Dear Parents/Carers

I hope you are all well.

Thank you for all of your kind words and support for our Year 11 students. The GCSE examination season is now in full flow, and our students are conducting themselves exceptionally well. They are remaining calm, focused, and determined, and we are incredibly proud of the maturity and resilience they are showing throughout this important period.

Huge congratulations must also go to our STEM team, who recently won the United Utilities Challenge. The feedback from the judges was absolutely outstanding, and it was wonderful to see our students recognised for their creativity, teamwork, and innovation. I know Mr Caine will be sharing more details about this fantastic achievement later in this edition.

I would also like to thank you for your continued support with uniform and standards. We have had a really positive week, and students have looked incredibly smart, organised, and ready to learn. It is essential that every student arrives each day fully equipped with a pencil case, calculator, and their ESA, as these small routines make a significant difference to learning and preparation.

Last night, we also held our Parents’ Forum on Mental Wellbeing, which was very well attended and extremely positive. Thank you to everyone who came along and contributed. We are always keen to ensure these forums are useful and supportive for families, so please do let us know if there are particular topics or ideas you would like us to explore next year. We are here to support and serve our community in this capacity.

At present, we are also having a renewed focus on behaviour standards across the school. From time to time, it is important that we revisit and reset expectations through assemblies and targeted support for key groups of students. The vast majority of our students consistently demonstrate excellent conduct, kindness, and respect. However, a very small minority continue to make poor choices around lesson attendance, punctuality, and the way they interact with others.

I want to be absolutely clear about our expectations. If a young person wishes to be part of the amazing Boteler Family, then they must follow the rules and uphold our values. We are a supportive, caring, understanding, and fair school, but there are also clear non-negotiables that ensure every child can learn in a calm, safe, and purposeful environment.

Sanctions, including detentions, are not optional. As a courtesy and because we value our positive working relationships with families, we inform parents and carers when sanctions are issued. However, it is imperative that students understand these expectations and that school and home work together in supporting them. While we always listen and work with families, our expectations are made crystal clear from the outset, and we will not apologise for maintaining high standards.

We will never allow the learning of the many to be disrupted by the poor choices of a few. Every child deserves to learn in an environment where they feel safe, respected, and able to succeed. We recognise that every young person is different, and we pride ourselves on supporting all students as individuals. However, when poor behaviour is a deliberate choice, it is our responsibility to challenge it, help students reflect, and support them in making better decisions moving forward.

I know the overwhelming majority of our families are incredibly supportive, and I want to thank you sincerely for continuing to work alongside us. Together, we can ensure that every child receives the opportunities, guidance, and high standards they deserve. We remain fully committed to being the very best school community we can be and to continuing this partnership with you all.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.

Beverley Scott-Herron

Headteacher

 

KS3 WA2 Internal Assessments: 8th June – 19th June 2026

Students will be sitting their final Working At (WA) assessment of this academic year in all of their subjects during assessment fortnight (Monday 8th June – Friday 19th June 2026). This may take the form of a test or an assessed piece of writing/practical piece of work.

Students will be provided with revision lists giving details of the topics and content that will be tested. We are also encouraging students to take their workbooks home to revise. It is important that students look after their workbooks and check they have the correct books that are needed for the following day when packing their bags for school each evening. The expectation is that students spend time each evening preparing for the assessments. Constant revision and practice is the surest way to fully embed skills and knowledge required to secure excellent achievement at KS4.

All tests will be classroom based and undertaken under exam conditions. It is important that students are used to working in this environment, so they are fully prepared for their examinations in Year 11. Students are expected to be fully prepared for all assessments with the correct equipment which includes:

• Pen
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Eraser
• Pencil sharpener
• Pencil case
• Scientific calculator

Assessment Timetable
We ask parents and carers to spend time reviewing the attached assessment timetable with their child. This year, the timetable shows the exact day and lesson period for each assessment for all subjects, helping students to plan their preparation more effectively. Please note that Design and Technology will not appear on the timetable, as students follow a carousel model and complete their assessments at the end of each term. PE is also not included because students are assessed more frequently—twice each half term. Students will receive a hard copy of their personalised timetable during morning registration, where they will be given time to highlight when each assessment takes place, supported by their form tutors. It is important that students know exactly when each assessment is scheduled so they can prepare appropriately and feel confident in the weeks ahead.

Timetables can be accessed vis the links below.

YEAR 9 TIMETABLE KS3 Assessments JUNE 2026 PDF.pdf

YEAR 8 TIMETABLE KS3 Assessments JUNE 2026 PDF.pdf

YEAR 7 TIMETABLE KS3 Assessments JUNE 2026 PDF.pdf

Students’ assessment scores and progress judgements will be included in the WA Assessment Report, which will be emailed to all parents on Friday 10th July.

If you have any concerns or questions about any matters related to how your child’s progress is tracked and reported, please don’t hesitate to contact me on jkoltan@boteler.org.uk or your child’s Class Teacher.

 

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.

 

The Importance of Sleep and Evening Routines

At school, we can often see students arrive tired, unsettled and not fully ready to learn. When exploring the reasons behind this, late nights, excessive screen time, mobile phones and gaming are often significant contributing factors. While technology is an important part of young people’s lives, poor evening routines can have a major impact on sleep, wellbeing, behaviour and learning.

Why Sleep Matters

Teenagers need approximately 8–10 hours of sleep each night to function well physically, emotionally and academically. Sleep is essential for:

• Concentration and memory
• Emotional regulation and mood
• Behaviour and decision-making
• Motivation and resilience
• Physical health and wellbeing
• Academic performance

Students who do not get enough sleep are more likely to:

• Struggle to focus in lessons
• Become easily distracted or frustrated
• Experience lower mood and motivation
• Find it harder to manage friendships and emotions
• Arrive late or unprepared for school
• Miss breakfast or rush in the morning
• Experience increased anxiety and stress

Often, tiredness creates a “ripple effect” throughout the school day. A late night can quickly lead to:
poor sleep → difficult mornings → rushing → missing breakfast → low energy → reduced focus and poorer behaviour in school.

The Impact of Phones and Gaming

Many young people are using phones, social media, streaming services or gaming late into the evening and sometimes during the night. This can significantly affect sleep because:

• Blue light from screens reduces the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps us sleep
• Gaming and social media stimulate the brain, making it harder to relax
• Notifications and messages interrupt sleep cycles
• Students may lose track of time online
• Some students wake during the night to check phones or continue gaming

Even if students are physically in bed, they are often not getting quality sleep.

 

Helpful Strategies for Families

Small changes to evening routines can make a big difference.

Create a Consistent Bedtime Routine

• Encourage the same bedtime and wake-up time each day, including weekends where possible
• Begin winding down 30–60 minutes before bed
• Encourage calming activities such as reading, listening to music or having a shower

Reduce Screen Time Before Bed

• Aim for phones, tablets and gaming devices to be switched off at least one hour before sleep
• Avoid gaming late into the evening, particularly competitive online gaming
• Consider charging phones overnight outside the bedroom
• Turn off notifications overnight where possible

Support Better Mornings

• Prepare school bags and uniform the night before
• Encourage students to eat breakfast each morning, even something small
• Build enough time into the morning to avoid rushing and stress

Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment

• Keep bedrooms dark, cool and quiet
• Avoid caffeine and energy drinks in the evening
• Encourage physical activity during the day to support better sleep

Working Together

Good sleep routines are not just about bedtime — they are closely linked to attendance, punctuality, emotional wellbeing and academic success. Students who are well rested are more likely to arrive at school calm, focused, motivated and ready to learn.

We appreciate the support of families in helping young people develop healthy routines that allow them to thrive both in and out of school.

 

Prayer Space

Throughout the exam period, Mike (School Chaplain) and Kim (Youth for Christ) will be running a quiet prayer and reflection space on Tuesday and Thursday lunchtimes in Room 19.

This is welcome to all but specifically aimed at Year 11s during their exams.

 

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.

 

 

TCAT Parliament

This week we held TCAT Parliament and welcomed all the TCAT schools into our school. Sarah Hall the Labour MP for Warrington South led the session and the students had pre prepared questions for her. Sarah spoke about her journey to become an MP and answered questions on various hot topics including flooding in Warrington, the health system in Warrington, mental health support in schools and her thoughts around the Government and its leadership. Two students in TCAT have been elected to be Members of Youth Parliament and two their deputies. These students had already met Sarah before today and asked extremely informative questions. I am so proud of all our TCAT Parliament members.

Students continue to be amazing Ambassadors in school, this week they have been involved with interviewing new members of staff.

Coming up for Year 10:

Warrington Vale Royal College compulsory post 16 trip is on the 1st of July 2026. We will leave school at 09:00 and return for 15:00

Please see the information letter attached here: WVR Visit Year 10 July 2026

If your child hasn’t signed up for their subject tasters on the day they must go to Mrs Butcher’s room early next week to complete the online form.

 

The Priestley College trip is the 6th July – This is for students who are thinking of Priestley and not for all students.

 Please take a look at the courses they offer here:https://www.priestley.ac.uk/

 

Our Post 16 College Information Evening with Priestley, Cronton and Riverside and Warrington Vale Royal is on the 30th June at 18:00 in the school hall. We will send out more information shortly.

 

Year 7, 8 & 9

Over the last few Career sessions Year 7, 8 and 9 have been learning about different careers please ask them about their aspirations for the future. A great website is:

Careers in… – Careers – BBC Bitesize

 

STEM Challenge

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Boteler Wider Curriculum

Please don’t forget to support your child in attending a Boteler Extra Curricular club – days and times of the club can be found here:

Wider Curriculum – Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School

 

 

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.

 

Successful Parent Forum Focuses on Mental Health and Wellbeing

Thank you to all of the parents and carers who attended our recent Parent Forum on Mental Health and Wellbeing. It was fantastic to see such strong engagement from our school community and to have the opportunity to work together in supporting the wellbeing of our young people.

The evening provided valuable discussion around the importance of positive mental health, the challenges that children and young people may face, and the ways in which school and home can work in partnership to provide support. 

We are pleased to share that the presentation slides from the forum will be available on the school website for any parents or carers who were unable to attend or who would like to revisit the information shared during the session.

During the forum, several practical strategies were discussed that parents may wish to adopt at home:

• Maintain open communication by regularly checking in with your child and encouraging honest conversations about how they are feeling.
• Promote healthy routines, including consistent sleep patterns, balanced nutrition and regular physical activity.
• Encourage balance with technology by supporting healthy screen time habits and promoting time away from devices.
• Celebrate effort and progress to help build confidence, resilience and self-esteem.
• Create calm spaces at home where children can relax, reflect and feel supported during times of stress.
• Seek support early by contacting school staff if concerns around wellbeing, attendance or emotional health begin to arise.

We would like to thank everyone once again for their continued support and contribution to such a positive and meaningful event.

 

Mental Health Awareness Week

As we mark Mental Health Awareness Week, our school community comes together to recognise the importance of emotional wellbeing in every aspect of student life. In a world that can often feel fast-paced and demanding, it’s vital that we create space to talk openly about mental health, support one another, and build resilience. This week is an opportunity not only to raise awareness, but also to remind every student, staff member, and family that no one has to face challenges alone. By fostering kindness, understanding, and connection, we can continue to make our school a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and supported.

This week, our Wellbeing Ambassadors hosted assemblies focused on the importance of supporting one another and taking positive action when someone may need help. They encouraged students to build a culture of kindness, care and respect across our school community. Through their presentations, they highlighted how small actions can make a big difference in helping everyone feel valued, supported and included.

 

For the latest Wellbeing newsletter, please click here

 

 

English & Science Departments

Sunday 17th May revision session for English Literature, Language and Chemistry:

The session will carousel so students can attend both:

10:30 -11:30  – Triple Science students

10:30-11:30 – English Literature paper 2 and Language paper 1

11:30 -12:30 – Combined Science

11:30-12:30 – English Literature paper 2 and Language paper 1

 

 

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!