Aspiration Respect Endeavour
Helping your child make the best start to their GCSE courses
Year 10September 2016
The Reality
• Tense time• Pressure• Students• Parents
• Identify ways in which parents can support their children
• Identify what parents should do if there are concerns about the progress of their children
• Look at the structure of GCSE grades and what they mean
• Analyse some simple techniques to improve the chances of examination success
• Look at what options are open to students ‘post 16’
Start of GCSE courses
Roding Valley High School• An Academic Sixth Form
– Competitive entry level requirements• 147 applicants for 85 places
– Taught by teachers that know you
– Consistency and continuity of education
New Curriculum• Grades 9 – 1 GCSE no more A* - G• Reformed GCSEs except Business,Economics and Psychology
– increased challenge, no coursework, SPAG focus• Reformed A levels - harder, no coursework, SPAG
What is a pass ?
Top 3% of National cohort
70
120
• Prior Attainment Predictions • Fischer Family Trust data (Band D)• 3 and 4 Levels of Progress (Core Subjects)• Teacher Assessment
•Progress 8
How do we know what your child is capable of?
What is Progress 8 ?• Schools performance is now judged by the progress made of every
child across the curriculum
• Students still needs a ‘pass’ in English and Maths (Grade 5)
• Every grade counts at every level
• We have always supported every child and will continue to do so
• 2016 outcome +0.17
RAP (Raising Attainment of Pupils) – monitor student progress
All teachers and support staff are fully aware of the changes
All assessments and teaching will have regard for the changes
All reports to parents are underpinned by regular calendared assessments
Intervention tutors in English, Maths and Science
Forensic approach to student tracking
We are prepared for the changes ahead
What can GCSE Grades allow my child to access at Roding Valley?
National Benchmark - Progress 8 – Good passes in 8 subjects including Maths & English
The study of Maths & English must continue until 18 if passes not secured in Year 11
Sixth Form Entry - A Level requires at least a Grade ‘6’ GCSE in the subject being studied
In Maths and Physics a Grade ‘7’ will be the minimum requirement
AQA English Language and English Literature
Major changes100% Exam
There is a spoken language endorsement, but this does not contribute to the final grade at all.
One tier of entry
AO1 Identify and interpret explicit and implicit information and ideas. Select and synthesise evidence from different texts. 10%
AO2 Explain, comment on and analyse how writers use language and structure to achieve effects and influence readers, using relevant subject terminology to support their views. 17.5%
AO3 Compare writers’ ideas and perspectives, as well as how these are conveyed, across two or more texts. 10%
AO4 Evaluate texts critically and support this with appropriate textual references. 12.5%
Reading
Reading Sources
Students will now be required to read texts from 19th, 20th and 21st Centuries
20th Century Fiction
19th and 21st Centuries non-fiction and literary non-fiction
AO 5 Communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences. Organise information and ideas, using structural and grammatical features to support coherence and cohesion of texts. 30%
AO 6 Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation. 20%
Writing
Paper 1 Section A: Sample question 4
Focus this part of your answer on the second half of the source, from line 18 to the end.
A student, having read this section of the text said: “The writer brings the very different characters to life for the reader. It is as if you are inside the coach with them.”
To what extent do you agree?
In your response, you could:
• write about your own impressions of the characters• evaluate how the writer has created these impressions• support your opinions with quotations from the text.
[20 marks]Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Paper 1 Section B: Sample question 5You are going to enter a creative writing competition. Your entry will be judged by a panel of 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 organisation16 marks for technical accuracy][40 marks]
Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Literature
Closed bookChallenging textsWhole text exams
Demanding poetry paper
How can students achieve their grade?
PiXLitREAD! READ! READ!
New GCSE Mathematics
Changes to Grades and Tiers• Maths will continue to be tiered, though the
split will be different
• The same profile of students will not be entered for Higher and Foundation
• The Foundation Tier - Grades 1-5
• The Higher Tier – Grades 4-9.
Assessment Objectives• AO1 - Recall and use knowledge
• AO2 - Select and apply mathematical methods in a range of contexts
• AO3 - Interpret and analyse problems and generate strategies to solve them
Changes to the Assessment Objectives
• Weighted differently; ‘Knowledge’ only accounts for 40% of the marks. ‘Application and Problem Solving’ accounts for 60%
• Greater emphasis on students’ problem-solving skills and increased literacy focus
Changes to the Provision of Formulae
• Some formulae previously given in the front of the exam paper will no longer be listed.
• Students will need to memorise them.
Changes to the Course Content• The new syllabus is greatly expanded with completely
new topics making an appearance at both tiers. • Substantial new challenges for Higher Tier candidates• Greatest shake-up is a vast shift of content from the
Higher to the Foundation Tier. • To secure a Grade 5, concepts will have to be
mastered which today’s students targeting A and B grades find challenging.
New Foundation Topics
Calculate exactly with multiples of πUse standard formRound to any number of significant figures (currently 1 s.f. only)Expand double bracketsFactorise quadratics including the difference of two squaresSolve quadratic equations by factorisingKnow the difference between an equation and identityUse y = mx + c to identify parallel linesSketch quadratic, cubic and reciprocal functionsDerive simultaneous equations from real-life situationsSolve linear simultaneous equations algebraically and graphicallyPerform calculations with density, mass and volumeSolve problems involving percentage change and reverse percentagesUse direct and inverse proportion graphically and algebraicallySolve problems involving compound interestFind corresponding lengths in similar shapesUse the congruence criteria for triangles (SSS, SAS, ASA, RHS)Enlarge shapes with fractional scale factorsFind the areas and perimeters of compound shapes involving circles, and calculate arc lengths and areas of sectorsUse the sin, cos and tan trigonometric ratios for right-angled trianglesUse tree diagrams to solve probability questionsInfer properties of a population from a sample, while knowing the limitations of sampling
New Higher TopicsRecognise and use the equation of a circle centred at the origin *Find the equation of a tangent to a circle at a given point, using the fact that it is perpendicular to the radiusFind approximate solutions using iteration (is this just trial & improvement?)Solve quadratic inequalitiesFind the nth term of a quadratic sequenceRecognise and use geometric sequences where the common ratio may be a surdApply the concepts of instantaneous and average rates of change by looking at the gradients of tangents and chords to a curveProve the circle theoremsUse the probability “AND” and “OR” rules *Change recurring decimals into their corresponding fractions and vice versa *Find inverse and composite functionsLocate turning points of quadratic functions by completing the square *Sketch y = tan x (in addition to sin and cos)
Example
Friendship groups• The key to success in any school.
• Friendships for teens are based on – Status– Common interests– Values– Personalities.
– This is an important change for parents to acknowledge. Parents are less likely to know their teenage children’s friends.
– Much of what you may know about their friends is second hand information through your teen or their siblings.
– Invite them into your home……………..
How to avoid it…….
• Have realistic expectations.• Establish a Revision Timetable.• Be on top of the Examination Timetable.• Ensure they have a regular quiet place to work.• Short sharp work periods. (20 mins when revising)• Help them be creative with their revision.• Provide them with healthy food options.• Encourage them to exercise.• Ensure they are in bed in time to get enough sleep.
• GCSEs are important but they are not the be all & end all……..
Who should parents contact?
• Individual subject problem • Subject Teacher/Head of Faculty
• General issues – Form Tutor• Progress issues – Mr Quirk (Yr11 Progress Leader)
• Careers/Further Education – Mrs Mason• Attendance concerns – Mrs Low• Stress/Anxiety – Miss Dyer/Anyone!!!
• Do not underestimate the power of parental influence, particularly when this is in partnership with the school
• Believe in your child’s potential, encourage them and make sure they are as prepared as they can be.
• ‘It’s funny, but the more I practise, the luckier I get.’
End word
• Ask your son or daughter what they are doing in their subjects.
• Don’t accept the usual response.
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