Year 10 Curriculum Evening 18 th September 2015

Overview of Evening  Introductions and GCSE update  English curriculum – Ms Willmitt.  Maths curriculum – Mr Morris and Miss James.  Science curriculum – Dr. Cox.  Work experience – Mrs Stucki, Mr Wilkinson and Mrs Ward.  Head of Year 10 – Mr Marrett.

Headlines % 5+ A*-C incl English and Maths54 (55)66 % of students achieving an A*-C grade in GCSE English 71 (67)78 % of students achieving an A*-C grade in GCSE maths 60(67)77  16 students achieved 6 or more A* - A grades.

Courses at Post 16 Subjects on offer in sixth form:  English Language and Literature.  Mathematics and Further mathematics.  Science – Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Applied Science (new from 2016).  Geography and History.  French and German.  Art, Photography (new from 2016).  PE, Btec Sport and Dance.  Social sciences – Psychology and Sociology.  Health & Social Care.  Business studies.  ICT.  Music.  Drama.  Philosophy & Ethics.  Technology - Product Design and Textiles.

The Year 10 Curriculum English Mathematics Science RE PE (core) Plus 4 Option Choices – selected in March 2015

Curriculum Changes – September 2015  A new grading scale of 9 to 1 will be used, with 9 being the top grade. This is in English and mathematics only. All other subjects will continue to use A* - G.  Assessment will be mainly by exam.  There will be a new, more demanding content – Year 10 will be the first cohort to sit the more difficult English and maths exams and the higher pass mark.  Courses will be designed for two years of study.  Exams can only be split into ‘foundation tier’ and ‘higher tier’ if one exam paper does not give all students the opportunity to show their knowledge and abilities.  Btec courses now have an examination component  Spelling, punctuation, grammar is now being assessed in the external GCSE examinations in English literature, geography, history and religious studies.

The new grading system explained  Broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 4 and above as currently achieve a grade C and above  Broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 7 and above as currently achieve an A and above  For each examination, the top 20 per cent of those who get grade 7 or above will get a grade 9 – the very highest performers  The bottom of grade 1 will be aligned with the bottom of grade G  Grade 5 will be positioned in the top third of the marks for a current Grade C and bottom third of the marks for a current Grade B. This will mean it will be of greater demand than the present grade C. It is the new ‘good pass’ for GCSE.  The new maths GCSE will be tiered, with grades 4 and 5 available through both tiers

GCSE English Ms Willmitt – Curriculum Leader of English

All students will study English Language and English Literature and will gain 2 GCSEs. English

 100% examination  Students will answer questions on unseen 19th, 20th and 21st century texts  20% of the marks for the written exams will be technical accuracy (SPaG)  There will be no higher and foundation tier  It will be graded 9 to 1 (a 5 being roughly a C+) English Language – Key Changes

Component 1: 20th Century Literature Reading and Creative Prose Writing  1 hour 45 minutes  40% of qualification Component 2: 19th and 21st Century Non-Fiction Reading and Transactional/Persuasive Writing  2 hours  60% of qualification Component 3: Spoken Language (the new name for speaking and listening)  Non-exam assessment - Unweighted Assessment Summary

 100% exam  There will be no higher or foundation tiers  Requires the study of whole texts  5% of the total marks to SPaG  20-25% of the total marks for tasks which require learners to perform comparison across texts  It will be graded 9 to 1 English Literature – Key Changes

Students are required to study:  a play by Shakespeare  a 19 th century novel  a selection of poetry from 1789, including representative Romantic poetry  fiction or drama from the British Isles from 1914 onwards  unseen texts Qualification Requirements

Component 1: :Shakespeare (Macbeth) and Poetry (from a given Anthology)  2 hours  40% of qualification Component 2: Post-1914 Prose/ Drama (The Woman in Black), 19 th Century Prose (Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde) and Unseen Poetry  2 hours and 30 minutes  60% of qualification Assessment Summary

What do the students need to do?  Read the texts you are given (more than once), read around the subject and as much non-fiction as you can. Practice the skills e.g. how is this writer trying to persuade me? What words evoke an emotion?  Plan and proof read every piece of writing you do!  Ensure that you complete class work and IL to the best of your ability.  Revise – little and often is the best strategy – don’t leave it all till the end!  Act upon feedback given and ask if you don’t understand.

Read! Not just the novels that your son/daughter needs to know in preparation for the exam but lots of media and transactional material e.g. newspapers, magazines, leaflets and flyers through the door. Talk! Discuss what’s in the news, encourage your son or daughter to formulate informed opinions about topical issues. Encourage your son or daughter to proof read their work and to get in the habit of doing so (there is guidance for this on the literacy mat – a copy of which is attached to the literacy letter due to be sent out today). Revision guides for the set texts and language components are now being produced – we will inform you of which we think are most suitable and where they can be purchased soon. So what can parents/carers do to help?

GCSE Mathematics Mr Morris – Curriculum Leader for mathematics Miss James – Key Stage 4 Coordinator

Celebrating Success  Record breaking GCSE mathematic results in 2014/15  77% A* - C in mathematics  12.4% A*- A in mathematics

Qualification GCSE Mathematics Edexcel 9 – 1 First taught 2015

What is different?  The volume of subject content.  Demand of the content.  Total time for the examination (number of examination papers).  Fewer marks at the lower grades and more marks at the higher grades.  New grading structure.  Greater emphasis on problem solving and mathematical reasoning  Fewer formulae provided in examinations.

What is the same?  Higher (4-9) and Foundation (1-5).  Pupils will need a scientific natural display calculator.  Many of the same topics are still being assessed.

How is it assessed?

What is 9 – 1?

What is King Charles I doing?  New SOW  Homework booklets  Mini Tests  Half Term Assessments  Tuesday afterschool support sessions  Thursday lunchtime homework support club  MyMaths and MathsWatch

What do the students need to do?  Have a positive attitude.  Work hard in lessons (from day one).  Complete their homework.  Revise for their tests.  Ask for help.  Attend the support sessions as needed.

What can parents/carers do?  Supportive.  Encourage revision.  Ask about assessment and mini assessments.  Remind them that it is ok to find things difficult.  Remind them to see their teachers for help.  Remind them to attend the Tuesday/Thursday support sessions.

Important resources and information  Classbooks  Past Papers  Revision Guides  MyMaths  MathsWatch

Contact Mr Morris - Head of mathematics Miss James – Key Stage 4 Coordinator

GCSE Science – OCR Gateway B Dr Cox – Curriculum Leader of Science

For those students who did not choose Triple Science

Core Science Additional Science When taughtMainly Y10Mainly Y11 Topics B1 C1 P1 B2 C2 P2 B3 C3 P3 B4 C4 P4 Exams Two exams worth 35% and 40% Controlled assessment One piece completed in lessons worth 25% Examined inJune 2017

For those students who chose Triple Science

BiologyChemistryPhysics When taughtY10 and Y11 TopicsUnits B1-6Units C1-6Units P1-6 Exams Two exams worth 35% and 40% Controlled assessment One piece completed in lessons worth 25% Examined inJune 2017

What can parents/carers do? 1.Encourage reading 2.Ask them what they have been doing in science 3.Help them with the spelling of keywords 4.Isolate them from technology at revision time

What do the students need to do? 1.Take advantage of their teachers’ expertise 2.Read around the subject 3.Pay close attention to feedback – detail counts!

Work Experience Mr Wilkinson – SLT Line Manager for Work Experience Mrs Ward – Work Experience Coordinator

Work Experience Helping you on the road to …….

Work Experience 2015/2016 Aims:  To complete a work experience which is relevant to their young career aspirations.  Provide opportunities for students to acquire and practice fundamental employability skills.  Work Experience week 27 th June – 1 st July  Health & Social Care subject related work experience will be included within this week.

 Students are encouraged to gain their own placement by the deadline date of 1 st February  Support for all students unable to find their own placements (Mrs Tracy Ward – Work Experience co-ordinator).  Key documents issued w/b 5 th October 2015: parent/carer consent own arrangements preference form  Career information and guidance assemblies/tutorials.  World Of Work Morning Thursday 24 th March 2016.

Head of Year 10 Mr Marrett

Key Dates  Year 10 Progress Reports: Monday 23 rd November 2015 & Monday 29 th February  Year 10 Parents Evening: Thursday 26 th November  Year 10 Full Reports: Monday 20 th June  Year 10 Exam Week: Monday 25 th April – Friday 29 th April  Year 10 Work Experience Week: Monday 27 th June – Friday 1 st July 2016.

Importance of Attendance & Punctuality You are starting to build up your reference for the end of Year 11 now. Every reference asks about your attendance and punctuality. Attendance. Facts/figures Punctuality. Work Experience. Training you for the future.

Importance of Attendance & Punctuality Thank you to all parents/carers for your support during last year, as overall attendance has dramatically improved. Increased from 95.4% to 96%. Also reduced our PA’s (85% or below) from 4.9% to 2.8%. Dept of Education – Strong connection between good attendance and the achievement of students at school. Even a short break can reduce chance of succeeding at school by as much as 25%.

Importance of Attendance & Punctuality  44% of students with no absence in KS4 (normally 16) achieve the English Baccalaurate, but this figure falls to only 31% for students who missed 14 days of lessons over the 2 years and only 16% for those who miss up to 28 days.  Our school target is 97% for each student this year, if below 93% our attendance officer will contact home to support you.