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KS4 Parents’ Forum

KS4 Parents’ Forum Supporting Documents


Contents

Exams Page 1

Controlled Assessments Page 4

KS4 Tracker Page 7

Information for Candidates – written exams Page 10

Information for Candidates – controlled assessments Page 11

Information for Candidates – on screen tests Page 13

Information for Candidates – social media Page 14

1

Exams

9 to 1 grades

All subjects will be graded 9 to 1 apart from Business Studies and Technology (Graphics, Resistant Materials and

Textiles)

BTEC Engineering and Catering will be worth 1 GCSE and award with grades Distinction* (A*/8.5), Distinction

(A/7), Merit (B/5.5) or Pass (C/4).

The only subjects which will have tiers will be Maths, Languages and Science Combined. All other subjects will

have only 1 paper for each unit.

The table below shows the relationship between the new 9 to 1 grades and the A* to G grades

GCSE Higher

GCSE Foundation

Current Grade G F/E D C C/B B A A* A*+

New Grade 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

New grades explained:

Grade 9: Top half of current grade A* pupils.

Grade 8: Bottom half of current grade A* pupils.

Grade 7: Equivalent to an A grade pass.

Grade 6: Covering the top two thirds of a grade B.

Grade 5: Covering the top third of a grade C and the lower third of a grade B. International benchmark.

Grade 4: The bottom two thirds of a grade C.

Grade 3: Equivalent to a grade D.

Grade 2: Equivalent to a grade E and F.

Grade 1: Equivalent to grade a G.

For QES purposes each grade will be split into 3 levels e.g. 3-, 3, 3+. These will be reported home during Year

10 and Year 11 as predicted and target grades.

There are now no modular exams during KS4. Therefore in order to prepare for the final exams in the Summer

of Year 11 there are exams in both Year 10 and Year 11.

Monday 6th March 2017 to Wednesday March 15th 2017 (Year 10)

Assessment in all exam subjects. There will probably be just one exam for each subject.

October Assessment (Year 11)

An assessment in each subject to review Year 10 work.

February Year 11 (1 week either side of half term)

Mock exams in all exam subjects.

2


The table below shows the number of exams which will be taken at the end of Year 11 for each subject.

Subject Number of exams Length of exam Percentage of GCSE

Business Studies (A* to G) 2 Paper 1 60 minutes

Paper 3 90 minutes

25%

50%

Catering (on screen)

1 90 minutes 40%

Computing

2 Paper 1 90 minutes

Paper 2 90 minutes

40%

40%

Dance

1 90 minutes 40%

Drama

1 90 minutes 40%

BTEC Engineering (D, M, P)

1 On Screen test (2 units) 121/2 % each

English Language 2 Paper 1 105 minutes

Paper 2 120 minutes

40%

60%

English Lit 2 Paper 1 120 minutes

Paper 2 150 minutes

40%

60%

Food and Nutrition

1 105 minutes 50%

French 3 Paper 1 Listening 45 minutes

Paper 3 Reading 60 minutes

Paper 4 Writing 75 minutes

25%

25%

25%

Geography


Paper 2 90 minutes

Paper 3 75 minutes

35%

35%

30%

German 3 Paper 1 Listening 45 minutes



25%

25%

25%

Graphics

1 120 minutes 40%

History (B) 3 Paper 1 75 minutes

Paper 2 105 minutes

Paper 3 80 minutes

30%

40%

30%

ICT Nationals

1 75 minutes 25%

3


Subject Number of exams Length of exam Percentage of GCSE

Latin 1 75 minutes 67%

Maths 3 Paper 1 Non Calculator 90

minutes

Paper 2 Calculator 90

minutes

Paper 3 Calculator 90

minutes

331/3%

331/3%

331/3%

Music

1 90 minutes 40%

PE


Paper 2 60 minutes

30%

30%

Philosophy


Paper 2 105 minutes

50%

50%

Resistant Materials

1 120 minutes 40%

Separate Science

Biology

2

Paper 1 105 minutes

Paper 2 105 minutes

50%

50%

Chemistry

2

Paper 1 105 minutes

Paper 2 105 minutes

50%

50%

Physics 2 Paper 1 105 minutes

Paper 2 105 minutes

50%

50%

Combined Science

6

Paper 1 Biology 75 minutes

Paper 2 Biology 75 minutes

Paper 3 Chemistry 75

minutes

Paper 4 Chemistry 75

minutes

Paper 5 Physics 75 minutes

Paper 6 Physics 75 minutes

16.7%

16.7%

16.7%

16.7%

16.7%

16.7%

Spanish 3 Paper 1 Listening 45 minutes



25%

25%

25%

Textiles

1 120 minutes 40%

World History (A) 3 Paper 1 105 minutes

Paper 2 60 minutes

Paper 3 105 minutes

40%

20%

40%

4


Controlled Assessments All subjects now fall into three categories.

A subject has an exam at the end of Year 11 and controlled assessments during KS4 (these may be taken

in Year 10 or 11). Controlled assessments can only be moderated at the end of Year 11even though

they can be taken anytime during KS4.

There are no controlled assessments and the subject is exam only such as Maths and Philosophy.

A subject is 100% teacher assessed (Art)

The number of subjects which have controlled assessments has fallen considerably this year.

For controlled assessments pupils will need to research, analyse and write up a particular task set by their

teacher. There are three levels of controlled assessments and it is very important everyone understand the

significance of them.

Low Level: Under limited supervision the requirements are clearly specified by the awarding body

and work may be completed without direct supervision. Research or data collection may

take place outside of the classroom.

Medium Level: Under informal supervision, the use of resources is not tightly prescribed and group

work is normally permitted provided that any assessable outcomes can be attributed to

individual candidates. Candidates do not need to be under direct supervision at all times.

However, the centre must ensure that:

all candidates participate in the assessment;

plagiarism does not take place;

sources used by a candidate are clearly recorded;

each candidate’s preparation for the final production of the work is his/her own.

High Level: Under formal supervision the candidate must be under direct supervision at all times.

The use of resources by the candidate and his/her interaction with others will be directed

by the awarding body; in particular access to e-mail, the internet and mobile

phones must not be permitted. Candidates may be required, as an example, to

produce an extended piece of work or submit their responses to a series of structured

questions under controlled conditions.

Throughout the Key stage the pupils will be taking controlled assessments as the next page shows.

5


Subject Level of controlled

assessment

Timing of controlled

assessment

Percentage of GCSE

Art Low

High

Ongoing through the two years

May Year 11

60%

40%

Business Studies High April/May Year 10 25%

Catering High Jan to May Year 11 60%

Computing High Nov to Feb Year 11 20%

Dance High May Year 11 60%

Drama High Devised Perf Dec Year 11

Scripted Perf March to May Year

11

40%

20%

BTEC Engineering Medium Ongoing through the two years 75%

EMS (Enterprise and Manufacturing Skills) –

Level 1 project

Low Year 11 100%

Food and Nutrition High Investigation June Year 10

Preparation Feb to March Year

11

15%

35%

French High Speaking practice Oct Year 11

Speaking exam May Year 11

25%

German High Speaking practice Oct Year 11


25%

Graphics Medium June Year 10 to May Year 11 60%

ICT Nationals Medium Ongoing through the two years 75%

Latin High April Year 10 33%

Music

Medium Composing May Yr 10 to Oct Yr

11

Composing Oct Yr 11 to Feb Yr

11

Performing March Year 11

15%

15%

30%

PE Medium May Year 10 & March Year 11 40%

Resistant Materials Medium June Year 10 to May Year 11 60%

Spanish High Speaking practice Oct Year 11


25%

Textiles Medium May Year 10 to May Year 11 60%

6


Controlled Assessments

The following subjects are 100% teacher assessed:

Art

The following subjects have no controlled assessments:

English Language

English Literature

Geography

History

Maths

Philosophy

Science – Combined

Science – Biology

Science – Chemistry

Science – Physics

World History

7


KS4 Tracker

8


KS4 Tracker

9


KS4 Tracker

10


Information for Candidates Written Exams

11


Information for Candidates

Controlled Assessments

12


Controlled Assessment

13



On Screen Tests

14



Social Media