Y
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
Curriculum and Assessment Information
for parents of students in Year 9
Here at North Bromsgrove High School, we are keen to involve our parents in every aspect of their
school. Parents often ask questions like “what is my daughter/son doing at school”, “how is my
daughter/son being assessed … and when?” and even more importantly “what can I do to help?”
What we have tried to do in this booklet is to provide you with some answers to these questions.
Each subject has a dedicated page which outlines the curriculum plan for the year, explains the
different forms of assessment and wherever possible includes dates so that you can see when
your daughter/son needs to prepare for important deadlines. You will read about formative
assessments (those that are continuous throughout the scheme of work) and summative
assessments (those that come at the end of a period of study and can take the form of tests,
examinations or controlled assessments). You will also find an email address for subject leaders so
that if you have any queries regarding your daughter/son’s work in that area then you can contact
them at your convenience.
As you will see from the following pages, a great deal of planning and organisation, not to mention
skill and creativity, goes into ensuring that your daughter/son gets the most out of their
curriculum time here at North. Because we are dynamic and forward thinking, things change: we
all know about the shifting sands of educational policy! However, we think that what follows is a
comprehensive guide to our curriculum that will keep you fully informed of the day-to-day nuts
and bolts of what happens in your daughter/son’s lessons.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding the contents of this booklet and may I
take the time to thank you all for the wonderful support you offer to your school.
Best wishes
S. Schofield
Deputy Headteacher, North Bromsgrove High School
ssc@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
English Language and English Literature
Curriculum – what we’re doing
Autumn One
Autumn Two
Spring One
Spring Two
Summer One
Summer Two
English Language (3 lessons a week)
Horror (writing skills)
Identity (writing skills)
Conflict (reading skills)
Non-fiction (reading skills)
Relationships (comparative reading skills)
Descriptive Writing (writing skills)
English Literature (2 lessons a week)
Anthology/Unseen Poetry
Anthology/Unseen Poetry (2)
American Literature
American Literature (2)
Love in Literature
Power and Conflict Poetry
Formative Assessments
For all modules, assessment will take place at least twice and will give students clear targets based
around GCSE criteria in order to prepare them for when they commence formal GCSE study in year
ten. Earlier assessments in the units will be linked to an understanding of a skill (for example an
analytical paragraph) and provide preparation for the skills tested in the end of unit assessment.
This final assessment will be an extended response in a style similar to part of a GCSE examination
and will be a formative and summative assessment. When these have been marked, students will
have time to address skills gaps or areas of weakness to consolidate their learning before moving
onto the next unit.
Students' spoken language skills will be assessed informally and formally across the year. This will
help develop the skills needed for GCSE study.
Summative Assessments
Dates
w/c 12/10
w/c 7/12
w/c 1/2
w/c 14/3
w/c 16/5
w/c 11/7
Assessments (Language)
Assessments (Literature)
Write the opening to a horror story.
Analysis of a poem from the anthology
provided.
Opinion piece for a school newspaper. Analysis of an unseen poem.
GCSE style reading paper.
Essay question related to novel.
GCSE style reading paper.
Essay question related to novel.
Comparison of two non-fiction
Extract analysis from an unseen piece of
articles.
pre-20th century fiction.
Descriptive writing responding to an
Comparison of two poems linked by the
image provided.
theme of power and conflict.
How you can help
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Encourage your daughter/son to read in her/his spare time, whether it be fiction or nonfiction, printed or website, it all helps.
Support your daughter/son by discussing the targets in her/his exercise book.
Ensure homework tasks set in booklets are completed to facilitate independent study.
These are set through ‘Honeycomb’.
Contact:
Mr Horton (Faculty Leader) – mho@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
Mathematics
Curriculum – what we’re doing
The curriculum in Year 9 follows a two year
GCSE syllabus and is based around the
following themes:
 Number
 Algebra
 Ratio, proportion and rates of change
 Geometry
 Probability and Statistics
Within these four themes they are areas that are
promoted throughout the syllabus, including:




Developing fluid knowledge, skills and
understanding
Acquire, select and apply techniques
Reason mathematically
Comprehend, interpret and communicate
Formative Assessments
Formative feedback will be given every three weeks in the form of the completion of an
assessment sheet by both the teacher and the student. This will be done twice per half-term: half
way through and at the end. The expectation is for teachers to choose an appropriate piece of
work, sequence of work or independent study piece of work that will be assessed formatively and
students will receive feedback on this. The assessment sheet, which will be glued into every
student’s book, will be added to by the students once teachers have provided direction on where
they need to improve. Students will then record when they have acted on the comments and the
feedback loop will be closed.
Summative Assessments
All year 9 students will be assessed once at the end of every half term. This will take the form of a
past GCSE paper, (with the tier of entry appropriate to the student). This will provide real time
accurate tracking grades, as the assessment will be identical to what they will get at the end of
Year 11. As more concepts and techniques are taught throughout the year, the expectation is that
these grades will improve. This is the only way to provide accurate data during a two year course.
All assessments will be completed in lesson time and marked by classroom teachers. A team
assessment sheet will then be filled in which will help your daughter/son to identify areas for
improvement. The first assessment of each term will be a GCSE non-calculator paper, with a
calculator paper in the second half of each term.
How you can help
Useful web-sites
www.mymaths.co.uk
www.mathswatchvle.com
www.keshgcsemaths.wordpress.com
Contact:
Mr Wynne (Faculty Leader) - nwy@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
Science
Syllabus: Edexcel Science B
Curriculum – what we’re doing
During the first term, ALL students in year 9 follow the Edexcel topics from the GCSE science course, as an
introduction to Biology, Chemistry and Physics. This allows us to ensure ALL students have a taste for all
topics and science. Additionally the students will develop a range of coursework skills, including writing
hypotheses, selecting apparatus, writing methods and collecting data/drawing conclusions based on
primary and secondary evidence. The year 9 course is comprised of the following topic areas:
Biology
Chemistry
Classification- Vertebrates and invertebrates
Variation- The cell, DNA structure, inheritance and
gene control.
Staying in Balance - Homeostasis mechanisms
temperature, sugar regulation, diabetes and
hormones.
Keeping in touch – Senses, nerves and reflexes,
Drugs and classification - the effects of alcohol and
smoking.
Keeping Healthy – immunity, Infectious diseases,
antiseptics and antibiotics.
Atom structure-orbitals, electrons and bonding
Carbonate reactions- limestone decomposition,
Neutralisation reactions
Obtaining and using metals-properties of metals,
extraction and recycling
Carbon fuels- Fractional distillation, combustion
and monoxide poisoning, Changes to the earth’s
atmosphere due to climate change and acid rainToday and in the past
Making crude oil useful- Polymers and designer
polymers
Physics
Electromagnetic Spectrum- properties of waves
and uses in TV remotes and communications
Ultrasound and Infra sound
Light – properties of light, reflection and refraction
Telescopes-reflecting and refracting
Waves on Earth- Seismic waves and earthquakes
The Solar system –models of solar system and use
of telescopes
The Universe- star life cycle, Red shift and
Big Bang Theory universe
Generating electricity- Renewable vs non
renewable
Formative Assessments
Homework will be based on the 6 mark GCSE questions, which are on Honeycomb. The topics will be
evenly divided so there is a constant delivery of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The outcome of this
assessment will help us understand which KS4 pathway is best for your daughter/son, in terms of
combined science (Double award) or single sciences (Triple science - Biology, Chemistry and Physics)
Summative assessments:

These happen on a 6 weekly cycle and will include a half mock in February and a full Mock
exam in July
Contact: Mr Crawshaw - jcr@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
History
Curriculum – what we’re doing
Industrial World – Railways, Children, Cities, Slavery
The Twentieth Century – Women’s Suffrage, The First World War, the Holocaust
Formative Assessments
At the end of most topics a Key Assessment is set. These are based on historical skills. In addition,
two extended tasks are set for Independent Study. These are marked to the new GCSE framework
and specific targets for improvement are set. Targets are recorded by students on an assessment
sheet in the front of their exercise books. Exercise books are monitored regularly by teachers and
additional targets may be given on specific tasks where applicable.
Summative Assessments
Key assessments marked according to National Curriculum sub-levels:
Dates
End Sept/beg
Oct
Oct-Nov
Dec
Dec/Jan
Jan
March
Assessment
Railways – extent of change
Independent study- Heroes of the Industrial Age – research, extended writing,
assessment of change and importance
Cities – source skills
Twentieth century event – research, presentation, assessment of importance
Suffrage - Causation
Trenches – Source skills
From Easter the GCSE History course will be taught.
How you can help
In year 9 encouraging an interest in and love of History is vital. There are many excellent
documentaries on television and YouTube which will develop increased awareness and
understanding of the past. Some of the best include “Who do You Think You Are” and “What the
Victorians Did for us” Reading relevant books, especially biographies of key Historical figures is
always helpful and will improve literacy as well as Historical skills. Visits to places of Historical
interest will also help. Finally, encouraging your son or daughter to read a broadsheet newspaper
or regularly watch the news will make them aware of some of the issues such as international
relations and government actions which we study in the past.
Contact: Mrs Noble - nno@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
Geography
Curriculum – what we’re doing
1. September-November: Plate Tectonics
2. November- February: Development
3. February- May: Ecosystems
Formative Assessments
Each half term students will have one formal activity which will include comments from
themselves, their peers, and their teacher. Students’ work will be marked with subject based and
literacy comments where appropriate with an overall comment at the end. Each half term
students will complete a Key Assessment which again will have an overall comment for how to
improve - this feedback will need to be recorded on the student sheet at the beginning of the
topic for easy student reference and ease of monitoring.
Summative Assessments
Summative and formative assessment will continue to go hand in hand in Geography. The key
assessments will generate a percentage which will indicate the quality of student learning, whilst
other tasks within the key assessments will generate a numerical band figure to indicate their level
of understanding. This will happen at the end of each topic. Throughout lessons, students can
also expect to do a number of exam questions which will be marked to GCSE standard, enabling
teachers to model the assessment methods at GCSE. GCSE will begin formally after the Easter
holiday.
Dates
End of
September
Early
December
Mid
February
Assessment
Subduction zone assessment
End of plate tectonic key assessment- 50 mark paper marked with mark scheme
Development key assessment- 50 mark paper marked with mark scheme Marks passed onto GCSE Geography teacher
How you can help
Students will have a weekly homework of various forms and your assistance in ensuring its
completion is important. Geography is all around us and it is important that students form
opinions about the world in which they live. You can help by providing them with a newspaper or
encouraging them to look at the news on-line so that they develop an awareness of topical issues.
Contact: Miss Price - dpr@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
Religious Studies
Curriculum – what we’re doing
Students will have 2 lessons per week for one half term. During the half term they will be introduced to the
concepts of atheism, theism and agnosticism. Students will look at a number of topics and understand the
differing Christian views and be able to develop a view of their own. Topics will include religious
experiences, evil and suffering, abortion and euthanasia.
Formative Assessments
During the rotation students will complete three pieces of work which will be marked formatively.
Students will work out pictorial clues to understand Christian responses to evil and suffering.
Students will produce work for the abortion and euthanasia topics identifying both religious and individual
‘for’ and ‘against’ arguments and be able to explain their own view.
Summative Assessments
At the end of the rotation students will complete a written assessment of key word definitions and answer
questions on core concepts. These questions are based on the GCSE syllabus and marked as for GCSE.
Half
termly
End of unit assessment.
How you can help

Please check your daughter/son has completed their homework.

Testing key word definitions and double-checking your daughter/son’s spelling is also important as
spelling and grammar marks are given if they choose to move on to GCSE.

Encourage your daughter/son to watch or listen to the news so that they are aware of current
events and moral debates.
Contact: Miss Jones - ejo@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
French
Curriculum – what we’re doing

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
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Talking and writing about your interests outside of school
Your future plans after your GCSEs
Your health and keeping fit
Friends and understanding other people
Visiting a region in France
The rights of young people
Formative Assessments
At the end of each topic area students will complete a key assessment which will alternate
between writing and speaking. Students will receive a task sheet outlining the success criteria and
targets will be recorded by students in their exercise books. Reading and listening assessments will
be completed once a term with a standardised test. Feedback and results will be noted by
students. Classwork will be monitored and exercise books will be looked at and marked regularly.
Additional targets can then be set and concerns addressed.
Summative Assessments
Student progress will be measured by their results in their key assessment and homework will be
recorded by teachers and students. Students will complete a key assessment every half term
Dates
Oct
End Dec
Ça t’intéresse
L’avenir
Mid Feb En bonne santé
March
Les gens comme nous
End June Un voyage
Speaking
Writing
Speaking
Writing
Writing
Assessment
What you do at home in the evenings
What you are going to do at the week end and
in the future
Talk about keeping fit and healthy
When you were little and what you did
How you can help
Your support at home is always welcome. Ask your daughter/son how their assessment
preparations are going; test them on their grammar (past and future tense verbs, for example).
You could also check on Honeycomb for homework/assessment deadlines.
Contact:
Miss Normansell
Mr Boyle
- gno@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
- nbo@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
Spanish
Curriculum – what we’re doing





Greetings and personal details
You and me (family, animals, descriptions etc.)
School
Describing home and daily routine
My town
Formative Assessments
Key assessments in writing or speaking will be carried out at the end of each topic area and all will
be marked according to the level descriptors and targets set. Key assessment results and targets
will be recorded by students on assessment sheets that will be in the front of their books. Spanish
targets will initially be set one whole level below the French target because this is a subject that is
completely new to them. Classwork will be completed in exercise books, including listening and
reading exercises, and will be monitored closely with additional targets being set where necessary.
Closer monitoring will take place where a student needs additional intervention.
Summative Assessments
Student progress will be measured by their results in their key assessment and homework will be
recorded by teachers and students. Students will complete a key assessment every half term
Dates
Oct
Dec
February
May
Greetings and Personal Details
You and Me (family, pets, friends)
School
Describing home and Daily Routine
Assessment
speaking
writing
speaking
writing
How you can help
Your support at home is always welcome. Ask your daughter/son how their assessment
preparations are going; test them on their grammar (past and future tense verbs, for example).
You could also check on Honeycomb for homework/assessment deadlines.
Contact:
Miss Normansell
Ms Moore
- gno@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
- amo@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
Design and Technology
Curriculum – what we’re doing
Students will experience a varied curriculum which will include some or all of the following technologies;
Food, Textiles, Resistant Materials and Graphics activities which are delivered on a termly basis on a
rotation. Activities include a combination of skills in designing and making supported by theory study
relevant to the specialist area.
Formative Assessments
This can be in the form of discussion with a teacher, self or peer assessment of the following.



Creativity, design and analysis skills
Making skills of final product
Practical Skills for test pieces
Summative Assessments
At the start of Year 9 all students will participate in a baseline assessment project. This will include an
assessment of design and analysis skills. This assessment is useful in helping us to predict what the student
is capable of achieving at the end of their GCSE studies. The baseline project is then followed by a series of
projects within the specialist areas.
Assessment structure


Half
termly
At the end of each project, work is assessed.
Improvement comments are recorded alongside student reflection
Recorded in students workbooks with feedback.
Contact: Mr Wadams - awa@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
PE
Curriculum – what we’re doing
Students will experience a varied curriculum including games, gymnastics, athletics and fitness
activities.
Activities will be run on a half-termly basis and will include a combination of skills development,
specific fitness, tactical awareness and performance opportunities. There are extra-curricular
opportunities to become involved in clubs or represent school teams
Formative Assessments
At the start of Year 9 all students will participate in a baseline assessment. This will include a
fitness assessment including
 agility test
 multi stage fitness test (bleep test)
 muscular strength test
They will also take part in an ability test in games. These tests will be repeated towards the end of
Year 9 to assess progress.
Summative Assessments
At the end of most activities, students are assessed in line with National Curriculum guidelines and
these assessments inform the key stage level awarded at the end of Year 9
How you can help
Encourage your son or daughter to remember their PE kit every week and to participate in all
activities to the best of their ability.
Contact: Mrs Haley - nha@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
Art & Design
Curriculum – what we’re doing
1. Cultural Unit
2. The Environment
Formative Assessments
Formative assessment is completed mainly in the students’ sketchbooks and can be completed by
the students, enabling them to reflect on their own work, and by the teacher to help students to
develop or by their peers so they can learn from each other. Formal assessment is completed
every half term. Students are encouraged to complete on average one hour of homework every
two weeks, although many complete a lot more than this. This work takes many forms: some tasks
are set by the teacher and are quite prescriptive and may include researching specific artists,
techniques, collecting resources or completing a particular practical activity. Other activities will
be development work which will be different for each student based on their own ideas and
interests. Some tasks will be set for more or less able students to extend or develop their work.
Summative Assessments
A summative assessment of each project will be completed at the end of each term.
Dates
Two
each
term
Assessment
Recorded in students assessment books and recorded in teacher mark books
How you can help


Ensure that your daughter/son has some coloured pencils and some basic art supplies
Check that homework tasks are completed to the best of your daughter/son’s abilities
Contact: Mrs Flello - gfl@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
ICT & Computing
Curriculum – what we’re doing
During Year 9 students will cover a range of topics to develop their understanding and knowledge
of computing concepts and combine them with ICT skills and give them the confidence to apply
them in a variety of situations. Topics include learning encryption techniques, how sound is stored
in a computer, using databases, building and testing networks. Finally students will be taught
programming skills using a text based language.
Formative Assessments
Students work on a series of mini tasks throughout each topic building up the skills necessary to
complete the mini project. The end of each project is marked as a key assessment task against the
current National Curriculum Computing criteria. An assessment sheet covers the areas that have
been met, provides feedback on what has been done well and improvements for next time. It also
gives the student the opportunity to comment on their own progress.
Summative Assessments
All year 9 students will be assessed once per half term. The assessment will take the form of
producing a final piece of work for each topic. This will then be marked against National
Curriculum criteria and an equivalent GCSE grade applied.
How you can help
You could encourage your daughter/son to access the following websites to enhance their learning
in lessons:
www.teach-ict.com is a useful website to learn the skills and theory required.
my.dynamic-learning.co.uk a username and password will be supplied to access online resources.
Contacts:
Mrs Twist - dtw@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Mrs Mann - kma@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
Drama
Curriculum – what we’re doing
Students have an introduction to a range of Drama skills and theatrical forms in the first cycle.
They develop the social skills of communication and cooperation and learn how to present
themselves appropriately and with confidence. They use their creativity and critical skills when
creating, performing and responding to drama. They explore improvisation, physical theatre and
creating a role. They may also explore issues in role-play activities which they create.
Formative Assessments
The Drama department believes in engaging students in oral assessment from the beginning and
encouraging self-assessment and peer assessment. We use formative assessment as the
continuous process of involving students in the recognition of their own achievements, and the
setting of targets for future improvement. This is built into each lesson under guidance from
verbal feedback from the teacher and allows students to identify their own strengths and
weaknesses.
Summative Assessments
Summative assessment is the recording and reporting of achievements in relation to shared
criteria at a specific time. At the end of the second term students are set a summative task to
create and perform a play for a specific audience which is graded using GCSE criteria. This ensures
progression and informs students of strengths and weaknesses.
1st Cycle
2nd Cycle
Assessment
Self-evaluation and peer assessment of performance work demonstrating a range of dramatic skills.
Teacher assessed improvisation performance based on horror or comedy genre.
How you can help
You could encourage your daughter/son to see as many live performances as they can – this will
always help them improve in Drama. We would also encourage you to look into extra-curricular
drama groups either within school, at the weekends or in the holidays. Any chance to perform will
help.
For more information http://www.dramauk.co.uk/
Contact:
Mr Horton - mho@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Ms Tabassum - ata@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
Music
Curriculum – what we’re doing
The year 9 curriculum is designed to develop performing, composing and appraising skills through
practical activities. Students who already play instruments are encouraged to use them within
weekly music lessons.
Modules covered; (Each consisting of a 6 week rotation)
1. Musical Introductions; The Musical Elements
2. Introduction to Music Technology and Film Music
3. Conventions of Pop
4. Battle of the Bands; Ensemble Performance
Formative Assessments
Each module will consist of an appraising, performance and composition assessment, with a great
emphasis on self and peer evaluation. Formative assessment is carried out at the end of each
module. Students are given the success criteria to reach each level specific to the module being
covered, and informal assessment is carried out during the lesson by the teacher listening to their
work.
Summative Assessments
A summative assessment is recorded at the end of each module, and at the end of the fourth
rotation an average final grade is produced.
How you can help



Encourage your daughter/son to listen critically to a range of music and take part in extracurricular activities; whether in school or outside of school.
Encourage your daughter/son to start or continue with instrumental or vocal lessons.
If your daughter/son is interested in starting instrumental lessons within school, through
Worcestershire Youth Music, please contact Miss Chater.
Contact: Miss Chater – sch@northbromsgrove.worcs.sch.uk
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
GUIDE TO GCSE REFORM
New courses in both GCSE and A Level are to be introduced between September 2015 and September
2017. The changes to A Level will affect students currently in year 11 and below and the GCSE, students
currently in year 9 and below.
CHANGES TO GCSES AND WHEN THEY WILL HAPPEN
New courses to be taught from September 2015 and first examined in June 2017
 Maths, English language and English literature
 More content, more demanding, more extended writing
 Exam at the end of the course in June 2017, November resit for sixth formers only
Further new courses to be taught from September 2016 and first examined in June 2018
 Science (double and triple), modern and ancient languages, history, geography, computer science,
art and design, design technology, drama, physical education, music, religious studies
 More content, more emphasis on literacy and numeracy
 Internal teacher assessment/coursework only where essential
 Exam at the end of the course in June 2018 – no resits except English and maths for sixth formers
Final group of new courses to be taught from September 2017 and first examined in June 2019
 All remaining subjects
 Similar approach in terms of teacher assessment, content and emphasis on literacy and numeracy
 Exam at the end of the course in June 2019 – no resits except English and maths for sixth formers
GRADING OF NEW GCSEs
 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest) will replace the current grades A*-G in English and maths results in 2017
and in 2018 for all other subjects
 Top 20% of candidates graded 7 or above to be awarded a 9
 4 roughly equivalent to what is currently a grade C ; 5 roughly equivalent to a “good” C
 7 and above roughly equivalent to what is currently a grade A and above
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students
North Bromsgrove High School
Year 9 Parents Handbook
HOW THIS AFFECTS YOUR DAUGHTER/SON
CURRENTLY IN YEAR 10 (Start Year 11 in September 2015)
He/she will complete the current GCSEs in June 2016 and will be unaffected by the reforms to GCSE.
CURRENTLY IN YEAR 9 (Start Year 10 in September 2015)
He/she will take the new GCSE courses in maths and English.
All other GCSEs will be the current, unreformed courses.
His/her grades for maths and English, in June 2017 will be 9 to 1.
His/her grades in all other subjects will be published as A*-G.
CURRENTLY IN YEAR 8 (Start Year 9 in September 2015)
He/she will take the new GCSE courses in maths and English and those GCSE subjects that are being
reformed for first teaching in September 2016.
Depending on his/her GCSE options choice, he/she may also be taking a subject or subjects that are not
being reformed for first teaching until September 2017.
For all the new courses, the grades at the end of the course in June 2018 will be expressed as 9 to 1. If
he/she is also taking an unreformed course the grading will be A* to G
MATHS EXAMINATION
Higher exam
- possible grades 9 – 4
Foundation exam* - possible grades 5 – 1
* This reformed Foundation course contains some former Higher Tier (grade B) topics such as trigonometry,
simultaneous and quadratic equations, vectors etc.
Three linear papers will be taken at the end of the course – one non calculator and two calculator papers
(33.3% each and must be sat at the same tier of entry).
Mathematics has no coursework and is 100% exam based.
All the exam papers will contain questions that test everyday maths through functional contexts.
We envisage due to the changes from September 2015 (first examination June 2017) that more students
who traditionally would have been entered for the Higher tier will now be entered for Foundation.
Curriculum and Assessment Information for Parents of Year 9 students