Class of 2026
Welcome to The Class of 2026 Homepage. Here you will find key information about the year ahead including key dates, links to revision websites and an overview of our PHSE programme for this academic year, as well as Careers Education and Guidance.
Year 11 is a crucial year; the culmination of eleven years of education leading to formal qualifications that will prepare our pupils for their next steps, whether that be A ‘Levels, an Apprenticeship, T Levels or other training.
Our Year 11 GCSE Strategy aims to equip all pupils with the support and tools they need to flourish in their final year and includes:
Year 11 Key Dates 2025/2026
Autumn 1: 3/9/25 – 24/10/25 (8 weeks)
First Day Back | Wed 3rd Sept |
Attainment Review Meetings (ARM) continue *key pupils | Throughout Sept |
A9/A10 Study Hubs Official Opening | Mon 15th Sep |
Maths, English & Science Intervention/Independent Study (Cycle 1) All pupils | Starts Tue 16th Sep Runs Tue-Thu each week In form time |
Welcome to Year 11 Evening | Thu 11th Sep 6pm – 7pm |
Citizenship Trip | Mon 15th – Wed 17th Sep |
Success in Science Evening (KS4) | Wed 17th Sep – 6pm |
Subject Hot Chocolate Reward | Thu 18th Sep |
Assessment Week 1 | W/C 29th Sep – Fri 10th Oct |
Black History Month | Oct |
Post-16 Evening | Thur 2nd Oct |
PHSE double period | Fri 10th Oct’25 |
Open Evening Early Close for all pupils | Thu16th Oct’25 |
House Arts auditions | Mon 20th Oct’25 |
GCSE & Effort Data on G4S | Thu 23rd Oct’25 |
Review 1: ARM | October |
HALF-TERM HOLIDAY Monday 27 October – Friday 31 October |
Autumn 2: 3/9/25 – 19/12/25 (7 weeks)
Maths, English & Science Intervention (Cycle 2) | Tue – Thu Morning Registration These sessions will run every week. |
Anti-Bullying Week Odd Socks Day | Mon 10th – Fri 14th Nov ‘25 Mon 10th Nov’25 |
Remembrance Assembly (Year 11 Theatre) | Tue 11th Nov ‘25 |
House Arts | Wed 19th Nov ‘25 |
Geography Field Trip | Thu 20th Nov ‘25 |
Hot Chocolate Rewards | Thu 20th Nov’25 |
INSET DAY | Fri 28th Nov’25 |
INSET DAY | Mon 1st Dec ‘25 |
PHSE Double Focus: | Thu 4th Dec ‘25 |
BTEC NEA Component Deadline | Fri 5th Dec’25 |
Mock GCSEs W1 (Second set) In Sports Hall | Tue 2nd Dec’25 |
Mock GCSEs W2 continue (Practical’s) | Mon 8th Dec’25 |
Mock GCSEs Exam W3 In Sports Hall | Mon 15th Dec ‘25 |
Winter Wonderland Celebrations | Mon 15th Dec- Fri 19th Dec ‘25 |
Whole School Assembly (Year 11 Theatre) Early Close End of Autumn Term | Fri 19th Dec’25 |
Christmas Holidays Mon 22nd Dec ‘25 – Friday 2nd Jan’ 26 |
Spring 1: 5/1/26 – 13/2/26 (6 weeks)
INSET DAY Pupils NOT in school | Mon 5th Jan ‘26 |
School starts for all pupils Re-set assemblies | Tues 6th Jan’ 26 |
Maths, English & Science Intervention (Cycle 3) | Tue – Thu Morning Registration These sessions will run weekly. |
RS Debate Trip | Wed 14th Jan ‘26 |
Year 11 reports G4S | Wed 21st Jan ‘26 |
Year 11 Parents’ Evening In person | Thu 22nd Jan ‘26 |
Hot Chocolate Reward | Fri 23rd Jan ‘26 |
PSHE Double Focus: | Wed 4th Feb ‘26 |
School Production Week | Mon 9th Feb – Fri 14th Feb ‘26 |
Valentines Celebration Day | Fri 13th Feb ‘26 |
Year 11 Photographs | Fri 13th Feb’ 26 |
HALF-TERM HOLIDAY Monday 16th – Friday 20th February 2026 |
Spring 2: 23/2/26 – 27/3/26 (5 weeks)
School re-starts | Mon 23rd Feb’26 |
GCSE Food Practical Exams | Tue 24th – Fri 27th Feb’26 |
International Stand up to Bullying Day | Fri 27th Feb’26 |
National Careers Week (Assemblies) | Mon 2nd Mar ‘26 |
Assessment Week 2 | Mon 2nd Mar – Fri 13th Mar ‘26 |
Chinese New Year | Mon 2nd Mar ‘26 |
World Book Day | Thu 5th Mar ‘26 |
PSHE Double P2&3 | Tue 10th March 2025 |
Attendance Rewards Week | Mon 16th – Fri 20th Mar ‘26 |
National Science Week | Mon 16th – Fri 20th Mar ‘26 |
GCSE MFL Mock Speaking Exams | Mon 16th – Fri 20th Mar ‘26 |
Geography Pre-Release | Thu 19th Mar ‘26 |
World Poetry Day | Sat 21st Mar ‘26 |
Mock Exam Contingency Day | Mon 23rd Mar ‘26 |
Drama: Visiting Examiner | Tue 24th Mar’26 |
Reward Assemblies | Thu 26th Mar ‘26 |
Easter Holidays: Monday 30th March – Friday 10th April 2025 |
Summer 1: 13/4/26 – 22/5 (6 weeks)
School re-starts | Monday 13th April ‘26 |
GCSE Art Exam (Practical) | Mon 20th – 22nd Apr ‘26 |
INSET No pupils in school | Fri 24th Apr ‘26 |
Silver DofE | Fri 24th Apr – Sun 26th Apr’26 |
GCSE Art Moderation | Mon 27th – Tue 28th Apr’26 |
GCSE Textiles Practical | Mon 27th – Tue 28th Apr’26 |
Subject Sweet Treats | Thu 30th Apr ‘26 |
BTEC DIT Exam (pm) | Fri 1st May ‘26 |
Attendance Rewards | Mon 4th – 8th May ‘26 |
May Day Bank Holiday | Mon 4th May ‘26 |
BTEC Health & Social Care Exam (am) | Tue 5th May ’26 |
BTEC NEA Component Deadline | Wed 6th May ‘26 |
BTEC Sport Exam (am) | Thu 7th May ‘26 |
GCSE German Listening (pm) | Thu 7th May ‘26 |
GCSE Citizenship Exam (pm) | Thu 7th May ‘26 |
GCSE Drama (am) | Fri 8th May ‘26 |
GCSE English Lit (am) Shakespeare | Mon 11th May ‘26 |
GCSE Business (pm) | Mon 11th May ‘26 |
GCSE RS Exam (am) | Tue 12th May ‘26 |
GCSE Biology P1 (pm) | Tue 12th May ‘26 |
GCSE Geography (am) Physical Geography | Wed 13th May ‘26 |
GCSE Computer Science (pm) | Wed 13th May ‘26 |
GCSE Maths P1(am) | Thu 14th May ‘26 |
GCSE Citizenship P2 (pm) | Thu 14th May ‘26 |
GCSE German Reading (pm) | Thu 14th May ‘26 |
GCSE History (am) History Around Us | Fri 15th May ‘26 |
GCSE Chemistry P1 (am) | Mon 18th May ‘26 |
GCSE English Lit (am) Poetry & Prose | Tue 19th May ‘26 |
GCSE Computer Science | Tue 19th May ‘26 |
GCSE RS A (pm) | Wed 20th May ‘26 |
GCSE French Listening | Wed 20th May ‘26 |
GCSE English Lang P1 (am) | Thu 21st May ‘26 |
GCSE Business (pm) Building a Business | Thu 21st May ‘26 |
HALF-TERM Monday 25th – Friday 29th May ‘26 |
Summer 2: 1/6/26 – 17/7/26 (7 weeks)
School re-starts | Mon 1st June ‘26 |
GCSE German Writing (pm) | Mon 1st June ‘26 |
GCSE Physics P1 (am) | Tue 2nd June ‘26 |
GCSE Maths P2 (am) | Wed 3rd June ‘26 |
GCSE Geography (pm) | Wed 3rd June ‘26 |
GCSE History (am) | Thu 4th June ‘26 |
GCSE French Reading & Listening (pm) | Thu 4th June ‘26 |
GCSE English Lang P2 (am) | Fri 5th June ‘26 |
GCSE Music Listening (pm) | Fri 5th June ‘26 |
GCSE Biology P2 (am) | Mon 8th June ‘26 |
GCSE French Writing (pm) | Mon 8th June ‘26 |
GCSE History(pm) Making of America | Tue 9th June ‘26 |
GCSE Maths (P3) | Wed 10th June ‘26 |
GCSE Geography (am) Geographical App’s | Thu 11th June ‘26 |
GCSE Food Exam (pm) | Thu 11th June ‘26 |
GCSE Chemistry (am) | Fri 12th June ‘26 |
GCSE Physics P2 (am) | Mon 15th June ‘26 |
Year 11 Leavers’ Assembly 9.00-10.00am | Friday 19th June ‘26 |
Year 11 Prom Arrival from 18:30 | Thursday 2nd July ‘26 The Park Hall Hotel Goldthorn Hill Wolverhampton |
Personal, Social, Health Education becomes statutory for all schools from September 2020 under the Children and Social Work Act 2017.
At Dormston, PSHE is a planned, developmental programme of learning through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives now and in the future. As part of a whole-school approach, PSHE develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.
PSHE equips pupils to live healthy, safe, productive, capable, responsible and balanced lives. It encourages them to be enterprising and supports them in making effective transitions, positive learning and career choices and in achieving economic wellbeing. A critical component of PSHE is providing opportunities for children and young people to reflect on and clarify their own values and attitudes and explore the complex and sometimes conflicting range of values and attitudes they encounter now and in the future.
PSHE contributes to personal development by helping pupils to build their confidence, resilience and self-esteem, and to identify and manage risk, make informed choices and understand what influences their decisions. It enables them to recognise, accept and shape their identities, to understand and accommodate difference and change, to manage emotions and to communicate constructively in a variety of settings. Developing an understanding of themselves, empathy and the ability to work with others will help pupils to form and maintain good relationships, develop the essential skills for future employability and better enjoy and manage their lives.
Please see Learning Journey for specifics of what will be taught this year