ST. ANNE’S CATHOLIC HIGH

SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

Welcome to our Key Stage 4

Information Evening

Thursday 10th September 2015

Key People

Mrs J Gumbrell

First Deputy Headteacher

Mr I Foster

Assistant Headteacher, Director of Key Stage 4

Mrs Savin

Key Stage 4 Achievement Leader

Assessment

Progress Check & Annual Report

• MTG – Minimum Target Grade

• WAG – Working At Grade

• Effort

• Homework

• Behaviour

English Language & Literature AQA

There will be four exams in English at the end of Year 11:

• English Language – 2 exams

• English Literature – 2 exams

GCSE English Language

PAPER 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing

50% of GCSE

PAPER 2: Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives

50% of GCSE

Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing

What's assessed:

Section A: Reading

•one literature fiction text

Section B: Writing

•descriptive or narrative writing

Assessed

•written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes

•80 marks

•50% of GCSE

Reading (40 marks) (25%)– one single text

Writing (40 marks) (25%)

AQA GCSE English Language Paper 1

Paper 2: Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives

What's assessed

Section A: Reading

•one non-fiction text and one literary non-fiction text

Section B: Writing

•writing to present a viewpoint

Assessed

•written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes

•80 marks

•50% of GCSE

Reading (40 marks) (25%) – two linked texts

Writing (40 marks) (25%)

AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2

Non-examination Assessment: Spoken

Language

What's assessed

(AO7–AO9)

•presenting

•responding to questions and feedback

•use of Standard English

Assessed

•teacher set throughout course

•marked by teacher

•separate endorsement (0% weighting of GCSE)

AQA GCSE English Language

GCSE English Literature

PAPER 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel

40% of GCSE

PAPER 2: Modern Texts and Poetry

60% of GCSE

Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel

What's assessed

•Shakespeare: “Macbeth” or “Romeo and Juliet”

•The 19th-century novel: “Great Expectations”, “Strange Case of

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” or “A Christmas Carol”

How it's assessed

•written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes

•64 marks

•40% of GCSE

Section A: Shakespeare

Section B: The 19th-century novel

AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 1

Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry

What's assessed

•Modern prose or drama texts: “An Inspector Calls”

•The poetry anthology: “Love and Relationships”

•Unseen poetry

How it's assessed

•written exam: 2 hour 15 minutes

•96 marks

•60% of GCSE

Section A: Modern texts

Section B: Poetry

Section C: Unseen poetry

AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 2

Texts

• Shakespeare: Macbeth or

Romeo & Juliet

• Modern Text: An Inspector Calls

• 19th Century novel: A Christmas

Carol, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll

and Mr. Hyde, or Great

Expectations.

• AQA Poetry Anthology:

Love and Relationships Cluster

Useful Resources

• www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize

• Wider reading – newspapers, novels,

magazines

• Study guides: CGP, York Notes

• www.aqa.org.uk

What can you do ?

• Encourage your child to read – not always easy!

• Let them have access to a wide range of material

• Have a look at their work – have they made any spelling,

punctuation or grammatical errors?

• Ask them to tell you about the novel/play/poems we are

reading in class

• Encourage your child to be proactive and ask for help

• Mrs Morrell, Subject Leader of English

Maths

• GCSE Maths (9–1) 1 MA1 Edexcel board

• First examination summer 2017

GCSE Maths 1MA1 (9–1)

What is different about this exam?

1. Greater content than before

2. More formulae to learn

3. More demanding question- problem solving.

4. More examinations

5. Different Grading system (now grades 1 to

9 previously (G to A*)

Examinations

• Greater assessment time (4½ hours) – one hour more than currently

• Three papers, 80 marks each – one more paper than currently

• 33.3% non-calculator – 16.7% less than currently (but still 1½ hours’ worth)

• 240 marks in all – 40 more than currently

• Fewer formulae available in examinations – quite a lot fewer than currently!

What do we offer

• A stable experienced department

• 5 x 50 minute lessons

• 4 ability sets in each group

• Subscription to many websites

• Intervention lessons (mainly in year 11)

afterschool and Saturdays.

How can you help ?

• Check homework is done

• Familiarise yourselves with the

websites(details to follow in a letter)

• Help organise handouts into folders

• Check students have correct Maths equipment

(especially calculators).

• Communicate concerns to the teacher or

Ms Popat Subject Leader of Maths.

To help pupils

• Mymaths website particularly the booster programs

• Mathswatch VLE excellent video tutorials and exercises

• Access to the electronic textbook

• Students will be given numerous past papers and worksheets.

• Students split across 8 classes

• Intervention classes nearer exams

• Ms Popat Subject Leader of Maths.

Outline of Religious Education GCSE

Course

Exam Board: Edexcel

Year 10: Unit 10: Roman Catholic Christianity.

Year 11: Unit 3: Religion and Life based on the

study of Roman Catholic Christianity.

Exams

• The course is assessed at the end of Year 11.

• Two exams in May 2017, 1.5 hours each.

• Each exam is worth 50%

Assessment

Students are assessed regularly, and for each of the 4 modules there will be:

• 2 assessments on past exam questions

• 1 timed end of module test

• 1 glossary test

Students have a pupil progress sheet in the back of their RE exercise book to record their results, evaluate how they prepared for their tests and to set targets for improvement.

Glossaries

• Each student is

given a glossary

of key words in

Year 10 and

another one in

Year 11.

GCSE Religious Studies

Year 10

Unit 10 Glossary

Name ____________________

Form ____________________

Revision

• Revision book available to order through RE department

• Revision materials – PowerPoint presentations, model answers, past exam questions all available on Fronter and Central Resource Library.

Miss Pugh Subject Leader for RE

Science

• Most students study 2 Science GCSEs: Science A and Additional Science. All exams are at the end of Year 11.

• We use AQA as our exam board, and our course titles are Science A & Additional Science.

• Some students study Triple Science. This gives them 3 GCSEs: Biology, Chemistry and Physics. All exams are at the end of Year 11.

Science • In Year 10 Double Science students study GCSE Science A.

This is one complete GCSE for which students have 3 double lessons each week. Students learn Biology, Chemistry and Physics, with each subject being taught by a specialist.

• All students complete coursework ISAs in Year 10 that count 25% of their GCSE Science mark.

• Students take all of their exams for GCSE Science at the end of Year 11. There will be three exams, each one hour long: one for Biology, one for Chemistry and one for Physics.

Science

• In Year 11 Double Science students study GCSE Additional Science. This is one complete GCSE for which students have 3 double lessons each week. Students learn Biology, Chemistry and Physics, with each subject being taught by a specialist.

• Double Science students complete coursework ISAs in Year 11 that count 25% of their GCSE Additional Science mark.

• Double Science students take 3 GCSE Additional Science exams in May of Year 11. The exams and the ISA give them their 2nd GCSE in Science.

Science

• Triple Science students study alongside their peers for 6 lessons per week.

• Triple Science students have 3 extra science lessons per week where they learn the extra science required for the triple award.

• Triple Science students take all 9 of their Triple Science exams at the end of Year 11. Coursework ISAs take place during Year 10 and Year 11.

Science Revision

• Students can buy revision guides from the

Science Department – they are much cheaper

than in the shops.

• We have CGP and OUP versions.

• There are revision guides available for GCSE

Science, Additional Science and for the three

Triple Sciences.

Science

• ISA Dates – Year 10

• October 2015

• January 2016

• ISA Dates – Year 11

• July 2016 (at the end of year 10)

• December 2016 – during the mock exam week at the end of term.

• Progression to A Level

• Students who want to take any of the Sciences at A Level need high B grades in Science and Additional Science at GCSE. They also need B grades in English Language and Maths. Both Double and Triple Science are good preparation for A Level.

• Mr Thompson Subject Leader for Science

Interventions

• Teaching and learning does not just occur between 8:30 am – 3:30 pm it continues:

• After school

• Saturday School

• Holiday & half term school

• Be prepared to take responsibility don’t miss out!

Why attendance and punctuality matter

If students are to achieve their potential, good attendance and punctuality are critical. The link between attendance and achievement is well documented. At St. Anne’s we want all of our students to achieve the very best examination results that they can and poor attendance will have a significant impact on student achievement. Students with irregular attendance…

• Get behind with work

• Lose the thread of the topics being taught

• Become de-motivated on return to school

• Lose friendships

• Miss out on important career and guidance input

• Miss out on extracurricular opportunities

• Are less likely to feel part of the school

90% attendance is equivalent to one day of absence every fortnight. Over an academic year this amounts to four weeks of absence (100 lessons missed!)

Homework What can parents do to help?

• Agree a routine for homework - establish good habits.

• Decide the best time for homework.

• Negotiate when other activities such as television, phoning friends can take place, listening to music/ social networking.

• Be available to help

Homework

What can parents do to help?

• Make sure that your child has a comfortable place to work with as few distractions as possible.

• Provide boxes or a special place for storing school books

• Monitor the homework set

• Ensure homework does not build up

Helping with Homework

What can parents do to help?

• If your daughter gets stuck offer

support but don’t do it for them

• Encourage them to write down clearly

what the homework is in the class

• If the work is consistently too difficult

or too easy let the teacher know

• Take an interest in your child’s marks

and celebrate success

• Again, be wary of excuses

Study & Revision Tips

• Everyone feels nervous about taking exams. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your revision time and keep those nerves under control.

• It’s important to remember that an examination is a test of learning, not memory.

• Examiners want to see evidence that you have drawn on your knowledge to develop a reasoned argument, rather than replicate course notes and textbook facts.

• Revision should be a process of consolidating understanding rather than cramming as much information as possible before the morning of the exam.

1. Study skills

• Where to study? • Creating good conditions to study in can help you

make the most of the time you spend revising. Here are some suggestions:

• Find a quiet place to study and make sure you are sitting comfortably

• Make sure your desk is well lit • Keep background noise to a minimum • Avoid studying in an area where there will be

distractions (like television!) • Have everything you need to do your revision to

hand before you start

2 How to study • There is no ‘right way’ to revise, as long as the method you choose

enables you to gain a solid grasp of key facts and consolidate your knowledge. Some students are happy to read their classroom notes from start to finish, others prefer to simplify the information as much as possible, turning everything into skeleton notes, diagrams or mnemonics. In practice, most students find that mixing techniques suits the varied nature of the subjects being revised, and provides essential variety when studying.

• Turn your notes into revision tools; write ideas and facts on to cards to use as ‘prompts’

• Create memory aids such as diagrams or mnemonics (e.g. initial letters to make a word you need to remember or SMART objectives: Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Realistic; Targets). These will help you remember key facts

• Write key facts/notes out and display these around the house where you will see them record yourself reading notes to listen to

3 How to study

• Study with a friend and test each other’s knowledge, but remember you are meeting to revise rather than to chat!

• Work through past question papers – and use a watch to time them so that you can practise timing your answers.

• Choose study and revision guides sensibly. It’s not hard to find help with revision – as well as established published revision guides, there are hundreds of websites offering help and advice. The problem is not how to find such help, but how to judge which is the best source for your needs. Save valuable time and get recommendations from your teachers

• Remember course notes are also a valuable source of extra help.

• Keep yourself more alert by changing revision methods during a session. For instance, try switching from note taking to memorising; from reading to asking someone to test you

4 How to study

• Attend any revision classes that your teachers may be running at school and get their advice on revision methods

• Look after yourself – Sometimes revision can become a competition – who stayed up latest, who worked longest, who’s worrying the most. But the more tired you are the less efficiently you’ll work. You need to rest as well as study, eat well, drink lots of water and make sure you pace yourself. Don’t rush, and equally don’t over-revise by doing too much too soon

5 Revision plan • The top tip for successful revision is to make a plan; otherwise it is easy to waste

your precious revision time. We recommend that you start your revision at least six weeks before your exams begin. It is helpful to look at your exam dates and work backwards to the first date you intend to start revising.

• List all your exam subjects and the amount of time you think you will need for each one. It is unlikely that the amounts will be equal. Many people find it advisable to allocate more time to the subject or topics they find the most difficult. Draw up a revision plan for each week.

• Fill in any regular commitments you have first and the dates of your examinations

• Use Revision Checklists or Syllabuses for each subject as a starting point. Look at what you need to know and try to identify any gaps in your knowledge. (A good way of doing this is to look at the results of past papers or tests you have worked through)

• Divide your time for each subject into topics based on the units in the revision checklist or syllabus, and make sure you allow enough time for each one

• Plan your time carefully, assigning more time to subjects and topics you find difficult

6 Revision plan

• Revise often; try and do a little every day • Plan in time off, including time for activities which can be

done out in the fresh air. Take a 5 or 10 minute break every hour and do some stretching exercises, go for a short walk or make a drink

• You may find it helpful to change from one subject to another at ‘break’ time, for example doing one or two sessions of maths and then changing to Geography, or alternating a favourite subject with a more difficult one. It helps to build in some variety

• Write up your plan and display it somewhere visible • Adjust your timetable if necessary and try to focus on

your weakest topics and subjects • Don’t panic; think about what you can achieve, not what you

can’t. Positive thinking is important!

7 Last-minute revision tips

• Although time may be short, you can still make a difference to your grade. Try and prioritise; do what you can.

• Use your revision tools (prompts, diagrams etc) to check final facts

• Keep calm and consolidate your existing knowledge rather than trying to learn new topics

• Don’t stay up all night revising; being overtired will not help you to do your best

8 Dealing with exam nerves

• It is natural to feel nervous before an examination. The more prepared you feel, the easier it will be to conquer your fears.

• Create a revision plan to help you feel in control of the process • Plan your work carefully around the topics you need to focus on. Being

aware of gaps in your knowledge can create nerves, but having a plan of how you will fill these will make you feel better.

• Find out what is involved in the exam: where and when it will take place • How much time is allowed how many questions you need to answer

• Think positive! • Keep the exam in context – even if you do badly, there will be other

options open to you • Allow yourself some fun-time each day to relax • Eat sensibly – your brain cells need energy to function well. Make sure

you drink plenty of water to avoid becoming dehydrated. Dehydration makes you tired and reduces concentration.

9 Exam tips – sitting the exam

• Be prepared; find out what is involved in each of the examinations that you are going to sit. Organise yourself the night before and get plenty of sleep.

• Check you have the correct equipment with you before you leave the house (pens pencils, ruler, scientific calculator, etc)

• Do take a watch or clock so that you can time your answers • Leave for the exam in plenty of time • Look through the paper first and mark difficult questions/initial thoughts • Select the questions that will best enable you to demonstrate your knowledge to the

examiner • Look at the marks available and read the questions carefully, following instructions

given in the paper (e.g. to show all workings, word limits etc) • Use the information provided on the paper (the answer’s often nearly all there) • Pace yourself and allow enough time to answer all the required questions • Write as neatly as possible to help the examiner to mark your work. Marking untidy

writing is difficult • For longer answers, take a few minutes before you begin to produce a structured plan

of what you are going to include in each section • Allow yourself ten minutes at the end to read through your answers and correct any

mistakes • Cross out anything you do not want the examiner to read (e.g. an earlier answer to a

question)

10 Exam tips – after the exam

• It is easy to fall in to the trap of wondering how well you performed and to discuss this with your fellow students. Your time would be better spent looking ahead to your next examination.

• Don’t panic – you won’t be the only student who is anxious about their answers

• Don’t compare your answers with those of other students – this can create negative feelings

• Have some fresh air and food and take time to relax before you start revising

• Don’t rush to your textbooks to check your answers – there is no point at this stage

• Focus on the next exam and how you might improve your exam technique

• Have a quick look at your revision plan. Do you need to adjust it? • Think positive & Good Luck!