Transcript Success at GCSE Evening

Success at GCSE Evening
25th September 2014
Welcome
Success
• To give an overview of the roles of parents, school and students in
ensuring success
• To hear from key members of staff
• To explain the Work Experience process
Home
Purpose of the Evening
School
Students
Speakers
Welcome and Introduction
Home-School Communication
Success at Maths
Success at English
Success at Science
Support and Interventions
What I wish I’d known!
Summary
Work Experience
Thanks
J Pilgrim
Deputy Headteacher
D Sanderson
Head of Year 10
T Craig
Second in Maths
S Scantlebury
Head of English
C Brown
Head of Science
S Bassett
Assistant Headteacher
Maggie, George & Isabelle Y12 students
J Pilgrim
J Knowles
Careers Advisor
J Pilgrim
Burford School
D Sanderson
Head of Year 10
Burford School
Maths
Mr Craig – Second in Department
Maths
What qualifications are students working
towards?
Maths
AQA GCSE Mathematics
• Two exams at the end of year 11
• Two tiers
– Foundation (G – C)
– Higher (D – A*)
Maths
AQA GCSE Mathematics
• Increased emphasis on:
– Applying Maths in context
– Problem solving
– Functional skills
– Quality of written communication
Maths
GCSE Results 2014
84% A* - C
35% A* or A
• 83% 3+ levels of progress since KS2
• 53% 4+ levels of progress since KS2
Maths
AQA Entry Level Certificate in Mathematics
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One year course (year 10)
100% classroom assessed (no final exam)
Suitable for students working below L4
The ideal stepping stone to GCSE Maths
Maths
AQA L2 Certificate in Further Mathematics
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Suitable for A* GCSE Mathematics students
Bridges the gap between GCSE and A-Level
Taught in Maths lessons alongside GCSE
Two exams at the end of year 11
Graded C- A* with distinction
Maths
AQA L2 Certificate in Further Mathematics
Results 2014
• 100% A** - C
• 77% A** - A
Maths
How do we support the students?
• Increased number of sets
• Regular monitoring of setting through:
– Departmental homework assignments
– Regular testing using GCSE exam questions
Maths
How do we support the students?
• Daily lunchtime drop-in support sessions
• Tutoring for D-C borderline students in Y11
• Revision days in summer of Y11
Maths
How can you support your child?
• Provide them with the correct equipment:
– Black pen
– Pencil
– Ruler
– Angle measurer
– Compasses
– Scientific calculator
Maths
How can you support your child?
• Take an interest in what they are learning
• Guide them to get help when they get stuck
Maths
How can you support your child?
• Be positive about Mathematics
Burford School
English Department
Mrs Scantlebury – Head of English
‘For example, in one highly successful
Year 11 English lesson the pace of learning was
rapid because the teacher used a broad range of
techniques, questions and texts which engaged and
motivated the students.’
OFSTED 2012
GCSE Results 2014
English Language
76% A*-C
30% A*/A
English Literature
91% A*-C
42% A*/A
Levels of Progress
3 levels of progress 80%
4 levels of progress 46%
GCSE English 2013-15
At Burford School we follow the AQA syllabus.
The majority of pupils take two GCSE qualifications:
English Language and English Literature.
A small number of pupils study for English, a course
which combines the two skills sets and leads to one
GCSE.
All final examinations will be sat at the end of the two
year course – May/June 2015
English Language
Assessment Format
Overall weighting
Controlled Assessment
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Extended Reading (15%)
40%
Spoken Language Study (10%)
Creative Writing x 2 (7.5%
each)
External Exam
(2 ¼ hours)
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Section A – Analysing Unseen 60%
Non-Fiction Texts
Section B – Creating Non
Fiction Texts
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English Literature
Assessment
Format
Overall
weighting
Controlled
Assessment
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External Exam
(2 ¼ hours)
Poetry Across Time
35%
 Poetry Anthology
 Analysis of an unseen
poem
Exploring Modern Texts
40%
 Section A – Modern prose
or drama
 Section B – Exploring
cultures
External Exam
The
Significance
of 25%
Shakespeare and the
English Literary Heritage
English
Assessment
Format
Overall weighting
Controlled
Assessment
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Understanding Creative Texts x3
Producing Creative Texts x3
40%
External
Exam
Section A - Analysing non fiction texts
Section B – Creating Non-Fiction Texts
60%
What is Controlled Assessment in English?
Controlled Assessments (CA) are essays which are written, under controlled
conditions, in class.
Year 10 of the GCSE course focuses, almost wholly, on Controlled
Assessments.
Pupils will typically study a subject or text, and then they will be given the CA
title. Pupils spend time in class, and homework, planning and learning their
responses. They are allowed to take brief notes into the CA with them.
Controlled Assessment (2)
If a student has to re-sit a CA they cannot have the same title again, so careful
preparation is essential.
Please note that the titles for each year group are different and are released
by AQA at the start of each course. All pupils nationally focus on the same
areas of study.
How parents can help…
Make sure that planning sheets are completed at home prior to CA.
Encourage son/daughter to come to English Clinic Thursday after school J6 for
help with planning/catching up
In preparation for English exams: recommended revision guides, the i
newspaper, discuss current affairs, watch the news, encourage an interest in
the wider world, make sure pupils complete writing bursts focused on the
skills for individual exam questions.
Literature – encourage holiday reading and rereading of set texts, theatre
visits, look out for film versions on TV/cinema, York notes.
Burford School
Science
Mrs Brown – Head of Science
“…. Students’ performance has accelerated… most on track to
make well-above-expected progress by the end of the year and
to attain well-above average results”
OFSTED 2012
GCSE Results 2014
Our exam results for last academic year were the highest in West
Oxfordshire for the third year running! 
A*-C Result
Additional Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
79.2%
96.2%
96.2%
92.4%
100% pass rate for BTEC Science
National Average
65.5%
90.3%
90.0%
90.8%
Science
How is it taught at KS4?
KS4 classes are taught by subject specialists (as are KS5)
Year 10 Core Science (9 lessons per fortnight) - AQA
Year 11 Additional/ ELBS (9 lessons per fortnight) - AQA
Triple (14 lessons per fortnight) - AQA
ELBS - OCR
Science
How is it assessed?
KS3
Level-assessed
tasks
Reviews
End of topic tests
Practical work
APP
End of Year Exam
KS4
Graded work throughout
course
Grade-assessed tasks
Reviews
End of topic tests
Mock Exam
ISA (25%)
GCSE modular
examinations (75%)
Year 11
ELBS course
is assessed
slightly
diifferently
Course studied
Year 10
At the end of Year 10 :
B1 – one Biology exam (25%)
C1 – one Chemistry exam (25%)
P1 – one Physics exam (25%)
Core/ Additional
Science
Re-sits?
At the end of Year 11 :
B2 – one Biology exam (25%)
C2 – one Chemistry exam (25%)
P2 – one Physics exam (25%)
There are no re-sits available for any examination
in any year.
At the end of Year 11 there are 9
exams :
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B1
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B2
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B3
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C1
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C2
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C3
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P1
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P2
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P3
There are no re-sits available for any of the
examinations in any year.
The results gained at the end of Year 10 are
known as Core Science – this is the result that will
Coursework (25%) undertaken at a Coursework (25%) undertaken at a show on a CV.
suitable point in the academic year suitable point in the academic year
(date TBC)
(date TBC)
The results gained at the end of Year 11 are
known as Additional Science.
= 100% Core Science
= 100% Additional Science
This result will also show on a pupils CV.
There are no external
examinations in Year 10
Triple Science
Year 11
Each individual science will also
have a piece of coursework
At the end of year 11, each pupil will have a three
GCSES exam in each science.
As each module represents 25%, as does the
coursework, it is clear how these are calculated:
B1+B2+B3+coursework = 100% (one Biology
GCSE)
C1+C2+C3+coursework = 100% (one Chemistry
GCSE)
P1+P2+P3+coursework = 100% (one Physics GCSE)
Science
• How is it supported?
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Science Surgery
“Open-door” policy
Revision Classes
TA’s present in the class when needed
Running Entry Level Certificate with lower set
Materials such as past papers, revision CD-ROMs,
websites, and pupil-led revision sessions
• KS5 students in class as support
How can I support my child in Science?
• Make sure that your child has read and understood the ISA
booklet
• Encourage son/daughter to attend revision sessions for the
Core Science exams – Easter onwards
• Encourage your son/daughter to create revision cards/
posters/ resources as soon as they start their end of topic
tests – this creates a ‘bank’ of personalised revision
material
• Encourage your son/daughter to use TWIG as a learning
tool – encourage independent learning
Helpful Websites!
www.topmarks.co.uk
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www.weheartscience.com
www.docbrown.co.uk
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www.skool.co.uk
www.schoolsuccess.co.uk
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www.fizzics.co.uk
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www.homework-help-secrets.com
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www.slideshare.net
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www.getrevising.co.uk
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www.chem4kids.com
www.parentportal.co.uk
www.networds.net
BBC Bitesize
http://www.chemcollective.org/students
.php
…and there’s more…
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www.theparentportal.co.uk
www.networds.net
BBC Bitesize
Topmarks.co.uk
skcool
The Blobz guide to Electrical Circuits
www.getrevising.com
www.homework-help-secrets.com
Support and Interventions
S Bassett- Assistant Headteacher
What is my role?
To ensure that all students make expected levels
of progress within their subjects.
If students are not making progress I help to
remove any barriers that are in the way and
implement key interventions to create a positive
improvement.
How do I do this?
Use data to identify groups of students, who are
not making expected levels of progress.
Liaise with key members of staff to ascertain the
best way to support students within the given
subjects.
Organise and co-ordinate a mentoring /
intervention programme to improve progress.
How will students be supported?
Students will receive a number of interventions
to improve their levels of progress.
Students progress will be monitored termly and
the types of interventions required will be
modified accordingly.
Some students will be involved in a mentoring
programme.
How will parents be supported?
Regular termly updates on student progress via
reviews.
Detailed information on which interventions are
being put in place to help your son/daughter
progress.
Parent forums are run to help you support your
son/daughter at home.
Impact
Students feel supported in areas where they are
underachieving both pastorally and
academically.
Parents are fully aware of how to support their
son/daughter at home.
Student progress is improved in line with target
grades.
The voice of Experience!
Maggie Boyd
George Genc
Isabelle Gulley
What I wish I’d known at the
start of Year 10.
What would I do differently?
What worked for me?
What/where were the biggest
stresses in Year 10?
What did you do to keep
sane?
What’s the one key message
that every Year 10 student
should take away with them?
In Summary…
What happens at home is vital!
15% of a student’s time is spent in
school
85% is spent outside school
‘Parental involvement in a child’s
education can mean the difference
between an A* and an also-ran at GCSE’
(TES, 10th October 2003)
Parent Packs
• Key contact information and dates
• Handouts and useful information from
each Core subject
• ‘101 Tips To Ensure Success’
Please make sure that you have collected
your pack before you leave
Home
School
Students
School Work Experience
Mrs Knowles – Careers Advisor
Burford School
23rd to 27th March 2015
What is Work Experience?
• The opportunity to learn about a business
and the jobs involved in the work place
• The opportunity to assist and observe
different occupational tasks
The benefits of Work Experience
• Students are able to find out about themselves – their likes,
dislikes, their strengths and weaknesses.
• Students may be given an insight into careers that might
interest them.
• Students may learn about the relevance /application of school
subjects
• It provides students with an insight into the world of work
• It can result in part-time holiday work – sometimes even a
job/apprenticeship offer
• It supports applications for college, university courses and
apprenticeships
When does Work Experience take
place?
23rd to 27th March
2015
What types of placements are most
readily available?
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Work with children – Primary schools and nurseries
Catering
Motor Vehicle work
Engineering
Retail
Hairdressing and beauty
Office work
Armed forces – Army residential at Longmoor
Placements that are more difficult to
secure
• Work with animals, particularly veterinary practices
– except for horses
• Theatres
• Media/newspapers
• Art and Design including Graphic Design, Interior
design, Fashion design
• IT
• Professional placements – law and architecture
Placements for which students need to be older
or which aren’t possible
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Cotswold Wildlife Park - animal sections
The Blue Cross
RAF Brize Norton
Hospital placements including medicine nursing
and professions allied to medicine
• Fire Service
• Thames Valley Police
• Placements where confidentiality would make it
difficult for the student to observe/assist
Planning the placement
• You can help by:
• Discussing with your son/daughter the types of
placement that would be of interest
• Helping them to think about whom they might
approach and support them in writing
letters/emails. Do you have any contacts?
• Ensuring that the forms issued are completed
and returned to school by the deadlines given
• Encouraging them in their ambitions, including
the consideration of non-traditional placements
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The Process
Return parental consent form to form tutors by
Monday, 01.10.14.
Contact employers without delay.
Once an placement offer has been made, student to
collect the next form from me – WES3. This needs
to be given to the employer.
It is the students responsibility to chase up the
return of the form and bring it back to me so that I
can register the placement with the County Council
and so that they can do a visit check.
The deadlines
• All placements both out of county and
Oxfordshire placements need to be
registered by Friday 19th December 2014
• Note that out of county placements incur a
charge of £30
• BUT – the sooner the WES3 form is
completed and handed in the better!
The deadlines
• All placements both out of county
placements need to be registered by Friday
19th December 2014
• BUT – the sooner the WES3 form is
completed and handed in the better!
Complications!
• My son or daughter doesn’t know which
companies to approach
• They don’t know what they would like to do
• They have written to employers but have had no
replies or only negative responses
• They need help with writing letters
PLEASE ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME AND
SEE ME
Prior to the placement
• You can help by ensuring that your
son/daughter knows:
• How they are going to get there
• Who to report to
• What to wear
• Lunch arrangements and hours of work
• Goes to bed early before the work
experience starts!
During the placement
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You can help by:
Checking that the placement is going well
Encouraging a mature response to any difficulties
Encouraging your son/daughter to persevere
even if the placement isn’t what they expected
Letting the school know if there is a REAL
problem
Informing both school & the employer if your
child is sick
At the end of the evening…
Please come and see me if you have any
questions
Alternatively do not hesitate to phone or
email me – [email protected]