Soaring to the heights of personal success Enabling candidates to raise grades from B to A and from A to A*

Watford Grammar School for Girls Sharing good practice. Presented by C. A. Chandler

Grade B to A and A to A* Encouraging candidates to maximise their potential.

3 Main Areas of Focus 1 making pupils aware of their current standard and enabling them to observe their own progress through the course 2 helping pupils to maximise their learning and memorisation of the material 3 ensuring pupils know where and how they can earn more marks

1 Making pupils aware of their standard and of their progress Lesson starter: Start a topic or lesson going around the class with everyone contributing a piece of information that they already know. Plenary: Finish a topic or lesson with a chart or mind map which shows the extensive knowledge taught, and perhaps making links where appropriate with other topics.

Starting from from what the pupils already know Confidence boosting for pupils to realise that they already have a basis of knowledge on which to build. At the end of the topic, pupils can see for themselves that they have increased their knowledge. The chart / mind map will be useful for revision later on.

1 Making pupils aware of their standard and of their progress Target setting in the feedback after writing an essay or having had a test. This can be for the whole group; and if necessary in addition something else specific in your written comment on a pupil’s work. Pupils have a page on which they write one thing they are pleased with in the work and then one thing that they target to improve next time. As a new essay / test is about to be done, pupils consult the page to remember what they are already good at doing and the one thing to target for improvement.

Target setting Making progress achievable: one step at a time. one step at a time.

Target setting after exams during the course Emphasis on what the pupil has done well [so that this can be repeated in the future]. Then focus on what the target is for improvement next time … one key thing. Written feedback expanded in individual chat with each pupil: re-iterate and clarify the written feedback. Listen to pupil’s comments about revision strategies used. How successful? 1 A specific target can be checked for improvement next time. 2 The target grades can improve gradually throughout the course. Achievable … one step at a time.

2 Helping pupils to maximise their learning At the end of every topic : write an essay and have a detailed test. Re-do unsatisfactory work until an improvement can be seen. Thus pupil learns each topic one at a time, which seems achievable, rather than be overwhelmed by trying to learn it all at the end of the course.

Active learning strategies Preferred learning styles V A K Visual use colours charts mind maps Auditory presentations testing each other tapes Kinaesthetic Drama / food / dressing up games A new face or place: visitors and visits Active revision strategies: how to revise.

2 Helping pupils to maximise their learning Structured schemes of revision

Structured revision plan to cover all the required topics Each topic was written up and tested as it was covered during the course, as the foundation on which to base this final revision. Pupils to have a full list of the topics, so that each one can be ticked off when it has been revised. Work out with the class which topics, day by day, week by week, need to be revised to ensure that they will all be covered. Everyone have a copy of this scheme. Synthesise what is to be done at home with what is done in the lessons.. to compliment each other.

Revision: lots of timed essays 1 Pupils have the title in advance, can prepare it and can consult brief notes during the test. 3 Pupils know what topic to prepare, but will have to write an unseen title. 2 Pupils have the title in advance to prepare it but cannot consult any notes 4Peer marking: advantages to pupils and to staff!!

3 Ensuring pupils know where and how they can earn more marks Reaching for those stars!! Coursework Exam strategies

Coursework: the opportunity to earn high, even full, marks. Quality, not quantity. Plan sections together as a class to ensure that pupils understand what sort of information is required: describe / give an account of explain / analyse debate /formulate conclusions based on evidence. Break it up into manageable sections by having deadlines for draft sections, not just a finish date.

3 Ensuring pupils know where and how they can earn more marks Exam strategies: Repetition of timed essays for style and timing. Awareness of the mark scheme.. what is required to earn marks by peer marking.

Awareness of how to earn marks Teacher repetition, every time an essay has been planned together in class throughout the course, of how to tackle each section of the question: facts / understanding / explanation / debate. Clarify, and then constantly practice, the appropriate quantity and the quality [depth, detail, specialised vocabulary] of information which will be required in order to earn the full marks available.

Soaring to the heights of personal success By encouraging candidates to maximise their potential. Structure the revision to give them opportunities to do better and better, and so boost their confidence.

Grade ‘B’ becoming Grade ‘A’ Pinpoint the questions in the exam format which offer “easy marks” (usually for vocabulary and definitions, memorised facts). Challenge the ‘grade B ’ pupils always to answer correctly and so never to miss the easy marks. Challenge the ‘grade B’ pupils to earn as near as full marks for their Coursework as they possibly can, by heeding the advice, structure and draft deadlines you gave to the class at the time. Gradual progress, through target setting, one grade at a time during the course to bring the A into reach.

Reaching for the stars

Grade ‘A’ becoming Grade A* All the previous strategies just outlined for the grade A candidates, plus, all the way through the course, whilst teaching each topic, constantly point out the stretching parts of the questions / essays and the marks available to be earned. Then challenge the pupils to include in their answers the subtleties, nuances, depth of detail, quality of explanation that you give them as the standard to which to aspire. Constantly encourage them that this is the way to earn the marks necessary for achieving the A*