1. Moving into Key Stage 4 Helping your child to get the best out of Year 10 (and 11).

2. Topics to be covered… →How will Key Stage 4 be different to Key Stage 3? →How will your child be assessed? → Information from Maths, English, Modern Foreign Languages and Science →Getting the balance right →Key dates

3. KS4: Throughout Year 10 students will be assessed in a variety of ways including internal examinations. At the end of Y11 students will sit an external exam in most subjects Most subjects include an element of controlled assessment.

4. What is Controlled Assessment? Controlled assessment has been introduced in some subjects in line with the new revised GCSE specifications. Controlled assessment is a form of internal assessment where the control levels are set for each stage of the assessment process. In some subjects, work will be marked by the awarding body. For most subjects however, work will be marked by the school and moderated by the awarding body. Controlled assessment measures subject specific skills that may not necessarily be tested by formal exams. Subject specific information will be given out to students via subject teachers.

5. Dates for Controlled Assessments taking place during Y10 can be found in the Parent/Carer Handbook, along with a course outline for each subject.

6. How much is Controlled Assessment worth? It varies from subject to subject and exam board to exam board. It is usually worth between 20 and 60 percent.

7. > Target grades are based on Fischer Family Trust estimates > Progress from KS2 > Targets set in all subjects > Targets reported through APs Setting Target Grades

8. Attitude to Learning This grade gives a description of your son/daughter’s approach to his/her learning. The grade given is an indication of the types of attitude he/she displays. It is a best-fit model and your son/daughter may not display all of the characteristics in the category.

9. Attitude to Learning There are four categories: 1 – Outstanding 2 – Good 3 – Requires Improvement 4 – Unacceptable In some cases there may be a code attached to indicate specific areas of concern: Behaviour (B), Contribution to class (C), Organisation (O), Home Learning (H), Punctuality (P).

10. Progress A colour coded system will now be used to communicate the progress being made: Blue – above target Green – on target Amber – just below target Red - well below target

12. > 3 assessment points per year > One written report > One Parents’ Evening APs and Reporting

13. Maths  Students will follow the Edexcel Linear Mathematics course (1MA0)  The course offers two tiers of entry Higher A*- D Foundation C – G  There are potential entries in June of Y10, November of Y11 and June of Y11  For most of our students they will follow the Higher level course for examination in June Y11 (2015)

14. Maths  For students who are in the following groups then early entry at the Foundation level is planned for the end of year 10 - RB, HTM, DH, JI  Internal assessment will identify whether students in other groups will require this opportunity  Once these students have achieved their C grade in Mathematics at Foundation level they will have the option of continuing on to the Higher level course or GCSE Statistics

15. Maths How can you support your son/daughter?  Homework  Equipment  Internal assessment preparation  Revision – My Maths, Mathswatch, Shared Drive

16. English Two GCSEs: Language & Literature Both are combination of terminal assessment and controlled assessment (Higher & Foundation Tiers offered: A*-E & C- G) Language: 60% exam & 40 % CA (Speaking & Listening recorded separately) Literature:75% exam & 25 % CA

17. English

18. Controlled Assessment Unit 3 for Literature: Drama (25%) WB 24 th March – Shakespeare or contemporary drama WB 16 th June – Shakespeare or contemporary drama Shakespeare 40 marks & Contemporary 16 marks English

20. Controlled Assessment Unit 3 for Literature: Drama (25%) WB 25 th March – Shakespeare or contemporary WB 10 th June – Shakespeare or contemporary Shakespeare 15% & Contemporary 10%

21. A look ahead to Yr 11 Controlled assessment for Spoken Language Literary Heritage Novel Mock exams and preparation for all exam units

22. How you can help

23.  Encourage wider reading – quality non-fiction as well as fiction.  Encourage an interest in current affairs.  Take an interest – ask them what they’ve been doing and what they have been learning to do.  Support our sanctions.

24. Modern Foreign Languages Controlled assessment exam dates for Year 10 Speaking and writing exams = w/b 21 st January and 28 th January 2014 w/b 28 th April and 5 th May 2014

25. Top tips 1) MFL resources, time and space for homework 2) internet use 3) vocabulary and grammar (little and often) 4) controlled assessment preparation and learning 5) motivation

26. Science (for those not opting for separate Sciences) Edexcel Science GCSE GCSE Science will be completed in Year 10 (during summer 2014) 4 Units of work; Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and controlled coursework, each worth 25% Exam dates are May 13 th (Biology), May 15 th (Chemistry), May 19 th (Physics) No re-sits are available 3 key topic tests to monitor progress will occur during the year per subject 3 mock exams will be taken before Easter 2014 Revision guides can be purchased for £4, covering the Year 10 and Year 11 courses

27. Science ( for those not opting for separate Sciences) In Year 11, students will progress either to Additional Science GCSE OR BTEC Applications of Science ( where a pass grade is equivalent to GCSE grade C)

28. Separate Sciences

30. Religious Studies Examined at the end of year 11. Two exams each lasting 2 hours. We provide revision a revision guide and support resources of available on the Moodle. PSHE & Citizenship work is combined within the RE syllabus.

31. Religious Studies Philosophy of ReligionReligious Ethics Belief about DeityMedical Ethics End of LifePoverty and Wealth Good and EvilPeace and Justice Religion and ScienceEquality Sex & Relationships, Drugs Education and Safety are taught as discreet sessions.

32. How can you help? > Offer help as a tester, reader, source of knowledge, buyer (of books) > Organise fun activities for them to reward their hard work > Offer praise and rewards > Work out time limits (for revision and social time) > Ensure they have a suitable place for study (a quiet place without distractions)

33. Revision Tips > revision cards > list of key words for each topic > diagrammatic representation of topic > designing a test > Question and answer with a friend/parent/carer > Make recordings of the information and listen to it each day.... Just reading things through doesn't usually work!

34. Concentration spans for teenagers is roughly their age plus one minute. No more than two subjects a night

35. Attending school is a legal requirement. For every 17 days absence from school, a student can drop one GCSE grade. Only 10% of students with poor attendance achieve 5 A* ‐ C grade GCSE’s compared to 58% of students with good attendance. 21% of students with very poor attendance leave school with no qualifications compared to 3% of students who have regular attendance. Equating attendance with performance

36. > > Stretch and Challenge > High expectations > Revision sessions > Keep you informed > Intervention support > Exam preparation session How will we help?

37. Year 10 Key Dates 11 th October - Study Skills Introduction P1 and 2 15 th Nov – AP1 issued 14 th & 16 th January – TW/CR Study Skills and exam prep session (am only) 16 th January – Parents’ Evening 20 th March – Year 10 Parent Forum 25 th April – Year 10 reports issued (including AP2) 16 th June to 27 th June – internal exams 11 th July – AP3 issued Trips Battlefields trip in February 2014 Languages trips – w/b 30 th June 2014