GCSE booklet

SUPPORT STUDY SUCCESS

GCSE EXAM DATES

1) The Early Bird Catches The Worm

Yes, you may sigh at this over-used phrase your parents regularly fire at you but it really does work. Getting up early means you make the most of the day and, if you feel you've done enough, you can take the evening off.

2) Set Yourself Realistic Targets

Make sure to set your own targets which suit your capabilities - not your friends’. There's no point in trying to do 10 hours of revision a day if you know you won't; you'll only feel disappointed.

3) Exercise

Going for a jog - or any other exercise - is a great way to switch off and renew your energy levels. Your brain may be tired but your body probably won't be.

4) Take Regular Breaks

Experts recommend every half an hour or so. Even if it's just getting up to make a drink gives you an opportunity to re-focus.

5) Work Hard; Play Hard

Ok, maybe don't play too hard, but planning to see friends or family on your breaks means you have something to look forward to and means you can reward yourself for all that hard work.

6) Steer Clear Of Ca�eine

If you simply can't survive without coffee, have a couple of cups in the morning and when you do get that low, refuel with high-energy foods such as nuts. Having the full 8 hours sleep has been proven to increase memory retention by up to 35%.

7) Eat Well

Resist that trip to McDonald's; fast food will only make you feel sluggish. Stock up on brain-boosting foods such as pumpkin seeds, blueberries, celery and walnuts.

8) Know Your Learning Techniques

Don't feel you have to join the revision group just because everyone else is. Some people just work better alone. Think about the techniques that work for you – cue cards, mind maps, posters, Q&A sessions, websites etc.

9) Keep Hydrated

We all know our brains love water. Keep a bottle of water by your desk and make sure you drink it regularly. If you get really bored, add some squash to spice things up.

10) Ban Facebook/Twitter

"But why?" we hear you gasp in horror. How many times have you refreshed your homepage only to realise there are no new updates as you've been glued to Facebook for the past four hours. It's distracting and it serves no purpose.

Revision tips for studentsWhen you’re preparing for GCSE, AS or A2 exams, sometimes it seems as though you can’t move for revision tips and, while most of the tips for revision you get offered are well-intentioned, it can be hard to sort the useful revision tips from the useless.

To help you get off on the right foot with your revision, we've created these useful revision tips. They are equally valid for GCSE, AS and A2 exams.

Revision tip one: Plan your revisionIt’s important to take a structured approach to exam revision, because it means you can be sure of covering everything you need in the time available.

People who do not plan their revision often end up spending most of their time covering areas they already know well. A proper revision plan will help you focus revision on the subject areas you really need to cover:

When creating your revision plan, work backwards from the date of your first exam.

Do you know what you need to do in each subject to help improve your grades? If not – ask your teacher.

Allocate more time to tricky subjects/topics and areas you don’t know well. These will have the biggest impact on your eventual results.

Be realistic when creating a timetable. You can’t spend every minute revising – build in time for breaks and other commitments too.

Stick your revision timetable up somewhere and tell your friends and family about it so they can help you focus on sticking to your plan.

Revision tip two: Create the right environmentWhen you revise at home, follow these revision tips to build surroundings that will help you revise effectively:

Try to set aside an area that’s just for revision. Avoid your bedroom if possible – you want to create a space you associate only with revision.

Make sure your desk is lit well (with natural light, if possible) and in a quiet spot, away from distractions like the TV.

Most people revise most effectively in a quiet environment. At certain times, however, playing music may motivate and inspire you.

Find a spot where it’s easy to avoid distractions. Turn your phone off, move away from the TV and shut down your internet connection

Have everything to hand before starting. That means pens, pencils, paper, textbooks, exam papers – anything you need to revise.

Use the school or public library.

Revision tip three: Think about your techniqueWithout the right revision technique, your meticulously-planned revision schedule and revision materials will be useless. These revision tips will help you make productive use of every minute of your revision time: Simply reading textbooks and notes is not enough for effective revision. You need to be active, making notes and diagrams.

Short chunks of revision work best for most people. For instance, revise for 30 minutes, then take a ten-minute break.

Use past papers, textbooks and syllabuses to work out what you should be revising.

Use a whole variety of materials: notes, textbooks, online resources – and create mind maps, diagrams and posters.

Past papers are a really valuable way to test your knowledge. When you work through questions, make sure you have the mark scheme too.

Go over material more than once, but leave a day or two in between. This will help reinforce knowledge and fix it in your mind.

Revision tip four: Don’t overdo your revisionPush yourself too far and you’ll burn out, get tired or simply become less effective. It’s important to think about your mind, your body and when you perform best: Take frequent breaks. Ten minutes off every 30 – 40 minutes is a good balance for most people.

Stay hydrated and don’t get too hungry. Keep a glass of water on hand, along with healthy snacks like fruit and nuts.

Set a tangible goal for each day, such as learning 12 quotations. This will improve learning efficiency. Small steps will have a big impact. You can’t do everything at once!

Remember your friends and family. Spending time with them will keep you stimulated and stop you going ‘stir crazy’!

If things aren’t going quite to plan, don’t panic – just re-evaluate what you can cover in the remaining time, and focus on what you can achieve.

Ask for help! Your subject teachers and tutors are always willing to help. Don’t panic in silence!

And �nally...Help!If you find that you are not sleeping, can’t concentrate, it’s all getting too much; then there is help at hand. Contact your tutor, Housemaster/mistress or any other member of staff. Father Simon is also available and if necessary he will arrange for an appointment with the School Counsellor or see you himself. Of course you can also contact your teachers. Just remember you don’t have to face this on your own. A few minutes chatting with someone can help to put things in perspective. We do not want you to make yourself ill over a few exams!

Department ClinicsUpper Fifth Lower Sixth Middle Sixth

Art Wed/Thu 4-5.30 Wed/Thu 4-5.30 Wed/Thu 4-5.30

Biology Tues 1.30-2.00 Tues 1.30-2.00 Tues 1.30-2.00

Chemistry Tues 1.30-2.00 Tues 1.30-2.00 Tues 1.30-2.00

Classics/Latin every lunchtime every lunchtime every lunchtime

D&T Wed 1-1.30 exam Wed 1-1.30 exam Wed 1-1.30 exam Weds 4.15-5 practical Weds 4.15-5 practical Weds 4.15-5 practical Fri 1.15-2 practical Fri 1.15-2 practical Fri 1.15-2 practical

Drama individual individual individual

Economics na Tues 4.15 Mon 4.15

English Thurs 1.00-1.30 1:1 coursework tutorials 1:1 coursework tutorials with subject teachers by with subject teachers by arrangement after February arrangement after February Half term weekly group Half term weekly group tutorials, to be confirmed. tutorials, to be confirmed.

French Tues 1-2 Tues 1-2 Tues 1-2

G&P na Weds 4.15 Weds 4.15

Geography Weds/Thurs 4.15 Weds/Thurs 4.15 Weds/Thurs 4.15

German Tues 1.30 Tues 1.30 Tues 1.30

History Fri 1-1.45 Viet A Tues 4.15 Wed 4.15 Viet B Thu 4.15 French Wed 4.15Mathematics set 1 Thurs 4.15 Mon/Fri 1.30-2 Mon/Fri 1.30-2 set 2 Mon 4.15 Mon 4-5 Mon 4-5 set 3 individual Tues 4-5 Tues 4-5 set 4 Tues 4.15

Music individual individual individual

PE na na Thurs 1:30-2:00

Physics Tues 1.00-2.00 Tues 1.30-2.00 Tues 1.30-2.00

Psychology na M/T/W/F 1.30 M/T/W/F 1.30

RS Weds 1.30-2.00 Mon 1.30-2.00 Tues 1.30-2.00

Spanish Weds 1.00 Fri 4.15 Fri 4.15

Useful Revision WebsitesSubject WebsiteGeneral www.s-cool.co.uK www.revisionworld.co.uk/gcse-revision www.gcsepod.co.uk www.educationquizzes.com www.getrevising.co.uk

Revision skills/grade http://www.vision2learnforschools.comimprovement tips

Revision Help Site http://getrevising.co.uk Create your revision timetable here, for example. http://www.revisionworld.co.uk

Biology www.maniacworld.com/shooting-sheep.htm testing reaction times http://science.howstuffworks.com research website to find out how ADH works www.cellsalive.com/mitosis.htm videos of mitosis and meiosis www.fao.org/english/newsroom/focus/2003/fmo8.htm arguments for and against GMO’s teacherscorner.net www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_11/BL_11.htmlvirtual lab to conduct experiments on effects of temp. pH, etc. on enzymes www.DNAi.org/index.html Interactive activities on nucleic acids www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/neurobiology.html www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFG-aLidT8s Introduction to homeobox genes www.plant-hormones.info/ plant hormones www.youttube.com/watch?v=1968Wco1u0s&feature=related comparing sympathetic and parasympathetic systems

Chemistry iGCSE – bitesize – useful video clips and questions to check knowledge and understanding. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_aqa/ A level- chemguide, knockhardy, labskills (via Gateway) are all good to check information and both labskills and knockhardy have some good multiple choices. Chemgym costs but is good for quick questions on the move. http://www.chemguide.co.uk http://www.knockhardy.org.uk/sci.htm http://www.chemgym.net Classics http://quizlet.com

Design & Technology www.technologystudent.com http://www.mr-dt.com/ http://www.ergonomics4schools.com/learningzone.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/design/resistantmaterials http://www.the-warren.org/

Economics www.tutor2u.net www.economicshelp.org www.hsbcukeconomyexplained.co.uk www.whystudyeconomics.ac.uk www.bankofengland.co.uk www.economist.com www.bbc.co.uk/news/business/economy

Not all appropriate for all levels

Useful Revision WebsitesSubject Website

English http://www.englishbiz.co.uk/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/ http://www.revisioncentre.co.uk/gcse/english/

Geography http://www.rgs.org/WhatsOn/Whats+on.htm http://www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk/ks3-resources/introduction/ http://www.rgs.org/GeographyToday/Geography+Today.htm http://www.geographyinthenews.rgs.org/ http://www.coolgeography.co.uk/GCSE/AQA%20GCSE.htm www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/ www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/geography www.revisionworld.co.uk/gcse-revision/geography http://www.thinkgeography.org.uk/ReviseGeography/ReviseGeography/GCSE_Geog.html www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk/gcse/revision.html http://www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk/gcse/index.html www.youtube.com (type in case study or relevant topic)

Government & Politics http://www.earlhamsociologypages.co.uk/asanda2.html Large archive of AS and A2 resources for all government and politics topics, across all exam board specifications. http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/politics/ Blog, revision materials and general electronic resources. www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics http://www.politicshome.com/ Politics news source

History http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history Nazi Germany http://www.activehistory.co.uk/ username Chigwell, password olu54 http://johndclare.net/ http://schoolhistory.co.uk/ http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/ http://www.mrallsophistory.com/revision/ http://www.casahistoria.net/GCSE_history_revision.htm

Maths http://www.schoolworkout.co.uk/GCSE.htm http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/maths http://www.collinsrevisionapps.co.uk/ This is a link to an app you can purchase for your iPhone to revise your maths. https://go.chigwell-school.org/personal/dmorse/maths/default.aspx http://www.mymaths.co.uk/ http://www.examsolutions.net/index.php http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk/ http://www.mathsnet.net www.examsolutions.co.uk/index.php

Modern Foreign http://www.languagesonline.org.ukLanguages http://www.linguascope.co.uk (chigwell / Harsnett) http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize www.vocabexpress.com (most year groups and languages from III Form to UV are covered by our departmental subscription. Further details and usernames/passwords available from Mr Coppell)


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Useful Revision Websites

MVI - Uni Offers

Subject WebsiteFrench http://www.frenchrevision.co.uk/ http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/french http://www.languagesonline.org.uk http://www.linguascope.co.uk http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/french http://www.frenchrevision.co.uk/ http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/french

Spanish www.espanol-extra.co.uk (Chigwell / 1629) We also subscribe to www.kerboodle.com at A Level in Spanish, and students have been issued with individual usernames and passwords.

Music http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/ http://quizlet.com www.musictheory.net

PE http://revisionworld.co.uk/a2-level-level-revision/pe-physical-education http://www.teachpe.com/a_level.php www.pe4u.co.uk/ Physics http://www.youtube.com/ search igcse+physics+edexcel. Short films by Ben Ryder

Psychology http://www.s-cool.co.uk/a-level/psychology http://www.holah.co.uk/page/home/ (Mainly OCR Board (we are doing Edexcel) but useful for general information – glossary etc). http://aspsychology101.wordpress.com/downloads/

RS http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/ http://groodle/course/view.php?id=63 Logon on to Groodle for more links. http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/religious-studies http://www.thatreligiousstudieswebsite.com www.rsrevision.com/contents/games.htm

Uni Offer Grades


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©2011

AQA City & Guilds CCEA Edexcel OCR WJEC

Warning to Candidates

1. You must be on time for all your examinations.

2. You must not become involved in any unfair or dishonest practice in any part of the examination.

3. You must not:

sit an examination in the name of another candidate;

have in your possession any unauthorised material or equipment which might give you an unfair advantage.

4. Possession of a mobile phone or other unauthorised material is breaking the rules, even if you do not intend to use it, and you will be subject to penalty and possible disqualification.

5. You must not talk to, attempt to communicate with or disturb other candidates once you have entered the examination room.

6. You must follow the instructions of the invigilator.

7. If you are in any doubt speak to the invigilator.

The WWaarrnniinngg ttoo CCaannddiiddaatteess must be displayed in a prominent place outside each examination room. This may be a hard copy A3 paper version or an image of the poster projected onto a wall or screen for all candidates to see. Effective from 1 September 2011

The start times for exams are

9.00 am and 1.30 pm

They take place in the Sports Hall

unless they are listening exams.

21st April

22nd April

23rd April

24th April

25th April

26th April

27th April

28th April

29th April

30th April

1st May

2nd May

3rd May

4th May

5th May

6th May

7th May

8th May

13.30 ENGLISH LANGUAGE

READING PASSAGES

(EXTENDED) 2 hours

9th May

10th May

11th May

12th May

13th May

9.00 CHEMISTRY

WRITTEN PAPER 1C 2 hrs

CHEMISTRY

9.00 WRITTEN PAPER 1C 2 hrs

13.30 FRENCH

LISTENING (F) 25 mins

13.30 FRENCH

LISTENING (H) 35 mins

13.30 FRENCH

READING (F) 35 mins

13.30 FRENCH

READING (H) 50 mins

14th May

15th May

9.00 MATHS

WRITTEN PAPER 3H 2 hrs

9.00 PHYSICSWRITTEN PAPER 1P 2 hrs

9.00 PHYSICSWRITTEN PAPER 1P 2 hrs

13.30 RELIGIOUS STUDIES

B UNIT 2 1 Hr 30

13.30 SPANISH


13.30 SPANISH


13.30 SPANISH

READING (F) 35 mins

13.30 SPANISH

READING (H) 50 mins

13.30 GEOGRAPHY PAPER 1 1 Hr 30

16th May

17th May

18th May

9.00 HISTORY

WRITTEN PAPER 1 1Hr 30

13.30 ENGLISH LANGUAGEDIRECTED WRITING & COMPOSITION 2 Hrs

19th May

20th May

9.00 GERMAN


9.00 GERMAN


9.00 GERMAN

READING (F) 35 mins

9.00 GERMAN

READING (H) 50 mins

9.00 LISTENING (F) 25 mins

9.00 LISTENING (H) 35 mins

9.00 READING (F) 35 mins

9.00 READING (H) 50 mins

9.00 DRAMA & PROSE 1Hr 45 13.30 MATHS

WRITTEN PAPER 4H 2 hrs

13.30 BIOLOGY

WRITTEN PAPER 1B 2hrs

13.30 BIOLOGY

WRITTEN PAPER 1B 2hrs

21st May

22nd May

9.00 GEOGRAPHY PAPER 2 1 Hr

9.00 CLASS GREEK: CLAS GRK

PROSE LIT WRTN 1 Hr

23rd May

24th May

25th May

9.00 ENGLISH

UNSEEN TEXTS & POETRY

1Hr 30

9.00 HISTORY

WRITTEN PAPER 2 1Hr 30

13.30 DRAMA UNIT 1 1 Hr 3O

13.30 LATIN: LATIN LANGUAGE

1 HGH WRITTEN 1 Hr

26th May

27th May

28th May

29th May

30th May

31th May

1st June

2nd June

3rd June


VERSE LIT WRTN 1Hr

9.00 MUSIC

LISTENING

& APPRAISING 1Hr 30

13.30 LATIN: LATIN LANGUAGE 2

WRITTEN HGH 1 Hr

4th June

5th June

9.00 RELIGIOUS STUDIES B

UNIT 4 1 Hr

6th June

7th June

8th June


VERSE LIT WRTN 1Hr

9.00 GEOGRAPHY PAPER 3 1Hr 30

13.30 MATHS: ADDITIONAL

MATHS PAPER 1 2 Hrs

9th June

10th June

13.30 LATIN: LATIN PROSE LIT

WRITTEN HGH 1 Hr

9.00 D&T: RESISTANT

MATERIALS TECH UNIT 1 2 Hrs

13.30 CHEMISTRY

WRITTEN PAPER 2C 1 Hr

12th June

11th June

9.00 PHYSICS

WRITTEN PAPER 2P 1 Hr

9.00 CLASS GREEK: CLASS

GREEK LANG 2 WRTN) 1 Hr

13th June

14th June

15th June

16th June

17th June

9.00 BIOLOGY WRITTEN

PAPER 2B 1 Hr

18th June

19th June

13.30 LATIN: LATIN VERSE LIT

WRITTEN HGH 1 Hr

20th June

21st June

22nd June

23rd June

24th June

25th June

Documents

GCSE booklet