Year 9 Aiming for Success Finham Park School

Aims of the evening 1.To give a picture of the year ahead including key dates and how we support your son or daughter 2.To understand the skills required to succeed in Key Stage 4 3.To give practical advice on how parents/carers can support students through the next two years

GCSE Results % achieved 5A*-C including English and Maths 83% achieved A*-C in both English and Maths 21% of students achieved at least 5 A*-A grades 88% of students achieved A*-C in English 89.2% of students achieved A*-C in Mathematics Good news but… we are all aiming for even higher than this for this group of students

Key Dates Monday 9 th November: Progress check 1 begins Monday 9 th December: Target Setting for year 9 Monday 25 th January: Progress check 2 begins Thursday 25 th February: Year 9 Parents Evening

Finham Park Key Stages Key Stage 3: Year 7 & Year 8 Key Stage 4: Year 9, Year 10 & Year 11.

Why have we modified our KS4 programmes of study? To allow students to experience a ‘test drive’. “Try before you buy”

What do students study in Key Stage 4? Core Subjects Maths English Science ICT RE

What do students study in Key Stage 4? Options Year 9 – 6 Options (3 lessons per fortnight) Years 10 & 11 – 4 Options (Choosing from the 6 in year 9 and MFL and Sports Studies)

What are we doing to help? We carefully track progress (4 Progress Checks for Year 9) We mentor and monitor individually all Year 9 students We offer after school subject sessions Parents evening to meet all subject teachers Specific pupils identified for additional mentoring Year 9 report

New GCSE examinations Year 9 will be the second year to sit the new GCSE courses in English Language, English Literature and Maths beginning. Year 9 will be the first year to sit new GCSE courses in all other subjects.

Change in GCSE Grading The grading for these new courses will take the form of numbers (9 to 1) to replace the traditional letters A to G. During Year 9 we will continue to use the traditional letter grades but we will move across to the 9-1 scale as we get clarity about their equivalence

Change in GCSE Grading Year 9 will be the first year to sit the new GCSE corses beginning in September The grading for the new courses will take the form of numbers (9 to 1) to replace the traditional letters A to G. During Year 9 we will continue to use the traditional letter grades.

Controlled Assessment Many new GCSEs will have little or no controlled assessment. All subjects will be linear without any modules being taken along the way.

Controlled Assessment – English Language and English Literature There will no longer be any Controlled Assessment in GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature. Both these courses will be 100% examination based.

Controlled Assessment – GCSE Science There will no longer be any Controlled Assessment in GCSE Science. This course will be 100% exam-based.

Controlled Assessment – GCSE History There will no longer be any Controlled Assessment in GCSE History. This course is 100% examination.

Controlled Assessment – GCSE Geography There will no longer be any Controlled Assessment in GCSE Geography. This course is 100% examination.

Controlled Assessment – GCSE Modern Foreign Languages The 60% Controlled Assessment element has been dropped from GCSE French and Spanish. These courses are now 100% examination. But…. ….the 60% Controlled Assessment has been retained for GCSE Mandarin(!). This 60% represents 2 Speaking and 2 Writing tasks.

Controlled Assessment – GCSE Drama The new GCSE Drama examination will retain its 3 Controlled Assessment tasks. 2 will be completed in Year 10 and 1 in Year 11.

Controlled Assessment – GCSE Music The GCSE Music specification is still in its draft stage. It is, however, expected to retain its Controlled Assessment element composed of: 30% Performance 30% Composition

Controlled Assessment – GCSE Film Studies GCSE Film Studies will be maintaining its Controlled Assessment element of 2 assignments which represent 50% of the total mark. The GCSE Media Studies Controlled Assessment represent 60% of the total mark. Students must complete 3 pieces of Controlled Assessment.

Examinations Manager Mr R. Jeffreys and Mr D Hunter (Opposite the College Leader’s office) If you have any questions about examinations regarding special consideration, extra time or support, remarks or anything else directly relating to exams then Mr Jeffreys or Mr Hunter will be more than happy to help. They can be contacted via phone or

TASK 1 How can you be a successful GCSE learner?

Successful GCSE learners Be self-motivated Take more responsibility Ask when you do not understand. Develop strategies to overcome problems

Successful GCSE learners Get organised Be more independent Expand your own learning at home and school Plan your time Look ahead

TASK 2 How can Parents help?

School Intervention Impact How much impact do you think that school intervention measures have on students’ achievement at the end of year 11? 10% 20% 50% 80%

Parental Impact How much impact do you think parents have on students achievement at the end of year 11? 10% 20% 50% 80%

Attendance It makes a huge difference if you are here!

Getting the learning environment right Study area needs to be clutter free – time for a big clean up! Internet switch off. Facebook/ MSN off. Encourage lots of water/ fruit Allow space to be quiet/ minimise family demands

How you can really make that difference…. Help to get the learning environment right. Help your son or daughter to make the best use of time Help to plan study Positive talk Talking the talk

Mindsets – A different perspective on intelligence

Mindsets 1.Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can’t change very much. 2.You can learn new things but you can’t really change how intelligent you are. 3.No matter how intelligent you are, you can always change it quite a bit. 4.You can substantially change how intelligent you are.

The Fixed Mindset

Believe that your qualities and abilities are carved in stone. “I’m good at Maths. I’m rubbish at Sport.” Every situation calls for a confirmation of their intelligence, personality, or character.

The Fixed Mindset Will I look smart or stupid? Will I look like a winner or a loser? Will I succeed or fail? A bad mark, exam result, rejection, defeat means that you’re not smart or talented. If you tried really hard – that makes it even worse!

The Fixed Mindset Avoid stretching themselves or putting themselves in challenging situations. Avoid trying too hard – their lack of effort is an excuse for failure. “Effort is a bad thing. If you were that smart, you wouldn’t need to try so hard.” People with a fixed mindset focus on how they’re judged.

The Growth Mindset

Believe that your basic qualities can be cultivated and improved through effort. Although people may differ in their initial talents, aptitudes, interest or temperaments – everyone can change and grow. Believe that a person’s true potential is unknown.

The Growth Mindset Not afraid of challenge or failure. View failure as a chance to understand how they can improve. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Don’t take failure as personally. Ability is not fixed.

The Growth Mindset “When it’s really hard, and I try really hard and I end up doing something I couldn’t do before.” “When I work on something a long time and start to figure it out.” It’s not about immediate perfection. It’s about learning something over time: confronting a challenge and making progress. Don’t focus on being judged. The test score isn’t the be all and end all. The focus on learning.

How can we help our students develop a Growth Mindset? Studies show that how we speak to our children / students can determine what sort of mindset they develop. Studies also show that students with Growth Mindset make significantly more progress than those with Fixed Mindset.

How can we help our students / children develop a Growth Mindset? Think carefully about HOW we praise them and how we address poor results.

How can we help our students / children develop a Growth Mindset? We need to make our feedback process related instead of praising or criticising talent. “If we win because we’re a winner, when we lose it must make us a loser.”

Students – How can you develop a growth mindset? Understand that even if you don’t have a Growth Mindset, it can be developed. Effort, focus and resilience are a by product of a Growth Mindset.

Students – How can you develop a growth mindset? Successful students – don’t fall into the trap of believing you are special, that you are smarter than others and that you don’t have to work hard.

Students – How can you develop a growth mindset? Less successful students – understand that you are not chained to your current capabilities. Listen out for your Fixed Mindset voice! And then add one little word…. “I’m not good at insert subject …………YET!”

How has the session helped you? 1.Do you have a better idea of the support WE can offer your child? 2.Do you have a clear idea of how YOU can support your child? 3.Are you clearer on the exam process and how everything works? Thank you for attending, please feel free to stay and ask any questions before you leave