Year Group Information
Find out more about your journey with us at The Bishop’s Stortford High School
Year 7
Starting at secondary school can be both daunting and exciting, especially at 
school with a reputation for outstanding academic and extra-curricular achievement, and high standards of behaviour. I am confident that all Years will be both happy and successful at school if they embrace the outstanding opportunities on offer at TBSHS and approach every school day with a positive and resilient mindset.
In Year 7, every student will:
- adhere to all school rules & the dress code both in school and when in uniform outside,
- set an example & act as a role model to all boys, regardless of their age,
- become more independent & organised,
- take responsibility for their actions.
As a Head of Year, I am proud to say that I lead an excellent pastoral team made of the Lower School Inclusion Manager and six tutors. We will monitor the homework, behaviour and discipline of the students. We are also committed to contacting parents if there are any concerns including attitude, behaviour, effort or welfare. Please do contact your son’s tutor if you do have any questions or concerns about your son.
Adjusting to Year 7 is a challenge for lots of new secondary students. Therefore as parents we ask that you support the school’s policies and guidelines for behaviour. We also ask that you support the school’s extra-curricular activities by allowing them to take priority over out-of-school commitments, wherever possible. As parents there is opportunity for you all to meet your son’s teacher and tutor at parents’ evenings and academic standards evening.
Essentially, Year 7 is fundamentally focused on ensuring that your son has a successful transition from primary to secondary school.
Mrs Ginnie Chataigner
Head of Year 7
Associated Documents
Year 8
Year 8 represents an important year at TBSHS. Expectations of boys both inside and outside of the classroom remain as high as in Year 7, along with the addition that boys now take on the extra responsibility of setting an excellent example to those in the year group below.
Boys will be fully aware of where they stand academically from their end of Year 7 exams and report, with the first task of the year being to look at how well they have done at these key milestones with their classroom teachers and tutors to see where any potential strengths and weaknesses can be identified in their performance, which in turn help inform any adjustments that need to be made for the year ahead.
Throughout the year, the academic pace and complexity of lessons quite naturally increases, building towards the Spring term, when boys make their first set of option choices for their GCSE Foundation Year, which they will progress to in Year 9.
Throughout the year, boys are expected to continue to develop increasingly mature approaches to their studies by putting increased value on their own learning, as well as beginning to work independently more often and more effectively. They are also expected to play in increasing role in the life of the school, commensurate with their new status, playing a key part in events such as prospective parents evening.
Expected standards for all boys conduct and behaviour in Year 8 are as high as ever. As in Year 7, boys are expected to take full responsibility for their own actions, as well as their consequences, in addition to rising to the challenge of their new role in Year 8, and subsequent need for them to set an example to younger boys. In addition to this, boys are also increasingly aware of their role as ambassadors for the school, as well as our own collective as a year group and all who support them, at home and at School. As always, boys’ achievements are frequently celebrated through regular assemblies, delivered by senior leaders in the school as well as tutors.
A team of tutors (who have developed an in depth knowledge of their tutees since the start of Year 7) are dedicated to overseeing all progress in the pastoral as well as academic sense, with their wealth of experience, and ability to give the best advice to students being invaluable in helping to ensure that all students realise their full potential.
As in Year 7, all boys in Year 8 are expected to take an active role in engaging with extra-curricular activities in their chosen fields, whether it be in sport, music, drama, debating or any of the many other options that the school has to offer. As ever, all boys are expected, encouraged and supported to maintain all of their usual extra-curricular commitment, as well as extend this part of their wider school life as their academic lives become inevitably busier, as an important way of showing their commitment to the wider life of the school.
In all, Year 8 is an important time to consolidate on a successful transition, and further solidify the foundations for success to be built on as boys move up the school.
Mrs Yasmin Allen
Head of Year 8
Associated Documents
Year 9
Year 9 is a particularly important as well as an exciting time for students at TBSHS.
All boys entering Year 9 enter a new stage of their school career. The Year 9 foundation skills year enables students to focus on a reduced number of subjects and allows them to make informed GCSE subject choices. A heavy emphasis is placed on students making academic progress as they prepare for transition to year 10 and 11. In order to achieve this students need to be mindful that if their attendance drops to 95% this represents 9.5 days of lost learning in any given academic year, which equates to 47.5 missed lessons.
This is a very demanding year and students will be expected to achieve high standards both in and outside the classroom. Students will be responsible learners, be organised and punctual for all their lessons and learn to take full responsibility for their own actions. In addition to this, boys are also increasingly aware of their role as ambassadors for the school.
A dedicated team of tutors oversee all progress in the pastoral, as well as academic sense, with their wealth of experience, and ability to give the best advice to students being invaluable in helping to ensure that all students realise their full potential. The role of the tutor is essential as they are on hand to help students make “good choices” about their studies, careers and achievements. Boys’ achievements are frequently celebrated through regular assemblies, commendation teas and form time. All boys in Year 9 are expected to take an active role in engaging with them whether it is in sport, music, drama, debating or any of the many other options, including trips and visits, that the school has to offer. Furthermore, students are encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and try something new.
Boys also continue to have ample opportunity to contribute to school life, as well as gain valuable leadership experience, through the school House system and the associated activities and events.
By reaching and maintaining high standards, the boys will have ample opportunity for success at TBSHS. Whether it be improving public speaking, taking part in the school show, scoring tries or learning to play a musical instrument. Year 9 is a time of rich development that starts to lay the firm foundations needed for successful progress in GCSE choices and beyond
Mr David Sadler
Head of Year 9
Associated Documents
Year 10
Year 10 is an exciting and challenging year for students as they head into the main foundation of their chosen GCSEs. 
A heavy emphasis is placed on students rising to the demands of new courses, building on prior knowledge from Key Stage 3 and becoming academic scholars. Student resilience is tested daily as they tackle new aspects of the curriculum and a varied diet of new material; getting organised is key to success.
Students are expected to be responsible learners and maintain high standards in and outside of the classroom, this is paramount as we enter a new phase in the school where we return to a more mixed environment. A dedicated team of tutors support students pastorally, monitoring progress and providing essential one-to-one mentoring where appropriate. The role of the tutor is essential as they are on hand to help students make “good choices” towards their studies and recognise achievements. This year we will be working closely with the boys to help arm them with a wide range of revision skills to ensure that examination preparation goes well. Boys’ achievements are frequently celebrated through regular assemblies, commendation teas and form time.
Year 10 students are expected to take an active role in school life and they have ample opportunities to engage with extra-curricular activities. The school House system also provides students to take on leadership responsibilities and work as a team. The academic demands of Year 10 are further supported by voluntary subject support clinics.
Hard work and commitment is vital to success in Year 10, preparing students for the increasing demands of the new GCSE courses.
Dr Alex Coke-Woods
Head of Year 10
To contact Dr Coke-Woods, please email office@tbshs.org writing – FAO Dr Coke-Woods in the title bar.
Associated Documents
Year 11
Year 11 represents the most important stage of boys’ school careers so far. 
The academic pace and complexity of lessons increases, markedly as the year accelerates its way towards mock exams just before Christmas, and continues to do so further as we build up to when boys go on exam leave in May.
Most boys will have a good idea of their progress towards their targets from their Year 10 examinations. The first task of the year for boys is to look at how well they have done in these key milestone exams, with their classroom teachers and tutors, to see where any potential strengths and weaknesses can be identified in their performance, to help inform any adjustments that need to be made for the crucial year ahead.
The year represents an important transition point in a boy’s education, with an emphasis being placed from the outset of the year in September on transition to our VI form. Boys are expected to continue to develop increasingly mature approaches to their studies by putting increased value on their own learning, as well as beginning to work independently more often and more effectively. They are also expected to start to play a leading role as the flagship of the main school in living up to their senior status and future members of our VI form by taking part in activities such as helping staff with the running of extracurricular clubs for younger boys, as well as playing a key role in events such as prospective parents evening.
Expected standards for all boys conduct and behaviour in Year 11 are as high as ever. Boys are expected to take full responsibility for their own actions, as well as rise to the challenge of their new role as the flagship of the main school, and subsequent need for them to set an example to all younger boys. In addition to this, boys are also increasingly aware of their role as ambassadors for the school, as well as our own collective as a year group and all who support them, at home and at school. Boys’ achievements are frequently celebrated through regular assemblies, delivered by senior leaders in the school as well as tutors.
An exceptional team of tutors (who have developed an in depth knowledge of their tutees often since the start of Year 7) are dedicated to overseeing all progress in the pastoral as well as academic sense, with their wealth of experience, and ability to give the best advice to students being invaluable in helping to ensure that all students realise their full potential.
All boys in Year 11 are expected to take an active role in engaging with extracurricular activities in their chosen fields, whether it be in sport, music, drama, debating or any of the many other options that the school has to offer. Boys have many additional pressures on their time during the course of the year, with them also being expected to attend numerous extra support and revision sessions across their subjects throughout this most crucial of years. However, all boys are also expected, encouraged and supported to maintain all of their usual extra-curricular commitments in what is an exceptionally busy year in their lives, as an important way of showing their commitment to the wider life of the school, as well as it being an important release for their energies in what is a challenging but ultimately rewarding year for all involved.
From putting in a fantastic performance at the crescendo of their GCSE courses, to improving public speaking; scoring tries, to representing the school in music and drama, Year 11 is a time of vital importance as well as rich development that lays the firm foundations needed for successful progress into our Sixth Form and beyond.
Mr Elliott Kelsall
Head of Year 11
To contact Mr Kelsall, please email office@tbshs.org writing – FAO Mr Kelsall in the title bar.
Associated Documents
Year 12 & 13
Welcome to our Sixth Form 
Our Sixth Form provides a unique, dynamic, enjoyable and highly personalised experience that produces outstanding outcomes in the classroom and across all aspects of School life. We pride ourselves on a truly inclusive and outstanding all-round education, combining the importance of academic rigour with extensive opportunities outside the classroom, all delivered by a dedicated team of high-quality professionals.
“Outstanding”. OFSTED said so in 2017 and again in May 2023 and we hope you will agree.
Our Sixth Form is unique and I am tremendously proud to lead it. We deliver a ‘truly all-round education”; a Black and Gold education with amazing opportunities inside and outside the classroom designed to make your vision of success come true.
Your post-16 education is an incredibly exciting time of discovery, hard work, enjoyment and building meaningful and lasting relationships. It is a time to explore your future and take ownership of the path that lies ahead by accessing the flexible, wide ranging academic options within our broad and balanced curriculum. In our Sixth Form you will learn to be independent, resourceful and resilient; equipped with the intellectual agility and strength of character to adapt quickly to an ever-changing world.
To be Black and Gold is to be inspired and challenged every day, by dedicated and passionate staff, who are experts in their field. It means having a relentless and diligent work ethic that provides the foundation for securing the very best academic outcomes.
“Sixth form students regularly secure the top grades at A level” (Ofsted 2023). Over the last two years, on average, 66% of all A-level grades were A* – B.
To be Black and Gold is to receive unrivalled, individualised Post-18 support and guidance. In 2023, 32% of those that chose higher education have gone to Russell Group universities, including five veterinary or medicine places and four places at Oxford or Cambridge University. Many of our pupils choose the apprenticeship pathway and this year have secured roles in banking and finance, insurance, quantity surveying and digital marketing as well as with the Police and Google.
To be Black and Gold is to respect and honour the traditions of our past, whilst being progressive, innovative and dynamic. At its inception, the Sixth Form was envisaged as the flagship of TBSHS, setting the standards for younger pupils and providing active leadership within the school and wider community. This is no less true in 2023 than it was then.
“Sixth formers are excellent role models for the younger pupils. Many run extra-curricular clubs and organise school events with governors and staff” (Ofsted 2023).
The school’s relocation marks the beginning of the next chapter in our rich history and brings with it the opportunity to seek new heights of academic and extra-curricular excellence with cutting-edge facilities and technology.
Being Black and Gold means immersing yourself in our community and the fantastic opportunities we provide; our whole Year 12 Community Cohesion trip; a wide variety of on-site weekly enrichment activities; recreational and representative sport, drama, music and debating (we regularly reach the finals of national schools’ football, debating and public speaking competitions); Sixth Form international trips to Poland, USA, Austria, France, Germany, Guernsey, South Africa and Sri Lanka; performing on stage at the Royal Albert Hall or hearing directly from high profile speakers like Greg James or Clare Balding.
To join TBSHS Sixth Form is a to be part of an inclusive, affirming, exciting and challenging environment. We want you to be a role model who is passionate, imaginative, creative, resilient, diligent, resourceful and kind. We want you to be Black and Gold.
George Munro
Assistant Headteacher, Head of Sixth Form
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Exam Results Arrangements Summer 2025
A Level Results – 14th August 2025
GCSE Results – 21st August 2025
Exam Contingency Day/s 2025 – Tbc
