Year 10 GCSE Information Evening WELCOME

Year 10 GCSE Information Evening Update on national changes to GCSEs – Jennifer Howe, Assistant Headteacher (KS4) English update – Pierrette Sims Senior Curriculum Leader, English faculty Mathematics update Natalie Prince, KS4 Curriculum Leader, Mathematics Learning in year 10 – Year 10 students Academic support Sarah Weaver, Academic Leader year 10 Changes to reports and final summary – Jennifer Howe

The bar has risen…

The national picture Complete educational reform from Primary to A Level Removal of ‘levels’ e.g. 4c, 7a etc. GCSE grades are being phased out Linear exams with limited/no resits Greater ‘guidance’ on GCSE choices from government New GCSEs have altered content and will have new styles of assessment New 9 tier GCSE allows for a grade above the A* Aim is that students will be better prepared for transition to next stage in education

Forthcoming changes to English and Maths ONLY English and Maths will be affected in year 10. New GCSEs will be graded and students will be awarded one of nine grades A grade U (unclassified) still represents that a qualification has not been awarded. The grades will be described using numbers (1-9) rather than letters. Grade 9 will represent the highest level of attainment, grade 1 will be the lowest. All other GCSEs remain the same and will be graded G-A* or Pass/Merit/Distinction for BTECs etc.

Grade 4/5 = the current C grade Grade 5 will become the equivalent of the ‘C’ - the expected achievement grade The new grade 9 will actually be statistically determined each year – top 3-5% Grade 5 in Maths and English will be the entry requirement for Sixth Form in September

Our school priorities Clear and ongoing communication from the beginning Student support comes first A commitment to attending external CPD courses run by examining boards to gain first-hand new information regarding new GCSE specifications Dedicated CPD time in faculties for teachers to collaboratively plan and support each other

The challenges in Year 10 include:- The new GCSEs in English and Maths have new content and will be structured, assessed and graded differently from current GCSEs. No previous exam results or exam papers for the new GCSEs for students or teachers to refer to. There is a lack of sample ‘assessed’ material to reference students’ work against.

What can we expect?

Further information: addresses: (English) (Mathematics)

Year 10 reports

To communicate to students how they are progressing in their learning and how they can improve To communicate to parents their child’s general progress as well as subject-specific strengths and targets To allow teachers to reflect on their own practice and evaluate the impact of their lessons on student progress To highlight students who are causing concern and help the school plan intervention from a classroom to whole-school level Trigger parents consultation appointments from both home and school The purpose of reports

A reminder - the challenges in Year 10 include: The new GCSEs in English and Maths have new content and will be structured, assessed and graded differently from current GCSEs. It is hard for current achievement grades on a report to be ‘accurate’ in that we are not fully aware yet of any grade boundaries. There is also a lack of sample ‘assessed’ material to reference students’ work against.

The reports that we send home to parents will be changed this year to reflect: The changes that are happening with the new GCSEs (in English and in Maths) and the introduction of new grading systems. Further simplifications in our reporting system Forthcoming changes to reports

Target setting: English and Maths - set Year 10 targets using CATs predictions and set most challenging (number) grade at the top end of that student’s predicted performance Teacher judgement also used alongside internal assessments where needed

Year 10 Reports will: Keep the ‘Target Grade’ Column Have no ‘Current Grade’ column Keep the ‘Progress Towards Target Grade’ descriptor – this is a teacher’s professional judgement as to whether a student is on track to make expected progress. Have new descriptors for the columns ‘Progress Towards Target’, ‘Effort’ and ‘Homework’. Use the codes: ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Needs Improvement’ or ‘Unacceptable’ (E, G, N, U)

Target Grade Progress towards Target EffortHomework Art Mr XXXXX AExcellent Design Technology Ms XXXXX BGood Excellent English Language Ms XXXXX 5Good English Literature Ms XXXXX 5Good Geography Ms XXXXX BGoodExcellentGood German Mrs XXXXX B Good Good Needs Improvement ICT Miss X B Needs Improvement Unacceptable I-Learn Mr XXXXX N/A Maths Mr XXXXX 6Excellent

‘Progress towards Target’ judgements will be then be based on a range of evidence including:  the student’s work ethic  evidence of classwork in lessons  evidence of home learning  assessments  attendance ‘Excellent’ is working above standard expected ‘Good’ progress is what we expect! ‘Needs Improvement’ are more borderline cases of underachievement. ‘Unacceptable’ represents a significant concern.

How can parents help? Aim for 100% attendance – contact Mrs Allaway, Senior Pastoral Leader, if you have any concerns Check your child’s planner to see if they are using it! Discuss your child’s report with them Book Parents Consultation Evening appointments with subject teachers to discuss individual subject concerns Contact the tutor if you have broader concerns Use the Home Learning Resource guide to support your child’s study and revision at home

How will the school help? Academic Leader’s remit is to monitor student progress and coordinate intervention We will monitor students who are underachieving through feedback from teachers and report data Use of learning conversations and mentoring from KS4 team where appropriate

Summary Please continue to support your child’s attendance New grades, course content and assessment for new GCSEs in English and Maths English and Maths are now graded using numbers 1- 9 No changes to other subjects New four tier system for reporting progress towards target, effort and homework – Excellent, Good, Needs Improvement and Unacceptable Use Parents’ Consultation evenings to gain a more in depth picture of progress and areas for development