1. Welcome to all parents and guardians of pupils in Year 10

2. Head of Middle School
To lead students to meet the goals of Farringtons and develop within an environment of high expectation, hard work and supportive learning.
To oversee the general welfare and progress, both academic and pastoral of pupils.
To help students to build the personal resources to succeed in both their school career and life beyond school.

3. Communication
To ensure the best education and development for your child
Pupil
Parents
Staff

4. Contact Pupil / Parent Form Tutor Head of Middle School
Head of Pastoral Care
Headmistress

5. Contact
Please ensure that the contact details you have provided the school are accurate and up-to-date
telephone numbers, and address
Please contact your child’s form tutor or myself regarding any questions or concerns you may have
addresses included in the letter of arrangements for the first days of term

6. Contact
If your child is unable to attend school, you must inform the reception by 10 o’clock at the latest
A note explaining the reason for each absence should be passed onto your child’s form tutor upon their return to school

7. Key messages for Year 10
Getting off to a “Flying Start” – Systems, attitude, attendance, punctuality – getting the basics right.
Independent working (post Christmas)
Weekly review (1/2 protected hours per week)
The type of Independent work students do in preparation for GCSE matters.

8. The New GCSE Grading System

10. VESPA model
Vision = how committed are students? Where do they see themselves ending up? How well do you know what you want to achieve?
Effort = how much independent study do they do each week?
Systems = tools and strategies for organising yourself, how do you organise your time?
Practice = what kind of work do you do to practise your skills?
Attitude = how do students respond to feedback, setbacks and so on

11. VESPA ACTIVITY EXAMPLE: February: Effort Activity
“Twenty-Five Minute Sprints”

12. Key messages for Year 10 (again…)
Getting off to a “Flying Start” – Systems, attitude, attendance, punctuality – getting the basics right.
Independent working (post Christmas)
Weekly review (1/2 protected hours per week)
The type of Independent work students do in preparation for GCSE matters.

13. Independent Study – What type and how much?
CONTENT TECHNIQUES
Reading through Class notes
Using Resources on the SMHW
Using Textbooks to create/redraft/highlight
Mind maps and Diagrams
Highlighting and colour coding
Condensing notes
Flashcards
Making a visual Revision wall
Content based Practice
Skills Based Practice
Feedback Based Practice
FEEDBACK TECHNIQUES
Marking your own work to a mark scheme
Studying mark schemes or examiners’ reports
Working with a partner to check answers
Comparing model answers to your own work
Create your own exam questions
Handing in extra work for marking
One to one discussions with teachers
EXAM SKILLS TECHNIQUES
Writing answers under timed conditions
Reading Model answers
Using past papers and planning answers
Slow – fast – slow
Writing your own model answers
Explaining difficult concepts to mum/dad

14. What we found out about last year’s Year 11 approach to preparing for their GCSEs.

15. On average, how many hours of independent study (work not set by your teacher) did you complete per week when revising for your GCSEs?
1-2 hours
3-5 hours
6-7 hours
8-10 hours
10 hours plus

16. Structure of Assessment Year.
Each Year Group has two Parents’ Evenings, one formal written report and four Assessment Points (AP).
All Parents’ Evenings are from 6-8pm.
Parents’ Evening - Thursday 8th November 2018 and Tuesday 11th June 2019
Year 10 Report: End of Summer Term
AP1 – October half term
AP2 –December end of term
AP3 – March end of spring term
AP4 –June Summer Exams

17. Assessment Points
Broadly the same timings as half term grades in terms of timings and frequency. What is being assessed? The assessment tasks will see students sit timed, examination condition, essay style questions based on the current topic of study. (some interleaving of prior content is encouraged). This “deliberate practice” of exam skills is a necessary component of preparing students for the rigours of the new, reformed GCSE specifications.

18. What is being reported at each Assessment Point?
1 Target Attainment Grade (TAG) for students in Year 10,11,12,13 - This is the MINIMUM grade a pupil should be looking to achieve with hard work. The TAG will reflect the new GCSE 1-9 grades. Target Grades are externally set for students using a variety of factors including baseline tests, teacher judgement and prior attainment.
2 Projected Attainment Grade (PAG) This is set by the teacher and will reflect the likely grade the pupil will go on to achieve if current levels of effort and application continue to be applied.
3 Current Attainment Grade (CAG) This reflects the grade each pupil is currently working at and is based closely upon the Assessment Point being marked against the exam board mark schemes at GCSE.

19. Response to Feedback (Grade 5-1)
5 = You work very hard during lessons; your workbook is well presented and you take time and interest in improving your work by responding fully to your teacher’s feedback. You think deeply about feedback and reflect on it.
4 =You are usually engaged in lessons; your workbook is typically carefully presented showing pride in your work and you respond well to teacher feedback.
3 = You do not always participate or engage in lessons. The quality of your workbook is inconsistent; your response to teacher feedback is irregular and lacks depth. If this pattern continues, your progress will likely be affected.
2 = You do not actively participate enough in lessons. The quality of your workbook shows little pride taken in your work, and you do not devote sufficient time to responding to teacher feedback. This is affecting your progress.
1  = You rarely engage or participate in lessons. Your workbook is not completed to an acceptable standard; you do not respond to teacher feedback. This is seriously affecting your progress.

20. Organisation (Grade 5-1)
5 = You are always on time for lessons. You manage conflicts with your extra-curricular demands extremely well; you always have all of your equipment and you are ready to learn. Homework is always handed in on time and is of an excellent quality.
4 =You are usually on time for lessons. You manage conflicts with extra-curricular demands adequately; you generally have all necessary equipment you are ready to learn. Homework is almost always handed in in on time and is often of a good quality.
3 = You are sometimes late for lessons. You have experienced some difficulty in managing your time with extra-curricular commitments. At times you forget basic equipment meaning that you are not always in the best position to learn. Homework varies in quality and is sometimes handed in late.
2= You are frequently late for lessons. You struggle to manage your time, meaning you are underprepared for lessons. You forget basic equipment too often. Homework is rarely handed in on time and the quality is not sufficient.
1  = You are almost always late to lessons, you often forget basic equipment. Homework is seldom completed. This is seriously impeding your progress.

21. What does “Good attendance” mean?
Raise Your Childs Attendance, - Raise their life Chances!
What does “Good attendance” mean?

22. ? Do you know what your child's attendance is?
Do you know what it means? ?

23. This is Josh. He is in Year 8 He has 90% attendance.
•Is that good?
•What does this mean?

24. Josh thinks 90% attendance is pretty good, so do his parents
Josh thinks 90% attendance is pretty good, so do his parents. Are they right?
90% attendance = ½ day missed every week!!

25. = 4 whole weeks of lessons MISSED!

26. 90% attendance over 5 years of secondary school…
90% attendance over 5 years of secondary school…. = ½ a school year missed!
So 90% is NOT as good as it first seemed.
What can YOU do as a parent to increase your child's attendance?

27. Ways for parents to encourage good attendance:
1.Find out your child's attendance regularly.
2.Talk regularly with your child about school and how they feel about it. Children are more likely to attend if they feel supported and any anxieties listened to.
3. Phone us on Day 1 of an absence to tell us why your child is absent, and when you expect them to return. Putting the school number in your phone can save you time.

28. Ways for parents to encourage attendance:
4. Only grant days at home for genuine illness. (you will know!!)
5. A doctor’s, dentist or hospital appointment does not justify a day off school. If an appointment is at 11am your child can attend for lessons 1 & 2. and return for the afternoon session.
6. Avoid taking holidays in school time.

29. Ways for parents to encourage good attendance:
6. Know your child’s timetable and help them to get organised e.g. have they got their PE kit, exercise books?
7. If you have concerns ring us – we will check attendance and be discreet.
8. PRAISE AND REWARD GOOD ATTENDANCE: even small successes, e.g. arriving promptly, even when first lesson is not their favourite!

30. Attend and Achieve!
• If you can improve attendance by 1%, you should see a 5-6% improvement in attainment. (Department for Education and Skills)
• Please help us and your child by ensuring their attendance remains above 96%, allowing them to achieve their full potential.
• ‘Aim High in All Things’ – including Attendance!!

31. Recommendations School-social life balance Extra-curricular Activities
Computers / Mobile Phones
Be aware of the signs of stress
Keep lines of communication open
Organisation is key

32. What the school asks
Work with the school on issues regarding make-up and uniform
Ensure students are punctual
Attend school
Sign the contact book weekly
Be aware of events and dates
Mobile Phones

33. Contacts gody@farringtons.kent.sch.uk