1. Welcome to KS3 2019 – 2020 September 2019
Presenters:
Mrs Cartwright
Mr Taylor
Mr Lloyd-Jones

2. This evening’s Aims A year in the life of Chenderit
Celebrating 40 years
Our vision and key priorities for 2019
Other news
Mr Taylor – supporting effective learning in Key Stage 3
Mr Lloyd-Jones – pastoral care and careers guidance
Questions

3. Chenderit school
Our plans…

6. Our vision
“To pursue excellence academically and in all other spheres of school life”
inspire all students to engage in learning in the widest possible sense
support one another to become resilient, independent, curious, adaptable and resourceful learners and leaders
develop ambitious students, staff and governors
foster community-wide respectful, trusting, compassionate, empathetic relationships
develop a culture in which skilled and passionate staff draw on best local, national and global practice

7. Aim High, Work Hard, Be Nice
In other words…
Aim High, Work Hard, Be Nice

8. How will we achieve our vision?
By focussing on the quality of education:
Intent
Implementation
Impact, for all, but especially for the more and most able students, including those who are disadvantaged, boys, students with SEND…
By ensuring our PSHE and tutor time programmes are excellent
By continuing to work with parents and carers, especially some of our “harder to reach" parents.

9. Our new build Our £1 300 000 new build is underway
Please ensure you remind your children to follow all staff guidance regarding health and safety, pathways into and away from school

10. Supporting effective learning in KS3
Mr Taylor

11. The challenge and excitement of KS3
Year 7 students are enthusiastic about KS3
They like new subjects, new facilities, specialist teachers
But several years ago Ofsted and the government identified weaknesses nationally in KS3 teaching.
One Ofsted report in September 2015 asked whether they were “The Wasted Years?”

12. What were the areas of concern?
Staff had expectations that were too low
They did not give credit for, or build on, the achievements of students at KS2
Secondary teachers tend to be passionate about their subject, and were often more focused on GCSE and A level exams
In some schools, KS3 was seen as less important than KS4 and 5
Teachers thought of year 7s as the young ones – lacking skills, whereas only a few months ago they were the top of their schools – doing the most difficult work

13. How have we addressed this over the years?
We have carried out many staff training exercises to show secondary staff how demanding the KS2 curriculum is
Transfer activities: we ask students to complete pieces of writing in year 6 (one in the primary school and one in transfer week) to show year 7 teachers – this what this student can do
These will start appearing as stickers in exercise books in year 7

14. recently the whole curriculum has been revised
Over the past few years we have had a new KS2 curriculum – with increased expectations of literacy and numeracy
We have more rigorous GCSE, A level and equivalent courses
And now the focus is turning back to KS3 – and to some extent KS2

15. What was the impact of changes to KS2 curriculum?
Staff and pupils have worked very hard
Pupils have developed high level skills in English and maths (or literacy and numeracy)
Some would argue that other aspects of the curriculum have been somewhat ignored – and this is now a focus for schools and Ofsted

16. Next steps: A new emphasis on the whole curriculum
Ofsted, led by the HMCI Amanda Spielman, is keen to see that all students have access to an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum
They want to see students engaging with the arts and humanities, the sciences and practical subjects

17. A new way of thinking about the curriculum
After years of focusing on new exams, schools are being asked to think about what students learn, particularly in key stage 3
One key phrase keeps coming up: the curriculum is about students knowing more and remembering more

18. What does this mean for us and our pupils?
We need to think of students gradually building up their knowledge
They are able to learn new things, because they can link what they are learning to what they have learned before
One writer has used the idea of learning as like Velcro – we attach new ideas to what we already know

19. Pupils arriving in year 7 know a lot about English and maths
As an English teacher, I have been very impressed by what they know about nouns, verbs, adjectives, subordinate clauses and fronted adverbials
They now know much more than our current GCSE pupils did at the time
We need to ensure that pupils actively build on this learning and do not forget it
I am sure the same is true in maths

20. But there are may be other gaps…
The KS3 geography curriculum should build on what pupils already know, and last year they carried out a test to assess what new year 7 knew
This is an example from a student who is good at reading (107 in the year 6 test)
They know what a county is ….
But cannot identify the countries of the United Kingdom on a map
This kind of answer was not unusual

21. Helping students know more and remember more
Teachers are now being asked to plan their curriculum carefully in KS3 to help students know more and remember more
There is more emphasis on the building blocks of knowledge
There is regular testing – short tests of factual recall
Work is regularly revisited
Staff interleave – returning to a subject – which, experts suggest, helps memory develop

22. How can parents help? By reinforcing straightforward messages:
Students who are most successful work consistently all through KS3 and 4
They do not rely on making up ground at the last moment
They keep notes well-organised and learn from them
They accept that what they are learning now are the building blocks of future success

23. It’s good to Talk
Some pupils love to talk about what they have done at school, others do not
Talking helps recall, making connections, seeing how learning links with life
Later this term we will put up on the school website a curriculum map, showing what students study over the course of KS3 – to help you put what they are doing in context

24. WHAT can parents DO?
Look at books and ask your son or daughter to talk about their work
Expect and encourage well-organised, well-presented work
Encourage good study habits over time – not the “It’s only a practice, it doesn’t matter” approach
Build resilience by praising effort and ability to cope with difficulties.
Encourage students to build up general knowledge and take part in a wide range of activities in school and outside
Encouraging reading: fiction, non-fiction, journalism – in books, online…

25. What should my son or Daughter be reading?
As much as possible
Reading that builds stamina
A variety of fiction and non-fiction
Something build on an interest – if they love sport then literature about sport…
Some classics

26. Where can I find recommendations?

27. Recommendations (2)

28. Year 9 reading list

29. Year 10 and 11 reading list

30. Please feel confident to be proactive
If the work your son or daughter is doing is not of the standard we should expect from them – get them to do it again, writing a note to the teacher if necessary.

31. What to so if your son or daughter is stuck?
You will know if they are trying hard and are genuinely stuck.
If they are genuinely struggling please write a note in the exercise book or the teacher, for example: “Dear Ms X, Sam has tried to do this work, but after 20 minutes …”

32. I have found this book a help!

33. Pastoral Care and Guidance
Mr Lloyd-Jones

34. Partnership
“For school aged children, two kinds of parental behaviour are shown to have really positive associations with children’s school outcomes:
Home-school partnership and
Parental engagement in children’s academic activities.”

35. The role of the form tutor
Parents and Guardians
Understanding the routines of the school
Engaging with the school
Growing independence and resilience in your children
The Form Tutor
1st point of contact
Overview of your child interest and ambitions
Link to subject staff
Welfare and wellbeing
Student – organised – on-time – ambitious – forward looking – hard working
BEING NICE

36. Form tutor – parents Achievement and Reward 10:1 ratio
“Over and above” brings further praise
A positive culture of learning
Weekly reporting to each child of their achievements and BfL logs for reference (published on student reports)
Rewards for those doing well and external achievements – what can they bring to the community
Staff sharing concerns for too many BfL logs (initially with the tutor – parental support)
Supporting detentions.

37. Tutor Time and PSHE curriculum
Tutor time activities – each week, every week
Assemblies – Themes/National Awareness weeks
Life in Modern Britain (LiMB) and spiritual, moral, social and cultural education (SMSC)
Career of the week – researching creative opportunities
Community projects – what did your child do?
Linking with the PSHE curriculum and RSE
Expectations of parents/carers – ask questions
Social media platform – insight into what is going on
Engaging with your child and their personal interests/opinions and futures

38. The tutor time programme
Links with PSHE
Links with Careers and destinations

39. Parental communication Who best to refer to
PASTORAL
WELLBEING
Form Tutor – first instance
Head of Learning
Inclusion Team
Associated
Leadership Team Yr
Deputy Headteacher
SUBJECT
Subject Teacher
Head/Deputy of Department
Associated Leadership Team
Deputy Headteacher Curriculum
SUPPORT
Attendance
Medical
SENDCO
Inclusion team
Exams
Reporting
Associated Leadership Team
Explain best routes and preferences
A few examples

40. Child protection and safeguarding (young people’s mental health)
Early communication is key:
Who to report to?
Where to get support?
Supporting the school
What the school has to offer?
Chenderit School website

41. Safeguarding and Child protection at chenderit
Roddy Lloyd-Jones
Deputy Headteacher - DSL
Jan Hooper
Inclusion Team / Deputy DSL
Safeguarding, Student Welfare &
Parent Support Managers
Allison Smith
List all the agencies available via the inclusion team – to be completed
Do we also want SENCO
Contact can be made through the school switchboard – addresses can be found on the school website

42. Child protection and safeguarding
If you have an urgent safeguarding concern about a child
eg: If a child is in immediate danger
Contact the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub:
Option 1
Option 3
Contact the police: 999 / 101
OR fire / ambulance: 999
If you have a non urgent safeguarding concern and would like to talk to someone
Contact the safeguarding team at Chenderit School
Designated safeguarding staff:
Roddy Lloyd Jones
Jan Hooper
Allison Smith
mob:
If you have a concern or would like some advice about a childs mental health
Visit:
Contact the school nurse team:
In the event of a high level concern information being published to support parents and carers

44. What we provide to students
Unifrog is the one-stop-shop for destinations, allowing students to explore every university course, apprenticeship and college course in the UK plus other around the world opportunities such as European and US undergraduate courses
They can make applications using Unifrog and receive feedback from teachers along the way. This includes create their personal statement and CV, plus more!

45. Students Exploring Pathways
Our Tools:
Research future careers
Explore subject profiles
Make considered choices
De-mystify applications
Broaden their interests
Learn new things
Careers library
Subjects library
MOOC
Know-how library

46. Read profiles on over 900 different careers
and learn how to get in to them
Explore potential university subjects suited to your interests and skills

47. Complete a MOOC to develop interests and explore subjects in depth

48. Search our database of guides to help you across multiple applications

49. Search Unifrog to find the most suitable university courses for you

50. Students build effective applications with personal career goals
Emphasise that for other qualification types this will be adjusted on Unifrog accordingly.

51. Smart ranking and filtering tools enable you to make informed choices

52. Updated every 24hrs, use Unifrog to find the best apprenticeships

53. Unifrog’s Oxbridge tool de-mystifies the application process

54. Compare colleges and sixth form courses, all from one place

55. Students creating applications
Our Tools:
UK Top 5
Manage everything from one dashboard
Guidance and examples
Nothing gets lost
Easy feedback on personal statements and references
CV/Resume
Activities
Competencies
Interactions
UK Personal Statement
Teacher References
Post 18 Intentions

56. Students build effective, personal applications
Emphasise that for other qualification types this will be adjusted on Unifrog accordingly.

57. Supporting teachers to manage students
Track progression
Contact staff and students
Assess students’ interests
Support at every stage
Parents can also login and use as if a student/for themselves – give it a go!
Form code = parentschenderit

58. Supporting Careers Education at Chenderit School
Meaningful experiences for students:
Contact career staff if your able to offer:
Employer opportunities
Apprenticeship offers
Enterprise contacts
Work experience availability
Job/Career/Training – speakers/literature

59. Thank you for listening
Any questions?