2. Maths Mr Johnston KS4 Coordinator

3. Maths GCSE Exam Grading system 9 – 1 Edexcel exam board
Content for 4 and a half hours of examination:
3 papers (all 1 hour 30 mins):
Paper 1 – non-calculator
Paper 2 – calculator
Paper 3 - calculator
Topics can be re-examined on all 3 papers

5. Maths – how has it become more difficult?
Foundation
Many new topics on the course that were once just for higher students
e.g – trigonometry, simultaneous equations, cumulative frequency and box plots
Higher
More topics on the course that were once just for A Level students
e.g composite functions, area under curves

6. Maths – supporting your child with formulae

7. Maths – supporting your child with formulae

8. You still need one of these!
There are now 2 calculator papers and it is important that your child is familiar with using their own calculator

9. Maths – how can you help?
Encourage your child to revise for the end of unit and mock assessments
Help them to learn key formulae
Ensure they have excellent attendance
Monitor their independent learning, including homework

10. Maths – how we are helping
Specific intervention sessions for pupils falling below target
Revision sessions after school for higher and foundation students
Mock assessments with question analysis, so that pupils can see which topics they need to be working on
Subscription to interactive maths programmes

11. Maths – how we are helping

12. Maths – online help Packages subscribed to by school – Mathswatch
Other free to use resources – BBC Bitesize, GCSE Mr Barton Maths, YouTube, Corbett Maths

13. Maths – what pupils need to be doing
Make sure they address any gaps in their knowledge from topics previously taught. These can be identified using the question analysis grid
Attend lessons and revision sessions and have the correct attitude to learning
Start revising now! Leaving revision until after Christmas is too late
Ask for help and use all available resources to assist

14. Maths – Revision Guides
Revision guide, revision workbook and flash cards available from school. All 3 cost £10

15. English Mrs Hodgson KS4 Coordinator

16. An overview of the course
New GCSE
Grading system 9 - 1
The student will receive two separate GCSEs in this subject (Language and Literature)
Each one is marked separately and given a separate grade
Closed book exams
No tiers – there’s no glass ceiling!

17. English Language 100 % Exam 2 papers ( 1 hour 45 minutes each)
Reading (fiction and non fiction)
Writing (descriptive and transactional)

18. English Literature
Paper one: 1 hour 45 minutes (Shakespeare and A Christmas Carol)
Paper Two: 2 hours 15 minutes (An Inspector Calls, Anthology Poetry, Unseen Poetry)
Closed book - Quotations and reference to the text must be from memory.
The students can be asked about any character, any theme and any part of the text
“Know the text. If you know the text well you will be able to demonstrate this knowledge and understanding in the exam.”

19. How are we helping?
Schemes of work/differentiated lessons – characters, themes, understanding of the plot
Past papers/examiners’ reports – used to inform planning/intervention
Class intervention/personal intervention
Lunch time/after school revision
Homework books to promote independent learning
Departmental tracker – analysis of student performance
Regular mock exams
Pupil voice

20. How can you help? Pupils could have their own copies of the texts
Ensure they have excellent attendance
Encourage them to complete homework to a high standard
Encourage them to attend any revision that is available
Help them revise key quotations for each text – you don’t have to know the text yourself.
Online resources – BBC Bitesize/YouTube
Encourage them to read – whatever it is, it will help with their understanding of language
Make sure they’re looking after themselves

21. “The book to read is not the one that thinks for you but the one that makes you think”
-Harper Lee

22. Science Mr J Shaw KS4 Coordinator

23. Structure of the exams
Exam board: AQA Course: Combined Science (Trilogy) The exams consist of six 75 minute papers (70 marks) (2 Biology, 2 Chemistry, 2 Physics) Your child will achieve 2 GCSE grades

24. Hurdles
Content from year 10 and 11 examined together at the end of the course
More content to remember and topics coming down from A-level
Application skills
Inclusion of key practical skills
Increased mathematical demand

25. What the pupils need to be doing
Attendance and engagement is key – Science is a structured subject and missing one lesson often impacts an entire unit
Consistent revision – Revisiting and practising year 10 topics continuously all the way up to the exams
Practising exam technique
Learn and apply key Scientific terms
Be confident – pupils are provided with all the tools to grow and succeed, and they do!

26. What we will do We are a strong supportive team
Drop in sessions at break and lunch
Access to exam questions
Mock exam practise
Feedback on work done outside of school
Weekly intervention (Thursday P6)
Constant revision of previous topics – assessment and FDE
Walkthrough mock in hall
Revision packs
Exam analysis to continually improve

27. What is good revision?

28. 1. Learn the facts
Learning the content requires your child to remember large amounts of information. This is made easier by making links:
Changing information from one form into another e.g. making mind maps, quiz cards, post it notes, raps, poems, comic strips, images, flow charts – never copying from a textbook!
Quizzing e.g. covering up and rewriting, using quiz cards, online quizzes, testing each other, you testing them
Repeat

29. Example What country is this?
You brain links Italy with the shape of a boot – so you never forget it!

30. 2. Exam practise/application
This information needs to be applied, and this counts for 60% of the exam!
Practising exam questions
Making model answers
Getting teachers to mark answers and feedback
Looking at mark schemes and marking your own answers
Going back to step 1 when there is content you can’t remember
Look at previous exam papers for patterns etc
Repeat