Aspiration  Respect  Endeavour

Helping your child make the best start to their GCSE courses

Year 10September 2015

  

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 

New Curriculum• Grades 9 – 1 GCSE no more A* - G• Maths and English Language and Literature

• Reformed GCSE’s – increased challenge, no coursework, SPAG focus

• Reformed A levels - harder, no coursework, SPAG

New style GCSE’s• English • Pre 20th Century texts, closed book assessments, SPAG focus… no coursework, higher grade boundaries

• Maths• AS level Maths in Higher, Higher topics in Foundation, problem solving (application)…no coursework, higher grade boundaries

What is a pass ?

• 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

• Every grade counts at every level

• We have always supported every child and will continue to do so• 2015 outcome +0.15....

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?

Current benchmark - at least 5A*-C, with some providers asking for 7A*-C as a minimum

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 B at GCSE level in the subject being studied. 

In Maths and Physics an A grade minimum is required

Roding Valley High School

• An Academic Sixth Form

– Competitive entry level requirements• 120 applicants for 60 places……….

– Taught by teachers that know you.

– Consistency and continuity of education.

Other options• BTEC Diploma (Level 2 and Level 1)

• Level 2 and Level 1 study is usually for those students who do not achieve 5 A*-C grades

•  Level 2 study will require students to achieve around 4 GCSEs

These will not be running at Roding Valley

Other Options continued

• Level One and Entry Level study

• This allows students who have found achieving GCSEs challenging; the opportunity to continue to study and train. 

• Some BTEC qualifications are available at Level 1

www.eppingforestlearners.co.uk/

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?

READ! 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)

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

• 2 or more subjects – Form Tutor• General issues – Miss Allinson  (Head of Year)• Careers/Further Education – Mrs Mason• Attendance concerns – Mrs Low• Stress –  Miss Dyer

• 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.