1. 18 school days until IGCSE English 26 school days until the first whole year group GCSE (RE).

2. Core subject Information Evening Science – Miss Riddles English – Ms Curran RE – Mrs Brook Maths – Miss Araf Well-being

3. Science

4. Course Format & Examination Single Science (Core) Double Science (Core, Additional)  Unit title and descriptionAssessment method & weighting Biology (B1)1 Hour written exam 25% Chemistry (C1)1 Hour written exam 25% Physics (P1)1 Hour written exam 25% Controlled Assessment Unit 45 min written exam 50 min written exam 25% Unit title and descriptionAssessment method & weighting Biology (B2)1 Hour written exam 25% Chemistry (C2)1 Hour written exam 25% Physics (P2)1 Hour written exam 25% Controlled Assessment Unit 45 min written exam 50 min written exam 25%

5. What can parents do? Please turn to the inside cover of this booklet.

7. English

8. REVISING FOR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH LITERATURE EXAMINATIONS GROUPTEACHERENGLISH LANGUAGEENGLISH LITERATURE 11X1 MRS CLARKAQA – GCSE – 4705 (HIGHER) AQA – GCSE - 9715 (HIGHER) 11X2 MR NICOLCIE – IGCSE - 0522 (EXTENDED) AQA – GCSE - 9715 (HIGHER) 11X3 MRS CURRANCIE – IGCSE – 0522 (CORE) AQA – GCSE - 9715 (FOUNDATION) 11Y1 MISS PHILLIPSAQA – GCSE – 4705 (HIGHER) AQA – GCSE - 9715 (HIGHER) 11Y2 MRS ZENGERINKCIE – IGCSE – 0522 (EXTENDED) AQA – GCSE - 9715 (HIGHER) 11Y3 MR NICOLCIE – IGCSE – 0522 (CORE) AQA – GCSE - 9715 (FOUNDATION)

9. AQA - ENGLISH LANGUAGE GCSE 4705 (HIGHER) Unit 1: Understanding and producing non-fiction texts - Tuesday 7 th JUNE 2016 External examination - 60% of the total GCSE marks2 hours 15 minutes80 marks Section A: Reading 30% of the total GCSE marks 40 marks Section B: Writing 30% of the total GCSE marks 40 marks Unit 2: Speaking and Listening Controlled Assessment - Endorsement 0% weighting45 marks Unit 3: Understanding spoken and written texts and writing creatively Controlled Assessment - 40% of the total GCSE marks80 marks Part a: Extended reading 15% of the total GCSE marks3 – 4 hours30 marks Part b: Creative writing - 15% of the total GCSE marks3 – 4 hours30 marks Part c: Spoken Language Study - 10% of the total GCSE mark 2 – 3 hours20 marks

10. CIE – FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH IGCSE - 0522 (CORE & EXTENDED) COMPONENTS Paper 1 Reading Passages (Core) 1 hour 45 minutes 50 marks - Tuesday 3 rd MAY 2016 Candidates answer three questions on two passages. Passage A will be 500–600 words long and Passage B will be 300–350 words long. This component is set and marked by Cambridge. This component is eligible for grades C–G and is worth 50% of the total marks. Paper 2 Reading Passages (Extended) 2 hours 50 marks – Tuesday 3 rd MAY 2016 Candidates answer three questions on two passages. Passage A will be 650–750 words long and Passage B will be 550–650 words long. This component is set and marked by Cambridge. This component is eligible for grades A–E and is worth 50% of the total marks.* Component 4 Coursework Portfolio (Core & Extended) 50 marks Candidates submit three assignments, each of 500–800 words. This component is assessed by the teacher and moderated by Cambridge. This component is eligible for grades A–G and is worth 50% of the total marks.* Component 5 Speaking and Listening Test (Core & Extended) - Approx. 10–12 minutes 30 marks - Monday 18 th & Tuesday 19 th APRIL 2016 There is no question paper. Candidates conduct an individual task and take part in a discussion. All candidates are recorded during the administration period. This component is assessed by the teacher and moderated by Cambridge.

11. AQA – ENGLISH LITERATURE GCSE (HIGHER & FOUNDATION) Unit 1: Exploring modern texts – Monday 23 rd May 2016 External examination - 40% of the total GCSE marks1 hour 30 mins68* marks Section A: Modern prose or drama 20% of the total GCSE marks 45 mins30 marks 4 marks SPaG Section B: Exploring cultures 20% of the total GCSE marks 45 mins30 marks 4 marks SPaG Unit 2: Poetry across time - Friday 27 th May 2016 External examination - 35% of the total GCSE marks1 hour 15 mins54 marks Section A: Poetry cluster from the Anthology 23% of the total GCSE marks 45 mins36 marks Section B: Unseen poetry 12% of the total GCSE marks 30 mins18 marks Unit 3: The significance of Shakespeare and the English Literary Heritage Controlled Assessment 25% of the total GCSE marks3 – 4 hours40 marks

12. EXAM DATES  Monday 18 th and Tuesday 19 th April: IGCSE Speaking and Listening tests  Tuesday 3 rd May: CIE - IGCSE First Language English Exam  Monday 23 rd May: AQA – GCSE English Literature Exam Paper 1: Exploring Modern Texts  Friday 27 th May: AQA - GCSE English Literature Exam Paper 2: Poetry Across Time  Tuesday 7 th June: AQA – GCSE English Language Exam Unit 1: Understanding and Producing Non-Fiction Texts Every Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. - English Revision Sessions

13. YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILDREN REVISE FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH LITERATURE Create a timetable - allocate time each weekend and every day / second day, during the Easter holidays. Read and follow the specific revision tips from their teacher, which are included in their revision folder. Work through past papers and use the mark schemes to check their answers. Refer to work done in their exercise books – ‘Think Pink Go Green’. Prepare and practise for their IGCSE Speaking and Listening Exam on 18 th & 19 th April. Re-read the Literature texts: An Inspector Calls & Of Mice and Men. Revise the annotations they have made in their AQA Moon on the Tides Poetry Anthology. Use the GCP Guides they have bought. Visit the BBC Bitesize website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zr9d7ty (English Language) http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zr9d7ty http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zckw2hv (English Literature)http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zckw2hv

14. Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work. - Stephen King Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do. - Pele HARD WORK = SUCCESS When I was young, I observed that nine out of ten things I did were failures. So I did ten times more work. - George Bernard Shaw There is no way around the hard work – EMBRACE IT! - Roger Federer THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN…

15. RE

16. Welcome to GCSE RE

17. You have to answer questions on all four topics in each exam. Both the RE exams you will sit follow this format and be sat in the summer of Year 11. "Faith without reason is blind, but reason without faith is empty"- Immanuel Kant Over view Both RE exams will contain four topics; Catholic Christianity (Unit 10) 10.1 Beliefs and Values 10.2 Community and Tradition 10.3 Worship and Celebration 10.4 Living the Christian Life Religion and Life based on Roman Catholic Christianity (Unit 3) 3.1Believing in God 3.2Matters of Life and Death 3.3Marriage and the Family 3.4Religion and Social Cohesion Key Dates There are two exams which are 1 hour 30 minutes each. The exam board is Edexcel 1.Monday 16 th May (AM) – Unit 3 2.Monday 23 rd May (AM) – Unit 10

18. What the exam looks like The exam has 4 questions A = key word (2 marks) B = Do you think question- Two reasons (4 marks) C = An Explain question (8 Marks) D= A statement that you have to evaluate giving different views = (6 marks) 3 reasons for and 3 reasons against. Pupils are marked on their English and grammar throughout the exam but in particular the C question. They need to use the exam technique for C. -Separate paragraphs -Starting with Firstly, secondly, thirdly, finally -They need to give four reasons -Need to answer the question

19. How can Parents help Each parent will be provided with a booklet outlining the information for the exam. Within the booklet there are tips and advice in answering the question. There are a list of the key words for each unit. The best way to assist is by testing your son or daughter these key words. There are also questions which will get your son and daughter familiar with the topics and get them talking about it. Within this booklet, we have predicted questions that may come up on the exam as well as putting tricky questions in to guide your revision. However, please encourage your child to revise all topics.

20. Reference the Bible Jesus taught us… CCC Parables of Good Samaritan Golden Rule You are doing a Catholic exam, if in doubt claim that the Bible is the word of God and Catholics follow this! Majority of what Catholics do is because we follow Jesus as the Son of God The Catechism is the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Anything we do is from these teachings Can be applied to everything that talks about respect and equality Treat others as you want to be treated. Mr Ojakovoh ’s 5 top tips

21. God’s Natures Benevolent Omniscient Omnipresent Omnipotent You can use God’s natures to explain lots of Unit 3. Learn the key words to help you.

22. Maths

23. Success in Maths Opens Doors

24. GCSE prep at St Joseph’s CGP revision guides and work books Online Pupil Area H/W Papers Revision classes after school every Monday

25. Tips for Revision at home-Easter Holidays

26. Useful Websites for independent revision Corbett Maths http://corbettmaths.com/http://corbettmaths.com/

27. Useful Websites for independent revision www.mathswatchvle.co.uk Centre I.D: stjosephscath

28. Pixl Maths App – can be googled and downloaded from App Store. School ID: SJ54 User ID: their first initial then surname e.g. FAraf Password: same as their mymaths and mathswatch password

30. Revision Timetable Design a revision timetable together for the weekends

32. Well-being Sleep – 8 hours minimum a night Diet – minimise junk, increase fruit & protein, water to drink Breaks – sizeable chunks A morning/afternoon off at the weekend

33. Best of luck to all!