Year 10 The Journey Ahead

The Purpose of This Evening To provide information on the new Mathematics and English Curricula To provide information on the new education reforms and how these impact on your child To provide Information on the New grading systems in GCSE Examinations

Key Information Throughout the academic year, the school will provide you with key information throughout the academic year through: Interim Reports Key Dates for year 10 – available as a handout at the end. Parents’ Evenings

How can you support your child? Medical or emotional concerns Domestic issues which may influence your child’s performance Any other concerns or issues

Our Focus in Key Stage 4 Areas of : Academic development Personal development and Enrichment Post 16 options and other choices

What does a Successful Year 10 Student Look Like? What would a successful year look like to them? Good/ Excellent grades in their courses Motivated and reliable Meeting deadlines

Academic Success relies on Setting high expectations : by self, school and parents and understanding what these expectations mean Continuous self appraisal of performance Being organised Being focused and involved Taking ownership of their learning Clarity of what they need to do, and how to do it The ability to seek guidance and support when necessary

How can we make a difference? Attendance Officer Partnership: Home- School- Child Provider of tools for learning Study Buddy: Show an interest Entertainment officer: TV programmes etc relevant to your child’s study Researcher: articles, websites, past exam questions

Curriculum and Accountability Reform Update September 2015.

What is changing?? GCSE reforms A Level reforms Vocational reforms 2014.

GCSE Reform All GCSEs are to be reformed – no exceptions. Lots of change to content. Changes to the amount of content. Grades changing from letters to numbers.

GCSE Reform Continued Less tiering. Less coursework and more exams. Terminal papers. Focus on EBACC subjects.

GCSE Reform Continued English (Literature and Language) and Maths first examined 2017 – current year 10. Sciences, modern and ancient languages, history, geography, comp science, art and design, food tech, drama, dance, PE, citizenship, music and RS first examined 2018 – current year 9’s. Others, including combined science, need to be approved for 2019 exam-current year 7’s.

New GCSEs in English Language English Literature Mrs J Cooper Head of English

Overview The English Department follows the AQA GCSE Specification for English Language and English Literature Aim: for each student to leave year 11 with 2 GCSEs in English English Language Paper 1 – 50% Paper 2 – 50% English Literature Paper 1 – 40% Paper 2 – 60%

Main Changes to GCSE Curriculum Tierless entry: there is no foundation or higher paper; therefore, every student will write the same exam No coursework or controlled assessment: 100% exam Four exams: 2 for Language and 2 for Literature Pupils must study 3 whole texts (British Literature) All exams are closed book (although extracts on some questions are provided) New grading system (1-9) All pupils must complete a Spoken Language assessment (Speaking and Listening) although it has no bearing on their overall grade. If pupils fail to complete this assessment, however, the GCSE in English Language will be void.

Changes to Assessment Objectives and Grading Assessment Objectives There are 9 assessment objectives instead of 4. Main change: SPaG (AO6) marks rewarded for each exam for Language and Literature AO6 will constitute 20% of each GCSE Grading Grades have changed from alphabetical scoring to numerical. 1-9 (1 being the lowest and 9 being the highest) Benchmark: 5

Exams in English Language Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (50%) 1hr45mins Section A: Reading (40 marks) One literature fiction text  1 short question (4 marks)  2 long questions (8 marks each)  1 extended question (20 marks) Section B: Writing (40 marks) Descriptive or Narrative writing  1 extended writing question  24 marks for content  16 marks for SPaG Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives (50%) 1hr45mins Section A: Reading (40 marks) Two linked texts (one non-fiction and one literary non-fiction)  1 short question (4 marks)  2 long questions (8 marks and 12 marks)  1 extended question (20 marks) Section B: Writing (40 marks) Writing to present a Viewpoint  1 extended writing question  24 marks for content  16 marks for SPaG

Exams in English Literature Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19 th Century Novel (40%) 1hr45mins Section A: Shakespeare Macbeth  1 essay question  Extract provided  30 marks content  4 marks for SPaG Section B: 19 th Century Novel Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde/ A Christmas Carol  1 essay question  Extract provided  30 marks content Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry (60%) 2hrs15mins Section A: Modern Texts Lord of the Flies OR Telling Tales OR Blood Brothers  1 essay question from a choice of 2, 1 hr  30 marks for content  4 marks for SPaG Section B: Poetry Conflict and Power  1 comparative essay question, 45 mins  30 marks Section C: Unseen Poetry (30 mins)  1 question on unseen poem (24 marks)  1 question comparing this poem to second unseen poem (8 marks)

Year 10 Curriculum Map TermUnitAssessments/Outcomes Year 10 – term 1a Paper 1 (Lit): Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Paper 1 (Lang): Reading Fiction SIR: Analyse a key scene from Jekyll and Hyde for Language (Reading Fiction) PEE SIR: Timed Mock Exam Response for Lit (Jekyll and Hyde) (45 mins) October Half-Term Year 10 – term 1b Paper 2 (Lit): Unseen Poetry Paper 1 (Lang): Descriptive/ Narrative Writing SIR: descriptive/narrative writing based on a poem SIR: Unseen poetry response and comparison (45 mins) Christmas Holidays Year 10 – term 2aPaper 1 (Lit): MacbethSIR: Close analysis of short section from Macbeth February Half-Term Year 10 – term 2bPaper 1 (Lit): Macbeth SIR: Practice exam question SIR: Paper 1 Section A (LIT) Easter Holidays Year 10 – term 3a Paper 2 (Lang): Writing to present a viewpoint Paper 1 (Lang): Question 4 - Evaluation SIR: Practice exam response on writing to present a viewpoint (Paper 2 Lang Section B) SIR: Practice Q4 response May Half-Term Year 10 – term 3bSpoken Language SIR: Plan and present GCSE spoken language (Speaking and Listening) assessment YEAR 10 MOCKS – Paper 1 Lang

Year 11 Curriculum Map TermUnitAssessments/Outcomes Year 11 – term 1a Paper 2 (Lit): Lord of the Flies, Blood Brothers or Telling Tales TW: PEE on theme or character KA: mock exam response October Half-Term Year 11 – term 1b Paper 2 (Lang): Reading and comparing perspectives/viewpoints Paper 2 (Lit): Power and Conflict Poetry TW: mock Q4 – comparing writers’ attitudes and methods KA: PEE paragraph comparing LSF in poetry Christmas Holidays Year 11 – term 2a Paper 2 (Lit): Power and Conflict Poetry MOCK: Paper 2 Language and Paper 2 Literature Section B (Conflict and Power Poetry) February Half-Term Year 11 – term 2bREVISIONSeries of mock responses Easter Holidays Year 11 – term 3aREVISIONSeries of mock response May Half-Term Year 11 – term 3bFINAL EXAMS: May/June 2017

Summary and Pupil Expectations Both GCSEs in English Language and Literature are highly demanding Tierless entry Closed book exams Loaded curriculum with 4 exams, which pupils will sit at the end of year % attendance is essential High expectations of behaviour and engagement are fundamental and non-negotiable.

Maths Curriculum 2015 Tom Dean Head of Mathematics

General changes to the maths curriculum GCSE Maths is going to become more demanding More content is being added to foundation and higher tiers The pupils will achieve a numerical grade (1-9) (9 is the highest and 1 is the lowest)

Examination The total time for the examinations is increasing from 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes. This is spread out over 3 examinations. All exams will be sat at the end of the course. No early entry option available for pupils. There are fewer marks at the lower grades and more marks at the higher grades at both Foundation & Higher Tier. Pupils will be required to remember more formulas. More emphasis on problem solving

Content There is roughly a third more content required for GCSE Maths – ‘big fat maths’ A lot of content has moved from Higher Tier to Foundation Tier as well as from A-Level to Higher Tier. There has also been the introduction of some ‘new’ topics. Financial education has been reinforced with a focus on solving problem involving percentage increases and decreases, simple interest and repeated growth. Increased requirements for algebra, geometry & measures and ratio, proportion & rates of change. (Introduction to calculus)

Assessment objectives AO1 is about using and applying standard techniques AO2 is about reasoning, interpreting and communicating mathematically AO3 is about solving problems with a much greater focus on solving non-routine problems in mathematical and non- mathematical contexts Foundation Tier50%25% Higher Tier40%30%

Foundation tier

Content moving TO Foundation Tier

higher tier

Content moving TO Higher Tier Expand the products of more than two binomials Interpret the reverse process as the ‘inverse function’; interpret the succession of two functions as a ‘composite function’ (using formal function notation) Deduce turning points by completing the square Calculate or estimate gradients of graphs and areas under graphs, and interpret results in real-life cases (not including calculus) Simple geometric progressions including surds, and other sequences Deduce expressions to calculate the nth term of quadratic sequences Calculate and interpret conditional probabilities through Venn diagrams

‘New’ Content to both tiers

OMITTED TOPICS Trial and improvement Tessellations Isometric grids Imperial units of measure Questionnaires 3D coordinates Rotation and enlargement of functions

Summary Foundation Tier will assess grades 1 – 5 Higher Tier will assess grades 4 – 9 There will be 3 examination papers, each 1 hour 30 minutes. One non calculator and two calculator papers. (All have 80 marks and are worth one third of their final Maths GCSE grade). We will be using the Edexcel Syllabus.

Tracking & Monitoring GCSE Class 2017 H Thomas

5 A*-C Measures14/15 Total 14/15 Percent Year 10 Target Percent Students with 5 x A*-C Students with 5 x A*-C inc English & Maths GCSE Key Headline H Thomas

Performance measures Currently on raw results - % 5A*-C inc English and Maths. From 2016: Progress 8 – progress students make against expected progress over 8 subjects – one average grade for entire cohort. Attainment 8 – Average grade of an entire cohort across 8 subjects. % achieving EBACC. % C/4 and above in English and Maths.

6 Assessment Points in Each year One every half term Student has been Issued with a Target Grade in every subject. The grade they should be aiming for at the end of the course Every AP a Predicted grade will be issued by the teacher. Which is what they think that student will get at the end of the GCSE H Thomas Tracking and Reporting

6 AP during the year (every Half term). Please consult calendar as they are at different times This is the teachers prediction of what the student will achieve at the end of the course GCSE Targets H Thomas

B1 – Will get a B, may well get an A B2 – should get the B but a few issues B3 – Capable of a B but very shaky and may drop to a C Data H Thomas

English and Maths 7A – Will get a 7, may well get an 8 7B – should get the 7 but a few issues 7C – Capable of a 7 but very shaky and may drop to a 6 H Thomas Data

Stickers H Thomas

Any issues please see me at the end or me GCSE Target Grades H Thomas

What next? We will update you when we receive any further information that is relevant. We would like to create a FAQ for parents so please any questions to: