ST. MICHAEL’S CATHOLIC GRAMMAR SCHOOL Into the Sixth Form Information Booklet 2015-2016 Nether Street, North Finchley, London N12 7NJ Phone: 020 8446 2256 Fax: 020 8343 9598 Email: [email protected] Website: www.st-michaels.barnet.sch.uk Contents MISSON STATEMENT INTRODUCTION SIXTH FORM ADMISSIONS POLICY LIFE IN THE SIXTH FORM THE GRANGE - A BRIEF HISTORY THE MARY DALY SIXTH FORM RESOURCE CENTRE EXAM RESULTS DESTINATIONS OF PUPILS 2014 APPEAL AGAINST INTERNAL ASSESSMENT “I’m glad I came to St. Michael’s for the 6th Form. It has been a good learning experience. The teaching is great and the atmosphere is friendly with a good sense of community.” 3 4 7 9 12 13 14 17 18 “I am glad to have stayed at St. Michael’s after GCSE and that I did not go elsewhere. I have both benefited from the experience and enjoyed it.” “There is a wide range of subjects and the school tried to accommodate whatever subjects we wanted to do.” “I feel that this school has taught me a lot about self-discipline. St. Michael’s was the right choice for me as the structure and support provided by the teachers is very much what I need to work to my full potential.” “The school is very supportive and ambitious for its students. It makes them believe in themselves and that they can achieve their goals.” St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School [These comments were made by Year 13 students in answer to a confidential and anonymous questionnaire administered by the Advanced Level Information System at Durham University.] 2 St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School welcomes our existing and prospective students to attend this Information Evening to appreciate the wide range of A-Level subjects that can be studied here, a choice enhanced by our links at Sixth Form level with Finchley Catholic High School. Our Sixth Form have opportunities not only to grow in leadership skills among their peer group but also with the younger pupils. We encourage good study habits, essential for University, within an environment where Faith and Spiritual Development are taken seriously. J. Ward Headmaster (John 15:12) I n pr a ct i c e t hi s m e a ns St Michael’s is a Catholic school in which the Gospel values inform all aspects of community life. We are distinguished by the quality of education and care extended to all those in the school community. Each person is recognised as an individual and everybody is valued and enabled to fulfil their potential. St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School In 3 partnership with the wider community, we are prepared to make full use of all the opportunities available so that we are freed to become the individuals God wishes us to be, and to create a better world. The pattern of care and support in our community gives each individual the opportunity to experience sensitivity, compassion, fairness, self-discipline and forgiveness. All individuals are aware of their potential; high expectations encourage us to achieve it through praise, support and challenging achievable targets. Every pupil can say “My education is planned, purposeful, meets my needs and aspirations, challenges and inspires me”. We meet the needs of every pupil and ensure access to opportunities, while valuing individual differences and the diversity of cultural backgrounds. For us, knowledge and love are the cornerstones of education and we place emphasis on skills, attitudes and values that foster and develop the growth of that knowledge and love throughout each individual’s life. In prayer and worship, St. Michael’s offers time to reflect on, and to celebrate, our sense of awe and wonder at God’s loving concern. Our liturgies encourage the participation of all, challenging each one of us to enrich our lives with the vision of the Gospel. Introduction There is no doubt about it. If you are one of St. Michael's Sixth Formers you will have a different experience of sixth form life from that of a sixth form college or a college of further education, or even another school. Those who stay on into the Sixth Form know the staff and the staff know them well and can give advice and help with greater effectiveness. Those who join the Sixth Form from another school will find that special care is taken by everyone to make them welcome and get to know them. The size of the school and the size of the sixth form make this possible. We offer a wide range of subjects, a choice enhanced by our links at Sixth Form level with Finchley Catholic High School. St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School Mr Brian Roberts (Head of Sixth Form) and Mr Paul Ward (Deputy Head of 6th Form) 4 In addition, the Sixth Form have opportunities not only to grow in leadership skills among their peer group but also with the younger pupils. They can run clubs and activities for them, help Year 7 to settle in, assist with sports coaching or musical activities and charitable fund-raising - all of which enable us to write very full and complimentary UCAS references about a wider range of their abilities and successes. Other leadership opportunities arise from being Sixth Form Councillors, “Guardian Angels”, Committee members, school magazine reporters and editors, librarians and catering organisers. The Sixth Form Curriculum also provides an opportunity for Community Service and Work Experience at home and abroad. Overall in the Sixth Form you are treated as a young adult and we would expect you to have a reliable and responsible attitude to attendance, punctuality, study and general behaviour. We always say that if you come to St. Michael's Sixth Form you are not coming just for Advanced Level study, but for an educational experience that goes beyond this. We try to provide opportunities for development of the whole person in a wide variety of ways. We also take seriously the responsibility of training our students in the acquisition of good study habits which will be of the utmost importance in Higher Education. Above all, St. Michael's is a Catholic school, and has a strong emphasis on developing a caring, supportive Christian community among staff and students. In the Sixth Form we are often able to offer a few places to students who are not Catholic or Christian. However, it is assumed that if you apply to stay on or to join the Sixth Form here, you are broadly in sympathy with the aims of the school and feel comfortable in an environment where Faith and Spiritual Development are taken seriously. Students wishing to join Year 12 from outside: Need to make an undertaking to play a full part in the Catholic life of the school, i.e. take part in assembly, religious services and compulsory RE as well as a day of recollection/reflection. You will be able to demonstrate this in your Personal Statement which you should bring with you when you meet with the Head of Sixth Form. Need to show a willingness to abide by the Sixth Form Regulations with particular regard to: Attendance Punctuality Attitude to authority and school rules This will be demonstrated when you are invited to meet the Head of Sixth Form. We will ask your present school for your predicted GCSE grades. Your Studies You need to realise that there is a marked difference between GCSE and Advanced Level. St. Michael's offers an academic curriculum leading to public examinations at Advanced Level. Our students pursue at least 4 AS levels in Year 12 and 3 A2 Levels in Year 13 (in addition to General RE). Remember that study at this level requires real commitment and only the highly motivated succeed. You will be expected to study at home for a minimum of: - 3 hours a night from Monday - Friday - 5 hours on Saturday/Sunday ] ] in addition to study undertaken in school St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School When selecting your Advanced Level subjects, try to balance the following factors: 5 Your interest in, and aptitude for, a particular subject What occupation you may eventually decide to enter The requirements of higher education Remember to talk to the subject teachers concerned before making your choices. The Careers Officer can also offer useful advice. Careers Guidance and Destinations of Sixth Formers Careers guidance and advice is available from the Careers Officer, form tutors and subject teachers throughout your time in the school. Each student has the opportunity of a personal interview with the Careers Officer. An important aspect of Sixth Form life is the preparation for University. We assist the application process at every stage, providing time and support in researching (we subscribe to www.coursediscover.com) and in the writing of your personal statement. In addition we offer specific help to those interested in Oxbridge, Law and Medicine. Opportunities for work experience are encouraged during school time as well as in holidays, while Work Experience placements in Europe are made available. The majority of St. Michael's students go on to some form of higher education covering the whole range of institutions but Sixth formers who opt for employment at eighteen rarely have any difficulty finding rewarding work when they leave us. An increasing number of students decide to take a year off before entering higher education and recent adventures have included voluntary work in Australia, Africa and Central/South America. We are proud that many of our ex-students have gone on to substantial achievement in a diversity of fields including journalism, entertainment, aeronautical engineering and electronics. Equal Opportunities is an important issue here! Mr. J. Ward Headmaster St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School November 2014 6 Members of current Year 12 Sixth Form Admissions Policy As a Catholic school, we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeate every aspect of the school’s activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school’s education is fully supported by all families in the school. All applicants and candidates are therefore expected to give their full, unreserved and positive support for the aims and ethos of the school. SI XT H FO RM AD M I SS IO N S PRO CE D U RE an d C R ITE RI A Th es e a r e t he s a m e f o r g i r l s al r e a dy at St . M ic h a e l’ s a s f o r g i r l s an d bo y s a p pl y in g t o S t. M ic h ae l’ s S ix th Fo rm fr o m a n ot he r s ch o ol . St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School We have 60 places available in our Sixth Form to new female and male students as most of our own Year 11 girls stay on. 7 1. Applicants will be required to have achieved at least 6 GCSE passes at grade A* to A. All applicants should have A* to B in English Language and Mathematics. 2. Applicants must have at least a grade A at GCSE in the subjects (or those closely related to them) they wish to study at Advanced Level as a grade A* or A at GCSE is a necessary preparation for success at A Level. Where a GCSE subject has different components, we shall expect at least an A in each component of a Higher paper (where applicable). If students wish to study a subject at Advanced Level which they have not studied at GCSE, they will be expected to have at least a Grade A in the most closely related subject(s) i.e. in English Language and Literature for English Literature, in English Language for Politics, in Maths and English Language for Business Studies and Economics and in English Literature for Classical Civilisation. However, in creative or practical subjects like Art, Drama and Technology (Product Design), a B grade may be acceptable if an applicant can demonstrate evidence of talent, aptitude and prior achievement in that subject area. There is also greater flexibility in Psychology and Sociology where a B in English Language and Maths may be sufficient for the candidate who is highly motivated towards success in Social Sciences. In the event of over-subscription of candidates who meet Criteria 1 and 2 above when provisional offers are being made, the following criteria, in priority order, will be used: Catholic girls and boys who are looked after under the provisions of the Children Act 1989 Catholic girls and boys who exceed the minimum entrance requirements Non-Catholic girls and boys who are looked after under the provisions of the Children Act 1989, who exceed the minimum entrance requirements Non-Catholic girls requirements and boys who exceed the minimum entrance Distance from the applicant’s front door (including flats) to the School’s front door, as measured in a straight line by the London Borough of Barnet’s measuring tool, is the Distance tie-break to be applied when there is oversubscription within a category. Application forms from applicants from other schools should be received by the School by the last day of the Christmas Term. They will hear in writing after Easter whether we are able to make them an offer of a place or a place on the waiting list. Any offer will be provisional upon GCSE results. This provisional offer must be met in full. Students who make a late application run the risk that all the places on the AS courses of their choice will be taken. Definitions: 1. ‘Catholic’ means a baptised person who is in full communion with the Catholic Church, that is to say, a member of any Catholic Church that is in full communion with the See of Rome. Membership of a Catholic Church is gained by baptism in that Church. It can also be gained by other baptised Christians who are subsequently received into the Catholic Church. St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School 2. ‘Looked after’ children are children in public care as defined in Section 22 of the Children Act 1989. 8 3. ‘Home address’ means the place where the child resides for more than 50% of the school week. Life in the Sixth Form Year 13 students planning to visit our partner schools in Kenya in Summer 2015 St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School Life in the Sixth Form is very different! You will find that you have to take much more responsibility for your own learning and for the way in which you conduct yourself. Your time in the Sixth Form is meant to be enjoyable and productive. We encourage independence but there must be clear procedures to enable the community to run smoothly. Before you commit yourself to two years of study here, we thought you might like to know what some of our expectations are: 9 1. Monitoring of Progress It has been shown by various pieces of research that success at A Level is promoted by constant monitoring and review of progress. At St. Michael's, we monitor the progress of our Sixth Formers by asking subject teachers each half term for each student’s predicted grades at that stage of the course. These can then be compared with expected attainment grades based on GCSE performance (ALIS grades). We ask for their comments on attitude, attendance as well as academic progress and set specific targets. These will be discussed at specifically arranged Mentoring interviews with Form Tutors. This will give both students and tutors a realistic idea of the progress being made - both what is going well and where further work is needed. In Year 12, there will be formal assessments in September, November and January and public AS exams in the Summer. If students do not pass the Year 12 November assessment they will be expected to change their course of study. \every student is expected to gain at least a grade B in these tests. Students must gain Grade C at AS in a subject in order to progress on to A2 Level. However any grade less than a B is considered to be poor performance. In Year 13, there will be assessments in the Autumn (Nov/Dec) and in the Spring (February). Two current Year 12 students 2. Dress Code At St. Michael's, we expect our Sixth Formers always to dress in a way which is respectable, decent, tidy and appropriate for school, but there will also be occasions when they will need to dress more formally. St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School These guidelines give some indication as to what is considered to be appropriate: 10 Shorts, combat trousers and sportswear are not allowed. Leggings can only be worn with full length skirts Trousers and jeans must be plain, i.e. not torn and without loud or brightly coloured patterns or decorations e.g. patches, studs, fringes, chains, zips etc. Trousers and jeans must be full-length and worn at waist height with no flesh or underwear exposed Skirts must not be shorter than knee-length Headgear (hats, caps, headscarves and hoods) may not be worn within the school site Unsuitably revealing clothing is not allowed, eg skin tight items, bare midriffs and shoulders and plunging necklines Loud or extravagant items of jewellery are not permitted: rings and studs may only be worn in ears and on fingers Hair may only be dyed a natural colour 3. Study Privilege The spirit of the Study Privilege is to encourage Sixth Formers to develop self motivation and good study habits. Year 12 There is Supervised Study in the Sixth Form Resources Centre (First Floor) until Christmas. If Study Privilege is granted after Christmas, Year 12 can also study in any free room or in the Library. After Christmas, they can also select one afternoon a week when they have study periods to study at home, on receipt of a letter from their parents which acknowledges that they know that their daughter/son will not be in school on that afternoon. If there is a whole school occasion, such as Mass, or if requested to do so by a member of Staff, everyone is expected to remain in school on that afternoon. Year 13 Until Christmas students with Study Privilege may study in any free room, in the Library or the Sixth Form Resources Centre. On receipt of a letter from their parents, they may also study at home on two afternoons when they have no timetabled lessons. After Christmas of Year 13, students causing no concern to their teachers will be allowed maximum flexibility of study. If subject teachers report at any time during the year that work is not being completed satisfactorily or there is concern over punctuality or attendance, the Study Privilege will be withdrawn. 4. General Sixth Form Issues When you enter the Sixth Form, you become more responsible for your own learning, which means catching up with work when you are away, for example, on European Work Experience, foreign exchanges or residential field trips. Also be prepared for lessons at lunchtime and after school! St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School Smoking is not allowed on the school premises or in the near vicinity of the school as smoking outside school sets a bad example to the younger pupils. 11 Sixth Formers are permitted to leave the premises without permission during break and at lunchtime. If a student has a special reason to leave the premises, other than for a previously agreed appointment, she should seek the permission of the Head or Deputy Head of Sixth Form. All Sixth Formers leaving the premises during school time must sign out and sign in. There is a book for this purpose in the porch of the Grange. Sixth Formers are permitted to bring mobile phones into school providing they are switched off during lesson times and are only used in the Sixth Form buildings, out of view of the younger pupils. The Grange – A Brief History The Sixth Form of St Michael's is housed in its own building, known as The Grange. A Finchley landmark, this was the original house occupied by the Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus who purchased it in 1908. At that time the house, stables and grounds occupied five acres and one of the earliest headmistresses described it as follows: "The views from the windows were too enticing to start work immediately......(we are) delighted with the magnificent grounds, flowers, palms, decorative plants, shrubs......we would gladly have stayed longer in the garden......" St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School Although the grounds have changed considerably since those days, many of the interesting and unusual trees they enjoyed still grace the lawn next to the house. 12 In 1980, the Sisters gave the school over to lay control but have retained the trusteeship. Strong links therefore remain as does a legacy of great generosity and dedicated teaching. The Grange was acquired for use as a Sixth Form centre in 1988 and the elegant living rooms have been adapted for use as both form and subject bases. In 1998, many of these rooms were refurbished. Specialist facilities for other subjects are housed in the main School buildings. The Conservatory, or "winter garden" as it was originally called, was rebuilt in 1999 and the exterior of the Grange was redecorated. There is also a Sixth form common room where snacks and coffee may be prepared. The Mary Daly Sixth Form Resource Centre To assist all students with their studies, the school has always put considerable investment into resources, both traditional and modern. There are also computers available for student use in the Library and the computer rooms. Resources Officers assist students to find information, with the presentation of work and in the use of the desk top publishing facilities and graphic design facilities. However, with the expanding size of our Sixth Form, in 1996 we realised the need for more accommodation. We were also eager to promote the use of information technology and independent learning initiatives so the Resources Centre was built: a two storey building on the site of the old convent laundry. As well as providing a conference area for the sixth form, it also houses a much greater range of educational technology and a network of personal computers solely for use by Sixth Form students including connection to the internet. Such facilities provide learning support materials, data and equipment which match that provided by even the best higher education institutions. By September 2015 6th Form students will benefit from a refurbishment of these facilities to provide a doubling of capacity for access to ICT on the ground floor. St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School Pupils during private study in the 6th Form Centre 13 Advanced Level study is:AS in Year 12 - Advanced Subsidiary standard is between GCSE + A level A2 in Year 13 At St. Michael's, we expect students to take a minimum of 4 subjects in Year 12. A2 students will continue with 3 of these subjects in Year 13. All subjects will be examined by public exam at end of Year 12 and you cannot continue with that subject in Year 13 unless you gain at least a Grade C in the AS exam. A-Level Results – Summer 2014 2013/2014 (A2) LEVEL RESULTS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AGED 16, 17 OR 18 St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School These results are for the Year 13 cohort taking examinations in 2014 14 Subject Art & Design Biology Business Studies Chemistry Classical Civilisation Design & Technology Drama Economics English Literature French Geography German History Italian Latin Mathematics Mathematics - Further Physics Politics Psychology Religious Studies Sociology Spanish General Studies Total Number * Total % Cumulative % NB: * Not Including General Studies Entries 8 49 2 41 10 7 1 16 29 20 19 3 19 6 2 61 8 16 5 25 10 5 14 9 376 A* A B C Number of students: 122 D E U 0 4 2 2 0 0 0 8 13 16 9 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 11 15 7 4 1 0 0 1 8 1 0 0 0 0 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 7 6 1 0 0 0 3 6 20 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 12 7 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 3 14 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 18 19 15 6 2 1 0 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 4 5 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 5 3 12 4 1 0 0 0 5 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 7 6 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 4 1 0 0 49 135 141 36 13 2 0 13.00% 35.90% 37.50% 9.60% 3.50% 0.50% 0.00% 13.00% 48.90% 86.40% 96.00% 99.50% 100.00% 100.00% AS Results – Summer 2014 2013/2014 (AS) LEVEL RESULTS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AGED 16, 17 OR 18 St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School These results are for the Year 13 cohort taking examinations in 2014 15 Subject Art & Design Biology Chemistry Classical Civilisation Drama Economics English Literature French Geography German History Latin Mathematics Mathematics - Further Physics Politics Psychology Sociology General Studies Total Number * Total % Cumulative % NB: * Not Including General Studies Entries 6 9 11 3 1 6 10 3 5 1 2 3 16 4 7 2 8 2 110 99 A B C 3 2 1 1 0 4 1 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 1 5 1 3 2 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 3 3 5 2 0 2 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 4 1 0 1 0 10 22 36 27 19 24 27.30% 19.20% 24.20% 27.30% 46.50% 70.70% Number of students: 122 D E U 0 0 0 2 2 0 5 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 1 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 17 14 11 18 7 4 18.20% 7.10% 4.00% 88.90% 96.00% 100.00% GCSE Results – Summer 2014 YEAR 11 – 2013/2014 Number of girls in Year 11 taking GCSE exams in 2014 was 91 The following are statistics for those girls who were in Year 11 and taking examinations in 2014 A* A B C D E F G U Entries A*-C %D-G Art & Design 13 10 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 100.0% 0.0% Biology 13 20 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 100.0% 0.0% Chemistry 21 14 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 100.0% 0.0% D&T Food Tech 5 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 100.0% 0.0% D&T Graphic Prod 4 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 100.0% 0.0% D&T Resistant Mat 5 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 12 100.0% 0.0% Drama 2 8 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 100.0% 0.0% English Language 38 43 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 91 100.0% 0.0% English Literature 24 53 13 1 0 0 0 0 0 91 100.0% 0.0% French 29 17 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 54 100.0% 0.0% Geography 38 15 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 56 100.0% 0.0% German 6 8 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 100.0% 0.0% History 29 20 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 54 100.0% 0.0% I.C.T. 4 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 100.0% 0.0% Italian 12 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 100.0% 0.0% Latin 11 21 7 3 0 1 0 0 0 43 97.7% 2.3% Mathematics 31 40 16 3 1 0 0 0 0 91 98.9% 1.1% Music 1 7 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 100.0% 0.0% P.E . 2 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 100.0% 0.0% Physics 25 13 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 42 100.0% 0.0% Religious Studies Science Single Award Science: Additional 54 34 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 91 100.0% 0.0% 29 13 8 2 0 0 0 0 0 52 100.0% 0.0% 23 20 6 3 0 1 0 0 0 53 98.1% 1.9% St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School Subject Spanish FSMQ (Level 3 qualification) * Total Number * 31 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 33 100.0% 0.0% (N/A) 7 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 13 92.3% 7.7% 450 389 118 16 1 2 0 0 0 976 Total % 46.1% 39.9% 12.1% 1.6% 0.1% 0.20% Cumulative % NB: * Not Including FSMQ 46.1% 86.0% 98.1% 99.7% 99.8% 100.00% 16 Destinations – Summer 2014 Students in Years 11, 12 and 13 2013/2014 Pupils who were 15 at the start of the 2012/2013 (Year 11) school year 96 Pupils who were 15 at the start of the 2012/2013 school year and commenced - a course in school or college 100.0% - entered employment 0.0% - do not fail into any of the above categories 0.0% Pupils who were 16 at the start of the 2013/2014 (Year 12) school year 151 Pupils who were 16 at the start of the 2013/2014 school year and commenced - a course in school or college 100.0% - entered employment 0.0% - do not fail into any of the above categories 0.0% Pupils who were 17 at the start of the 2013/2014 (Year 13) school year 124 St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School Pupils who were 17 at the start of the 2013/2014 school year and commenced 17 - a course of further education 0.0% - a course of higher education 100.0% - entered employment 0.0% - do not fall into any of the above categories 0.0% Appeal Against Internal Assessment of Work for External Qualifications ST. MICHAEL’S CATHOLIC GRAMMAR SCHOOL APPEAL AGAINST INTERNAL ASSESSMENT OF WORK FOR EXTERNAL QUALIFICATIONS St. Michael’s is committed to ensuring that whenever its staff assess students’ work for external qualification, this is done fairly, consistently and in accordance with the specification for the qualification concerned. Assessments should be conducted by staff who have appropriate knowledge, understanding and skills, and who have been trained in this activity. Students’ work should be produced and authenticated according to the requirements of the examinations board. Where a set of work is divided between staff, consistency should be assured by internal moderation and standardisation. If a student feels that this may not have happened in relation to his/her work, she/he may make use of this appeals procedure. Note that appeals may only be made against the process that led to the assessment and not against the mark or grade. The existence of this procedure is made known to students. This procedure is available from the school office and is posted on the notice board. 1. Appeals should be made as soon as possible, and must be made at least two weeks before the end of the last externally assessed paper in the examination series. (So the appeal must be made before a date in mid-June for the summer series as presently timetabled). 2. Appeals should be made in writing to the Examination Officer, who will investigate the appeal. If the Examinations Officer was directly involved in the assessment question, the Head will appoint another member of staff of similar or greater seniority to conduct the investigation. Likewise if the Examinations Officer is not able to conduct the investigation for some other reason. St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School 3. The Examinations Officer or other member of staff will decide whether the process used for the internal assessment conformed with the requirements of the awarding body and the examinations code of practice of the QCA. This will be done before the end of the series. (Currently the end of June for the summer series). 18 4. You will be informed in writing of the course of the appeal, including any correspondence with the board, any changes made to the assessment of your work, and any changes to improve matters in future. 5. The outcome of the appeal will be made known to the Head. A written record of the appeal will be kept and made available to the awarding body at their request. Should the appeal bring any significant irregularity to light, the awarding body will be informed. After work has been assessed internally it is moderated by the awarding body (examination board) to ensure consistency between centres. Such moderation frequently changes the marks awarded for internally assed work. That is outside the control of St. Michael’s Catholic Grammar School and is not covered by this procedure. If you have concerns about it, please ask the Examinations Officer for a copy of the appeals procedure of the relevant examinations board.
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