucher – Exam Season
Year 10
On July 1st all Year 10 students will go to Warrington Vale Royal College for a taster day. They will sign up in advance to the subjects they would like to do on the day.
If students are interested in attending Priestley College after Year 11 they may sign up with their form tutor for Priestley’s taster day on July 6th. This will be half a day.
These taster days are crucial in helping the students decide which college is right for them but also what courses and extra curricular the colleges offer.
Ambassador training Year 9
Students in Year 9 signed up for the Ambassador programme this week and completed additional essential skills training . These students will support Year 6 with their transition to secondary school, helping with the taster evenings and the transition days.
Thank a Teacher Day
National Thank A Teacher Day – Thank a Teacher
If you would like to celebrate a particular teacher then please use the link above.
Uniform Donations
We are welcoming donations of the following items of uniform.
-skirts
-bags
-blazers
-ties
-PE Kit items
–barely worn school shoes
If you have any items you can donate, please could they be dropped off in the box outside the main reception. Please can we ask that any donated items be clean.
Parent Forum: Wellbeing and Mental Health. Stress Resilience and Balancing School Life
We would like to invite all parents and carers to attend our upcoming Parent Forum on Wellbeing and Mental Health on Thursday 14th May from 18:00 – 19:00
This session is designed to support parents and carers in understanding some of the challenges young people may face and how we can work together to promote positive mental health and wellbeing. The forum will include information about the support available in school, practical strategies to use at home, and an opportunity for parents to share ideas, ask questions and provide feedback.
We welcome all parents and carers to attend as we continue to strengthen our partnership in supporting students both academically and emotionally.
Refreshments, including tea, coffee and biscuits, will be provided.
To help us prepare for the evening, please confirm your attendance using the link below:
English Department
English support sessions
On Sunday 10th May, there will be a Literature support session for Literature paper 1 at 13:00 – 14:00. The real GCSE Literature paper 1 exam will take place on Monday 11th May AM.
On Sunday 17th May, there will be a Literature support session for Literature paper 2 and a Language support session for Language paper 1 10.30-12.00. The real GCSE Literature paper 2 exam will take place on Tuesday 19th May Am and the real GCSE Language paper 1 exam will take place on Thursday 21st May am.
Curtis Jobling Author Visit
The Library took a group of Year 7 students to Bridgewater High School to see Curtis Jobling introduce his new book, ‘Red Tide’. Curtis is creator of Bob the Builder and award-winning fantasy-horror writer and we were taken through his books and inspirations for them. One of our students won a competition to take home one of his hand-drawn sketches that we have dubbed Bob the Werebuilder! Students enjoyed seeing another writer in action and we hope to welcome Curtis to our Library here in the future.
Geography Department
Year 9 had an incredible 2 days at Tyn-y-Felin last week. Students had the opportunity to practice geography fieldwork skills relax on the beach and even enjoy smores around the campfire at night.
Hospitality – Star Chef!
A fun day in aid of supporting one of our families and being organised and supported by people in the community.
Encounter Youth and Westy Youth are back!
All high-school age young people are welcome. E-mail our school youth worker kwellens@boteler.org.uk if you have any questions, or feel free just to turn up!
