Welcome to our Year 10 Parents’ Information Evening 2015

Programme for the evening ahead Mr Gray – Welcome Mr Smith – Assessment Heads of Core Subjects (Mrs Dillerstone, Mr Hamilton, Miss Neale) Mrs Warkman – STAR + curriculum Booklet

Activities Week July, 2015

Key Dates 2 November – School resumes November – Data sheets issued 18 December – School closes for Christmas 5 January – School resumes January – Data sheets issued 19 January – Science ISA 11 February – Schools Closes for Half Term 12 February – Teacher Training Day 22 February – School resumes 1 March – Science ISA 21 March – Business Studies Course work starts 24 March – School closes for Easter 11 April – School resumes April – Data sheets issued 20 April – Parents’ Evening 4pm-7pm 29 April – Business Studies Course work ends 2 May – May Day Bank Holiday 27 May – School closes for Half Term 6 June – School resumes 13 June – Geography Field Work 7 July – Year 10 Celebration Evening July – Reports issued 14 July – Careers Search commences 19 July – School closes for summer

Key Dates Focus on: 20 June – Exam Week July – Reports issued 14 July – Careers Search commences Busy Points Controlled Assessments

Our New School

Learning Apps

English Mr N A Hamilton

English Students prepare for two qualifications: GCSE English Language GCSE English Literature Both are new specifications for first teaching from 2015 assessed entirely by terminal exams in the summer of 2017. No early entry.

GCSE English Literature Exam Board Edexcel No tier of entry Every student sits the same exam New grading system 9-1

GCSE English Literature Examination texts will be studied during Year 10 and 11 working towards two written exams in the summer of 2017

English Literature exams Paper 1: Shakespeare and Post-1914 Literature 1 hour 45 minutes, closed text (worth 50%) Section A: Shakespeare: Part A on an extract, Part B linking to the whole text (Macbeth) (worth 25%). Section B: Post-1914 Literature: choose one question out of two; on setting, character or theme (An Inspector Calls) (worth 25%).

English Literature exams Paper 2: 19th Century Novel and Poetry since 1789 2 hours 15 minutes, closed text (50%) Section A: 19 Century novel, Part A on an extract, Part B on the full text (A Christmas Carol) (worth 25%). Section B: Poetry since 1789: one named poem from a cluster in the anthology (Conflict) that will be printed – students compare it to another (unprinted) of their choice. Students also compare two thematically linked unseen contemporary poems (worth 25%).

GCSE English Language Paper 1: Fiction and Imaginative Writing 1 hour 45 minutes (worth 40%) Section A: Short / long questions on unseen 19th Century fiction (1 hour) (worth 15%). Section B: Two images provided as stimulus for Imaginative Writing (45 minutes) (worth 25%).

GCSE English Language Paper 2: Non-fiction, Literary Non-fiction and Transactional Writing - 2 hours (worth 60%). Section A: short answers on two non-fiction texts, followed by a longer response question which is a comparison of writers’ use of language (1 hour 15 minutes) (worth 35%) Section B: two options of writing tasks linked to themes of reading materials – letters, job applications, articles etc. (45 minutes) (worth 25%).

Three Top Tips for English Become familiar with the texts your son/daughter is studying and discuss them with them. Specimen papers, mark schemes and other resources are available on the Edexcel website: http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualificatio ns/edexcel-gcses.html Encourage your son/daughter to read and discuss non-fiction texts e.g. newspapers, leaflets, letters and magazines. The internet is awash with older 19th Century fiction and non- fiction texts because most are out of copyright.

Revision Guides English Literature – specific text guides are commercially available to buy English Language guides and workbooks are also available to buy commercially.

Maths Mrs K A Dillerstone

GCSE Maths Two Tiers Foundation and Higher – both with the AQA exam board. New GCSE Mathematics Specification (8300) Grades 1 – 9

NO Coursework! Both a blessing and a curse.

How can I help? Talk about numbers Real life situations: shopping, offers, best buys, interest rates, commission payments, bills Mental maths: the more automatic responses that a candidate can accurately recall the better Discuss problem solving strategies: drawing diagrams, underlining important facts and reading questions carefully can all help Does their answer make sense? Estimating as a checking strategy is useful

QWC Questions (4 Marks)

QWC Questions (5 Marks)

www.mymaths.co.uk

www.mathswatchvle.com

Science Miss S Neale

GCSE Sciences Exam Board AQA Two Routes Science A and Additional Science Biology, Chemistry and Physics Both routes prepare students for Level 3 study of Science subjects

Biology, Chemistry and Physics Students will take three exams in each subject in May and June of year 11. These marks are combined with an ISA mark to give an overall grade. All modules have equivalent weighting (25%)

Science A and Additional Science Students will take both the Science A and Additional Science in year 11. Students will take six exams, two in each subject in May and June of year 11. These marks are combined with two ISA marks to give two overall grades. All modules have equivalent weighting (25%)

GCSE Sciences Students are assessed regularly throughout the course in end of unit tests Assessments will be STAR marked and graded Students will then be asked to reflect on their answers and take some action to improve further

GCSE Sciences Students are encouraged to prepare thoroughly for each end of unit assessment, making revision notes using: Their own notes Revision guides The website : myGCSEScience The website : BBC bitesize

Investigative Skills Assignment (25% of a science qualification) What is an ISA? Investigative Skills Assignment (25% of a science qualification) Research Exam 1: Hypothesis, Plan, Results Table Practical Work Graph Exam 2: Own results analysis, Case Studies

QWC Questions (6 Marks) In this question you will be assessed on using good English, organising information clearly and using specialist terms where appropriate. Students are presented with an A4 side of information to read, often including charts or graphs.

QWC Questions (6 Marks) They are then asked to describe a process give advantages/disadvantages evaluate a new development explain the data In this question you will be assessed on using good English, organising information clearly and using specialist terms where appropriate.

Three Top Tips for Science Download past exam papers and mark schemes from AQA website Watch and make notes from the website myGCSEScience Encourage your child to use the BBC website: use the bitesize revision materials watch science programmes from iPlayer browse the scientific news articles

Science Revision Guides Nelson Thornes revision guides are available from the science technicians. They cost £3.50 (50%RRP) each.

What other things are we doing? STAR feedback Curriculum overviews