1. Obtaining A and A* GCSE – Training Presentation PASH October 2007
Kate Tomalin – AST: Plymouth High School for Girls

2. What do you think?
Before I start rambling…can you discuss with the person sitting next to you, what you think enables students to achieve grade A and A* at GCSE. We will come back to your thoughts after I have shared mine with you.

3. Case Study – Ennette

4. My explanations about why she got an A*
Because she was a committed student.
Because she did all of her homework.
Because she was enthusiastic and asked lots of questions.
Because she wanted to do well.
Because she has a good work ethic.
Because she did extra work and assessments.
Because she paid attention to my comments.

5. Her explanations for achieving an A*
Because I enjoyed History, which made it easier to want to do well and excel in the subject.
I made a point to read teachers comments and helpful hints that were written on my essays.
During the exam and even for all my essay questions I always re read the question between each paragraph which helped me stay focused and on task and also helped me directly answer the question more.
I paid attention and did all the work from the beginning of the 2 year GCSE course as opposed to some of my classmates who only started paying attention at some point in year 11.
Because I had an enthusiastic teacher, who enjoyed the subject and made it fun.

6. But…
I know that all our students are not like Ennette. So…how do we get A’s and A*’s from students who aren’t like this.
I’m no expert, but I’ve thought long and hard about this…
Here are my honest thoughts about it and I don’t think they are revolutionary or anything, but hopefully they might remind you to do something different with your GCSE classes, or you hopefully will nod in agreement, or something!

7. Basics
Skills based lessons are essential, as opposed to continuous emphasis on content
Design rules for skills such as cartoon analysis (answer question directly, put into context, analyse details) and essay writing (PEE), get the students to constantly refer back to these rules
Practice makes perfect
Repetition
AFL (see model lesson)
Detailed, target driven feedback on important pieces of work (once a month)
Modelling – so they get to recognise good and bad work
Nurture

8. Core Content with Germany
OCR
History Modern World
2007
Core Content with Germany

9. 1. Directly address the question
Rules
What is the message of this cartoon? Use details of the cartoon and your knowledge to explain your answer.
1. Directly address the question
2. Put it into context (use background knowledge)
3. Analyse individual details of the cartoon
A British cartoon published in 1919 after the Peace Conference. ‘Tiger’ was the nickname for Clemenceau.

10. Model Answer
The message of this cartoon is that the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh and because of this a future conflict was inevitable. The ‘Big Three’ are shown in the cartoon, representing the leading allies after the First World War. The most uncompromising, Clemenceau, is shown at the front with a stick. It was Clemenceau that demanded the harshest treatment of Germany, because he felt France had suffered the most as a result of the war. He is looking at a child who is weeping behind a pillar, having just read the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. This child represents a child of 1919, yet he will grow up to have to be ‘cannon fodder’ in a future conflict, which the cartoonist has cleverly predicted will be in Clemenceau appears to be confused about the reasons why the child is crying as he says; ‘Curious! I seem to hear a child weeping’. This supports the view that he was simply intent on punishing Germany and didn’t consider the future consequences. The cartoonist is critical about the Treaty of Versailles and recognises the consequences of its harsh terms.

11. Answer A
In the cartoon there are 4 main characters and 3 of these represent the ‘Big Three’ .The cartoon is called ‘Peace and cannon fodder.’ Clemenceau is at the front with a stick. This cartoon is saying the peace conference was too severe, as there is a child behind the pillar, weeping, having just read the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. This child represents someone who would have been a child in 1919, yet would have had to fight in a possible future war. The cartoonist thinks the decisions made at the peace conference would lead to another war. We also know this as the title of the cartoon is ‘peace and future cannon fodder’. The ‘Big Three’ look unaffected by the child weeping and Clemenceau says; ‘Curious! I seem to hear a child weeping’.

12. Answer B
The message of the cartoon is that the Treaty of Versailles would cause problems in the future as it punished Germany too harshly. The title of the cartoon ‘peace and cannon fodder’ refers to the fact that the Treaty was trying to secure peace, yet it simply led to Germany wanting to take revenge. The child behind the pillar represents a child at the time of the peace conference, who will grow up and have to deal with the consequences of the treaty and end up being ‘cannon fodder’. The ‘Big Three’ shown in the cartoon look confused about the cause of the child’s weeping and Clemenceau even says; ‘Curious! I seem to hear a child weeping’. This suggests the Big Three did not consider the consequences of the Treaty seriously enough.

13. Strongest Answer?
1(a) What is the message of this cartoon? Use details of the cartoon and your knowledge to explain your answer.
Having read answers A and B, which is the strongest answer and why? Explain your answer by comparing both answers.

14. Explain why the ‘Big Three’ at Versailles had different aims.
Look to make 3-4 well explained points
PEE
Contrast and compare

15. Paragraph A
The big three had different aims because they wanted different things. Clemenceau wanted Germany to suffer and pay economically, as opposed to America who wanted to treat Germany justly and didn’t want her to take total responsibility for the war. Great Britain on the other hand recognised the need to punish Germany, by making her pay reparations, but was also concerned about future trading possibilities with Germany. Lloyd George wanted Germany to suffer and wanted to strip Germany of her navy and colonies.

16. Paragraph B
One of the reasons why the ‘big three’ had such different aims was because the First World War had such different effects on the allied powers. France for example had suffered enormously as much of the fighting had taken place on French soil. This resulted in Clemenceau, the French leader wanting to punish Germany harshly and seek revenge. In contrast, America had not suffered as much and possibly as a consequence of this Woodrow Wilson was more lenient and was wary about punishing Germany too harshly. It was these factors that contributed to the ‘big three’ having such contrasting aims.

17. Strongest Answer
1(b) Explain why the ‘Big Three’ at Versailles had different aims.
Having read paragraphs A and B, which is the strongest. Explain your answer by comparing both paragraphs.

18. PEE
One of the reasons why the ‘big three’ had such different aims was because the First World War had such different effects on the allied powers. France for example had suffered enormously as much of the fighting had taken place on French soil. This resulted in Clemenceau, the French leader wanting to punish Germany harshly and seek revenge. In contrast, America had not suffered much and possibly as a consequence of this Woodrow Wilson was more lenient and was wary about punishing Germany too harshly. It was these factors that contributed to the ‘big three’ having such contrasting aims.

19. Explain how the League of Nations achieved some successes in the 1920’s.
Paragraphs A
The League of Nations had some successes in the 1920’s. One of these successes was in the area of border disputes. A dispute arose over the Aaland Islands between Sweden and Finland, the League stepped in and ruled that the islands should go to Finland and Sweden accepted this decision.
The League also dealt effectively with worldwide diseases such as leprosy and malaria. They worked hard to educate people about these diseases and funded research into finding preventions.

20. Explain how the League of Nations achieved some successes in the 1920’s.
Paragraphs B
The League of Nations dealt effectively with some border disputes that arose in the 1920’s. These successes were largely because the countries involved were happy with, or accepted the League’s decision. An example of this was the dispute over the Aaland Islands. It also seems that the border successes of the 1920’s did not involve powerful countries.
The League’s commissions also had some successes. These commissions seemed to work well as they posed no threat to individual countries. For example, the health commission worked hard in Africa to educate people about malaria.

21. Strongest Paragraphs
Explain how the League of Nations achieved some successes in the 1920’s.
Which is the strongest of these two sets of paragraphs? Explain your answer by comparing both of the sets of paragraphs.

22. How far can the failure of the League in the 1930’s be blamed on the Great Depression?
Read answers A, B and C. Which is the strongest answer and why? You must explain your answer by comparing all three answers.

23. Why do you think this cartoon was published in Germany in 1919
Why do you think this cartoon was published in Germany in 1919? Use the cartoon and your knowledge to explain your answer.
A cartoon published in Germany in The German mother is saying to her child, ‘When we have paid one hundred billion marks then I can give you something to eat.’

24. Answer A
The message of this cartoon is that German people are suffering economically and some families are struggling, they cannot even afford basic necessities. The cartoon is referring to the reparations, as the mother says to the child ‘When we have paid one hundred billion marks.’ This refers to the demands placed upon Germany under the Treaty of Versailles by the allies. We can see that the family are poor because the two children look dishevelled and starving. The family also seem to be limited to living in just a single room, as the bed and kitchen are in the same room. The allies felt Germany should pay for the damage caused at the end of the First World War and therefore demanded they pay a sum of 6,600 million in instalments. This family clearly have been affected by these demands and are suffering due to them. The message of the cartoon is that the Treaty of Versailles and the reparations demands were unfair.

25. Answer B
This cartoon was published in Germany in 1919 to try and evoke sympathy. It is a response to the reparation demands placed upon Germany under the Treaty of Versailles which were announced in The cartoon is demonstrating the anguish these reparation demands caused, as they punished the people of Germany as well as the government. Many families lost out, especially those with savings. The family in the cartoon cannot even afford to eat, they are surrounded by poverty and their house looks small and basic and the children look like they are starving. The cartoonist wanted to emphasise the impact the Treaty had on ordinary Germans. The words in the cartoon support this when the mother states that the children can eat; ‘When we have paid one hundred billion marks,’ a completely unrealistic amount. The cartoon was published so that people inside Germany and possibly the international audience were forced to recognise the injustice of the reparation demands of the Treaty of Versailles.

26. Strongest Answer
Read answers A and B. Which is the strongest answer and why. Explain your answer by comparing the two answers.

27. Best Answer
This cartoon was published in Germany in 1919 to try and evoke sympathy. It is a response to the reparation demands placed upon Germany under the Treaty of Versailles which were announced in The cartoon is demonstrating the anguish these reparation demands caused, as they punished the people of Germany as well as the government. Many families lost out, especially those with savings. The family in the cartoon cannot even afford to eat, they are surrounded by poverty and their house looks small and basic and the children look like they are starving. The cartoonist wanted to emphasise the impact the Treaty had on ordinary Germans. The words in the cartoon support this when the mother states that the children can eat; ‘When we have paid one hundred billion marks,’ a completely unrealistic amount. The cartoon was published so that people inside Germany and possibly the international audience were forced to recognise the injustice of the reparation demands of the Treaty of Versailles.