Aspiration  Respect  Endeavour

Helping your child make the best progress in Year 8

Year 8September 2016

  

The Reality

• “It’s only Year 8…”• 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 new GCSE grades and what they mean

• Analyse some simple techniques to improve the chances of examination success

Start of Year 8

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

Options at 16

New Curriculum

• Grades 9 – 1 GCSE no more A* - G• Reformed GCSEs – increased challenge, no coursework, 

SPAG focus• Reformed A levels - harder, no coursework, SPAG

What is a pass ?

Top 3% of National cohort

70

120

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

Exam and Assessment Weeks in Year 8 Week beg 3rd Oct

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

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 – mixed ability classes

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

Literature

Closed bookChallenging textsWhole text exams

Demanding poetry paper

How can students achieve their grade?

READ! READ! READ!• Accelerated Reader• DEAR time in Year 8

 

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.

We are ready…• Maths Mastery

• Focus on problem solving skills to equip students with the skills to tackle the new curriculum

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

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)

Home Learning

• IMPORTANT • Create a culture of independent study- a thirst for further knowledge• “I haven’t got any homework”, “I have finished all of my homework”• Reading

Great Attendance = Great Progress

• 98% Improving whole Grades

• 90% Falling below potential by one whole grade in every subject

Friendship groups• The key to success in any school.

• Friendships for teens are based on StatusCommon interestsValuesPersonalities

• 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……………..

• Get to know you child's friends and friend’s family

• Remind them school is for learning

• Communicate about parties and sleep overs

Who should parents contact?

• Individual subject problem • Subject Teacher/Head of Faculty

• General issues – Form Tutor• Progress issues – Mr McManners (Yr8 Progress Leader)

• Careers/Further Education – Mrs Mason• Attendance/Punctuality concerns – Mrs Low

• A new national programme which is only used by a small number of schools

• The first year group to have ‘The Edge’• An extra qualification separate to GCSEs and A Levels• Students complete tasks based on 5 key attributes (in school and out of

school)• Leadership• Organisation• Resilience• Initiative• Communication• By the end of Key Stage 3 all of the current year 8s will have completed

the PiXL Edge qualification

• 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.