Purpose of this morning – an informative session of activities and presentations around learning, the website and tracking your child’s progress.

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Introductions• Alison Hooper – Asst Head for KS3• Adrian Hall – Asst Head for Teaching and Learning• First point of contact for any concerns is your child’s Head or Deputy Head of Year.

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Activity 1 - thinking back to this time last year, open evenings and filling out your application for secondary school. Why did you choose QES?

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Reasons why people chose to come to QES in previous years

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Important to work in partnership on scholarship and care .

Want to produce the best young people we can - together• you help us with the scholarship (the focus of this morning)• and we’ll help you with the care and support of your child as he/she grows up

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Let’s think about how best to learn in school

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For Year 7s.

What’s wrong with this cartoon?

It’s important to always do your best and try your hardest in lessons.You might have to work at this and it may not be easy.Sometimes your brain and head might hurt. But it’s a bit like going to a gym and giving your muscles a good work out. They ache afterwards.It’s the same with learning – give your brain a good work out. It’s good if it hurts. You learn most when you struggle or find things difficult.

So don’t be the desk truant (as above)

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p5 to p7 in plannerHow do we help you to be a good learner.? We have our successful learner model.

Activity 2.Score each of the headings and areas – out of 10 or red/amber/green.Some you will be good at and others not so much.Focus on the areas you are not so good at. This is how you improve and get better at learning.It is useful to refer to this at home and help with the areas that have low scores.

Our merit system is linked to the successful learner.Parents can give some merits too – but not too many!

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p10 and 11 in planner

Activity 33 is the minimum we expect but need to aim for higher than this.Have a look at 4s and 5s and discuss what you need to do to achieve these.

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P162 in planner

One of the most important things to do is to review your learning regularly – and do ‘little but often’Everyday reviewing is a whole school, important initiative

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Ebinghaus psychologist from 50 years ago plus recent neuroscience tells us the importance of everyday reviewing

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What happens to your learning?If you learn something just once – you will quickly forget it.

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It is important to keep coming back to things and revisiting learning in subjects.This helps you remember things more!

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A useful analogy. Trying to learn is like filling a bath with water or knowledge and skills.If you don’t put the plug in – it will simply keep draining away.Need to keep the learning there – everyday reviewing is like putting the plug in.

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A good analogy from the rainforest.

It’s about making a pathway or creating a memory and then revisiting it often so that it becomes permanent.If you don’t keep revisiting and keeping the path clear, it will over grow and you will lose your learning.

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So how does it work?

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p162 in planner

No such thing as no homework – you can do your own quick reviewing of your learning.

This simple approach will really improve your learning and retention.

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And this is how you do it.

You will get lots of help in PD (already had one session) and from subjects.

Constant and regular checking keeps your memory alive

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There is lots of evidence and recent studies that everyday reviewing works.

And its crucial to get into good study and reviewing habits now.

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How do you carry on learning at home?

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Common scene?What do you talk about over dinner?Need to talk about school and learning and review the day.Use show and tell – get exercise books out and be proud of your learning.

Important for home to get into the habit of having these learning conversations as it helps with everyday reviewing and keep going back over previous topics.

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What does your study area look like?

Activity 4Discuss and describe where and when you do your homework?

Checklist• Important to get into good study habits now. Fight the battle now , get the

routines in place. It will pay back massively at Y10 and beyond.• Sitting at a table or desk (not on the sofa/lap or on the bus!)• Quiet area free from music, TV and distractions• Not easy with siblings and busy households• Can do homework at school at lunchtime• Phone off and out of the room Average homework about 20 minutes – ask

teachers for guidelines• Don’t spend hours on it and getting into state – parents can write a note in

planner if there is a problem• Computers and homework

• Supervise use• Use parental controls (on phones too)• Not advised to have them in bedrooms where you can’t keep children safe

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• Good bedtime/sleep hygiene routines• Phones off and out of the bedroom• Phone off 1 hour before bedtime• Blue light disrupts ability o get to sleep

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From the New Entrants evening in the summer.

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From the New Entrants evening in the summer.

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A reminder of where to find the information 2 lots of info – Starting QES website and Y7 Induction

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Quick links• Enforced closures• QESA • Wisepay• Urgent Twitter

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For all key dates

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Also – range of sites to help with learning and which teachers may direct you to for homework or you can use for everyday reviewing

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Year 7 twitter

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Follow Mr Reid’s Year 7 Twitter

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And More Details is where all the starting info is

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Reviewing progress. How do you know how your child is doing?

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How do we up-date you on progress over the year?

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In the Autumn term• CAT tests• Baseline Test results• Effort grades• Subject Review – arrangements. School finishes after an early lunch at 1.05. x4 45

minute lessons in the morning. Work set for the afternoon lesson to complete at home. Early buses and then starts at 1.45 and runs through until about 6.30.

• So when other year groups have their reviews school will close early that day• All dates in the planner – p15

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After Christmas – effort grades continue half-termlyExams after Easter – 23rd April to 3rd May.Comments – followed by academic reviews. Holistic view of the year – more info to follow.

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Info is all shown on the tracker. Info on how to access is on the website.

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CAT tests Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is a form of computer-based test that adapts to the pupil's ability level. For this reason, it has also been called tailored testing.Tests a range of skills• verbal (thinking with words)• quantitative (thinking with numbers)• non-verbal ands spatial (thinking with shapes and space).

Already underway – no need to prepare or do anything.Also shows KS2 results

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Effort grades

3.82 is the magic number – achieving more 4s than 3s

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Baseline tests completed in the Autumn Term. Used to predict expected progress at the end of Y7, then Y8 and Y9.Use the 1 to 9 grading system.

Teachers and pupils use to check progress throughout the year.

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Exams after Easter - 23rd April to 3rd May.

Results and comments in June followed by academic reviews.

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Academic Review – holistic review in the summer. Over 2 weeks starting 17th June.Not subject specific. Looking for general progress and patterns and trends. And to set targets for the future and into Y8.Maybe didn’t do well in a particular exam.With form tutor or member of Y7 team or other teachers/Leadership Team.Time may not be flexible and if can’t attend – will go ahead.

Green – above predicted level – excellent progressWhite – at predicted levelYellow – little bit belowRed – below – at risk of under-achieving.

Helps us to plan for the following year. 3 populations – equal range of ability and boys and girls.3 groups in each – allows us to reduce group sizes.Not friendship based.

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What key things will you take away from today’s session?

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