Helping my child to succeed at GCSE

‘Let your Light Shine’

Welcome

Key Staff

 Miss Brown: Assistant Headteacher  Mr Taylor: Head of Year  Mr Bayne: Assistant Head of Year  Mr Clark: Lead T&L Coordinator  Mrs Hammill: Head of English  Mr Medd: Head of Maths  Dr Lear: Leader of School to School Partnership and Department Support (Science)  Dr Goode: Head of Science & Biology  Mr Davis: Head of RE

Student Subject Target Grades

   The ‘Aspirational target grade’ is the GCSE grade that your child should achieve based on their progress from KS2.

These grades have been given to your child at the beginning of Year 10 for each subject studied.

They should be recorded on page 134 of their planner.

A B C D E F G U

Target Current

L4

Predicted

GCSE Reform

Why?

In order to promote a more holistic learning experience and relieve demands of too much coursework, we have moved to linear assessment What?

Modular exams are exams that are taken at the end of each unit or part of the GCSE, while linear exams are exams taken at the end of the course.

(DfE 2014)

Student Progress Against Targets The progress of your son/daughter is tracked throughout their GCSE courses.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

June 2015: (Year 10) - Report to parents.

July 2015: (Year 10) – Work experience opportunity 1.

………………………………………………………………………… Term 1: (Year 11) - teachers assess progress/Mock exams.

2.

3.

November 2014: (Year 10) - teachers assess progress.

March 2015: (Year 10) - teachers assess progress.

April 2015: (Year 10) - Grade report to parents/Parent Evening.

April 2015: (Year 10) - Mock exams.

Term 2: (Year 11) – Teachers assess progress/Report to parents/Parent Evening. Term 3: (Year 11) - teachers assess progress.

June 2016 – GCSE Examinations

N.B. As a result of monitoring progress, student class moves may result at our discretion

Achieving Potential



Support from subject teachers for the highest achievement.

 All students will experience study skills and preparation for exams with revision techniques.

 Planning and revision materials supplied to students throughout the course.

 Tutorial time spent planning a revision programme.

 Revision classes and Booster classes ◦ ◦ ◦ Tues: Maths Wed: Science Thurs: English N.B. Revision attendance is not considered optional

In school “Revision Booster” sessions May 2014 · Students attend revision booster sessions for subjects they are studying. · All other times pupils are revising with their teachers in lesson. · When they have completed the exams for a subject they are to use this lesson time to revise for other subjects and are supported by their class teacher.

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1 2 3 4 11 5 12 26 6 7 13 8-9 am Pre exam Prep — Biology 11-12pm Pre exam Prep — Geography 14 P5 and 6 Chemistry 27 28 8 P5 and 6 MFL 15 8-9am Pre exam Prep Chemistry P5 and 6 History 19 P1, 2 , 3 - Physics 20 8-9am pre exam prep — Physics 21 P1 and 2 Geography P 5 and 6 History 22 P3 — pre exam prep English Lit 23 29 9 P1 and 2 RE P5 and 6 Biology 16 P3 Pre exam prep PE 30 10 17 24 HALF TERM 31 18 25

How do I seek advice from the school?

 If you need any advice from the school contact your child's

Tutor

or

Mr Taylor/Mr Bayne Head of Year

 If there is a personal issue

Mrs Hughes worker

and

Miss O’Neill school social

, our school Chaplain, are available.

 If there is an attendance issue

Mr. Humble leads the attendance team.

 You could communicate with subject staff or mentors (where applicable) via the planner.

Preparing for success at St Robert of Newminster School

What can we learn from Michael Jordan to help us prepare for our examinations?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45mMioJ5 szc •

Michael Jordan is commonly acknowledged as the worlds greatest basketball player.

What can we learn from Michael Jordan to help us prepare for our examinations?

I can’t do this. I’m missing to help me get better?

I’ll use some of the I give up! used in class to help.

Good there are 25 the Alphabet!

What can we learn from David Beckham and Jonny Wilkinson about preparing for exams?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUsfT3_k1 0A

What can we learn from David Beckham and Johnny Wilkinson about preparing for exams?

I can’t make it any better keep on trying. I’m going to figure out how she does it so I can try it. Is this really my best work? my brain in Maths .

I’m awesome at this

Mr Taylor Head of Year 10 & Mr Bayne Assistant Head of Year 10

Parents/Carers – How can I help?????

He’s always got an excuse, I don’t know what to believe!

I can’t stand the arguments when I try to help....

Surely she shouldn’t be going out again when she’s studying for GCSE’s?

I’m surprised she’s not got any homework, I expected more in Year 11 I’ll just write her a note to excuse her late homework, just this once....

New expectations of your child:

 Taking more responsibility for their own learning.

 Developing strategies for persisting when they find lessons challenging.

 Organising themselves, notes, handouts and information for different subjects and topics within each subject.

 Increased homework.

 Planning their time over a long period.

 Understanding the relative importance of each piece of work.

GCSE Expectations

 Pupils are fully prepared for each lesson with all the necessary equipment.

 Approach to work is always conscientious  Homework is always completed to the highest standard and handed in on time.

 Controlled assessments are completed to the highest standard.

 Pupils regularly re-visit their learning and revise topics.

 Pupils are fully prepared for assessments and internal examinations.

 Pupils attend extra revision and booster sessions.

 Pupils attend study support when necessary.

The Biggest Challenge: Priorities

 Friendships  Family life  Social life  Hobbies  Clubs  Fashion  Romantic Concerns  GCSE’s?

A Partnership

• You are the expert on your own child and always have been his or her most important teacher.

You Your Child School • Your support, encouragement and interest can make a spectacular difference to your child’s motivation and ability to cope with demands of GCSE.

Attendance

A GCSE in under 5 days???

You may think you’ve got forever BUT look at how many hours of lessons you have in Year 10.

    Eng/Maths/Sci

4.75 days

(3hrs per week) Opted Subjects

3.16 days

(2hrs per week) You will cover most topics

only once

in these hours so learning first time round is the key to successful revision and exam results!

Every Lesson Counts!!!!!!!!!!!

Your role may include some or all of the following:

     Attendance Officer Banker – paying for files, pens etc.

Project manager – rules for homework, getting study/social life balance right.

Sounding board and Adviser – helping your child to verbalise any frustrations they may face. Study Buddy – showing an interest in the subject, helping with homework, testing them.



What you can do right now:

Check your child’s planner weekly and sign it.

 Use the planner to communicate with HOY/Tutor/Subject teacher.

 Ensure your child is equipped for each and every lesson.

 Check your child is completing homework, encourage good presentation of work in books.  Show an interest – ask them to explain what they are enjoying at school?

 Ensure your child attends and is punctual every day.

 Support the School.

Rewards System

 Using the new SIMS system in school, teachers, tutors and Heads of Year can add achievement points to each student profile.

 Year 10 students are aware of these points and should strive to gain as many positive achievement points as they can each term as these will be rewarded.

Y10 Parent Information Evening

Subject Leader for English Mrs Hammill

Pathway 1 GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature 2 GCSEs Pathway 2 GCSE English 1 GCSE

Year 10 Pathways

Pathway 1

GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature 10 R1: Mrs Hammill 10 N1: Mrs Stebbing 10 R2: Mrs Lillie 10 N2: Mrs Lillie and Miss Armstrong 10 R3: Mr McNally and Mrs Stebbing 10 N3: Mrs Reed

Pathway 1

GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature  In Year 10 students study, and are entered for, GCSE English Literature.

 August 2015: students are awarded GCSE English Literature.

Why do we enter for GCSE English Literature in Year 10?

Pathway 1

GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature

Why do we enter for GCSE English Literature in Year 10?

  

Students are able to access the course and be successful.

Students only enter for English and Science in Year 10 meaning they have time to dedicate revision to these two subjects.

Students can then focus on GCSE English Language in Year 11 as well as other Subjects.

Year 10: GCSE English Literature 2014 A*- C pass rate: 93.89%

Pathway 1

GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature Unit 1: exam: Exploring Modern texts Monday 18 th May Unit 2: exam: Poetry Across Time Friday 22 nd May Unit 3: Controlled Assessment x1: Shakespeare& English Literary Heritage Autumn half- term 2

Pathway 1

GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature

How can I help my child?

 Revision guides for novels, plays and poetry: letter.

 Revision classes for both exams from February: letter.

 Support with Controlled Assessment, particularly during the Christmas holidays.

Pathway 2

GCSE English 10 R4: Miss McLean 10 R5: Miss Armstrong 10 N4: Mrs Bowers 10 N5: Mr Miller

Learning this year

Controlled Assessment 40% Unit 1 Exam 60%

Learning this year

Controlled Assessment lessons

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

Shakespeare e.g.

Macbeth

English Literary Heritage e.g.

Great Expectations

Other Cultures e.g. poetry Creative Writing Creative Writing

Learning this year

Dedicated exam-focused lesson

 Reading for pleasure: individually or class reader.

 Reading non-fiction: newspapers and articles.

 Literacy skills: spelling, punctuation and grammar.

 Prepare for creative writing C.A. and the non-fiction writing in the exam unit.

Pathway 2

GCSE English

How can I help my child?

 Encourage your child to read: novels, newspaper articles, autobiographies, audio books.

 Proofread your child’s homework: spellings, capital letters etc.

 Revision guides for exam unit.

Exam Board Information

• • • • Edexcel Linear Course Mathematics A (1MA0) Website: www.edexcel.com

Exam Information

• Two possible tiers of entry Higher tier – grades A*- D (E allowed) Foundation tier – grades C – G • • • • • Two written papers: each contributes 50% of the final grade.

Pupils will sit two exam papers each 1 hour 45 minutes.

Paper 1 – Non calculator Paper 2 – Calculator 100 marks on each paper

Level 2 Further Maths

• • • • • • Potential for some high achieving students to sit AQA Linear Course Can also achieve A^ (A* with distinction!) Level 2 Further Mathematics (8360) Website: www.aqa.org.uk

Exam Information

• • • • Two written papers: non-calc contributes 40% of the final grade, calc 60%.

Pupils will sit two exam papers: non-calc 1 hour 30 minutes, calc 2 hours.

Paper 1 – Non calculator Paper 2 – Calculator

Assessments & Intervention Assessments Monitoring Revision classes Intervention

Equipment required

• • • Pen Pencil • • Ruler Rubber • • Protractor Compass Scientific calculator • Green pen

Revision material

Useful websites

http://www.mymaths.co.uk/ Login: newminster Password: equation14 http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize http://www.examsolutions.net

Sixth Form

• We offer Maths and Further Maths in sixth form.

• • A minimum of a B grade is needed to study ordinary Maths in the Sixth form.

A minimum of an A grade is needed to study Further Maths.

Success in GCSE Science

The Journey Dr C Lear & Dr D Goode

Our Vision

 To work together with our students and with you as parents/carers to deliver the best quality education and life chances for the pupils and the community we serve.

 To motivate, inspire, educate and deliver success.

 To encourage aspirations.

Science in Year 10



GCSE Science A (AQA)



Separate Science GCSEs in Biology, Physics and Chemistry (AQA)



BTEC First Award in Principles of Applied Science ( EDEXCEL)

BTEC

GCSE: Key Points

Dual award students Will sit Science A Separate Sciences Number of exams Coursework

1 exam (25%) in March

(With possible second attempt in May if needed)

Assignments throughout the year 3 exams (B1, C1, P1) In June 2015 ISA (25%) in January No External Science exams this year 3 ISAs in Summer term

All GCSE classes including Separate Sciences will have Mock exams in April

Key Exam Dates Dual Award

Unit 1 Biology 5 th June

BTEC

Unit 1 Principles of Science Written paper 4 th March Unit 2 Chemistry 9 th June Unit 1 Physics 12 th June

Resit paper

(only if required) 15 th May

GCSE Coursework

SCIENCE COURSEWORK

counts for

25%

of the GCSE grade.

It involves researching an experiment, writing a plan under exam conditions, carrying out the experiment and then completing a second exam paper

Year 10 ISA preparation has already begun in lessons.

ISA’s will commence in week beginning 19 th January.

Please ensure that your child is in school during that time.

BTEC



BTEC Firsts

- Students study the Principles of Applied Science course in year 10.

 75% of the course is internally assessed assignment work. 25% of the course is an externally assessed exam.

Statistics

In 2014: Additional Science: A*-C = 78% Science A: A*-C = 84% BTEC: Passes = 100% Overall Sciences (including BTEC and Separate Sciences): A*-C = 86%

Progression into Year 11

BTEC

Principles of Applied Science

students will progress to study

BTEC Applications of Science

Dual Award students will progress to study GCSE

Additional Science.

Separate sciences

continue with their courses and prepare for 9 exams in the Summer of 2016

How can you support your son/daughter’s learning in Science?

Ensure they complete all homework tasks.

Meet deadlines, revise for exams, get good ISA results first time round.

Support and additional help to achieve the best possible results.

Make sure they prepare fully for the exams in

March (BTEC)

and

June (GCSE)

.

Encourage them to attend Thursday evening revision sessions which will start in the

spring term.

We also recommend buying a

Revision Guide

– available from the Science department for £4.50.

Moving Forward

You must reflect by looking back and learning from Year 9 but we are now moving forward towards real external exams which will give you real qualifications. We must now work hard with determination & support to ensure we are successful in Years 10 &11.

For Our Students Remember.. ..... It’s About Your Future.

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there” – Theodore Roosevelt

We will be sending out letters soon with key information including our Science expectations.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions at any time.

The Provision of Religious Education in Year 10

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

“Provision for Catholic education is outstanding.

Section 48 Inspection Report, April 2012

“In key stage four (KS4) attainment is outstanding and pupils make very good progress. Section 48 Inspection Report April 2012

Key Stage 4 RE

Edexcel GCSE

2 hours of RE per week in Year 10 / 3 hours in Year 11 2 exams in May / June 2016 All students have the opportunity to achieve up to an A* in the subject.

Students are examined on two skill areas: 1. Knowledge and Understanding 2. Analysis and Evaluation

What will I study in GCSE RE?

Year 10 Year 11

Religion and Society: Based on Catholic Christianity and Islam 50% of GCSE Religion and Life Based on a study of Catholic Christianity 50% of GCSE

GCSE results 2013 A*-C = 68.75% GCSE results 2014

A*-C = 73.4% A*-E = 100%

Maximising success in RE

 Take advantage of revision materials provided by the department.

 Attend revision sessions (in class and online)  Complete homework tasks to the best of your ability  Begin revision early – remember you will be examined on both Year 10 and Year 11 work.

What next?

Year 12 - Christian Ethics Year 13 - Christian Theology and Philosophy Currently 94 students in Year 12 and 77 in Year 13.

One of the largest cohorts of opted students across Sixth Form and outstanding results in Year 12 & Year 13:

Year 13 2014 = 93.2% A*-C and 70% A*-B Year 12 2014 = 69.5% A-C and 50% A-B