Meeting the Challenge of A Level Exams · Biology AQA A2 7402 01, 02, 03 + Practical Endorsement...

Meeting the Challenge of A Level Exams

Information Evening for

Year 13 Parents

The Cherwell School

Aims

Time line of events

Practical approaches to study

Maintaining wellbeing

Timeline – For Year 131. Easter break – independent revision. Each subject to provide a

structure revision plan to students

2. Return to school - Tuesday 23rd April. Most courses completed. Three weeks to the exams with two short weeks (Bank Holidays)

3. Friday 10th May – Leavers’ Celebratory Evening

4. Monday 13th May – Exams begin – AS maths only

5. Monday 20th May – Most subjects have exams in with week –optional study leave

6. Friday 24th May – Leavers’ Assembly and study leave begins

7. Monday 27thth May to Friday 31st May – May Break

8. Monday 3rd June –A Level exams continue (study leave)

9. Tuesday 25th June – final A Level exam (most finish by Fri 21st)

Easter Break RevisionA realistic schedule...

Days available

17

Morning Afternoon Evening

Saturday History English Economics

Sunday

Monday History English Economics

Tuesday English Economics History

Wednesday Economics History English

Thursday English History Economics

Friday Economics English History

Saturday History English Economics

Sunday

Monday History English Economics

Tuesday English Economics History

Wednesday Economics History English

Thursday English History Economics

Friday Economics English History

SUBJECT BOARD GCSE/GCECASH IN CODE/

ENTRY CODE UNITS/PAPERS QN NUMBER

Art & Design : Fine ArtEdexcel

GCSE 1FA0 01 (NEA), 02 (NEA)60180699

Art & Design : Textiles GCSE 1TE0 01 (NEA), 02 (NEA)

Art & Design : Fine ArtEdexcel

A2 9FA0 01 (NEA), 02 (NEA)60149589

Art & Design : Photography A2 9PY0 01 (NEA), 02 (NEA)

Astronomy Edexcel GCSE 1AS0 01, 02 60302446

Bike Maintenance EALLevel 2 Certificate in Cycle

MaintenanceYrs 10 / 11 50109340

Biology AQA A2 7402 01, 02, 03 + Practical Endorsement 60146254

Business Studies Edexcel GCSE 1BS0 01, 02 (certification 2020) 60301211

Business Studies AQA A2 7132 01, 02, 03 60143368

Chemistry Edexcel A2 9CH0 01, 02, 03 + Practical Endorsement 60156466

Citizenship AQA GCSE 8100 01, 02 60185958

Dance AQA GCSE 8236 01, 0260185491

Design Technology Edexcel GCSE 1DT0

1DT0/1F

603069811DT0/1B

1DT0/1A

D&T Product Desigtn Edexcel GCE 9DT0 01, 02 6030697X

Drama

AQA GCSE 8261w 01 (NEA),02 (NEA) ,03 60185752

AQA A2 7262w 01 (NEA),02 (NEA) ,03 60184942

Economics Edexcel A2 9EC0 01, 02, 03 60141050

School-materials

Term 5 Essentials

• Attendance to school and lessons is key – high quality revision and learning

• Punctuality – be there on time

• High levels of effort and concentration during lessons – take the opportunities available

• Follow advice of subject teachers

Particular Challenges of Linear A Levels

Particular Challenges of Linear A Levels

1.Extent of content – chance of feeling

overwhelmed

2. Challenge of content – sophisticated

ideas and concepts

3.Organisational challenge: very hard to

‘last-minute’ cram for

Diagnosis Therapy Testing

Diagnosis

How well do you ‘know your stuff’?

Diagnosis

What do you need to know?

Core knowledge – topics, concepts, facts, ideas, procedures

How is that knowledge applied in the context of the exam?

KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION

Diagnosis

Making best use of Specifications

• Use specifications to diagnose

• Improve understanding of the assessment objectives

Diagnosis

Diagnosis

Diagnosis

• Make sure that you engage deeply with the mocks and the feedback

• Do you understand the advice you’re given?

• What skills and knowledge do you need to develop?

Make the most of previous mocks

Diagnosis

It’s not getting feedback that matters; it’s your response to feedback that counts

Make the most of mocks

Diagnosis

Make the most of models

Diagnosis

Make the most of models

Diagnosis

Therapy

Working Memory

Long Term Memory

Lear

nin

g

Rem

emb

erin

g

Environment

Forgetting...

‘Interrupt the process of forgetting...’

‘We remember what we think about’

‘Memory is the residue of thought’

Memorising Knowledge

• An increased emphasis at 6th Form level on memorisation of knowledge

• Wide and secure background knowledge is essential for thinking / application

‘Just regurgitating rote-learned facts’?

Memorising Knowledge

Understand fluently

Remember / retain

Know how to apply

Easter revision tasks – Why?

Just getting started

Manageable chunks

Organised to help cope with the demands of multiple papers spread over time

Therapy

Focussed revision tasks, divided into manageable

chunks

Economics

If you don’t understand...

What if it’s not ‘sticking’?

Learning and remembering

Concentrated

Fixed timeframe

Focussed thinking

Background

Variable timeframe

Diffuse thinking

Implications for revision

• Focussed thinking:

– Conduct activities which lead to focused thinking

• Creating revision cards and then testing yourself

• Answering past paper questions

• ‘Open book’ exams – practice papers with text book available

• Mindmaps

• Quiz yourself regularly – retrieval practice

Interleavingpractise

InterleavingPractise

plan for regular, spaced out testing / practice

Help / test each other

Use testing as re-diagnosis

Testing

Practice the thing you need to do in the exam

Diagnosis Therapy Testing

Maintaining wellbeing through the exam period

Being organised

Getting stuff done

Managing anxious feelings

Being organised - Pre-Flight Checklists

Collaboration on curriculum and resources

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Session 1 (45 minutes)9-945

Subject 1 Revise Topic A

Subject 1Test Topic A

Subject 1 Revise Topic D

Subject 1 Test Topic C

Subject 1 Revise Topic F

Break 10mins

Session 2 (45 minutes)9.55-10.40

Subject 2 Revise Topic A

Subject 2Revise Topic C

Subject 2Test Topic B

Subject 2Revise Topic E

Subject 2Test Topic D

Break 10mins

Session 3 (45 mins)10.50.1100

Subject 3 Revise Topic A

Subject 3Testing Topic A

Subject 3 Revise Topic D

Subject 3 Test Topic C

Subject 3 Revise Topic F

Bigger BreakI/2 hours

Session 4 45 mins1-1.45

Subject 1 Revise Topic B

Subject 1 Revise Topic C

Subject 1 Test Topic B

Subject 1Revise Topic E

Subject 1 Test Topic D

Break 10 mins

Session 5 45 mins1.55- 240

Subject 2Revise Topic B

Subject 2 Test Topic A

Subject 2 Revise Topic D

Subject 2 Testing Topic C

Subject 2Revise Topic F

Break 10 mins

Session 6 45 mins 2.50 - 3.30

Subject 3 Revise Topic B

Subject 3 Revise Topic C

Subject 3Test Topic B

Subject 3 Revise Topic E

Subject 3Test Topic D

Getting Prepared

What can you take out?

Getting stuff done!

https://www.forestapp.cc

• Balance of work and relaxation

• Eat well, sleep well, get fresh air and exercise

Coping with anxiety – Physical Activity

https://www.yogastudioapp.com/

Coping with anxiety – Breathing exercises

Coping with anxiety – Breathing exercises

Coping with anxiety

• Positive mantras

• Self-soothing

• Removal from situation

• Talking

https://uk.happynotperfect.com/the-app

Contacts Year 13

Mr Lawfull – clawfull@cherwell.oxon.sch.ukExt: 261

Ms Alexander – lalexander@cherwell.oxon.sch.ukExt: 221

Ms Trzin – dtrzin@cherwell.oxon.sch.ukExt: 260

Mr Hilton– thilton@cherwell.oxon.sch.ukExt: 221