1. KEY STAGE 4 2015/17 GCSE Two Year Programmes ( Full)

2. KEY STAGE 4 2015 ‘ Parental support is eight times more important in determining a child’s academic success than social class, according to a study by ‘The campaign for learning’. They found that parental involvement in a child’s education can mean the difference between an A* and an ‘also ran’ at GCSE.’

3. GCSE  Linear TWO year programme  Most courses offered at Two Levels – Higher tier and Foundation tier  GCSE course is assessed by:- Terminal examination and Controlled Assessment for now.

4. GCSE CHANGES  All external exams will have to be taken at the end of the course.  GCSE exams will take place in May/June.  From January 2013 marks will be awarded for accurate spelling, punctuation and use of grammar in English Literature, Geography, History and Religious Studies.

5. GCSE Changes  Reformed GCSEs English and Mathematics  Will be more demanding  Have been designed for a two year period of study  Will be linear so students will take all of their exams at the end of the course  Non-exam assessment will be removed or reduced in the majority of GCSEs  Will have a new grading system 9 to 1  The phased introduction of reformed GCSEs will mean students will receive a mixture of letter and number grades in summer 2017 and summer 2018

6. New GCSE Grading Structure New Grading Structure Current Grading Structure 9A* 8- 7A 6 Good Pass (Dfe)B 5 5 and above = Top of C and above- 4 Awarding 4 and above = Bottom C and aboveC 3D-E 2E-F 1G UU

7. What it means?  Broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 4 and above as currently achieve a grade C and above  Broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 7 and above as currently achieve a grade A and above  The bottom of grade 1 will be aligned with the bottom of grade G  Grade 5 will be awarded to around the top third of students gaining the equivalent of a grade C and bottom third of a grade B. This has been defined as a good pass by the DFE

8. National Reference Test  Annual tests in English and Maths  About 300 schools will take part in the tests.  Thirty students will sit the English paper and another 30 will sit the Maths paper.  Tests will take place in March each year from 2017.

9. What is Controlled Assessment?  It is a form of Internal Assessment where the control levels for each assessment stage - task setting, task taking and task marking have been defined by QCA for all awarding bodies.

10. Task setting  Task setting outlines who will set the task eg. Exam Board and/or teachers.  Describes what students have to do.  Teacher-set tasks must be developed in line with the examination board requirements  Tasks- High Control or Medium Control.

11. Task taking  Task taking outlines how the students go about taking the task and can be split up into stages:-  Research - Low Control  Analysis - Medium Control  Write –Up – High Control

12. Task Marking  Task marking outlines who will do the marking eg. Examination Board and/or teachers.  High Control – Exam Board does the marking.  Medium Control – work is assessed by teachers and moderated by the Examination Board.

13. CORE ENTITLEMENT  GCSE English Language  GCSE English Literature (60%)  GCSE Mathematics  GCSE Statistics (Set 1/2)  GCSE Science  OCR National iMedia  Games  Careers/ R.E./PSHCE

14. What does this mean?  Need for full attendance at school.  Regular dialogue between home and school :–  Progress Reports  Parents’ Evening  Contact with Subject teachers  Key Stage 4 Director – Mr Faulkner.  Pastoral Year Manager – Mrs Pollitt

15. Key Dates Year 10 2015/16 Autumn Term  Students embark upon KS4 courses  Teachers will set KS4 target grades for each student in the courses they have chosen.  Target Report to Parents after Half term holiday.  Progress Report to Parents – 25 th Nov 2015 Spring Term  Progress Report to Parents – 22 rd February 2016  Year 10 Examinations begin -2 nd March 2016  Progress Report to Parents – 24 th March 2016  Year 10 Parents’ Evening 14 th April 2016  Controlled Assessments Summer Term  Controlled Assessments  GCSE English Language  End of Year Report issued 8 th July 2016