Physics DepartmentBEECHEN CLIFF

Year 11 Exam and Revision Information Evening

Tuesday 15th October 2019

Physics Department

Physics DepartmentOutline Of This Evening

• Introductions

• Exam information Mr Tim Markall (Deputy Head)

• Supporting studying at home & revision techniquesMr Darrell Sayers (Assistant Head)

• Revision timetables, using specifications, exam papers and mark schemes

Ms S Sullivan (Assistant Head)

Physics DepartmentExam Information

• Trial Examinations 18th – 22nd November(information letter, timetable received today – any queries please contact the Exams Officer)

• Mock Results Day Friday 6th December

• GCSE Exams likely to begin w/c 11th May(details on study arrangements to be provided nearer the time)

Strong GCSE pass

Around the top 3% nationally

Old

Standard GCSE pass

Grading

Physics Department School Reports

• Snapshot report - published tomorrow

• Progress Report – published 6th December

• Year 11 Parents Evening – 9th December

• Full Report – published in March

Physics DepartmentRevision Support In School

• Exam briefing assemblies October, February, April

• Year 11 Revision Skills Afternoon Wednesday 23rd October

• Year 11 Exam Preparation SeminarsWednesday 12th February

Physics DepartmentThe Build-up to GCSE Exams

• Exam briefing for all pupils with the Exams Officer before the Trial Exams and again before GCSE Exams – procedures/JCQ rules etc.

• Tutor based mentoring for all pupils from January onwards (including revision timetables). Targeted mentoring with Senior Staff

• After-school revision classes/coursework catch-up sessions for all subjects from Jan. onwards. Some subjects earlier. (details in Wednesday Newsletter nearer the time.)

• In-class subject revision and past paper practice

Physics DepartmentRevision Information Online

• Specific guidance on subject webpages

• Exam Board and Specification Information

• Recommended revision guides and websites (also see hand out)

Click here for subject specific revision guidance

Physics DepartmentRevision Skills Guide

CGP How to revise for GCSE – Study Skills & Revision Planner £4.95

Special Offer: £2 if you purchase through the school on Parent Pay by 3pm on Friday 18th October

Physics DepartmentRevision

(verb)

‘The act of eating, texting and listening to music and/or watching videos on You Tube

whilst being in a room with an open textbook roughly nearby.’

Physics DepartmentSupporting At Home -

Objectives

• How to help your son

• How to support the school

• Provide useful strategies

Physics DepartmentWhat are the most common

frustrations for parents?

‘He leaves everything to the last minute – then he gets stressed and stroppy’

‘I didn’t even do GCSE’s – how can I help him?’

There are a million websites – how do I know which ones are any good?’

‘Surely he shouldn’t be going out again when he’s got all this work to do’

‘He’s always panicked in exams – when I try to help it ends in an argument and we all get stressed’

• Talk to them and ask what they would like!

• Provide the materials they need – folders, stationery, equipment etc.

• Empty their bags at the end of the day and file the hand outs they have received

• Help choose one good revision guide for each subject

• Help your son plan their revision timetable

How can I help my son?

• Motivator: Talk to them and ask what they would like!• Logistics co-ordinator: Ask your son about his exams –

when, where, what paper etc. If there are problems ask the school.

• Office manager: Provide the tools • Attendance officer • Study advisor – show an interest in their work and help

them/test them• Project manager – agree rules for revision, and balance

work and ‘fun stuff’• Information provider – source websites, apps, books,

revision guides, past papers

How can I help the school?

• Help them stick to their timetable (rewards work well and if necessary agree to a rewards structure).

• Organise a work box

• Provide snacks and water for revision periods

• Be prepared to be flexible

• Be sensitive to the pressure your son is under

• Keep your interest in how things are going

• Keep things in perspective – it may not be your way, but ensure they are doing the best they can in the way that works for them best at that stage.

Help ‘doing’ revision

• Revision is more effective when its active rather than passive

• Try out some strategies

• Evaluate the most effective and use them

• Feel free to contact your son’s teachers

Help ‘doing’ revision

Physics DepartmentKeeping revision active

More effective and less boring

Physics DepartmentRevision by association

The brain accesses information via the senses –touch, sight, smell, taste, soundWe access our memories by linking events to our experiences. We don’t remember things in isolation – we often remember insignificant things when we are exposed to other things that also happened at the time – we associate memories with triggersIn short – ‘that reminds me of…’

Physics Department RHYTHM

• How did you learn your ABC? Try reciting it monotone.

• Ask a fan of Jay Zed to sing his greatest hits – he’ll know all the words but struggle with the first 2 lines of a Shakespeare sonnet!

• Try to remember facts by assigning rhymes to them

Physics DepartmentMNEMONICS AND ACRONYMS

- sound

Get your son to make things into a mnemonic or an acronym e.g.

GuiltArmed Forces reductionReparationsGerman land lossLeague of NationsEveryone suffered

= Terms of Versailles

Physics DepartmentPOST IT PLACES - sight

Write important facts or key phrases on post-it notes

Stick them around the house

You will picture the location and associate it with what is written on the post-it

This will act as a prompt to what needs to be remembered

Physics Department REVISION APPS

Use time on your phone productively.

Learn without realising it.

e.g. Seneca Learning – free App

https://senecalearning.com/

Physics Department Note Taking

Make notes of key words and definitions using:

• Underlining/highlighting/colours

• Pictures and symbols

• Spider diagrams or mind maps

Physics DepartmentAnd finally from me

Persistence and support is crucial

Remember their way may not be your way – let it go

Support and help rather than be accused of ‘interfering’ or confronting

Put on a happy face!

Physics DepartmentRevision Timetables

Recommendations:

• Plan ahead

• Begin revision well in advance of the exams

• Put exams on the timetable first

• Work out how much time you have to spend on revision

• Allocate subjects/topics and timings

Web based version

https://getrevising.co.uk/

Can produce a revision timetable for you

Web Based Version

Web Based Version

Web Based Version

Physics DepartmentUsing Specifications & Exam

Papers

• Course specifications and past papers (specimen/practice papers)- useful resource when carrying out revision.

• Gauge your subject knowledge and uncover your strengths and weaknesses.

• Understand what areas you need to devote more time to and conversely, what areas you can devote less time to.

• Understand the format and style of exam questions

Physics DepartmentTraffic light the spec

This stops revision of entire specifications, especially the stuff you know!

Revision can be more tailored and targeted as a result.

Physics Department Mind map the spec

Use the specification as a start point for your mind maps.

Physics DepartmentThe Spec and exam questions are linked!

AQA Chemistry – For example

All they have done here is add a command word - Describe

Physics DepartmentThe Spec and exam questions are linked!

AQA Chemistry – For example

All they have done here is add a command word -Explain

Physics Department Where to look

Usually it is straight forward finding the links from the exam board websites ….usually.

Physics DepartmentFinding Spec & Exam Papers

AQA: www.aqa.org.uk

WJEC(EDUQAS): www.wjec.co.uk

OCR: www.ocr.org.uk

PEARSON(EDEXCEL): http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/home.html

CAMBRIDGE NATIONAL: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/by-type/cambridge-nationals/

Exam board details are on the hand-out you have this evening

Physics Department Striking gold!

Here you can access questions to answer for the various different papers for your subject.

Then you can cross reference with the mark scheme to see how you fare.

Physics DepartmentPrint out some papers!

What about working through questions against a time limit, keep things real!

Physics DepartmentAnd then mark them!

Physics DepartmentWhy is this useful?

It’s not just about the subject knowledge. From this process you gain the following:

• An understanding of exam rubric, the structure of the paper and question types. This makes the paper more familiar in the actual exam.

• A sense of how the paper is marked, e.g. Is it best fit, by levels or are simple statements good enough? What is the examiner looking for?

• An understanding of the required expectation and standard.

• It is a process that parents and friends can support. Check answers. Teachers also love receiving answers done by pupils off their own initiative.

• It isolates gaps in your knowledge as well as weakness on certain command words or instructions.

Physics Department Other items

Some exam boards provide sample answers with mark schemes and more usefully a commentary from the examiners!

Again informative, especially if you have answered the same question and want to see how it may be graded.

Physics DepartmentLearn from the mistakes of

others?

For all past exams there will be an examiner’s report for each exam. This states the common mistakes and errors on that year’s paper. It is a useful reference point which is also used to inform teaching. For our current 11s this will be fed back after trial exams. Take heed.

Physics DepartmentEverything in moderation

• Do not use exam questions and papers as your only ‘revision diet’. Variation is the key to successful revision.

• Use them to test/assess knowledge

• Do not stress over questions you cannot answer. Use them as a pointer to what you have to revise or seek clarification from your teacher.

• When you attempt past questions revise first and then TIME YOURSELF. Put some pressure on. It varies between subjects but work off a mark a minute.

Physics DepartmentUsing Exam Papers

EXAM PAPER

MARK SCHEME

EXAMINER REPORT

EXAM PAPER

PARENTAL HELPREVISION GUIDE TEACHER GUIDANCE

FURTHER REVISION (ADJUST TIMETABLE)

1. REVISION TIMETABLE2. REVISION OF CONTENT

(USE SPEC.)3. USING EXAM PAPERS

Physics DepartmentQuestions or Queries?

• Presentation and hand out will be on the school website tomorrow

• Please stay behind to ask

• Contact us at school if required