1. Parent Information Evening
Year

2. Parent Information Evening
Partnership / Independent Learning
English
Mathematics
Assessment and Reporting
Attendance
RRSA
The shape of Year 11

4. Partnership

5. Student
Parent
School

6. Independent learning Essential to your child’s success.
Contributes significantly to progress

7. Two GCSEs for English English Language English Literature
Both GCSEs are now assessed through 100% terminal exams.
There are two exams for English Language and two exams for English Literature

8. English Language
Two exams – both test students’ reading and writing skills.
The Reading Section of the Language papers now includes texts from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries and expects students to make direct comparisons between them.
The Writing Section of each paper has a writing task which is worth 50% of the whole paper and 40% of the marks in the writing section are awarded for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

9. English Literature Key texts:
‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens
‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding
Poetry Anthology – cluster (‘Power and Conflict’)
‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare
Students’ own copies of the texts are recommended and students should re-read the books at home to secure and embed understanding.
Exams will be ‘closed book’ – this means that they cannot take the book in and will need to memorise quotes.

10. In Year 11
We are initially focusing on ‘Macbeth’ and some of the poetry.
We will go onto Language Paper 2 exam preparation.
We will do more poetry before Christmas.
The remainder of the year will focus on all texts studied both this year and last year, using exam style tasks so that students know how to approach answering questions for each exam.
We will use a skill known as ‘interleafing’ to keep all texts and skills going across the year (even when the focus shifts from one text to another).
PIXLIT App – free to download onto phones – aids memorisation of quotes.

11. How can you support your child?
Encourage regular reading at home – good (‘broadsheet’) newspapers – can be read online for free;
Discuss texts and topics studied in English – get them to explain it to you!
Independent Learning – lots of different ways to do this;
Study guides: CGP, Pearson, Hodder – anything that has AQA English GCSE as the focus
PixLit App – free to download and use – fun games to support memorisation of quotes
Timetabled Revision & ‘sticking’ quotes/key words around the house/bedroom

12. Reading

13. Mathematics
Maths GCSE has 3 papers – one non- calculator and two calculator
Total exam length time 4 ½ hours.
Can enter at higher or foundation tier.

14. Assessment Knowing Maths
These are basic straightforward maths questions.
These test the student’s maths knowledge of each topic.
Using Maths
For these questions students need to select which maths to use to solve a real life problem
Applying Maths
The students need to decide how to answer these questions and explain why.
It is the using and applying type questions that students are finding the most difficult and these are the areas in which parents can help the most.

15. Real Life Questions that have come up recently
Buying goods, calculating change
Finding the cost of 8 cakes if you know the cost of 5.
Filling the missing amounts in a bank statement or invoice
Changing money into different currencies
Reading an electricity meter and calculating the bill
Finding areas involving gardens, wallpaper, carpet, paint
Planning a visit to Grandma given a bus timetable
Calculating best buys
Working out postage & packing charges for online goods

16. MATHSWATCH
After each exam we analyse how our students perform and provide them with an analysis sheet.
We have found that one of the most effective ways of improving is for students to use the Mathswatch website to revise topics that they are red or amber on.
We have subscribed to this and so it is free for our students, all they need is their username and login.
FirstnameLastnameYear – MartinFuller Password alns
There are also worksheets that the students can print out using their school printing budget.

18. Calculators
For the calculator papers students need a scientific calculator. Every brand of calculator works differently so it is essential students are using a calculator they are familiar with in the exam. In school we use CASIO calculators and would recommend them as they are very clear to use.

19. Trips Clubs English English Lit Maths Science X 2 Option 1 Option 2
Language / Media
History / Geography
Personal Development
Trips
Clubs
Independent Learning
Revision support

22. Ongoing
Formative
Summative
GCSE’s
Assessment

23. Targets
Expected
Challenge

24. AOB

25. New GCSE’s New grades 1 to 9 instead of G to A*
New GCSEs that are ‘bigger’ and require more content
Mostly 100% exam all at the end of Year 11

26. Attitude to Learning

29. We will report directly to you
mocks
November
February
We will report directly to you

30. Exam Preparation
Ongoing assessment in lessons

32. Personal Development UNCRC Personal Development Curriculum
Personal Development Days

33. 90% Attendance Equates to: 4 weeks a year missed
Over 5 Years that’s half a year missed
One grade lower in each GCSE

35. PARENTPAY
Parent Pay is the preferred method of payment for items such as school meals, trips etc.
Login and password already issued with the vast majority of parents already making use of this facility
More information about Parent Pay on the school website.

36. Key Dates 3RD October - Paris Information Evening – 6pm-6.30pm
14th October – Paris Trip/Alternative Macbeth Trip
7TH November – Year 11 Mock Examinations start
7th December – Year 11 Parent's Evening – pm
27TH February – Year 11 Mock examinations week
1st March – Mentoring Day
8th May – GCSE exams start
20TH June – Last GCSE Exam
21st June – Year 11 BBQ 22nd June – Year 11 Prom
24th August – GCSE Results Day
Key Dates

37. Thank you for coming this evening

38. Habits
Homework
Reading
Attendance
You