At Bushey Meads, our year 11 English students have been working exceptionally hard over the last month. This has undoubtedly set them up nicely for that all important final revision programme and the countdown to their May/June exams.

Revision began in earnest long before February half term with a focus on GCSE English Language skills. Students hit the ground running straight after the holidays by sitting another English Language Paper 2 PPE. An onerous task, one might argue, but they most certainly rose to the challenge.

We designed the exam a little differently this time and it was delivered as a ‘Walking Talking Mock’. This, in essence, means they are ‘talked’ through tips, techniques and focus points for each of the questions before being left to write their responses independently. This happened both in the hall, and was also reinforced back in classrooms later in the week.

The principle behind a Walking Talking Mock is that students feel empowered and the experience is success making, rather than daunting. Hopefully, in the real exams, when they’re back in the hall, they can recall the success of their Walking Talking Mock and tap into that positivity, hopefully remembering the tips.

English staff have busy marking these papers and gathering trends feedback. There will be an important emphasis on students responding to that guidance and setting their own revision targets on the English Faculty ‘PPE feedback and target sheets’. There will also be opportunities to explore modelled answers and redraft their work. You could get involved at home by asking your child to bring home their feedback sheets and getting them to talk you through their successes and next steps.

Here are some of 11Wells gathering their feedback with Ms. Bowe

11 Wells feedback

It doesn’t stop there though!

Year 11 were back in school for a series of GCSE English Language and Literature revision workshops spread over two days during the Easter holidays. I joined Ms. Court, Ms. Connell, Ms Smith and Mr Lester in delivering these sessions and attendance was impressive. Making it all worthwhile were the many expressions of appreciation from year 11. A thank you goes a long way and we’re definitely ‘in it together’!

Ms. Smith running a creative writing workshop

Mr. Lester taking students through ‘An Inspector Calls’ revision tips

Just a quick reminder that GCSE English revision runs every Monday after school in LRC1 with a rotation of staff and revision topics advertised through English lessons. I will also be starting my ‘countdown to exams top tips emails’ shortly. Watch this space!