1. Welcome to the Year 9 Curriculum Evening September 2019
Key Stage

2. Outline GCSE Assessment schedule Exams Monitoring & Tracking Reporting
Tiers and Routes to GCSE
Study Tips
Revision & Preparation

3. GCSE Assessment Schedule
GCSE is assessed by a combination of Examinations, Practical Elements and Controlled Assessment.(nea)
Y9 students will be sitting a Short Course GCSE exam in Religious Studies at the end of Y9
Y10 students will be sitting a Full GCSE exam in Religious Studies, an iGCSE in English Language and iGCSE in Maths
GCSE final certification will take place in the Summer of Year 11
In English 20% of the marks available will be allocated to SPaG. Other subjects will have a varying requirement.
Some subjects Ma & RS are assessed by exam only, in these subjects the specification has been organised into distinct units which can be examined separately, refer to Ma in Assessment schedule hand out.
Others have a Controlled Assessment element, this replaces coursework due to issues regarding plagiarism and each subject has different requirements, refer to Sc ISA.

4. Exams, Practical Elements & Controlled Assessments
Each Exam, Practical Element and Controlled Assessment will require the necessary amount of preparation. (nea)
Teaching will move on to the next topics in preparation for the next Practical Element or Controlled Assessment
Due to the ongoing nature of the GCSE Schedule, there is no slack time!
Y11 now have 22 full school weeks left
Y10 have approximately 48 full school weeks left
Y9 therefore have approximately 77 full school weeks left…
Preparation: revision, organisation, determination, persistence.
Get it right now as the course will move on.

5. Subject Summary for Exams, Practical Elements & Controlled Assessments
Art:
OCR J171
Portfolio 60% Set Task 40% (10hrs)
Biology:
AQA 8461
2 Exams 1hr 45mins each 50% each + 10 Required Practicals
Chemistry:
AQA 8462
2 Exams 1hr 45mins each 50% each + 8 Required Practicals
Computer Studies:
Eduqas 601/8291/X
1 Exam 1hr 45mins 62.5% + Online Exam 2hrs 37.5% + Programming Project (20hrs)
Design and Technology:
AQA 8552
1 Exam 2hrs 50% + Portfolio & Prototype manufacture 50% (30-35hrs)
Drama:
CAMBRIDGE IGCSE 0411
1 Exam 2hr 30mins 40% + 3 Practical Pieces 60%
Preparation: revision, organisation, determination, persistence.
Get it right now as the course will move on.

6. French/Portuguese/Spanish:
Economics:
OCR J105
2 Exams 1hr30mins 50% each
English Language:
CAMBRIDGE iGCSE 0500 (Y10)
2 Exams 50% each P1 1hr45mins P2 2hrs
AQA 8700 (Y11)
2 Exams 1hr45mins 50% each (SPaG 20%)+ Spoken Language Task
English Literature:
AQA 8702
2 Exams: P1 1hr45mins 40% P2 2hrs15mins 60%
French/Portuguese/Spanish:
AQA 8658
4 components 25% each: P1 Listening Exam 35/45mins, P2 Speaking Task, P3 Reading Exam 45/60mins, P4 Writing Exam 1hr/1hr 15mins
Geography:
OCR J384
3 Exams: P1 & P2 1hr 45mins 35% each, P3 1hr 30mins 30% Field Work Study
History:
AQA 8145
2 Exams 1hr45mins 50% each
ICT:
Cambridge iGCSE 0417
3 components: P1 Exam 2hrs 40% P2 Practical Test 2hrs30mins 30% P3 Practical Task 2hrs30mins 30%
Preparation: revision, organisation, determination, persistence.
Get it right now as the course will move on.

7. Mathematics: Further Mathematics: Music: Physical Education: Physics:
Edexcel iGCSE in Y10
2 Exams 2hr 50% each
Edexcel 1MA1 in Y11
3 Exams 1hr30mins 33.33% each
Further Mathematics:
AQA 8365
2 Exams 50% each 1hr45mins
Music:
OCR J536
3 components: P1 Portfolio 30% P2 Practical Performance 30% P3 Exam 1hr30mins 40%
Physical Education:
AQA 8582
3 components: P1 & P2 Exams 30% each1hr15mins, P3 Practical Performance & Analysis 40%
Physics:
AQA 8463
2 Exams: P1 & P2 1hr 45mins 50% each, + 10 Required Practicals
Religious Studies:
Short Course Edexcel 3RB0
2 Exams 50mins 50% each
Full GCSE Edexcel 1RB0
2 Exams 1hr45mins 50% each
Science:
AQA 8464 {Trilogy: Biology, Chemistry & Physics ≡ 2GCSEs}
6 Exams 1hr15mins 16.7% each + 21 Required Practicals
Preparation: revision, organisation, determination, persistence.
Get it right now as the course will move on.

8. Monitoring & Tracking
As your son completes Internal Assessments, GCSE Exams or CAs his progress will be monitored by Mr McGinty
The results of the GCSE and iGCSE exams sat the end of Y9 and Y10 respectively, will be used to ascertain your son’s academic route to the GCSE exams sat at the end of Y11
(to be explained later in the presentation)
Any student causing academic concern will be given the necessary attention to ensure he understands what needs to be done
Depending on the nature of the concern parents may be contacted
Parents are encouraged to register any concern they may have about their son’s progress,

9. Reporting
To keep parents appraised of their son’s progress through Key Stage 4 (KS4) Interim Reports are produced at Christmas and Easter. These reports include a Minimum Expected Grade for the current year and a judgement as to how likely your son is to make that grade by the end of the year.
There is a full report at the end of Y10.
Parent’s evening takes place during the Spring Term and a full report is produced at the end of the Summer term in Y10.
A full report replaces the interim report at Christmas of Y11.
An interim report is sent at Easter of Y11 with a summary of your son’s performance in the second set of GCSE Mocks.
Explain how the Bench Mark grade is aquired.

10. New Grading System

11. Phasing of Subjects
GCSEs have been changed in three phases – phase one subjects include English Language, English Literature and Maths. These subjects were available for first teaching in September 2015, assessed from Summer 2017
Phase two subjects include sciences, History, Geography, languages, Art and Design, Music, Drama, Computer Science, Physical Education and Religious Studies. These subjects were available for first teaching in September 2016, assessed from Summer (Current Y13)
Phase three subjects including Design and Technology, were available for first teaching in September 2017, assessed from Summer (Current Y12)
Hence for Current Y9: All subjects will be certificated with the new GCSE 9 to 1 grades.

12. Minimum Expected Grades
Median (middle person) achieves a 5 in Y11 in Geography: Hence our minimum expectation will be a 5 in Y11. in Y9 & Y10 these number grades will be structured and sub divided into say; 4-, 4 & 4+,
to provide an expected flight path

13. Tier and Route to GCSE: Higher Tier or Foundation Tier In Maths & Science at GCSE
Tiers remain in Maths, Modern Foreign Languages and Science
All other subjects do not have tiers of entry and all grades can be achieved (New Grades 9 to 1)
Higher Tier allows access to
New Grades 9 to 4
Foundation Tier allows access to
New Grades 5 to 1
In all subjects, the New Grade 9 will be awarded to approximately the top 20% of students achieving Grade 7 or 8. (Which in effect is approximately the top 2% of the cohort.)
The Heads of MFL and Science departments respectively will make a judgement as to which tier your son will be entered for after the results of the first set of mocks are known. This will be by the end of November in Y11. Evidence from previous performance coupled with current progress is used when making the judgement. We want the best grade possible.
The Head of Maths will make the final decision about tier of entry upon receipt of the iGCSE resit results from January in Y11. Evidence from previous performance coupled with current progress is used when making the judgement. We want the best grade possible.

14. Routes to GCSE in Y11
Successful completion of the RS GCSE at the end of Y10 will enable your son to access an extra lesson in English, Maths and Science throughout Y11
Successful completion of the iGCSE in English Language will enable your son to study both Literature and Language throughout Y11
Successful completion of the iGCSE in Maths will enable your son to access Higher Tier entry in Maths at the end of Y11
If your son is not successful with his RS GCSE at the end of Y10 he will resit the RS GCSE at the end of Y11.
If your son is not successful in his iGCSE in English Language, he will resit the iGCSE in November of Y11. Access to English Literature can then be reconsidered if a successful result is achieved.
If your son is not successful in his iGCSE Maths, he will be targeted at the Foundation Tier of entry at the start of Y11. He will resit his iGCSE in January of Y11. Access to the Higher Tier can then be reconsidered if a successful result is achieved.

15. Some Study Tips PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT
ATTEND MATHS HELP SESSIONS: Tuesday to Friday 8:00am to 8:30am; Tuesday 3:30pm to 4:30pm and Thursday 3:30pm to 4:15pm.
Ask questions as often as necessary
Learn the TIMES TABLES   
Seek extra help on trickier topics
Attention levels at maximum
Concentration levels at maximum

16. General considerations
The Homework timetable can be used as a template for organisation
In KS4 homework is set with duration of up to 45 minutes per homework. 
Your son may finish a particular homework within that time frame; that is excellent news as he has clearly understood the task set and has been able to complete the work independently.  However, any remaining time (of the 45minutes) can  then be used in any of the following ways:
Review previous work in that subject,
Make some summary notes on recent topics,
Learn key spellings,
Learn key facts,

17. Test himself on the facts he thinks he knows,
Read through his notes,
Read through any set texts,
Re-read any set texts,
Do some past paper questions **,
Organise next week’s independent work,
Teach you the recent topic to demonstrate understanding,
Make a power point presentation on the topic,
Make some summary notes on not so recent topics,  ...  

18. Revision
Purpose: To be prepared in sufficient time to enable students to achieve their full potential
Organisation is the key element of an effective Revision Timetable
Students need to realise that they are the ones who will benefit from their efforts
Revision lists found via the website, go via
The Home page; Members tab (log in);
Students;
Exams;
Revision
If you fail to plan you plan to fail!

19. Revision Power Point Summary
Download from school website:
Section 1: Retention
Section 2: Developing a method
Organising yourself
Time-table
Time-table examples
Section 3: Session outline/structure
Section 4: Other considerations (Sleep, Nutrition, Hydration & Exercise)

20. Thank you for your attention.
Any Questions?
If you have any concerns that occur to you later this evening please do not hesitate to contact Mr McGinty.