Supporting Your Child ThroughGCSEs

Supporting Your Child ThroughGCSEs

• Academic Review (data capture)• Alignment Meetings & Parents’ Evening• Mock Exams in December:

An opportunity for pupils to sit GCSE papers in an exam environment. Mock exams allow pupils, parents and teachers to see where each child is up to with their exam preparation and exam technique.

Additional Support• Additional Revision Classes are offered by many

departments; these may be at lunch, during form time or after school. They give pupils the opportunity to access further support from their teachers, develop exam techniques and further their understanding of the subject.

• Additional Coursework/Controlled assessment classes

• Opportunities to re-do coursework in order to improve individual marks.

Intervention• Food 4 Thought programme (starts after Feb half-term)• Pizza nights across a range of subjects• Booster sessions during Form time, lunch and after

school• Revise and Relax during half-term holidays• Individual HLTA support in Maths and English• Revision classes• Revised timetables• ICT facilities available throughout the day

Mentoring by Staff

Assertive Mentoring• Individual pupils will be identified and placed

with a member of staff who can work with and support that pupil with coursework and exam preparation/organisation

• Regular meetings with target setting• Agreed actions recorded

Mentoring by Staff

Adopt-a-Year11 Student (not literally!)

We are looking for people (any member of staff) who would like to care, motivate, inspire, support some of our year 11’s through the next two terms. The role will be very low key and not a mentor role like JR or KB, but simply to act as a support, provide TLC and be a point of contact etc.

There is no additional pay just the knowledge you have done something wonderful

By using all of this support your child should:

• Be able to meet deadlines for coursework

• Have all the information they need to prepare thoroughly for their exams and fulfil their potential

• Know where they are heading at various key points throughout the year.

We also have an on-site college advisor who meets with students regarding their college placements and future career plans

Year 11 Study Skills andRevision

Remember!

This is the most important school year for you and your children and holidays will not be authorised.

No Modular examinations take place during the course of the year.

Some controlled assessment deadlines have passed but there needs to be a managed approach to completion of all controlled assessments.

Home Study Planning

Some suggestions for Parents:• Use Parent Power – talk to the parents of your

child's friends.

• Encourage your child to revise (little and often)

• Do not believe the myths…

Does your child say........?

“I work better with the TV on”“This loud music helps me to concentrate”“I can swot up a week before I have an exam”“No one else is doing any work yet”“Everything is fine – stop worrying”“It’s all done with coursework now”“I did all my homework at lunchtime”

If in doubt at all – contact us in school.

Home Study Planning• The secret is to review and recall.

• Re-read, re-draft, and re-write, regular review maintains the amount retained.

• Any study plan must include revisiting topics again and again.

• Once a study timetable has been produced it is important to be aware of how best we learn

• Sitting revising for hours on end is not the best way to study; most people learn better when they move around, so get up and have a drink every 30 mins to an hour.

Home Study Planning-Tips for parents!

• Be there -Show an interest• Offer, but do not force help• Don’t increase the pressure by overdoing the expectations• Emphasise that the most important thing is to “do your

best”• Provide the right atmosphere• Ensure sufficient breaks• Encourage relaxation time and plenty of sleep• Be sensitive – adolescence is difficult enough; a

sympathetic ear can make all the difference

Exam Regulations and Practice2013 -2014 Season

Session Timings

Morning Session : am• Exams start at 8.30am

Afternoon Session : pm• Exams start at 1.30pm• You must arrive at school by 8.20am for the morning• sessions and by 1.15pm for the afternoon sessions.

• In the event of an emergency you must phone the school and inform us of your circumstances; the school telephone number is 3685132.

Exam Regulations and PracticeSchool Uniform• School uniform must be worn for all examinations • Students will be asked to remove jackets/coats/fleeces

etc. in the examination room.Mobile Phones• You MUST NOT have a mobile phone on your person in

the examination room, whether switched on or not.Absences• Any absence from an examination, owing to ill health,

must be certified by a Doctor’s note and forwarded to the school as soon as possible.

And finally!

If you are in any way concerned or confused – do not hesitate to contact us in school

Thank you for your time