Dear Year 11 Parents/Carers and students,
With only a matter of weeks to go until the start of the GCSE and BTEC exams on Tuesday 5th May, I am writing to inform you of forthcoming events which include: the Final Examination Preparation (FEPs) for your daughter during the examination season, Year 11 Prize Giving, end of year arrangements and the Induction to St Philomena’s Sixth Form. I appreciate there is a lot of information but it is necessary to communicate the end of term and exam arrangements to you in advance. Thank you to all parents who attended the year 11 information evening online this week; I attach the link to the presentation here: Copy of Parental engagement Arrangements for GCSE examinations 2026
Following your daughter’s meeting with senior staff in the Spring term, much has happened to further support your daughter in preparation for her final exams. You will be able to see from her PPE3 results in her report published on the 27th March how she is progressing and please be assured that we will continue to actively support her throughout the public examination period.
All students have now received a copy of their Examination Statement of Entry and can also view their forthcoming GCSE examination timetable on Arbor and on the school website under Parents, Public exam arrangements: St Philomenas - Public Exam Timetables & Key Information
Compulsory Final Exam Practice Sessions (FEPs)
This year we will continue with the successful strategy of compulsory Final Examination Practice (FEP sessions. FEPs take place usually just before a real exam in each subject and are designed to support and help students before they go into the exam. All Final Exam Preparation sessions are delivered by subject specialist staff. Details will be shared via your daughter’s Year Group Google classroom. All students are expected to attend the FEP sessions (including after school sessions) and immediately before the exams. These sessions have proved to be a great success in previous years and have really helped students to settle before their exams. Much of what has been delivered in a FEP session has appeared in the actual exam.
Thanksgiving Mass
All Year 11 students will attend a Mass of Thanksgiving on Friday 1st May in the school Chapel; they will also be given an opportunity to sign books and a spare shirt after Mass. Year 11 will have an earlier finish at 12.30pm on this day. Students are asked to bring a spare shirt, or a book for signing if that is what they wish to be signed; please be advised that there are to be no comments or signing on any shirt or other piece of uniform being worn.
Locker Keys
Students must have emptied their lockers by Friday 5th June 2026. Please ensure your daughter has her locker key with her on this day. Envelopes with her name on it will be provided and keys will be collected by your daughter’s form tutor. After this time, may leave bags in the bag area as usual which will be locked during exams.
GCSE and BTEC exams start on Tuesday 5th May and in order to enable students to maximise their performance during this period, the following support arrangements are in place:
Examination Period 5th May to 5th June 2026
Students will attend school, following an ‘exam ready’ timetable shown on Arbor, leaving school at 1pm unless they have an afternoon examination.
● If a student has a morning exam they need to ensure that they are in school by 7.45 am for their FEP (if scheduled) and then an 8.20am line up and a prompt 8:30am exam start.
● Following the end of the exam, students should return to their scheduled lessons, being mindful that students may still be undertaking examinations and other years will be in lessons around the school.
● Students who have an afternoon exam, or a scheduled FEP will attend the FEP at 11:40am until 12:40pm then go to the dining hall for lunch break until their exam line up by 1:20 pm for a 1:30pm exam start.
● If they do not have an exam, they will return to their scheduled lesson on arbor for their afternoon registration mark.
● Students with no exam or FEP may then leave the site at 1pm and must sign out in the quad for reasons of health and safety. Please note that students may collect lunch prior to signing out.
Examination Period 8th June to Tuesday 17th June 2026
Students attend school for FEPs and Examinations only.
● If a student has a morning exam they need to ensure that they are in school outside their designated exam venue by 8:15am for an 8.20 line up and an 8:30am start
● If a student then does not have either an afternoon exam or a FEP they should then sign out after their morning exam and study at home.
● If a student has an afternoon exam or a scheduled FEP, they may study at home, arriving at school by 11.00am for a FEP before the afternoon exam.
● If a student doesn’t have a FEP or an examination they should study at home.
A full calendar of all exams, lessons and Final Exam Preparations is available on the school’s website and Year 11 Google Classroom.
Students are expected to attend all exams in full uniform, should they not, this will be addressed before they enter the exam room. Your help with this is greatly appreciated as we do not want to delay, but will until the students are correctly dressed.
Contingency Day
The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) contingency day has been set for Wednesday 24th June students need to be available on this day. Please note that this is a date set by the exam board, not the school, and your daughter must be available to attend if the need arises.
Sixth Form Induction Day - Monday 22nd June 2026
Once your daughter has completed all her formal public examinations she is not required to be in school until the Sixth Form Induction Day on Monday 22nd June 2026. All students who have accepted a place at St Philomena’s Sixth form are required to attend this day as part of their Sixth Form studies. Students will receive their post 16 transition summer work and should come to school in smart professional dress. Please consider donating your daughter’s school uniform on this day.
Year 11 Prize Giving - Tuesday 23rd June
Once the GCSE exams have concluded, all Year 11 students are invited to attend their Year 11 Prize giving Ceremony which will take place on Tuesday 23rd June starting at 10.30am This will be a marvellous opportunity to celebrate the achievement of the whole year group. Please ensure that your daughter attends wearing smart attire that reflects the formal nature of the occasion. An invitation to this event will be sent separately and all parents are all invited to attend. Light
refreshments will be provided and student hoodies will be distributed on this day to those who have purchased them.
Upper School Celebration Wednesday 1st July
The Upper School celebration event will take place on Wednesday 1st July at the Surrey National Golf Course from 7pm until 11pm. Please note that this event has been organised by the students and it is not a school event. We do hope this will be a wonderful evening to celebrate and reward the students for all their hard work! Further information will be communicated nearer the time of this event.
Uniform Donations
We kindly request that after the exams have finished, that any uniform that could be donated and reused is cleaned and handed into Reception. This has never been more important and many families each year are so very grateful for the chance to receive additional nearly new uniforms at a massively reduced cost. Thank you in advance for your support with this.
GCSE Results Day
GCSE results day and enrolment into St Philomena’s Sixth Form takes place on Thursday 20th August 2026. Students will be able to collect their results from 8:30am from the Dining Hall. Further information
relating to enrolment will be shared in the final half term and will be published on the school’s website.
Launch of the Education Record App
The Department for Education (DfE) is launching a new Education Record App to provide Year 11 students with a digital way to access their GCSE results this summer 2026.
Please be aware that this app does not replace the need for your daughter to attend school in person on results day. It is important that she is present to discuss her next steps with staff and our Exams Officer if required. Furthermore, results will be released on the app later in the day, whereas they are available at school from 8.30am. All details can be found in the correspondence sent by Ms Donohue on the 11th March.
Finally, on behalf of the Year 11 team and all the teaching staff and tutors, I would like to end by thanking you all as parents and carers for your continued support and to take this opportunity to wish your daughter every success in her forthcoming examinations. The students have been an absolute pleasure and a credit to you.
These upcoming events mark an important milestone; the transition from Upper School to Senior School and one part of your daughter’s education to another. We are delighted that so many students are increasingly choosing to stay at St Philomena’s Sixth Form to further their education post 16. Should you wish to discuss the above further, please do not hesitate to contact me or a member of the Year 11 team year11@stphils.org.uk
