1. KS4 Information Evening – Y9
21st Sep 2017
Mrs C Gott
Assistant Head
Y7-9 Progress & Achievement
Welcome

2. ASSESSING and FEEDING BACK ON STUDENT PROGRESS
21st Sep 2017
Mrs Judith Vaughan
Deputy Head
Students have had a few weeks in KS4 and they are starting to get a feel what Exam courses feel like in Core subjects and in an options subject if they’ve chose a GCSE or BTEC course in Y9.

3. National changes to assessment systems at all key stages
CONTEXT
National changes to assessment systems at all key stages
New GCSEs in most subjects
New A Levels
An emphasis on focusing on skills, knowledge and subject content rather than grades, especially in the early stages of a course so firm foundations can be laid and key concepts mastered so that greater progress can be secured later in the course

4. Your children will be taking new GCSEs with 9-1 grade scales rather than the old A*-G scales for most, if not All of their subjects.
If they are taking certain subjects in Y9, they’ll be old latter grades: DT, Film, Business, Stats.
Teachers will explain clearly to students which grades are being used for the course they are on, and it will also be clear to you from the progress trackers we send home to you.
The grid shows the equivalencies between old and new systems.
You will see that we will be using + and – with the new number grades to help students and teachers to communicate about when we estimate they may be close to the next grade above or below to support their progress.

5. Tracking and Reporting Arrangements
3 Progress trackers a year in KS4.
Progress trackers do not replace regular
on-going dialogue with students on a day to day basis
Contact between parents and teachers outside of the formal reporting system when needed is expected.
You will get a progress tracker 3 times a year throughout KS4. There are no teacher comments. We want to free up teachers time to work directly supporting students and we want to be able to relay the information gathered to parents quickly, before it is out of date.
We continue to work with teachers on quality, regularity and usefulness of teacher feedback and this is where specific guidance on how students can progress is given in each subject on a regular basis – it is far more meaningful than once a year comments. We have been encouraging staff to spend more time and energy giving meaningful feedback to students to help their progress, but this often given verbally in lessons.
We know parents really value parents’ evenings. Y 9 is on 28th March. We have an appointments system. Teachers will make appointments with their classes during lesson time prior to the parents evening. There are pages in the student planner to support this. I’ll write to you to invite you when it is coming up. It is worth checking well ahead that students have written down appointments for you in their planner that you can actually work with. Do this about a week before the evening so there is still time to make adjustments if needed.
We will continue to work with staff to ensure contact between home and school outside of the tracking and reporting system is timely and effective.

6. Progress Target Example:
Average grade to aim for across all GCSEs by the end of KS4
Based on end of KS2 outcomes & average national KS4 outcomes of similar students
Example:
Explain that Progress target is average grade aimed for across all their GCSE results by the end if they make really good progress.
Students should never be limited by this – exceeding this expectation would be great and teachers will encourage all students to aim high.
Fine graded… Example
Estimates for final outcomes may be lower at times, especially earlier in courses when there is not yet enough work covered for a teacher to be sure that a student is working at a consistent level.

7. Progress Tracker feedback to parents
For each subject on your child’s timetable:
Course Type (Pre/Enr/GCSE/BTEC)
End of Course date
End of KS4/Course Estimate
Attitude to learning (5 – 1, 5 high)
Any areas of concern (Look out for Progress!)
Teachers’ names
You will get this information for each subject (go through each one):
Subject
Course Type
End of Course date
End of KS4/Course Estimate (But not on the first tracker as it is more important to focus on the specific work being laid as a foundation than worry about grades early in the course)
Attitude to learning (5-1)
Concerns (Teachers will flag ‘progress’ as a concern if they feel a student is in danger of performing well below the average grade aimed for with the progress target.
Teachers
End of course Result in Y10 and Y11 for any qualifications completed in previous years.
Talk to your child about the progress tracker
celebrate with them where things are going well (on track to achieve close to or better than progress target, 4/5+ estimates, 7-9 estimates
Discuss where there may be subjects of concern – flagged by a concern or where the estimate is well below progress target and ask your child if they know why this is. If they don’t know, ask them to discuss with their teacher what they should be doing to improve their progress.
If you have concerns raised by the progress tracker information, contact teachers directly in school.
Look through your child’s books to see what comments have been made by teachers and whether your child has acted upon the advice given.
You don’t need to wait for a progress tracker to do some of these things, you can look at a student’s books at any time and you can contact teachers at any time. is often the best method. Similarly, teachers may contact you at other times to convey praise or concern.

8. HW Fewer subjects than in KS3 Higher expectation of standards
Expectation of on-going independent review by students
Just a mention….
Fewer subjects than in KS3
Higher expectation of standards (in terms of independence, organisation and quality of work)
Expectation of on-going independent review

9. Supporting progress together
Communicate with school and with your child
We are here to help
Good luck!
Keep communication open with school and your child,
We are here to help
Whole child
Enjoy the rest of the evening!

10. Mrs Fisher Head of English
GCSE English
Mrs Fisher
Head of English

11. Y9 English Foundation for GCSE Both Language and Literature
GCSE skills, different texts
Assessments will mirror exam questions
(KS4 English)
(Head of English)

12. Y9 Last Topics Speaking and Listening
Presentation and Q+A on topic of students choice
GCSE Power and Conflict Anthology poems
5+ conflict poems
Understanding
Context
Knowing quotes off by heart
Need to know the quotes for GCSE

13. Structure of GCSE Both Language and Literature GCSEs
Lit texts completed in Y10
5/9 Eng groups will take GCSE Lit end of Y10
Y11 ‘Write On…’ 1 lesson per week

14. Reading Rocks Best support for students
Variety of texts (fiction and non-fiction):
Extracts from Classics, modern fiction, articles
Transition from younger fiction to young adult fiction (‘juicer’ topics!)
Mrs Rowen and Mrs Keyworth in the LRC
Join our book group – meets once every half term

15. Mr Quarterman Deputy Head of Maths (KS4)
GCSE Maths
Mr Quarterman
Deputy Head of Maths (KS4)

17. Equipment

18. Top tips
1) Use mathswatch website - Login: Password:highstorrs

19. Top tips
2) Stick things around the house To remember facts, put different facts in different parts of the house

20. Top tips
3) Teach someone else! Who knows more than a teacher?... To explain something you have to understand it

21. Home study
We suggest CGP Workbook – lots of questions, textbook with no examples Other items are more exam focused

22. Last year’s results Grade 9 → 31 students (13%) Grade 7+ → 36%

23. Exams
Exam Board: Edexcel GCSE maths – Course code 1MA1 3 papers (1 non-calc, 2 and 3 calc) Sets 1 to 5 – Higher tier (grades 9 to 4) Sets 6 to 9 – Foundation tier (grades 5 to 1)

24. Mr Hogan Head of Science

25. GCSE Science
Triple Science Separate GCSE in Biology, Chemistry and Physics Two 1 hour 45 minute exams in Y11 for each GCSE. Combined Science Worth two GCSEs. Six 1 hour and 15 minute exams in Y11 Pathway decided during Y10

26. What is the GCSE like?
Lots of content Significantly more recall required – much less given on data or formula sheets. All content will be examined in Y11 so there is a lot to retain.

27. Strategies
Keep up not catch up - marathon not a sprint If unsure ask – don’t let doubts simmer away Practice revision techniques – mindmaps, mental games etc Use the internet and the MLE

28. Learning Habits to Achieve
Aristotle
Key Stage 4
Learning Habits to Achieve
Mrs Gott
We would like to finish off the evening by looking at our new A2L grades that were launched this September. Our aim being to help your child to be as successful as they can possibly be.
These new Attitude to Learning grades were created to provide a framework of the characteristics, skills and behaviours that will enable your child to achieve and exceed their potential in KS4 and beyond by taking personal responsibility for their own learning.
In every tracking report students will receive an A2L grade from 5 (high to 1 (low) in every subject. Opportunities will also be provided in lessons and outside the classroom for students to reflect on their current A2L. Moreover, they will also enable students to take the next steps and further improve their learning behaviours.
Similar progression routes have been created for KS3 and KS5. However, it is merely a guide. A Y10 student may be working at L1 and a Y9 student at L5… there will always be outliers. You will be provided with a copy of the criteria for each grade in KS4 with your child’s annual report. The criteria can also be found in your child’s planner and on the school website.

29. In the classroom Independent Learning
Always maintains concentration and engagement across sequences of lessons.
Values all feedback and always uses it to improve future work.
Knows what they need to do to develop as a learner and the actions they need to take to improve.
Remains positive and determined even when work is very challenging.
Demonstrates the skills to review their performance in formal assessments and trial exams and modifies how they plan and prepare in the future.
Values the contributions and ideas of others in class and builds on them to move the discussion forward.
A consistent role model in classrooms and around the school.
Always on time for every lesson with all necessary equipment (pens, books, kit etc.).
Demonstrates effective time management skills – meets all deadlines with all homework.
All independent work is completed to a very high standard
Seeks opportunities to improve their learning and understanding (e.g. through wider reading, attending extra revision sessions, completing or re-doing past papers etc.)
Applies effective revision and learning strategies when preparing for assessments, tests and exams.
Highly organised – they store exercise books, hand-outs and other resources carefully and have them ready for revision
We will encourage and enable all students to aim for the highest possible grade, we want students to want the highest possible grade and we want to work hand in hand with parents to support students to achieve the highest possible grade. Hence, aiming high, this is the learning behaviour of a grade 5, outstanding student.
We will be supporting students to develop their independent learning skills as shown above, in addition to the learning behaviours in the classroom which will lead them to great success and help them to achieve the very best results that they can.
We want High aspiration to be part of the DNA of our school.

30. Where will you see these new A2L?
Student planner
Displays in classrooms and notice boards around school
TFT screens
In trackers that go home
Feedback from teachers
Linked to Rewards and Celebrations

31. Does my child know how to improve their Attitude to Learning?
Special assembly delivered by Mrs Tasker on the first day of term
Pre tracker self review undertaken by students
Student Council
Re-written for EAL/SEN students
Delivered through activities in PSHCE
Embedded in all our work with students throughout the year
Students will be reminded that their A2L in lessons and through independent work will be noted .. and shared In their trackers!
Periodically teachers will put attitude to learning grades on the white boards in the classroom … and ask students to grade their attitude to learning for the lesson, the week, the half term?! And set a target to improve it next lesson?!

32. And to finish another famous quote

33. Aidan & Heidi
Introduce and explain that they did really well in their GCSEs throughout KS4 and exceeded targets because they weren’t limited by them, took responsibility for their own progress and had great attitudes to learning.
They will tell us a bit about their KS4 experiences and some advice….

34. Supporting progress together
Communicate with school and with your child
We are here to help
Good luck!
Keep communication open with school and your child,
We are here to help
Whole child