ryedale school parents' forum march 2017

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The Purpose of this Forum is…. •To provide parents with the opportunity to raise questions with the leadership team of the school •To ensure parents understand the rationale leading to key curriculum and organisational decisions •To facilitate positive communication between parents and the school in an environment based on mutual respect

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The Purpose of this Forum is….

• To provide parents with the opportunity to raise questions with the leadership team of the school

• To ensure parents understand the rationale leading to key curriculum and organisational decisions

• To facilitate positive communication between parents and the school in an environment based on mutual respect

This Forum is not….• The place to raise questions/make comment about individual

members of staff.

• The place to discuss a specific incident or dissatisfaction with the school’s response to a specific incident relating to your child

• The place to make personal, accusatory or unprofessional remarks relating to any of the information discussed

Parent Forum: Ryedale School’s response to

reformed GCSEs

Reformed GCSEs (9-1 GCSEs)• Increased content•More rigorous and challenging content• Linear exams• Longer exams• Increased number of exams•No tiers (maths, science some MFL)•No controlled assessment• Increased theory weighting

Ofqual and DfE summary of GCSE changesCore

• English language a robust foundation of reading and good written English with skills required for further study

• Twenty per cent of marks awarded for accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar• English literature encourages students to read, write and think critically – range of challenging and substantial whole

texts, and unseen texts• Mathematics – focus on ensuring students master the fundamental mathematics that is required for further education

and careers

• Demands deeper and broader mathematical understanding• Larger than the current mathematics GCSE – implications for teaching time and assessment.

Other Ebacc subjects • Sciences – New content including the human genome, life cycle analysis and space physics. A greater level of

mathematical challenge across the three sciences.• Modern languages – greater demand including new stipulation that most exam questions are asked in the respective

foreign language.

• History – A wider range of historical periods than now and will cover three eras: medieval, early modern and modern. Stronger emphasis on British history.

• Geography –greater use of maths and statistics. At least two pieces of fieldwork outside the classroom.

• An example of a historical source from the new reformed GCSE history specification

Science GCSE: increased content and challenging content

• This is A level content that now appears in GCSE physics

Low stakes testing

KS3 exams: Years 7-9

KS3 exams: Years 7-9Benefits:

Demystify the examination process- students will be doing more exams than ever at KS4 and so we need to ensure that they are prepared for this.

Take some of the stress and pressure out of exams at KS4.

Subject specific exam practice- gives students an idea of what skills and knowledge are required for examinations in their subjects.

Another way of us tracking, supporting and giving feedback to students and parents.

Testing is beneficial for memory and retention. End of year examinations will allow students to build cumulative knowledge and skills across their five years at Ryedale School.

Three year KS4• English, maths and science September 2017 (current

Year 8)•All other subjects September 2018 (current Year 9)•GCSEs to be delivered across three years rather than

two•Options process in Year 8 rather than Year 9

Three year KS4Challenges

Is two years enough time to cover the KS3 curriculum?

• The KS3 curriculum guidance doesn’t stipulate number of hours, but content and skills. Our Heads of Department will plan to ensure students get a great experience at KS3, develop their skills and knowledge and are well prepared for KS4.

• Skills and cumulative knowledge are already developed across five years.

Three year KS4Challenges

Is Year 8 too early to be choosing options?

• What they enjoy and excel in doesn’t change in one term of Year 9• Careers guidance• 1:1 options interviews• Options evening for parents• Year 9 two terms of studying things they haven’t chosen for options

Three year KS4Challenges

Doesn’t it narrow the curriculum?

• We encourage a broad and balanced curriculum for all students.• Options grid enables and allows for this.• Free choice/ guided options means that the curriculum isn’t narrowed.• Maths, English, English Literature, two sciences, R.E, P.E, PSHE, citizenship

are all mandatory and so whatever students choose, they will still have a broad complement of subjects.

LINE 1 LINE 2 LINE 3 LINE 4Spanish History History History

French Geography Geography Geography

Design and Technology

Art Language GCSE P.E

Art Triple Science Computer Science F.P.N

Drama Support Design and Technology

Art

F.P.N Music

Three year KS4Benefits

• More time to cover increased content to ensure it is delivered to the same standard as the old GCSE.

• More time to develop and refine skills required for the new courses.

• For students that find the reformed GCSEs particularly challenging, it gives them more time to develop their skills and knowledge. Allows teachers to re-teach concepts and topics in a different way.

• The opportunity to learn broader and deeper- the new spec is so content heavy that without an additional year we would be purely teaching to the test.

• Planned time to consolidate and over-learn: this is important for memory and retention which is crucial as exams and theory make up a higher proportion of the marks.

Ryedale School’s response to

reformed GCSEs- Low stakes testing

- KS3 exams- Three year KS4

Growing the SchoolWhy?• To secure the school’s financial long term sustainability• To ensure we can maintain and further develop the educational provision for our studentsHow?• Through developing our learning environment to include 9 additional classrooms, a science

and art room refurbishment, additional office space and a lift to the first floor (financed through a loan from the LA)

• With increased in catchment numbers and our ability to continue to attract a similar proportion of out of catchment students

When?• The building project will be completed, we hope, by January 2018• We have already increased our Year group PAN to 140, with an aim of increasing our student

population to approximately 700 students over the next three years

Implications• Class sizes will increase for the next academic year (2017-18) until the

build is complete, however pupil/teacher ratio will be significantly lower for September 2018 (6 set groups, 7 technology groups and increased staffing).• There will be a number of room changes in the autumn term due to

the loss of the geography block and refurbishment of the art and science rooms.• Organisation of lunchtimes/form times and assemblies to be altered

to support increased numbers.