Welcome to The GCSE Support Parent Evening

Welcome to the GCSE Support Parent Evening On entry, you will have received either a gold or a blue plan for the evening. Gold is Group A: You will be in the Main Hall first for English & Maths and then move around to other subjects. Blue is Group B: You will visit other subjects first, then move to the Main Hall for English & Maths at 6.10 p.m. Groupings are to ease movement around C block across the course of the evening, we kindly ask that you stick to your allocated group.

Why Have We Asked You Here This Evening? We are hoping that we will be able to provide you with: An understanding of how best to help your son/daughter with revision in key subjects A brief insight into some key revision strategies that you could encourage your son/daughter to try An idea about the way in which the GCSE exam season works and some key advice for navigating it successfully

How Do I Help My Son/Daughter with Revision in Key Subjects? The lead teachers in key subjects are here tonight to offer you advice and guidance The revision booklets are a good source of information Individual subjects produce subject revision guides Subject teachers will recommend the best revision guides

Which Revision Strategies Should I Encourage My Son/Daughter to Try?

GCSE Revision for Parents Revision Planning Memory Psychological research suggests that: When we learn something, we rapidly forget much of it. When we re-visit something we’ve learned repeatedly, we remember it better. An Example of Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve SMS to present Effective revision of the knowledge and skills covered in lessons is, therefore, crucial to exam success.

GCSE Revision for Parents Revision Planning Which revision strategies work best? SMS to present Learning Techniques and their Effectiveness: Dunlosky (2013) Research has identified that some revision strategies are more effective than others. We need to ensure students are using the most effective methods when they sit down to revise.

GCSE Revision for Parents Distributed Practice [Practice over Time] Vs. Mass Practice [Cramming] Cramming the week or night before an exam is not effective Regular revision sessions, spaced out over a long period of time, are the most successful. The more detailed or complex the information you are trying to remember, the longer the period of time needed. It does not matter which of the revision techniques are used - distributed practice works well for them all. SMS to present

GCSE Revision for Parents Interleaved Practice [Revising several topics in chunks] Vs. Block Practice[Revising one topic at a time] Rather than revising in ‘topic blocks’ it’s better to chunk these topics up in your revision programme and interleave them. Block Practice SMS to present Interleaved Practice

GCSE Revision for Parents Revision Techniques There are a range of techniques students can use when revising – some are effective and others less so. Techniques to avoid: Highlighting text Re-reading notes Summarising These are not effective because: Challenge is low Little thinking is required Gives a false sense of achievement SMS to present

GCSE Revision for Parents Revision Techniques The most effective techniques students can use to aid their revision are: Flashcards Mnemonics Interrogation [asking why?] Floria [hooks] Mind Maps PQRST [Preview, Question, Read, Say, Test] Past Papers Study buddying SMS to present but MHJ to talk about ‘Study Buddying’ You will have an opportunity to try some of these techniques this evening by attending Mrs Bellers session in C2.

How Does the Exam Season Work? Students will be issued with an individual statement of entry a few weeks before the exams begin – this needs to be checked carefully.

Checking the Statement of Entry It is crucial to check: Your child’s name is spelt correctly The exams they have been entered for are correct You and your child know exactly what day each exam is on and when they start . . . . .

Y11 Pre-Public Exams [PPEs] GCSE Revision for Parents Y11 Pre-Public Exams [PPEs] These run from Monday 5th November – Friday 16th November 2018. They are a practice run for the final GCSE exams in May & June 2019. They mimic the actual GCSE exam period as far as possible. This means that: Students will sit for GCSE past papers in most subjects The exam timetable will resemble the summer exam timetable Students will sit all of the PPE exams under formal exam conditions They will have study leave and will not be expected to be in school unless they have an exam The exams may extend beyond the normal school day The results matter – they will be used, or will influence, the likely results we give on any reference request we receive prior to publication of the final exam results

GCSE Revision for Parents GCSE Exams – Summer 2019 The examination period for the practical elements of GCSE exams begins in March 2019 and runs through to May 2019. Scheduled to date: GCSE Art Exam Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th May GCSE Languages Speaking Exams – the window for the summer 2019 series is Monday1st April – Friday17th May 2019 Students will be advised of the exact timings of these exams, and any other practical exams, by their class teachers. The examination period for the written elements of GCSE exams begin on the 13th May and runs through until the end of June 2019. Contingency Day – Wednesday 26th June 2019 This day has been set aside by JCQ (Joint Qualifications Council) for all centres as a contingency measure should an exam been disrupted by a national incident such the tragic events of last summer at Manchester Arena & Grenfell Tower.

GCSE Revision for Parents The Countdown to GCSEs How many weeks to go? PPEs There is 1 school week until the PPE exams [2 including the half-term holiday]. GCSEs There are 23 school weeks until the first written exams [29 weeks including the school holidays] MHJ to refer to the Y11 GCSE Examination Programme 2016 Booklet Revision needs to begin now

GCSE Revision for Parents The Countdown to GCSEs How do we know what they should be revising? Exam Booklets There is an exam booklet for PPEs and there will be another one for GCSEs. Students have the PPE one already and there is a copy on the website. The booklets contain subject information, the exam timetable, revision tips and revision planners. MHJ to refer to the Y11 GCSE Examination Programme 2016 Booklet

Extra Revision and Interventions GCSE Revision for Parents Extra Revision and Interventions Timetabled and directed ‘topic-based’ sessions Monday – Humanities/Science Wednesday – Maths Thursday – English Friday - Languages Not the only sessions. Breakfast/Lunchtime clubs. Staff giving up their own time. This needs to be remembered by students attending. MHJ to refer to the Y11 GCSE Examination Programme 2016 Booklet