Welcome!
GCSE Information
evening
Thursday September
11th 2014
Y10 GCSE Information Evening
 Welcome
 Who’s who
 KS4 Curriculum
Handbook
 Core subjects
 Options subjects
KS4
Handbook
Contents
Subject
pages
Core (compulsory) subject presentations
 English
 Maths
 Science
 RS
 ICT
English
Studying English at GCSE
1
GCSE
Programme of
study
English
Language
and
Literature
2
GCSEs
• Creative writing
•Controlled
Non-FictionAssessment
Texts
of from
GCSEanother
marks
•= 40%
A novel
culture
Exam
=
•60%
A Shakespeare
play
of GCSE marks
• A selection of poetry
Literature
Language
•Controlled
• A
Creative
Shakespeare
writing
play
(CA)
Assessment
Controlled
• compared
Of Mice and
with
Men
another
(CA)
=
25%
of GCSE
marks
Assessment
= language
• text
A study
(CA)of spoken
Modern Texts Exam =
•40%
An
(CA)
Inspector
Calls
(Exam)
of
GCSE
marks
of
GCSE
•40%
• Of
Reading
Mice
and
andmarks
Men
writing
(Exam)
nonExam
=
= 35% of
•Poetry
Poetry
fictionExam
(Exam)
texts (Exam)
60% of
GCSE marks
GCSE
marks
This Year
English
Lang/ Lit
Autumn 1: creative
writing
Autumn 1: Of Mice and Men
Autumn 2: Of Mice and
Men
Autumn 2: creative writing,
reading and writing nonfiction
Spring 1: poetry
Spring 2: reading and
writing non-fiction
(preparation for end of
year exam)
Summer 1: creative
writing
Spring 1: spoken language
study, poetry
Spring 2: poetry, reading
and writing non–fiction
(preparation for end of year
exam)
Summer 1: creative writing
All students will have fortnightly non-fiction
lessons throughout the year.
How to succeed in English:
There are a variety of steps
students can take - in the
classroom and at home – to
give themselves the best
chance of success in their
English GCSE(s).
In the classroom:
 Be an active learner – ask questions, share
ideas, develop a personal response to texts you
read.
 Aim for AtL grade of B or above.
 Complete all the work set.
 If you don’t understand, ask the teacher
either in the lesson or afterwards.
Outside lessons:
 Complete homework on time and to a high
standard.
 Look at the feedback in your book and act on
it.
 Work at addressing your targets.
 Use websites like SAM learning or Bitesize.
 Read a variety of texts including fiction and
non-fiction.
 Do some extra research into the writers you
study and the places and times in which they
wrote.
What we can offer:
 Help / catch-up sessions to
assist with any class work
or homework you find
difficult.
 Revision guides to
purchase or borrow.
 Recommendations if you’re
unsure what to read.
Maths
The Exams
 2 Papers
 Non Calculator
 Calculator
 NO CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT
Top Tips: Calculator
 Every child needs their
own scientific calculator
 We recommend a Casio
calculator
 Costs approximately £6.99
Mymaths
 Every child has a mymaths account which we use
to set them work at home.
 Ask your child for their mymaths log in
 You can check to see if they have done their
homework
 You can also see how well they did their homework
Revision Classes
 The revision classes will start during the run up to the
exams in year 11
 Make sure your child attends all the afterschool
revision classes
 The revision classes always run from 3:45 to 4:45
once a week normally on a Wednesday
Exam Practice
 This will start during the run up to the exams in year
11
 Ensure your child completes all the exam booklets
they are given
 Your child will be given one exam booklet a week
that needs to be completed for homework
Revision at home
 Expect your child to be working at home. Encourage
them to use mathswatch.
www.mathswatchvle.com
 They cannot rely on using just the time in school to
revise to get the grade that they are capable of
Science
Y10 have been studying GCSE science since Y9
=3 year GCSE course
GCSE Science
There are five types of Science GCSE
1.GCSE Core Science
2. GCSE Additional Science.
studied by the
majority of
students
3. GCSE Biology.
4. GCSE Chemistry.
5. GCSE Physics.
So most students will end up with two science
qualifications, some with three.
Understanding GCSE Science
The top 60 pupils at the end of year 8 are entered onto the Triple Science
course. They are also taught and examined over three years and receive
separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students can be
moved up or down from the group until Feb. of Year 10.
1 complete GCSE in year 9 + 10
1 complete GCSE in year 10 +11
all pupils in
Y10
in Y11 with
revision time
top 60 pupils
Y9,10 and 11
71% of all pupils taking a GCSE exam in Science at
Neatherd get a ‘C’ or better
Top Science tips
 Get a revision guide or
guides as we have
already covered a large
part of one GCSE
 Prepare properly for
end of unit assessments
 Be organised and expect
to work hard
Top Science tips
 Use the exam board (AQA)
to print past papers mark
schemes and the
specification.
 Always complete your
homework to the best of
your ability – don’t copy and
paste.
 Ask for help – we don’t bite !
Society
&
Ethics
Lesson structure
Students will have four lessons per fortnight.
Each lesson will cover aspects of Religious Studies, PSHE and
Citizenship.
We will deliver a curriculum which meets the national
guidelines for RS, PSHE and Citizenship, with students all
receiving a full GCSE qualification.
The exams
2 Papers
Religion & Life: Based on the study
of Christianity and Islam.
Religion & Society: Based on the
study of Christianity and Islam.
Top tips: Watch the news
Your grade in Society & Ethics will
dramatically improve if you are aware of
current affairs.
Talk about it at home
Students who discuss difficult moral issues at
home will have a far greater success rate at GCSE.
Perhaps an interesting discussion over the dinner
table regarding issues of life and death, war, crime
and medical ethics.
Recommended revision guide
We will be using the Pearson Revise
Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies
Guide.
There will be a class set in each
teaching room and can be accessed
during lunchtime and after school
revision sessions.
If students wish to buy them from us,
we will be offering them for £2.50
from January 2015.
Revision classes
Revision lessons will be offered for the final 12 weeks up to
the end of year 11.
Each topic will be covered and all students will have the
opportunity to come to specific sessions relating to specific
topics.
These will run once a week during both lunch times and after
school.
Revision at home
Homework will not necessarily be set after every Society &
Ethics lesson. However, students are expected to complete 1
hour of Society & Ethics related work each week.
This will either be set as specific homework, or students will
be told to revise specific topics that have been studied during
that week.
The students’ view!
 Top 10 Tips for parents!
Their own top 10 tips!
Quiet study area
2. Planned time
3. Advise but don’t nag!
4. Revision guides
5. Understand what they’re going through
6. Make sure they’re equipped
7. Don’t let them leave it until the night before
8. Make sure they SLEEP, Rest and relax
9. Make sure they eat well
10. Make sure they come to school!
1.
Attendance
 Of pupils who miss more than 50% of school, only 3%
manage to achieve five A* to Cs including English and
Maths.
 Of pupils who miss between 10% and 20% of
school, only 35% manage to achieve five A* to C
GCSEs including English and Maths.
 Of pupils who miss less than 5% of school, 73% achieve
five A* to Cs including English and Maths.
Attendance and Achievement
In the bottom 10,
average = 86%
Bottom 25 67% at -95%
Top 25 80% at 95%+
50% had attendance
over 98%
Thank you!
6.35
6.50
7.05
7.15 - end