Exams, Assessments & Reporting.
We were delighted to see the progress made by Orchard students this year. Almost all of our students came in for a really vibrant results day, and it was wonderful to hear about their varied and brilliant post-16 destinations. We wish them the very best of luck for the future.
Exams
All exams related queries must be sent to exams@orchard.tila.school
You can see our performance on the government's School Performance website here.
Results
Key Stage 4 Results - Summer 2024 Outcomes
| Progress 8 (predicted using our data analytics program, SISRA) until the Department for Education published the official figure. |
-0.28 |
| Percentage 9 - 5 in English and Maths | 33.9% |
| Percentage 9 - 4 in English and Maths | 52.4% |
| A8 | 39.28 |
| EBacc Average Point Score | 3.61 |
| Percentage entering EBacc | 68.5% |
| Percentage staying in education or employment | 99% (BCC Jan 2023 Year 12 Data) |
Results Day
Exam Results Day - Thursday 21st August 2025
Public examinations begin on May 8th 2025, and we are already excited to be planning Results Day for our Year 11s this year. School will be open between 9.30 am and 11am on Thursday 21st August for you to come in to collect your GCSE Results.
Members of staff will be present to celebrate your results with you, but also to provide any support you may need with moving into post-16. Our Careers Advisor and members of the Senior Leadership Team will also be on hand to help, and specific support will be provided from 11am-12:30pm for any individuals who may need to contact a college/6th form immediately.
There will be an opportunity on the day to discuss remarks and resits of papers, especially where students are close to a grade boundary. For more information on this, please see this document created by the examining board: Remarks & Resits
Donation of School Uniform
As mentioned at the end of term, we use donated school uniform to upcycle for students who need support with this. We would appreciate it if you could check whether you have any uniform you could donate - blazers and ties are particularly useful, but all elements of the uniform are welcome. Thank you in advance.
Return of Items
As previously communicated, any laptops, locker keys and library books that are still in your possession will need to be returned on Results Day. It is vital that we are able to use this equipment for other students in the future, and any outstanding items may be charged directly to you.
Information about Exams
Internal Assessment Appeals Procedure
Please find the procedure for appeals against internal assessments of work here
exams appeals against internal assessments of work procedure.pdf
Post Results Services
Enquiries about Results (EAR's)
Please see the information above with the link to JCQ document. Below is a summary of the process for enquiries about exam results. Please email exams@orchard.tila.school if you have any queries about results.
All exam boards offer a service for enquiries about results; the reviews available for individual students are
- Clerical recheck (Service 1) - to verify that the marks have been totalled correctly.
- Post Results Review of Marking (Service 2) - a full remark of the exam paper.
Based on the marks awarded and the grade boundary set by the Exam Board your teachers may decide to ask for your exam paper to be reviewed; if this is the case, you must complete a consent form to show that you understand that the mark may go down as well as up when it is remarked.
If you are concerned about the grade you have been awarded, you should discuss this with your teacher or the Head of Faculty as soon as possible to see if they think a review would be appropriate. Requests for reviews must be made within three weeks of the date results are issued to meet the Exam Board deadlines. All requests must be made through the School, via the exams officer, you cannot make a request to the Exam Board yourself.
Exam Boards make a charge for the review service; if you want an Exam paper reviewed against the advice of your teachers the School may charge you for the cost of the review.
The Exam Boards targets for completion of reviews are:
Service 1: within 20 days of receipt of the request
Service 2: within 35 days of receipt of the request
The exam Board will contact the school with the result of all reviews. We will then write to you to let you know the outcome of the review.
Exam timetable (GCSE 2025) - PDF
Exam timetables including upcoming mock examinations - linked diaries
Sorry, there are no current diary dates.
Assessment
At Orchard School, we use formative assessment frequently to ensure all out students learning and progress is maximised.
Teachers frequently use methods such as questioning and mini white boards in every lesson to monitor student progress and to provide feedback on what they are doing well, and how to improve their learning.
Unlike summative assessments, which occur at the end of a topic or course, formative assessments happen throughout the learning process. Research suggests that formative assessment enhances student engagement, promotes self-regulation, and fosters a deeper understanding of the subject being studied.
By identifying strength and weakness early on, teachers can tailor their lessons to meet students’ needs effectively, and by doing so increase student confidence, participation and ultimately, achievement.
Reporting
Throughout the year, all parents/carers will receive three reports regarding student attainment, attendance, and behaviour statistics and these reports will always follow a data capture from staff within school. Wherever possible, reports will be issued at a Parent Consultation Evening, but they will otherwise be posted out to the address we have on the system.
Behaviour data for all year groups will indicate the number of House Points your child has received, alongside the number of detentions. There will be an overall percentage for your child's attendance, and we will indicate how many times they have been late to school.
In Year 11, you will receive attainment information from every subject your child studies, indicating their Current Working Grade (CWG), their Most Likely Grade at the end of the course (MLG), and an Attitude to Learning grade (A2L) regarding their work-ethic within class. The February report will also indicate their final mock examination grades, their Engagement in Home Learning (EiHL) and an Engagement in Prep (EiP) grade which indicates their participation in additional tutoring/intervention. You should expect the first report to be issued to parents in the October half-term break, the second at Parent Consultation Evening on February 1st, and the third at our Exam Preparation Evening on March 26th.
In Year 10, you will receive attainment information from every subject your child studies, indicating their Current Working Grade (CWG), a predicted grade if their work ethic remains the same, and an Attitude to Learning grade (A2L) regarding their work-ethic within class. The summer report will also include your child's target grades, and a mock examination grade. You should expect the first report to be issued at our Parent Subject Consultation on December 7th, the second before the Easter Holiday, and the third before the Summer Holiday.
In Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 and 9) you will receive attainment information from every subject your child studies, indicating their Progress Grade and their Attitude to Learning (A2L). The summer reports will also indicate their Summer Assessment Band which states how your child is performing compared to their peers in the year group. Your should expect to receive reports at the following times:
Year 7 - October half-term, 3rd April, Summer Holiday.
Year 8 - 5th December, Summer Holiday.
Year 9 - 6th March, Summer Holiday.
Collection of Examination Certificates
Any student who left Orchard in summer 2024 and is yet to pick up their certificate will need to contact exams@orchard.tila.school and provide a suitable date and time for collection.
