Woodkirk Academy Welcome to the 2015 Year 9 Information Evening

5+A*-C including English and maths GCSE 5+A*-G GCSE 1+A*-G GCSE 77%(55%)96%99% A2 Pass Rate98% A*B Grades42% English A*-C88% (67%) Maths A*-C87% (58%)

5+A*-C including English and maths GCSE 5+A*-G GCSE 1+A*-G GCSE 77%96%99% A2 Pass Rate98% A*-B Grades42% English A*-C88% (62%) Maths A*-C87% (62%)

English expected progress91% Maths expected progress84% English better than expected progress43% Maths better than expected progress42%

 Attendance  Progress Reports

 Full (100%) attendance guarantees a better chance of success  Minimum target for each KS3/4 student is 96%. What does this mean? YEARDAYS MISSED WEEKS MISSED LESSONS MISSED OVER 5 YEARS 96%8ALMOST 245LESS THAN ¼ YEAR

 Average attendance is 96.1% - National is 94.3%  52 (56) students have 100% attendance to date  64 (81) students have 98% attendance  75 (62) students have 96% attendance 191 (199) students have met the school’s target so far.

YEARDAYS MISSED WEEKS MISSED LESSONS MISSED OVER 5 YEARS 95%102 weeks50¼ year 90%194 weeks100½ year

 Assessment Point 4 is available on Friday 26 June  What are you looking out for?

 Shows motivation and willingness towards work in lessons.  Has an active* role in lessons.  Asks relevant questions and volunteers answers.  Good role model and willing to support others.  Seeks clarification from staff and/or peers to support progress.  Dedicated and enthusiastic.  Aspires to exceed targets and seeks ‘next steps’.  Actively* engages in all tasks.  Excellent role model and supports others very well.  Leads one’s own learning.  Actively* seeks opportunities to support one’s own progress both within and beyond lesson time.  Dedicated and enthusiastic.  Aspires to exceed targets and seeks ‘next steps’.  Actively* engages in all tasks.  Excellent role model and supports others very well.  Leads one’s own learning.  Actively* seeks opportunities to support one’s own progress both within and beyond lesson time.

 All GCSEs now have terminal exams  No modules or resits  Controlled assessments take place during lesson time and often make a large contribution to the final grade  All BTEC/OCR qualifications all have externally assessed unit.  All the other units take place in lesson time

 All GCSEs apart from English and Maths will be reported in grades A* - G  Target grades are aspirational but achievable with consistent hard work.

 Assessment Point 4 is available on Friday 26 June  What are you looking out for?

 English and Maths GCSEs have changed in content and assessment.  The will be reported on in numbers 1-9 rather than grades.  9 is the top grade

New GCSE GradeOld GCSE Grade 9A** 8 A* A+ 7 A A- 6 B+ B 5 B- C+ 4 C C- 3 D+ D D- E+ 2 E E- F+ F 1 F- G+ G G-

 BTECs are assessed in Levels 1 and 2  Pass, Merit, Distinction, Distinction *

 All 3 years of KS4 matters.  Assessments taking place throughout.  Exams should be taken seriously and thoroughly revised for.  A gap in knowledge or understanding is much more difficult to correct later.

 Students must stay in education or training until they 18.  Competition for the best places at 6 th form and colleges.  Achieving the best grades possible is vital.  Parental support has the greatest effect on a child’s achievement.

 Avoid your child missing school.  On average 95% and above – on target  85% below – one grade lower  75% below – two grades lower  Get involved in your child’s learning.  Use the planner to monitor homework  Use calendar to be aware of important dates  Find out when exams and tests are and help you child with their revision.  Aim high and believe your child can achieve.  Encourage your child to achieve and then go beyond their target grade.

Supporting progress and success in Maths and English

 To present parents with an overview of GCSE Maths and GCSE English Language and Literature.  To provide parents with a range of practical strategies to help your sons and daughters succeed for GCSE Maths and GCSE English Language and Literature.  To familiarise parents with the key resources required to succeed in GCSE Maths and GCSE English Language and Literature.

 Grades and Progress ◦ For Maths and English your children will be the first awarded grades using the new 1-9 system.  Targets ◦ Grades for all subjects at the moment but will switch to numbers for maths and English in September. ◦ Set based on prior outcomes ◦ Targets are not limits ◦ Aspirational to encourage the best from everyone  Students, teachers and parents share the responsibility

English

Awarded two separate GCSEs by the end of Year 11: GCSE English Language. GCSE English Literature. Three strands assessed: Reading and Writing. Spoken Language. English Language and English Literature will have the same weighting for post-16 study and employment.

Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing Written examination1 hour 45 minutes80 marks 50% of GCSE Section A: Reading response to one literature fiction text. Section B: Descriptive or narrative writing. Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives Written examination1 hour 45 minutes80 marks 50% of GCSE Section A: Reading response to one non-fiction text and one literary non-fiction text. Section B: Writing to present a viewpoint. Non-Examination Assessment: Spoken Language  Presenting.  Responding to feedback.  Use of Standard English. No longer included as part of the overall GCSE English Language grade. An endorsement on final GCSE English Language certificate.

Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19 th Century Novel Written examination1 hour 45 minutes40% of GCSE Section A: Shakespeare Section B: The 19 th Century Novel Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry Written examination2 hours 15 minutes 60% of GCSE Section A: Modern Drama and Prose Text Section B: Poetry Anthology. Section C: Unseen Poetry. All the above assessments are closed book examinations.

Maths

 One GCSE awarded at the end of year 11. ◦ Two tiers of Entry, foundation and higher with our anticipated split between the two being approximately 50:50.  Assessment is through three exams ◦ 2 x 1.5 hour calculator papers ◦ 1 x 1.5 hour Non-Calculator  All four ‘strands’ of Maths are assessed in each exam ◦ Number – Algebra – Shape – Statistics

 The demands on students knowledge and understanding has been increased in the new GCSE.  Higher tier has some more content and there will be a much greater focus on problem solving and algebra.  Foundation tier has significantly more content, a greater focus on problem solving and a wider range of outcomes available.

Maths Subject Content Subject areaFoundation Tier weighting Higher Tier weighting Number25% (35%)15% (17%) Algebra20% (17%)30% (35%) Ratio, proportion and rates of change 25% (subsumed in other areas) 20% (subsumed in other areas) Geometry and measures 15% (28%)20% (28%) Probability and statistics 15% (20%) Figures in brackets represent the current GCSE

Maths Subject Content Higher Tier Grades 4 – 9 available Some entirely new content: Functions, function notation and inverse functions Iterative processes Area under graphs Equations of circles and tangents… Many more formulae for the students to recall, including the quadratic formula and suvat equations. Foundation Tier Grades 1 – 5 available (up to a current grade B) A significant amount of content now included from the current higher tier: Trigonometry Vectors Cumulative Frequency diagrams Simultaneous equations Calculations involving π… Much more for the students to learn and be examined on and many more formulae to learn.

English

IF YOU READ! YOU WILL SUCCEED!

You can help your child to develop their reading skills by:  Encouraging them to read for a short amount of time every day.  Encourage them to read good quality journalism.  Read your child’s set texts and discuss them together.  Let your child see you reading.  Read together!

You can help your child to practise these skills by:  Encourage your child to use a dictionary.  Work with your child to check through work for spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors.  If you aren’t sure, look things up together.

You can help your child to practise this skill by:  Asking your child to describe the main characters in their books.  Talk about the story and the parts the characters play

 GCSE Study Guide series are available for all titles.

 BBC Bitesize.  Universal Teacher.  Sky Learning.  ‘English Biz’.   Cherwell  BBC Skillswise.  Use the AQA online resources for GCSE English Language and English Literature.

Maths

Maths – Then and Now ◦ The Maths has not changed but the methods look a bit different sometimes. ◦ The most common is multiplication…

Maths – Then and Now  Different methods do not mean you can not help. ◦ Spend time working with children on problems. ◦ If the methods you use are different compare solutions, discuss which is more efficient, ask them to explain their methods to you. ◦ Make sure they know the basics – times tables. ◦ Encourage them to believe they can do maths and offer opportunities to access maths at home when possible.  Studies have shown that students and parents spending time studying together has a positive impact on outcomes.

Foundation Tier – Grade 4

Higher Tier – Grade 8/9

 Assessment ◦ Students will notice an increase in the number of assessments throughout year 10 and will be expected to prepare for them thoroughly.  Homework ◦ Assessed after each unit of work ◦ Should be treated throughout as preparation ◦ More essential than ever with the new GCSE.  Seek Help! ◦ Staff run after-school classes ◦ After Maths is available every Wednesday (LRC 3pm) ◦ Ask parents/carers/grandparents/siblings…

 MathsWatch CD’s  GCSE Bitesize – BBC  Apps (smartphone) ◦ Available free specifically for GCSE or just for general practice ◦ Maths Card  MyMaths Website ◦ Individual passwords for each student ◦ Tracks progress and gives instant feedback  YouTube tutorial videos

 Good grades in all subjects are essential but ◦ Employers more and more want good grades in Maths and English ◦ A minimum standard has been introduced for all students to achieve and they will have to keep studying until 18 to achieve it (Grade 4) ◦ This is about more than factual knowledge and is about demonstrating communication skills, problem solving ability and initiative

 We will be here to answer any questions now but if you do have any other questions please feel free to contact us directly through the school.