Year 10 Information Evening 2015

Head teacher's Welcome

• Aims for this evening..– What is involved in the 4 key subject areas– How will we assess and report– How you can help your daughter

Format

• Introduction• Assessment and reporting• Curriculum Leaders of Foreign Languages,

Science, English and Maths • Chance to meet and discuss with all subject

leaders from these key departments

Assessment and Reporting

• How your daughter will be assessed• What the grades mean• How and when we will report

Assessment

• Assessments will be;– Regular– Exam based– Synoptic– Used to make predictions

• Mid Year exams - 8/2/16 - 12/2/16• End of Year exams – 27/6/16 - 1/7/16• Revision materials will be available before the

exams

What the Grades MeanGCSE Grade New GCSE

English and Maths Grade

BTEC/OCR ICT Grade

U 0 Fail

G 1 Level 1 Pass/Level 1 Pass

F 2 Level 1 Pass/Level 1 Pass

E 3 Level 1 Pass/Level 1 Merit

D 4 Level 1 Pass/Level 1 Distinction

C Top of 4 /Bottom of 5

Level 2 Pass

B 5 Level 2 Merit

A 6 Level 2 Distinction

A* 7,8,9 (allocated) Level 2 Distinction*

Reporting

• 4 times per year;– Christmas – February– April– July

• Predicted Grade• Attitude to Learning• Progress comment• Next Steps on end of year report

French

Mr Ward(Curriculum Leader)

Mrs Keen(Deputy Curriculum Leader)

French in school

• 3 lessons of French per week• New GCSE in 2018• 4 contexts:1. Lifestyle2. Leisure3. Home & Environment4. Work & Education

WRITING

30%2 X Controlled Assessments

SPEAKING

30%2 X Controlled Assessments

LISTENING

20%Terminal exam

READING

20%Terminal exam

FRENCH – 4 SKILL AREAS

Controlled Assessments – Writing & Speaking

IN SCHOOL

• Controlled Assessments take the place of a final GCSE

exam and should be considered as such

• Your daughter will be given the task which contains five

key points

• Prepare five paragraphs

• Teachers mark paragraphs and give feedback

• Your daughter improves them

Controlled Assessments – Writing & Speaking

IN SCHOOL

• Your daughter knows exactly what she will be asked in

the exam

• How well your daughter does depends on the amount of

time she spends memorising her paragraphs

• Up to six hours to memorise in school

• Many more hours needed to memorise at home

Controlled Assessments – Writing & Speaking

AT HOME

• French teacher will send a letter home to inform you of

the date of the exam

• Please ensure your daughter revises every day – ‘little

and often’

• Check what your daughter has written against her notes

• Listen to your daughter say her paragraphs out loud

• Be positive

Terminal Exams –Listening & Reading

• Need to learn as much vocabulary as possible

• GCSE vocabulary booklet

• GCSE picture vocabulary booklet accompanied by an

interactive PPT for each topic (EDMODO)

• GCSE Grammar booklet

• AQA / Alfiesoft online progress tests & past papers

• Use all resources and tick off / highlight words as they

are learnt

Terminal Exams –Listening & Reading

• Learning Letter was sent home at the start of the year

together with a sheet of strategies to help your daughter

• SMHW vocabulary lists of high-frequency and

problematic words

• Please ensure your daughter is logging onto SMHW

regularly and learning the vocabulary

• You can help your daughter by testing her knowledge of

vocabulary

Success in French – what’s the secret?

• There is no secret!

Pupils who are successful in French are those pupils who:

• Co-operate with their teacher

• Do what their teacher asks them to do and when their

teacher asks them to

• Come to class ready and willing to learn

• Regularly attend after-school revision

• Plug away and persevere right up until the exam

GCSE ScienceCurriculum Leader:Mr MerryweatherDeputies:Dr WalshMiss Lane

What qualification is your daughter studying?

• Edexcel L1/L2 Certificate in Science (Double Science)

• All 3 sciences are studied through to year 11• Students get 2 GCSE grades for Science.

What assessments count towards her grade?

• Your daughter will sit 3 papers in June 2017, one each in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

• Each paper lasts two hours and has 120 marks.• There is no coursework.• The marks for all 3 papers are added together

then a double grade is awarded from these marks (A*A*, A*A, AA, AB, BB etc.)

• Typically a CC grade would need around 170 marks out of a total of 360.

How is learning structured?

• Students are taught 2 lessons per week in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

• Each of these disciplines is broken down into topics.

• These topics are assessed with an end-of-topic test.

• Each test will also contain synoptic questions; questions about material learned earlier in the course

Assessment Dates

• October 19th –22nd Assessment Week

• December 14th—December 18th Assessment week

• February 8th—12th Assessment Week (Mid Year)

• March 28th—April 1st : Assessment Week

• End of Year exams – 27/6/16 - 1/7/16

Y10 Biology Topics

• Nutrition in Plants and Animals• Coordination and Response• Respiration and Gas Exchange• Ecology• Reproduction

Y10 Chemistry Topics

• Periodic Table and testing for Ions• Oxygen, oxides and gases in the

atmosphere• Reactions of metals• Acids, alkalis and salts• Organic Chemistry

Y10 Physics Topics• Energy, work and power• Forces• Moments, Hooke’s Law and

astronomy• Electricity• Density

How hard is Biology?

What about Chemistry?

And Physics?

How can you help?• Encourage her to explain her homework tasks to you,

and check she completes them.• Ask her about her learning in Science. What is going

well? What could be better?• Make sure she knows to ask for help when she needs

it.• Encourage her to look over all her learning in Science

at regular intervals to prepare for the final exams.• Help her to plan a revision schedule for Science that

involves doing short sessions of work very frequently before each assessment point.

Keep in touch

• Please contact us if you need more help, an update on progress or if you have any ideas you think may help us.

Mathematics

Mrs Shaw(Curriculum Leader)

Mrs Landy & Miss Riley(Deputy Curriculum Leaders)

GCSE Mathematics

The GCSE qualification has changed in maths. Your daughter will be part of the first year group to take the new exams in the summer of 2017.She will no longer be awarded a grade from A* to G.The awards will go from 9 to 1 (with 9 being the highest possible grade).

A*

A

B

C

D

E

FG 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

89

Paper 1 – 1 hour 30 mins (non-calculator)

Paper 2 – 1 hour 30 mins (calculator)

Paper 3 – 1 hour 30 mins (calculator)

Foundation TierGrades 1 to 5 available

Higher TierGrades 4 to 9 available

The new exams are more demanding with an increased emphasis on thinking skills and problem-solving.

Maths in School• 4 lessons of maths every week in Y10 and Y11• 1 piece of homework every week (this may include revision

when it is assessment time)• Regular testing throughout the year to identify strong

topics and those that need working on (your daughter may move up or down a set where necessary)

• Content is split into 5 categories:-

Number

Ratio, Proportion and Rates of ChangeAlgebra

Geometry and MeasuresStatistics and Probability

How We Will Help

We think that you can achieve your target grade in maths at the end of Year 11.We will support you in this by:-

Teaching the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful in the GCSE exams

Concentrate fully and always try your bestSetting regular homework Always complete your homework on timePractising lots of past exam papers Never give up!Recommending revision resources and maths websites Try out the resources and see what works for youProviding help whenever you need it Don’t be shy about asking for help – you can ask any maths teacher Providing a detailed revision schedule in Y11 as the exams approach Be organised – keep all of your books and worksheets safe to revise from

How Parents Can Help• Show an interest in your daughter’s homework and ensure she

always completes it on time (you can use Show My Homework to see what work is being set and when it is due in)

• Be aware of the assessment dates throughout the year and make sure your daughter works hard at home to prepare for each test

• Encourage your daughter to ask for help when she is stuck. She can see any maths teacher at breaktime, lunchtime or after school

• Purchase a revision guide or MathsWatch revision CD to support your daughter in her work at home

• Challenge your daughter if she does not seem to be doing enough work or revision at home

Sam buys 20 boxes of oranges.There are 25 oranges in each box.Each box of oranges costs £7.

Sam sells ⅖ of the oranges he bought.He sells each of these oranges for 40p.He then sells the remaining oranges at 3 for 50p.Did Sam make a profit or loss?You must show working to justify your answer.

(5 marks)

Foundation Question (non-calculator)

SolutionSam buys 20 boxes at £7 each = 20 x 7

= £140 total costThere are 25 oranges in each box, so total

number of oranges = 25 x 20 = 500 orangesHe sells ⅖ of the oranges, so ⅖ of 500 = 200200 oranges at 40p each = 200 x 40p = 8000p

= £80300 oranges are left at 3 for 50p = 100 x 50p =

5000p = £50

So, Sam makes £80 + £50 = £130This means he makes a £10 loss.

Higher Question (calculator)A frustum is made by removing a small cone froma large cone as shown in the diagram.

The frustum is made from glass.The glass has a density of 2.5g / cm³Work out the mass of the frustum.

(5 marks)

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Mrs Cunningham - Curriculum Leader Miss Jones & Mrs Edwards-Deputy Curriculum Leaders

GCSE Language & Literature

• Core subject – 2 GCSE certificates• New, more challenging specification – AQA exam

board• Both 100% examinations now at the end of Year 11• Instead of grades there will be numbers• (9-1 instead of A*- G)• Untiered• Language- 2 papers• Literature- 2 papers

Class

• 50/50 split• Weekly subject specific spelling lists• ‘The Day’ Headlines/articles• Independent learners – research, questioning,

teaching styles, challenge…• Exam techniques – acronyms, timing• DIRT – Directed Improvement Reflection Time

IMPROVING STANDARDS

• Progress -Target grade, quality of vocabulary, essay structure, knowledge of texts, proofreading, literacy

• Greater focus on use of Standard English• SPaG – Spelling, Punctuation & GrammarWorth 5% in Ebac subjects so attention to cross-curricular skills will enhance results & lifelong learning skills!

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAM

• Paper 1:Explorations in Creative Reading & Writing 1hr 45 mins 50%

Section A: Reading (25%)• One literature fiction textSection B: Writing (25%)• Descriptive or narrative writingExtended writing

• Section B: Writing • You are advised to spend about 45 minutes on this section. • Write in full sentences. • You are reminded of the need to plan your answer. • You should leave enough time to check your work at the end. • You are going to enter a creative writing competition. • Your entry will be judged by a panel of young people of your own age. • Either: • Write a description suggested by this picture: • Or: • Write the opening part of a story about a place that is severely affected by the

weather. • (24 marks for content and organisation • 16 marks for technical accuracy) • [40 marks

Writing Task

• Write a description suggested by the picture. Or • Write the opening part of a story about a

place that is severely affected by the weather.

• 45 minutes (including plan)• 24 marks – content & organisation• 16 marks - technical accuracy

ENGLISH LANGUAGE exam

Paper 2:Writers’ Viewpoints & Perspectives1hr 45 mins 50%• Section A:ReadingOne non-fiction text & one literary non-fiction text• Section B:WritingWriting to present a viewpoint

Macbeth

ENGLISH LITERATURE EXAMS

Paper 1 LITERATURE 1hr 45 min 40%Shakespeare & the 19th Century Novel (whole texts & learn key quotations)• ‘Macbeth’ - W. Shakespeare• ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde’ - R.L. StevensonPaper 2 LITERATURE 2hr 15min 60%Modern Texts & Poetry• ‘An Inspector Calls’ - J.B. Priestley• ‘Love & Relationships’ Anthology (15 poems)• Unseen Poetry

English Language focuses heavily on a wide range of non-fiction reading. Pupils have to show that they understand and can make inferences between texts. Please encourage your daughter to read widely – broadsheet newspaper articles, magazines, websites, charity leaflets.

• Discuss the news Encourage your daughter to practise exam questions based on

articles they have read. The questions in the exam don’t change – the articles do! Therefore, pupils can practise and revise using any texts they find.

Talk to your daughter about favourite topics in depth!

Check that your daughter is accessing revision materials available to them e.g. GCSE Bitesize, MrBruff and other websites.

How YOU can support your daughter in English

English Literature

• Read for pleasure!• Performances e.g. ‘An Inspector Calls’ bbc

drama • Discuss the texts they are studying &

encourage them to research the set writers/era

• Take a pride in their presentation • Thank you for listening.