SMITHILLS SCHOOL
SUCCESS FOR ALL
ROK 11
On this page you will find information and support for Year 11 pupils.
We understand that Year 11 is an extremely important year for our pupils and their families. We’re confident that at Smithills School it will be a year that each and every pupil can be proud of, and we’re looking forward to working with our pupils and their families to make that a reality.
Below you will find information for pupils and parents.
Please note, the best thing you can do to support your child in Year 11 is to ensure they are in school every day on time.
Our 2025 GCSE results analysis tells us:
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Pupils who had less than 85% attendance achieved an average GCSE grade of a 2
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Pupils who had 95% attendance and above were more likely to achieve five GCSEs at grade 5 and above
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Pupils who have 95% attendance and above have the potential to earn £10,000 more a year by age 28 than their peers with low attendance
Who can you contact for support?
If you require any support, please contact a member of the Year 11 team who will be happy to assist you:
Head of Year – Mr J Jash j.nash@smithillsschool.net
Pastoral leader – Mrs J Nash j j.nash1@smithillsschool.net
Year 11 SLT Link – Ms E Oakes e.oakes@smithillsschool.net
Year 11 SLT Link – Miss C Angus c.angus@smithillsschool.net
Careers Advisor – Mrs A Bennett a.bennett@smithillsschool.net
Key dates:
Resources and advice to support Year 11 pupils in their studies
All Year 11 pupils at school benefit from extra English, maths and science as part of our Session Zero curriculum.
Pupils can also access timetabled Pathway to Success Revision Sessions after school. In addition, The Hive is open daily and provides pupils with a revision space within school.
Our key revision resource is GCSEPod. This is a revision tool which pupils can use on any electronic device. It provides short, bitesize videos to support revision.
Pupils create their own account at: www.gcsepod.com
If pupils need support with GGCSPod, they should contact Miss Angus – c.angus@smithillsschool.net
We strongly emphasise to the pupils that preparation is key when it comes to revising as effectively and efficiently as possible.
More advice on specific revision methods can be found below.
Revision Methods
What does not work?
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Re-reading
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Highlighting
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Cramming at the last minute
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Re-writing
Pupils have been taught how to use the following revision methods. Further information about how to use each method can be found below:
Reduce and Explain
Advice for Parents
There are lots of brilliant sources of advice for parents and carers seeking to support their children.
We’d like to direct you to a few great options:
Inner Drive: 10 ways that parents can help their child revise
How to help your child with revision – five proven strategies
For Parents – 16 tips to support your child with revision
College and Post-16
At Smithills School we have a dedicated Careers Advisor who will be available to help pupils with decisions about life after Smithills.
Year 11 pupils will receive regular assemblies from local Post-16 providers to help them make informed choices about their next steps.
All pupils will also receive a 1:1 appointment from a Connexions Careers Advisor.
We recommend that pupils apply for at least three Post-16 options. Most colleges advise that college applications should be completed by Christmas.
A list of Post-16 open day events can be found HERE
Please contact Mrs Bennett a.bennett@smithillsschool.net if you require further careers support.
Exam Stress
Exams can be a stressful time for both pupils and parents/carers. At Smithills School we will support all pupils through their exams and can offer help and intervention for those who need it.
It is helpful for pupils and parents to understand why we get stressed and what we can do to help minimise stress levels.
We think the videos below offer a great summary of what exam stress is and how pupils and parents can support each other.
If you require any further support, please contact a member of the Year 11 team.
Understanding Exam Stress