Bullers Wood School Year 11 Examination Information Evening Wednesday 7th November 2012

She always leaves everything to the last minute – and it’s always when the printer is broken! She always says she has no work to do! I don’t understand all this course work, levels and modular exams – it’s completely different from when I was at school There are a million websites to help but how do you know which are any good?

Reports

Mock Examinations

Targeted Intervention

SAM Learning Secondary

Centre ID: BR7BW User ID: ddmmyyii Password: e.g SB Login

Revision Exercise -Maths

Topic Questions

Student Progress Report

Questions Please see Mrs. May at the end of the evening in L4

ENGLISH GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ENGLISH LITERATURE

ENGLISH LANGUAGE Exam is 2hrs 15 min Early Entry exam 10 th January 2013 Summer exam 4 th June 2013 Reading section A: Read 3 non fiction texts and answer questions about them. Writing section B: Write 2 pieces: inform, explain, describe persuade and argue

REVISION FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE Recommended Guides: AQA GCSE English and English Language Foundation Revision Guide AQA GCSE English and English Language Higher Revision Guide

REVISION FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE Online Resources: BBC Bitesize: use the GCSE English Reading and Writing sections for top tips and quizzes. SAM Learning: use the GCSE English section (AQA) to practice skills and self-mark. Podcast revision: click on the ‘resources’ tab for free podcasts about key English skills.

ENGLISH LITERATURE AQA English Literature: 2 exams Unit 1 Exam – 40% 20th May 2013 Exploring Modern Texts: 1hr 30mins Section A: Essay on 1 Modern prose or drama text (The Crucible/An Inspector Calls/Lord of the Flies) Section B: Essay on 1 Exploring Cultures text (Of Mice and Men/To Kill A Mocking Bird) Unit 2 Exam – 35% 23rd May 2013 Poetry Across Time: 1 hr 15 mins Section A: Essay on Moon on the Tides poetry (45 mins, 23%) Section B: Responding to an unseen poem (30 mins, 12%)

Recommended Revision Guides: York Notes CGP REVISION FOR LITERATURE

Online Resources: BBC Bitesize: use the GCSE English Literature sections for revision videos, notes and quizzes. re/ SAM Learning: use the GCSE English Literature AQA sections on Of Mice and Men, To Kill A Mockingbird & Comparing Poems to test your knowledge, practise exam skills and self-mark. REVISION FOR LITERATURE

Online Resources: Spark Notes: detailed summaries, key quotes & character analysis Schmoop: detailed summaries, key quotes, character analysis & quizzes in a lively style REVISION FOR LITERATURE

WHAT CAN I DO? Ensure that you and your daughter know when the exams are. Make a quiet and comfortable revision space at home. Use one or more of the recommended revision guides. Ensure that your daughter attends any after school/breakfast revision sessions. Encourage small amounts of revision during any free time.

GCSE MATHEMATICS

What maths resources are available? There are numerous revision websites available but especially:

Maths Watch The Maths Watch CD is an excellent revision resource that students can use at home

The Maths area of school VLE has other resources specifically targeting D to C grade work

How can you help your daughter to prepare for these important exams? Make sure she has access to the appropriate revision materials – and encourage her to use them regularly Encourage her look up the things she doesn’t know and to ask her teacher for individual help Ensure that she is completing the practice papers to the best of her ability – and handing them in on time Check her contact book for any messages from her teacher regarding not completing or handing in papers on time. Make sure that she attends any specific revision sessions provided by her teacher

Other good sites include.....

When are the exams? All students are taking the LINEAR specification which comprises of TWO papers – one calculator and one non-calculator All students (except the early entry students in 11.5 and 11.6) will be entered for the March series of exams

When are the exams? The dates of the exams are: Wednesday 27 February (pm) Monday 4 March (am)

What happens after March? Set 1 will begin studying for the FSMQ in Additional Maths Students in Set 6 (if they achieved grade C in the November exams) will transfer to Higher Tier and work towards a grade B or above in the June exams. Students in Set 5 (who have already all achieved a grade C) will carry on working towards a grade B or above at the Higher tier. All other students will continue to study maths and prepare for the June exams. Only once the results of the March exams have been issued, will discussions take place with individuals about possible resits or about using the time to concentrate on their other subjects.

How do you know how well your daughter progressing? Ask your daughter to show you the practice papers she completes and the marks and comments she receives. Help her to improve her performance on these papers by encouraging her to look up things she has forgotten and by testing her on key facts Encourage her to complete as much of each paper as she can and check that she is handing them in on time!

How will you know how well your daughter is progressing? All students will be taking Mock GCSE Maths exams during Mock Exam week which is from 26 – 30 November Students will be taking past GCSE exam papers and so the results of these will give you an up-to- date picture of your daughter’s achievement in Maths in terms of a current GCSE grade.

Is there anything else can you do to support your daughter? Please make sure they have all the necessary resources to support the learning - including their own calculator and suitable maths equipment.

GCSE Additional Science Most students June. Triple Science January.

Number of Papers 3 exam papers at Foundation or Higher 1 x 45 minute Biology 1 x 45 minute Chemistry 1 x 45 minute Physics ISA done in school

What we are doing in school? Working through the syllabus in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Doing lots of past paper questions. Doing ISAs. Setting homework regularly.

Topics BiologyChemistryPhysics Cells Plants Food Chains Waste Enzymes Bodies Inheritance Atoms Structures Properties Rates Energy Useful chemistry Movement Energy Momentum Static Electricity Circuits Mains Electricity Power Nuclear Reactions

What you can do at home Continue to take an interest. Encourage, especially the use of SAM learning. Support us if we ring home. Make sure she brings work to lessons. Calculator to exams, etc. Make sure she is attending any after school or holiday sessions.

Mock Preparation Note Additional Mocks in January Preparation for mocks: Organisation. Use of revision guide (£3.50). Bitesize / SAM Learning. AQA Website past questions.

Revision Classes

Easter Holidays

Attendance, Punctuality & Behaviour Empirical research shows that students with between % attendance are more likely to achieve 5+A*-C Grades at GCSE

Structured Revision Sessions

Year 11 Parents’ Evening Tuesday 15 th January 2013 Sixth form Open Evening Thursday 15 th November 2012

Applied subjects talk in the DALO with Mrs Carter SAM Learning demonstration in L4 with Mrs May and Mrs Hatch