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Year 10 GCSE Parents Information Evening 9 th October 2017. Aims for tonight. To emphasise how important KS4 success is; To highlight some of the changes to GCSE and the issues/challenges that students will face; To provide basic information about the courses of study;
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Year 10 GCSE Parents Information Evening 9th October 2017
Aims for tonight • To emphasise how important KS4 success is; • To highlight some of the changes to GCSE and the issues/challenges that students will face; • To provide basic information about the courses of study; • To explain the help/support Nobel will offer; • To offer advice on how you can support your son/daughter.
Government, University & Employer’s Perspective GCSEs count ! • Especially English and Maths (indicators of literacy / communication and numeracy) • They will be needed & asked for into the future on all applications for jobs and courses. • Over the past 10 years we have lost many non qualification jobs • Huge competition for jobs, college & university places • International dimension – competing with candidates from all over the world not just England
GCSE Reforms • The new GCSEs will: • Make more demands of students, to help them achieve as much as students in countries with the best education systems. • Be taken by the same range of students who took GCSEs in the past, across a range of abilities. • Be awarded in grades from 1 up to 9, with grade 9 being the highest grade. • Will have a reduced coursework and modular content
GCSEs: The Main Changes • Students will be assessed by terminal examinations(exams at the end of the course). • All exams will be at the end of a two year course of study.
Overview: English and Maths • The New Maths GCSE • More content to study, and more stretching maths at the higher grades. • Supports a deeper and broader understanding of the subject. • The New English language GCSE • Robust foundation in reading, and writing good English. • 20% of marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar. • The New English literature GCSE • Encourages students to read, write and think critically. • Range of challenging and substantial whole texts, and unseen texts.
Chosen Texts Shakespeare play: Macbeth(Cambridge School Shakespeare Edition) The 19th-century novel: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Modern prose or drama texts: An Inspector Calls (Heinemann Plays For 14-16+) The Poetry Anthology: Love and Relationships (Provided by AQA) More information will be sent home by Mrs Phillips in due course.
Helping your child at home with English • Encourage your child to revise the characters, themes, settings and language used in the texts as often as possible – they can create flashcards to help them do this. • Ask them questions about what they are reading in class. • Encourage them to read widely especially pre-1914 texts including non-fiction. • Support them with their grammar and encourage the use of Standard English as much as possible. • Talk to us if you have any concerns.
What are controlled assessments? • Projects and activities that contribute towards the final grade. The will be more for the CNAT courses. • Extended essays, investigations, practical experiments, performance work, portfolios • Independent learning a key factor • The work must be the student’s own • Preparation may be done at home • Completed under low, medium or high control in school
School Monitoring • Target grades – These will be aspirational as we want to install the aspiration to be successful and push themselves into pupils. • Actual & Teacher assessment results • Indicative & Forecast grades • Progress checks including Attitude to Learning score
School Support Student Support –Mrs Thompson • Helping students to cope with exam and work pressure - One-to-one sessions - Group sessions • Provides advice, support and a friendly ear for many issues that Year 10 students face
School Support • Online resources – Subject/GCSEPod/SAM learning/BBC • Targeted lessons & faculty communication /Interventions • Self study guides & support • Study Skills workshops • Mentoring/Sixth Form Mentors • Revision sessions/Revision Guides • Exam warm-ups/Study breakfasts • H/w clubs
How can parents help: Provide ideal environment: • Available at the right time • Free from interruptions • Free from distractions • Accessible study materials • Desk space • Comfortable chair • Well lit • Comfortable temperature
How can parents help Take an interest and ALWAYS be positive • Discuss work with son/daughter • Help plan for deadlines • Look in planners regularly • Help plan all son/daughter time & revision timetables • Encourage son/daughter to ask for help- home or school • Help son/daughter to get organised- packing bags the night before etc. • Know coursework, mock (first 2 weeks after Easter) and exam deadlines • Review work with son/daughter; does it meet criteria? • Encourage, praise & reward • Feed and water! • Believe in them!
How can parents help Get son/daughter into school! • Attendance = success • Impact of missed lessons • With the right frame of mind • With correct equipment • Behaving well • Support the school
Results and Attendance On the whole you get what you deserve! Attendance: • 93% attendance (1.75 hours per week) = 73% chance of getting 5 A*-Cs or 5 grade 4 and above. • 90% attendance (half a day per week /20 days a year absence) = 55% chance of getting 5 A*-Cs or 5 grade 4 and above. • 17 days equates to a drop of one GCSE grade per subject!
What doesn’t help: • Comparison with siblings • Constantly mentioning exams • Internet usage • Referring back to ‘when I was….’ • Questioning ‘strange’ study/revision methods
Communication with school • 1ST point of contact • FORM TUTOR or Subject teacher • 2ND point of contact • Mr Willsher/Mrs Thompson • Please, when calling describe issue to reception for the message. • Support the school
What does good exam prep look like? • Structured & planned • Starting early • Revision/work is in short bursts • Effective revision is active, not passive • Revision/work is reviewed & tested often • the forgetting curve • Rewards received for hard work!
Use of the internet, music & social media Internet Pros and Cons • Everything is there somewhere (exemplars) • It is interactive • It is fun BUT………. • There are many distractions • You can’t guarantee quality • Music may or may not help!
Use of the internet, music & social media • Use high quality websites – speak to class teachers • Structure your time to… • make sure you cover the range of topics (use revision checklists) • attack your weak topics first • Learn actively… – study the chosen topics (make your own revision documents) – test yourself (again and again…) The internet is an additional resource. It does not replace “traditional” revision techniques!
Advice for self study……. Mainly online: www.gcsepod.com www.samlearning.com www.mathswatch.com www.mymaths.com www.bbc.co.uk/schools/bitesize www.getrevising.co.uk www.revisionworld.co.uk
Summary message • Every little counts – Start NOW! It is really important to achieve throughout the 2 years! • Marginal gains – little but often improvement. • Key Stage 4 results will impact on what you do in the future (even if you don’t know what that future will be) • Maximising achievement to your potential is key • Make the most of all opportunities, and time, between now and the final exams in Summer 2019.
How can parents help? If you are concerned or have any future questions/enquiries contact : • The subject specific teacher- first instance. • Head of Faculty- If the matter is not resolved. • Form Tutor- for pastoral issues. • Mr Paul Willsher (HOY) • Mrs Genevieve Thompson (Student Support) • Mr Steve Morley (Assistant Head) e.g. Firstname.surname@nobel.herts.sch.uk
GOOD LUCK!! • Thank you! • Any general questions?