Welcome from Mr Gaughan Curriculum Pupil Targets & Tracking How to succeed Pastoral Support

1. Welcome from Mr Gaughan • Curriculum • Pupil Targets & Tracking • How to succeed • Pastoral Support

2. Curriculum

3. Curriculum Changes • All GCSEs are now linear • Controlled Assessments continue in some subjects • Vocational qualifications (OCR/BTEC) can only count as 1 qualification (far fewer than previous years) • English Baccalaureate (EBacc) – combination of subjects to be passed at A*-C (English, Maths, 2 Sciences, Language, Humanity) continues • Government have previously stated that if Grade C is not achieved in English and Maths, students must continue to study them up to the age of 18

4. Why do GCSEs matter? • Doorway to further study post-16 • Colleges looking for 5A*-C GCSEs to study advanced and vocational subjects (Newman, Runshaw, St John Rigby) • GCSE English & Maths A*-C needed for all A-level courses, Universities and some apprenticeships • Employers also consider these two subjects the most important so whatever grade is achieved is vital • Grade B or above required in Maths to study Sciences or Further Maths at A-level

5. Why do GCSEs matter? • Universities look at GCSE grades to help allocate places • Grade C minimum in English & Maths is required for entrance to any full time course at University • For certain courses there are specific subject requirements but a general “rule” is balance and a breadth of study • GCSEs follow you for life

6. Subject Specific Information • English (4/5 lessons per week) • Pupils in A band study for the WJEC GSCE exam at the end of Y10 and they receive 4 lessons of English Literature and 1 lesson of English Language. English Language is then studied in Year 11 • Pupils in B band study for the AQA Certificate in English Literature at the end of Year 10 and receive 4 lessons which incorporate both Literature and Language with a greater emphasis on the Language skills. The Cambridge iGCSE is then studied in Year 11

7. Subject Specific Information All pupils need English Language GCSE. All pupils have to study English Literature for the English Language GCSE to “count”.

8. Subject Specific Information • Science (6 lessons per week) • Double Award Science is the study of Biology, Chemistry and Physics towards two GCSEs. • Core Science exam is taken in summer 2015 (3 exams) and Additional Science is taken in summer 2016 (3 exams) • A grades BB in Double Award are required to study A levels in Science • Most of our pupils follow this course

9. Subject Specific Information • Science (3 lessons per week) • Single Award Science is the study of Biology, Chemistry and Physics towards one GCSE. • Pupils who are selected for this course will have 3 lessons of Science each week and 3 lessons of intervention (Literacy & Numeracy) • The exams are all taken in summer 2016 (3)

10. Subject Specific Information • Science (6 lessons per week) • Triple Award (or separate Sciences) is the study of • Biology, Chemistry and Physics towards three • separate GCSEs. To conform with the government • directive that all exams are to be “linear” all • these exams must be taken in the summer of • 2016. This means 9 exams at once! • The Triple Award is extremely challenging in terms of commitment, depth of study, additional home study, after school revision and 9 exams all at the end. With this in mind, Mr Power and the Science department select students carefully.

11. Subject Specific Information • Physical Education • Most students will work towards a qualification in PE. This will either be GCSE or BTEC as decided by the PE Department • To be successful in GCSE PE, students need to able to offer 4 sports at which they can perform at a good level. There is also a theoretical aspect to the course. • The BTEC course is more appropriate to students who can only offer one or two sports at a practical level.

12. Subject Specific Information • Physical Education • The BTEC course is more appropriate to students who can only offer one or two sports at a practical level. • The BTEC course does now have a formal exam. • Some pupils will study for a BTEC in Dance instead of the Physical Education course. • This year we will be having a small group of pupils who do PE as a recreation activity and will not study a qualification. Parents will be notified.

13. Subject Specific Information • ICT • Pupils in the B band will receive 1 lesson each • week of ICT. They will work towards the Cambridge • National Diploma/Certificate in ICT. • A level 2 pass is the equivalent of GCSE grade C and grades reach A* equivalent. • There is now an exam in summer 2016 as well as coursework • Pupils who opted for GCSE ICT or Computer • Science through the options process will have 3 • lessons of ICT (+1 if they are in the B band)

14. Subject Specific Information • Food • The Food & Nutrition GCSE course is no longer • accepted and so we now offer two different courses. • BTEC Hospitality • A Focus on the cookery element but less scientific • and therefore more accessible to some pupils. • Pupils complete coursework and sit an exam in • summer 2016 • GCSE Food Technology

15. Subject Specific Information • General Information • Maths = 4 lessons per week • English = 4 or 5 lessons per week • Science = 6 lessons per week or 3 + 3 intervention • RE = 3 lessons per week • PE = 3 lessons per week • ICT = 0 or 1 lesson per week • All option subjects = 3 lessons per week

16. Pupil Target Setting

17. Targets We set every pupil an individual target for every subject. • Targets have several functions: • to inspire pupils to aim high • to inform teaching staff of their potential • to enable us to monitor performance • to identify underachievement and focus intervention

18. Targets • After 3 years at school we have a large amount of information about ability and potential • We use a Nationally recognised target setting system called FFT Aspire to inform targets • Reports will refer to performance related to these targets

19. HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL Anne Uther10H Attendance 98.4%

20. Targets • Target grades should be treated with some caution because… • just setting targets does not guarantee their achievement • personality is not accounted for • home background/support is not accounted for • a lot can happen between the ages of 11 and 16 (good and bad) which could have an effect on achievement • there are lots of examples of pupils achieving as much as 3 grades higher or lower than their target grade • Important to recognise that individual achievement is what counts (Grade D may be an exceptional result for a pupil just as a B grade may be under achievement)

21. Targets – Tracking for Success September Targets set Attendance tracking commences Year 10 Guidance Evening for parents and pupils Information collected from teachers identifying really good and really poor starts. Contact with parents if any concerns (HOY) November First set of central subject grades provided by teaching staff Identify under achievement, contact with parents if any concerns Year Head and Form Tutor tracking December Interim reports sent to parents – full term completed

22. Targets – Tracking for Success January Tracking by Form Teacher and Head of Year continues. Year 10 Parents Evening Thursday 22nd January 2015 February Pupils off timetable to assess their own progress and talk to tutors. Set individual targets for rest of the year along with enrichment and careers activities March Second set of central grades submitted by teaching staff Assess progress of every student Updated tracking sheet to parents

23. Targets – Tracking for Success May Full reports with teacher comments to parents June End of year internal exams Science and English Literature external GCSE exams Cardinal Newman, St John Rigby and Runshaw taster days July Final grades submitted by teaching staff and sent home Pupils assess their own progress over the year with their tutor Individual targets set for year 11 Prefect training & Awards Day

24. How to Succeed

25. Growth mind-set Fixed mind-set vs Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to: EMBRACE CHALLENGES PERSIST IN THE FACE OF SET BACKS SEE EFFORT AS A PATH TO MASTERY LEARN FROM CRITICISM FIND LESSONS AND INSPIRATION IN THE SUCCESS OF OTHERS Leads to a desire to look smart and therefore a tendency to: AVOID CHALLENGES GIVE UP EASILY SEE EFFORT AS FRUITLESS OR WORSE IGNORE USEFUL FEEDBACK FEEL THREATENED BY THE SUCCESS OF OTHERS CHALLENGES OBSTACLES EFFORT CRITICISM SUCCESS OF OTHERS

26. Impact on the students Pupil progress data shows that those students who demonstrate growth mind-set characteristics radically out-perform other students by as much as 4 grades, even though their CAT tests show they have similar raw intelligence.

27. Growth mind-set in action • Reading regularly • Arriving to lessons well-prepared • Maintaining excellent attendance • Home learning completed on time and to a high standard • Asking questions to improve understanding • Sharing ideas with others • Respond to teacher’s feedback in books and lessons • Never waste time talking in lessons • Find out how other people have achieved high marks • Reflect on success: What was it that made you succeed?

28. Show My Homework

29. Supporting your child Attendance • 95% attendance (10 days) = 2 weeks off school • Expectation is to achieve at least this figure • 90% attendance (20 days) = 1 month off school • Missing 17 school days in an academic year can result in • dropping a full grade in every GCSE subject taught • 80% average attendance over 5 years • Equates to awhole year ofschooling missed • If a child has 89% attendance or less, there is only a 1 in 4 chance they will achieve 5 A* to C grades at GCSE

30. Get the basics right • Ensure they get sufficient sleep • Teenagers between 13 and 19 need 9 to 10 hours a day • toconsolidate learning • Maintain a balanced diet and lots of water • A good diet is scientifically proven to improve • concentration • Regular exercise • Exercise stimulates the flow of oxygen around the body and to the brain • Control distractions • A sensible balance between work and play!!

31. Supporting your child • Encourage your son/daughter to reflect on attitude, work rate and state of mind to make small changes that will sustain theirsense of self-belief and self-confidence. • It is ok to get things wrong! • Your teachers are there to support you so make sure you ask forhelp with any problems (academic or otherwise) that may be hindering your progress.

32. Pastoral Support

33. Pastoral Support Form Tutors & Head of Year • A vital link between home and school • Regular daily contact with the pupils and are available for all parents to contact with any concerns • Track pupils progress closely throughout KS4 • Focused on your child achieving their potential and higher

34. Year 10 Tutors Miss Parks 10R Mr Boylan 10C Mr Smith 10L Mrs Gaughan 10S Mr Sanderson 10Y Mr Poulton 10H

35. Mrs Evans Head of Year 10 Mr Smith Pastoral Support Attendance Officer Alternative Curriculum

36. Pupil Diaries • Diaries are checked weekly by tutors • Parents can use the diary for messages to school as well as e-mail and telephone • Contains the work your child is expected to carry out at home for individual subjects • Have a calendar indicating assessments and the dates of any external examinations Please ensure that it is signed weekly

37. Parental Involvement/Support • Ask about School • Read through reports together • Structure, routine and rules are important – consistency and fairness really helps

38. Holy Cross Guidance Evening 2014 Thank you for attending we trust the evening has been useful