16th January 2026
HEADLINES
By James Saunders
PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT As we kick off 2026 the focus is now firmly on supporting our learners to achieve their very best this year. For C11’s, this term is the final furlong that will take them to their GCSE exams, whilst for C7’s they will be nearing the end of their first year at Honywood. Each cohort will have its own milestone to reach: C8 will be choosing their GCSE programme; C9 will be completing the first year of theirs; C10 will begin their first round of mocks and work experience. Yesterday we had a great turnout for our C11 parents evening. This is a crucial time for parents to understand the specific actions that our learners need to take to enable them to be successful. Previous parents evenings have always produced a real sense of energy in the hall as our teachers engage with families and learners. This one was no different. C11 teachers love talking to parents about how learners are doing and how best to support them. Personally, the evening contained a touch of melancholy sadness for me as I came to the realisation that I am fast approaching the end of my three year journey of teaching my GCSE class. Like many of our teachers the focus was on revision strategies and how to close the gaps and address any misconceptions arising from the mock exams. I found that my advice was all about two things. Repetition to help embed knowledge into long term memory, and deliberate practice to develop skills and application of knowledge. The mock results are looking really good so there is everything to play for. We all wish this wonderful cohort the best as they enter the final stages of gcse preparation. Learning, memory and revision The most important thing when approaching assessment time is for all learners to utilise their independent study wisely to complement their learning in class and effectively revise. I have
previously shared some useful resources around the school that I thought would be of wider interest. The following articles can help parents in understanding how to support their children with independent study and revision. Hopefully this will lead to some conversations with learners about whether their chosen method(s) of study are likely to be the most effective for them. https://www.tes.com/news/gcses-how-makelearning-stick https://www.tes.com/news/are-you-getting-revisionall-wrong https://www.tes.com/news/what-every-teacherneeds-know-about-memory Ethos It’s not just all about exams. School is so much more than that. Every day our staff are shaping the character and lives of our young people. Last Friday I had a visit from our local MP Priti Patel. Here are a few words that she wrote about her visit: “It is always a pleasure to visit Honywood School to discuss the school’s ethos and the important work being done to support students. Schools play a vital role in shaping young people’s character, confidence and aspirations and it was inspiring to see the strong values that underpin life at Honywood. TIKTOK AND ONLINE SAFETY We always advise families to exercise caution when allowing their children to engage with social media. Many issues that we have to deal with in school began outside of school and often originate from social media. This week I would like to draw your attention to TIkTok.