Year 10 GCSE Parents Information Evening 9 th October 2017

1. Year 10 GCSE Parents Information Evening 9th October 2017

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. GCSE Grading 9-1

7. 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.

8. GCSE English Literature

9. 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.

10. GCSE English Language

11. GCSE English Language:Spoken Language

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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!

19. 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

20. 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!

21. What doesn’t help: • Comparison with siblings • Constantly mentioning exams • Internet usage • Referring back to ‘when I was….’ • Questioning ‘strange’ study/revision methods

22. 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

23. 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!

24. 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!

25. 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!

26. 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

27. 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.

28. 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

29. GOOD LUCK!! • Thank you! • Any general questions?