Transcript Document

Breakdown of presentation
•
Slides 1-4 –
•
Slides 5–8 – Autumn term updates GCSE and A-level
documents to accompany the slides
GCSE Timeline
delegates Info on reform
ISA EMPA changes 1st September
•
Slide 9
•
Slides 10 – 15 Key messages from question paper analysis GCSE & GCE
documents to accompany the slides
examples of pupils answers with examiners
comments
x of x
Version 3.0
-
Background of the Hub project and structure of meetings
National data GCSE comparison
documents to accompany the slides
national data sheet
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Launch of AQA network meeting
Autumn Term 2013
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Welcome
Aim of network
compliment our current customer support offer
short workshops on topical issues
sharing good practice
Meeting format
updates from AQA
topical workshop from AQA
sharing good practice
feedback & arrangements for next meeting
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Expectation is that there will be at least three meetings in
the year - termly. Date and start time to be decided locally
Proposed topical sessions for network meetings
1. Summer exam series feedback
2. CAU – ToLs & Top Tips
3. Summer series exam preparation & revision
4. A level reform
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Agenda
• AQA updates GCSE & A level – Curriculum Advisor
• Key messages from summer series – AQA Science
Team
• How to use exam feedback resources in the classroom .
(Group activity)
- AQA Science Team
• Evaluation form
• Date for our next meeting – main focus Controlled
Assessments
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Updates GCSE
• Reform time table for GCSE Science delayed by a year.
• June 2013 was the last series of the modular GCSEs for
schools in England.
• Timeline of awards up to 2016 – Handout – ‘GCSE
examination timeline’
• All AQA GCSEs in Science subjects can be taken at the
end of a course of one year’s study
• Accreditation of current specifications have been
extended – first teaching 2016 – first examination 2018
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Updates cont.
• Changes to performance tables –handout ‘delegates
info on reform’
• Resources to support the move from modular to linear
• Details of reform GCSEs
- a new grading scale 1-9
- tiering will be decided on a subject by subject
basis
- fully linear structure
- exams as the default method except where they
cannot provide valid assessment of the skill
- exams only in the summer . Considering whether
November exams should be available in other
subjects
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Update for A-level – current specification
• New rules for ISAs and EMPAs - designed to improve
the security.
• Handout ‘ISA EMA changes 1st September ‘
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
A-level Reform - Autumn
• A-levels in Biology, Chemistry and Physics are being reformed for first
teaching in September 2015, with the first full A-level exams in 2017.
• The new A-levels will be linear.
• AS-level will be ‘stand alone’ - so will not count towards the full Alevel.
• The new AS-level will be at the level of the current AS-level and
taught in one year.
• A-levels will contain more:
– synoptic questions
– some reduced scaffolding
– greater amounts of problem solving and mathematical skills
• No internal assessment of practical skills.
• New Assessment Objectives.
• Greater emphasis on maths skills.
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
National data Headlines – GCSE
All Awarding Bodies National Headlines (please see data sheet)
• Nationally there was a fall in pupils getting top grades in all
the sciences, following the introduction of new syllabuses
and more challenging exams
• Nationally 53.1% achieved A* - C in GCSE Science - a fall of
7.6% from last years figure of 60.7%.
• The drop of 7.6 percentage points was the biggest fall of all
the GCSE science subjects.
• Smaller falls were seen nationally in the separate sciences
and in Additional Science.
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Key messages from question paper analysis
Examples of Questions candidates found more challenging:
Type of questions:
1.Calculations
2.Interpreting and using graphs
3.Explain / suggest reasons
4.QWC
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Key messages from examiners on summer series A-Level
(1)
Across the three sciences :
• There were many outstanding scripts in most of the units
• Terminology was generally used accurately
There was some general weaknesses:
• In some of the units students failed to read questions with sufficient care
• Mathematical skills:
 A lack of understanding of differences between decimal places and
significant figures
 Leaving answers as fractions without calculating a final answer
 Failing to use data appropriately or interpret graphs correctly
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Key messages from examiners on summer series A-Level (2/2)
BIOLOGY
• All papers had a similar level of demand compared to last year.
• Students often failed to correctly interpret standard deviations
CHEMISTRY:
• CHEM2 proved slightly more demanding compared to the June 2012
paper
• CHEM4 and CHEM5 were of a similar demand compared to last year
• Knowledge of fundamental formulae was often incorrect
PHYSICS:
• Questions on electricity answered with more confidence than previous
series in the PHYA1
• Students were more confident in writing extended answers involving
Particle Physics than usual in PHYA1
• Performance for PHYA4 was slightly lower in 2013 than previous exam
series
• Students were often unable to express their answers with sufficient clarity
and coherence.
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Key messages from question paper analysis
Activity
Examples of Questions candidates found more challenging:
Type of questions:
1.calculations
2.Interpreting and using graphs
3.Explain / suggest reasons
4.QWC
• For each type of question suggest a couple of strategies
you could try back in school to address poor performance
Detailed examiner feedback for Biology, Chemistry & Physics is available via our
live online events.
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Implications for teaching and learning of exam analysis
• Knowledge and application are equally important
• Knowledge requires learning and application requires
practice
• Encourage students to read each question carefully
underlining key words and command words
• Make sure students understand the command words
• Information given in the question is intended to help
with the answer
• Teaching maths concepts before application
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Implications for teaching and learning of exam
analysis
• QWC and explain questions
 Writing frames
 Structuring activities – card sorts
– pictures and keyword cards
 Connectives
 Spider diagram to collect ideas
 Clear about how mark scheme is applied
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Using exam feedback with teachers
Resources available
 Enhanced Results Analysis - your schools performance
 Examiners reports – detailed question by question
 Exampro topic tests – allows targeted assessment
 Feedback meetings - big picture - question types ideas to
improve
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Activity: Informing pupil progress
• Using the selection of questions which pupils found
difficult
• Have a look at the pupils responses ,the mark scheme
and the examiners comments
• Write a learning target for each answer
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Support list
Subject departments
GCSE
[email protected] / 01483 477 756
http://www.aqa.org.uk/news-and-policy/policy/changes-to-gcses
A level
[email protected] / 0161 958 3859
http://www.aqa.org.uk/news-and-policy/policy/changes-to-a-levels
e-AQA
http://web.aqa.org.uk/help/eaqa.php
You can access Secure Key Materials (SKM) via eAQA. Login using the password for your school which you can obtain
from your Examinations’ officer.
Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA)
http://www.aqa.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/products-and-services/enhanced-results-analysis
Exampro
http://www.exampro.co.uk
Online course booking:
https://coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk
in-school CPD
http://www.aqa.org.uk/professional-development/in-school-training
TOLS (Teacher Online Standardisation)
http://www.aqa.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/products-and-services/teacher-online-standardisation
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.