Year 11 Guidance Evening Mr McGlown Welcome

Year 11 Mrs Makin Head of Year

The last few months Colleges, personal statement, UCAS, Mock interview evening Study skills Lunchtime/afterschool work/revision sessions Mock exams

The final few months May. 14 weeks. 420 lessons: 56 Maths 70 English 84 Science 42 RE plus each option PE plus PSHEE

The final few months Pastoral care Progress monitoring Exam technique Two-week revision timetable Live N Learn Maths clinics/ English & Maths Intervention GCSE Pod

Preparing for Exams Reflecting on the mocks Organising folders/books Breaking subjects into sub topics Revision timetable Different ways to revise Wellbeing and stress Different ways to revise An hour’s revision guide Taking stock of things learnt so far/ keeping motivated Time management/ balancing social life Exam terminology, technique and tips Be an exam expert

The partnership between school and home The right environment for study 2 hours independent study per evening; more at weekend 30-40 minutes / 5-10 minute break Revision planning Distraction Hobbies Sleep Attendance and punctuality Expectations

Important Dates 16 January – start of revision timetable 13 & 17 February – Live N Learn 17 February – Interim Report 1 1 March – Year 11 Parents’ Evening 21 April – Interim Report 2 5 May – Leavers’ Mass 15 May – Start of GCSE exams 23 June – End of GCSE exams 6 July – Leavers’ Dinner

And finally… Useful booklets The keys to success

Mr McGuire Head of English Frequently asked questions: How are the English GCSE’s different this year? What is currently in place for Year 11 English students? How can I help my child to revise?

Comparison between current specification and the new specification for 2017. Shift to terminal, closed book exams with no coursework element at all. Change in grading –9 being the top and 1 the lowest grade. One tier of entry. Change in content – pre-19th Century. English Literature and English Language running alongside each other.

Shift to terminal, closed book exams with no coursework element at all. What students are doing What you can do to help Mock exams. Knowing the texts for English Literature and knowing the mark schemes and skills for all papers. English Paper 2 (non-fiction) still to be taught. Attending targeted revision sessions. Attending Intervention sessions. Encourage students to be revising from an early stage. Help them to organise their revision. Relevant questions. Remind students of any Intervention/Revision sessions. Ask students questions – be involved.

Papers and marks GCSE English Literature GCSE English Language: 2 exams May 2017 Monday 22nd May - Paper 1: Macbeth and A Christmas Carol Friday 26th May - Paper 2: ‘An Inspector Calls’ and poetry –both studied and unseen. 2 exams June 2017 Tuesday 6th June Paper 1: 1 text –unseen from 19th, 20th or 21st centuries. Fiction. Writing to describe. Monday 12th June Paper 2: 2 texts –unseen from 19th, 20th or 21st centuries. Writing to argue SPEAKING AND LISTENING: Marked separately as a Pass, Merit or Distinction One presentation and then responding to questions

Revision resources Exercise books Annotated copies of texts Anthologies GCSE Bitesize AQA website – specimen papers Tips: All the texts have key characters/themes/messages can they explain them to you? If students can teach a subject/topic/concept/theme to someone else in a coherent and logical way with evidence to support they will truly have understood the learning.

Mrs Salisbury Head of Maths

Changes to GCSE Maths Grading 9 to 1 Applying understanding – fluency, reasoning and problem solving

Changes to GCSE Maths Find 15% of £24 Old Format New Format Find 15% of £24 Julie receives £20 from an aunt for her birthday. She has seen a top that she would like to buy in a shop costing £24. The top is reduced in a sale by 15%. Does Julie have enough money from her aunt to buy the top?

Changes to GCSE Maths Grading 9 to 1 Applying understanding Calculator Grade boundaries

Higher Tier v Foundation Tier Higher Tier – Grades 9 to 4 Foundation Tier – Grades 5 to 1

Higher Tier v Foundation Tier Topic Area Higher Tier (%) Foundation Tier (%) Number 15 25 Ratio 20 Algebra 30 Geometry Probability and statistics (combined)

Higher Tier v Foundation Tier   Higher Foundation AO1 Use and apply standard techniques 40% 50% AO2 Reason, interpret and communicate mathematically 30% 25% AO3 Solve problems

How to Revise for Maths Practice, practice, practice! Learn important formulae Tick off topics that are understood

Revision Resources Revision guides and workbooks MyMaths Mathswatch Kerboodle Specimen papers and mark schemes

Upcoming Events Further mock exams Walking-talking mock After school revision Intervention/Peer mentoring

Mr Humphreys Head of Science

Science assessment Current Y11 – last year group to gain qualifications A* - G New 1-9 grading only applies to Y10 students onwards We are following the AQA specification

Double Science students GCSE Core Science B1 exam worth 25% + C1 exam worth 25% + P1 exam worth 25% + Core ISA worth 25% GCSE Additional Science + B2 exam worth 25% + + C2 exam worth 25% P2 exam worth 25% Add. Science ISA worth 25% This information applies to students in sets 11a3, 11a4, 11a5 and 11b3

Triple Science students GCSE Core Science + + + B1 exam worth 25% C1 exam worth 25% P1 exam worth 25% Core ISA worth 25% GCSE Additional Science + + + B2 exam worth 25% C2 exam worth 25% P2 exam worth 25% Add. Science ISA worth 25% GCSE Further Additional Science + + + B3 exam worth 25% C3 exam worth 25% P3 exam worth 25% Further Add ISA worth 25% This information applies to students in sets 11a1, 11a2, 11b1 and 11b2

Assessments completed so far All students in Y11 have completed an Additional Science ISA and have received their approximate score and grade. Some, selected students have also completed a re-sit of their Additional Science ISA. All students in Y11 have completed a Core Science ISA – they will be shortly receiving their score and approximate grade. We will be planning a Core Science ISA re-sit for targeted students (date TBC).

Exam schedule and preparation It is essential that students start their revision early in Science. Double Science students have 6 exams. Triple Science students have 9 exams. There will be regular revision sessions on Fridays after school. These sessions will rotate between the Sciences. Some of these sessions are specifically aimed at preparing for a Core Science mock exam (see letter). There will be a second Additional Science mock exam next week. The content being assessed is identified in the letter.

Upcoming assessments Second mock exam – week beginning 16/1. Further Additional ISA – a side 26/1. Further Additional ISA – b side 27/1. Core Science mock exam – full past paper – week beginning 27/2. Final exam dates are in your pack.

How you can support us Purchase a revision guide if you have not already got one (see letter for ISBN numbers). Use revision websites, such as BBC Bitesize (choose AQA exam board then either Core, Additional or Further Additional Science). Encourage your child to register for GCSE POD, download the app and then use the revision activities as often as possible. Use YouTube channels, such as those identified on the letter. Encourage your child to practice past papers from the AQA website