🔎 A Closer Look at Tutor Time and Assemblies
This week, students have continued to make excellent use of our Wednesday, Thursday and Friday tutor sessions, receiving 30 minutes each day of structured, guided and expertly taught intervention in English, Maths and Science. We have seen a clear and distinct increase in attendance at these sessions compared with Year 10, which is fantastic to see. It shows that our Year 11 students are really locking in, recognising the importance of the year ahead and demonstrating that they want to work hard and achieve their very best. The quality of engagement within the sessions has been equally impressive and this combination of being there, working hard and making every minute count really does make a difference.
This week, students have worked on Language
Paper 1 and a Literature Quiz in English, mastering common exam topics through
focused practice in Maths and types of bonding in Science, moving from
retrieval and re-teaching through to applying their knowledge to exam
questions. We are incredibly pleased with the purposeful attitude students are
showing and want to see this excellent attendance, commitment and hard work
continue in the weeks ahead.
In Assembly this week Mr Evans, the Director of Twynham
Sixth Form, gave an assembly on the exciting courses that the Sixth Form
offers, as well as some of the impressive destinations of the outgoing year 13s
and the supportive strategies that the Sixth Form offers. We would love to
welcome you to find out for yourself at the upcoming Open Evening - places in
the talks are limited so please don't hesitate to book your place!
📚 Working Lunch: Supporting Good Study Habits
We have launched Working Lunch to provide students with
additional support in completing homework and managing their workload
effectively. Homework is an important and planned part of our curriculum and,
as we move towards the next set of mock examinations, it is essential that
students take responsibility for completing work carefully and on time.
Curriculum Team Leaders are working together to ensure
homework is balanced, varied and organised, avoiding multiple subjects setting
the same deadlines wherever possible. Assignments will be recorded on Arbor,
giving students a clear way to log and track their homework, while teachers
will continue to share resources and information through Microsoft Teams, email
and established subject routines. Where homework is not completed, students are
to attend Working Lunch to catch up and receive support. If a student does not
attend when required, without a valid reason or prior discussion, this does
escalate to an after-school detention.
It has also been fantastic to see students choosing to use
Working Lunch proactively, including working alongside friends and teachers to
make progress with their NEA coursework. We are really pleased with the
positive, purposeful atmosphere that is developing and the culture of students
taking responsibility for their learning.
🌍 GCSE Geography Fieldwork: Southampton
On Monday our GCSE Geography students will be heading to Southampton
for an important day of fieldwork. Students will investigate the city’s urban
environment, exploring regeneration in the city centre and the redevelopment of
Ocean Village. The fieldwork is an important part of the GCSE Geography course,
providing students with first-hand experience and valuable evidence that they
will be able to draw upon in their future examinations.
Parents and carers have already received full details about
the trip, but please help by prompting your child to make sure they are
prepared for Monday. Students should remember:
- 🧥
Sensible, weather-appropriate clothing, including a waterproof
jacket.
- 👟
Closed-toe, comfortable footwear suitable for walking several
miles.
- 🥪
A packed lunch for the day. Students eligible for Free School Meals
will have a packed lunch provided.
- ✏️
A pen and or pencil
- ⏰
To arrive at school on time and register with their Geography
teacher between the main block and Study Room 1
- 📵
No mobile phones or AirPods. Students should leave these at home
for the day. The same sanctions apply if mobile technology is found on
them during this trip.
🎯 Celebrating Excellent Attendance
We are excited to launch our new weekly 100% Attendance Raffle, recognising and celebrating students who achieve excellent attendance. Each Friday, every student who achieved 100% attendance during the previous week will automatically be entered into a random draw. Five students will be selected each week, with each winner receiving 5 House Points and a Freddo. Winners can collect their prize at Working Lunch. The celebrations do not stop there!
Every student who achieves 100% attendance each week will also
have their name entered into our half-termly prize draw for the chance to win a
Prom Ticket. We hope this is a fun way to recognise students for their
commitment to attending school every day and making the most of the
opportunities available to them.
🎓 Supporting Success Evening
I sent a letter earlier this week inviting our Year 11 parents and carers to our Supporting Success Evening on Monday 28 September 2026, from 6.00pm to 7.30pm in Twynham School Hall, with doors opening at 5.45pm.
The evening is designed to help families understand how we can work together to support every student in achieving their full potential during this important GCSE year. Parents and carers will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Year 11 team, hear about important GCSE milestones, learn more about the academic and pastoral support available, explore effective revision strategies and practical ways to provide support at home, and attend subject-specific sessions in English, Maths and Science.
We strongly encourage
all Year 11 parents and carers to attend, although students are not required or
expected to attend. Please note that there will be no parking available on the
school site during the event. Parents and carers should sign up through Arbor
Trips by consenting to the trip, which will allow attendance for up to two
adults per child. We look forward to welcoming you and working together to make
Year 11 a successful and rewarding year for every student.
🎒 Supporting Your Child
In tutor time this morning, we spoke to students about the importance of taking responsibility for being prepared and organised. A few weeks into term is often the point when strong routines can begin to slip, so this weekend is a good opportunity for students to check that they are ready for the week ahead. At 15 and 16, we want our Year 11 students to take increasing ownership of their learning. Parents and carers can play an important role here by being a coach rather than a doer.
A few simple
prompts this weekend can really help:
- ✅
Ask if they have checked Arbor for homework or anything they need
to complete.
- 📚
Encourage them to complete any outstanding work so they can start
Monday up to date.
- ✏️
Ask them to check their equipment and take responsibility for
replacing anything that is missing.
- 🎒
Prompt them to pack their bag and check they have everything they
need for Monday.
- 💪
Encourage them to think ahead and be ready for a positive and
purposeful start to the week.
The important thing is that students do these things for
themselves. Developing good habits around organisation, independence and
personal responsibility is an important part of Year 11 and will serve them
well beyond school. Your role in asking the right questions, offering
encouragement and helping them find solutions when they need support can make a
real difference. Thank you for continuing to work in partnership with us while
encouraging your child to take ownership of their success.
📣 Stay Connected
As a reminder, for direct contact with the Year 11 team,
please email year11@twynhamschool.com
or use the Arbor Parent Portal.
Have a fantastic weekend,
Mr Keep