Parents’ Information Evening

1. Parents’ Information Evening Year 11 March 4th 2014

2. Aims for this evening • To give information about exams, revision sessions and final practical exams. • To give some advice about revision and use of the Easter holidays. • To give you some subject specific guidance about how to prepare for examinations.

3. What’s next? • Further mock exams in English and Maths wb 17th March. • Completion of Controlled Assessments is nearly over but see booklet for details. • Mentoring day is on Thursday 3rd April. Please attend. • Easter Holidays – school day timetable of 5 – 6 hours each day after weekend off! • Exam timetables have been given out but need careful checking. • Revision timetables need to be organised at home if not done already. • Attend subject sessions when possible. Please see the sheet and discuss which to attend. • Easter Revision Sessions on 16th and 17th April. • Study Leave from Friday 9th May. • Revision for Maths and English during wb May 26th.

4. SUBJECT SESSIONS • Details are on the sheet to take home. • Please encourage attendance. Discuss with child the need to attend. What were mock results like?

5. Drama: • The assessment will be purely a practical performance piece. There is no more written element to the course. • 8th and 10th April – Easter holiday rehearsal opportunity. • 23rd and 24th April – Evening performances of the GCSE pieces commencing at 6pm. Students must NOT go home after school but will be given time to eat their packed lunch prior to performing. • 28th April and 1st May – Examiner visits.

6. PE and ART • The PE practical exams are week beginning Monday March 24th. • Examiner visits on Tuesday 25th March at least. • Kit. Training for fitness and moderation drills for four sports. • The Art exams will take place in week beginning Monday28th April.

7. Information GATHERING • Timetable for all examinations. • Controlled assessment booklet. • Subject revision sessions list. • Progress recorder. • Subject specifications. • Calendar and/or revision plan. • Revision kit – see sheet. • School Website. • Text books and revision guides. • Year 11 Reports.

8. Revision • Varied in 20 to 50 minute blocks. Theory of memory. • Engaging. • Use the Easter ‘Holidays’. Weekend off and then work. • Avoid revising the bits you are genius at but do not ignore! Maximise strengths. • Past papers are great but get them checked. • Online revision is great egBitesize, Mymaths, Science. • To know something really well then need to cover it 5 times. • Methods to try out are mind maps, flow charts, cards, journey method, mnemonics, parents give you a test, revise with friends, past papers and keep score, read text books, revision guides, on line resources.

9. Remaining Sane! • Work place and resources storage area with natural light and lamp. • Talk • Scheduled fun • Reward effort • Rest • Organise • Work space • Online help • Exercise • Lateral thinking revision • Food • Parental calmness • Watch for stress • Set the alarm on exam days and revision days. • Plan B for getting in

10. English: • All students completed their controlled assessment work in English Language (worth 40%) and English Literature (worth 25%) or English (worth 60%) in February 2013.  Final folder marks are being internally moderated in preparation for the examination board’s deadline. • For English and English Language, unlike in previous years, Speaking and Listening assessments do not count towards the final qualification. Every student, however, will receive a separate grade for Speaking and Listening from AQA in August as an indicator to spoken ability. • All students are sitting a final mock examination on March 17th, which will inform the final tier of entry. Some students are sitting Foundation tier for the first time and we will compare performance with previous data to inform our final recommendation. Each of these students will have a coaching conversation with either the Head or Second of Department in English. • The only remaining components are examinations – • For students sitting English Lang and Lit, there are 3 examinations to prepare for. • For students sitting English, there is one examination to prepare for.

11. What resources are there for revising the science subjects? Online textbook: www.CollinsOnlineLearning.co.uk Pupil Username: 351pupil Pupil Password:hd48

12. What resources are there for revising the science subjects? Online textbook: www.CollinsOnlineLearning.co.uk Pupil Username: 351pupil Pupil Password:hd48 Perfect if you need some more ‘in-depth’ revision on a particular topic! • Detailed content • Module checklists • Worked examples • Preparing for assessment activities • Exam style questions

13. What resources are there for revising the science subjects? • Every pupil has a revision guide and workbook for each of the science GCSEs they are taking. • Teach topic has a double spread of ‘exam practice’ questions in the workbook. • There is an answer page in the middle of the book. • If pupils identify a section that needs more revision, they can find the corresponding page in the revision guide.

14. What resources are there for revising the science subjects? • There is some content that has to be memorised before going into the exam! All this can be found in the revision guide. • Definitions • e.g. Define ‘species’ • Chemical formulae • e.g. Write a balanced symbol equation involving nitric acid • Key descriptions • e.g. Describe how a fuse works • Key explanations • e.g. Explain why nail varnish dissolves in nail varnish remover but not in water

15. What resources are there for revising the science subjects? • The OCR website: www.ocr.org.uk • Specification (a list of EVERYTHING which could be in the exam) • Past paper questions and markschemes

16. What resources are there for revising the science subjects? • Gateway Science Suite - Biology B - J263 (from 2012) • Gateway Science Suite - Chemistry B - J264 (from 2012) • Gateway Science Suite - Physics B - J265 (from 2012) Or • Gateway Science Suite - Science B - J261 (from 2012) • Gateway Science Suite – Additional Science B - J262 (from 2012)

17. What resources are there for revising the science subjects? • Specific revision ideas and strategies for science subjects.... Useful memory technique to use regularly for checking knowledge of definitions, formula etc. “Post Its” can be used to record key descriptions and explanations etc. Mark your past paper questions (or get your teacher to) using the mark schemes. Learn from how specific they want you to be!

18. And finally.....! • Each science GCSE is accompanied by one piece of controlled assessment. • This is worth 25% of the grade. • There are a matter of weeks until the FINAL deadline for marks to be sent off to the exam board. • It is the pupil’s responsibility to attend lunchtimes and afterchool sessions so their work is at least up to their St Paul’s target grade.

19. Maths: • The GCSE Maths exams are on Monday 9th June and Friday 13th June. There is no coursework to do. • Knowing how to use their own equipment is key to success.  Equipment can be bought from the Finance Office in school. Get this now and try out your calculator. • Completion of homework is vital in achieving potential.  Please ask class teachers for support as needed.

20. Maths: • Mymathshas booster packs for the key grades and students should be using this resource as part of their revision in addition to their set homework. • After school support clubs where they can do their homework, get support or have structured input on key topics.  These take place on Mondays and Thursdays. Meet in J Block. • Past exam papers can be found through the Edexcel website or Edexcel app. Teachers will mark these if they are given in. • Exam questions by topic can be found online. www.bland.in

21. Modern foreign language • 3 Controlled Speaking Assessments have been completed. The best 2 will be sent off (30% of overall grade). • 2 Controlled Writing Assessments have been completed. Last Writing Assessment is happening this half term on WB 31st March in lesson time. The best 2 will be sent off (30% of overall grade). • All students will sit GCSE Reading and Listening exams on the dates on exam timetable. • By the end of this half term most pupils will have finished all assessments. Any children who need additional opportunities will be contacted by staff.

22. If in doubt... • Contact subject staff • Mentor • Pastoral team • Access School Website First name.surname@st-pauls.org.uk

23. Key Dates • Easter Revision 16th April and 17th April. • Mass of Celebration TBC • Study Leave begins Friday 9th May. • Prom Tuesday 8th July. • Results Day 21st August.