GCSE GRADE CHANGES

Broadly the same number of students who currently achieve a grade C or above will achieve a grade 4 or above.

GCSE GRADE CHANGES

The Department for Education have identified a grade 5 as a ‘good pass’. Grade 5 is equivalent to the top of a C grade / bottom of a B grade.

GCSE GRADE CHANGES

Broadly the same number of students who currently achieve a grade A or above will achieve a grade 7 or above.

GCSE GRADE CHANGES

The top 20% of students who achieve a grade 7 or above will be awarded a grade 9.

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Reformed Mathematics GCSE

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

General Changes • GCSE Mathematics is going to become more demanding for

everyone: – Content is being added to Foundation and Higher Tiers

– The demand of that content is increasing too with harder topics being introduced

• The students will achieve a numerical grade (9-1)

• Students will be following the Edexcel Syllabus

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

The Content • There is roughly a third more content required for GCSE

Mathematics • A lot of content has moved from Higher Tier to Foundation Tier

as well as from A-Level to Higher Tier. There has also been the introduction of some new topics.

• A greater focus on problem-solving • Additional requirements to provide clear mathematical

arguments

In response to these changes students now attend 7 Mathematics lessons every two weeks.

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Foundation Tier Content

Number 25%

Ratio, Proportion & Rates

of Change

25%

Algebra 20%

Geometry &

Measures 15%

Statistics &

Probability

15%

“Foundation tier will focus on core mathematical

understanding and skills for all students to

master”

This is now a stand-alone area

of content

Number 25%

Ratio, Proportion & Rates of

Change 25%

Algebra 20%

Geometry &

Measures 15%

Statistics & Probability

15%

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Content Moving to Foundation

Number 15%

[CATEGORY NAME] [PERCENT

AGE]

Algebra 30%

Statistics &

Probability

15%

Geometry &

Measures 20%

0%

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Higher Tier Content

“Higher tier will focus on questions that will stretch the most able”

Number 15%

[CATEGORY NAME] [PERCENT

AGE]

Algebra 30%

Statistics &

Probability

15%

Geometry &

Measures 20%

0%

Number 15%

Ratio, Proportion and Rates of change

20%

Algebra 30%

Statistics & Probability

15%

Geometry &

Measures 20%

This will be tested more

than currently

These will be tested less than

currently

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Content Moving to Higher • Expanding triple brackets

• Interpret the reverse process as the ‘inverse function’‛;; interpret the succession of two functions as a ‘composite function’‛ (using formal function notation)

• Deduce turning points by completing the square

• Calculate or estimate gradients of graphs and areas under graphs, and interpret results in real-life cases (not including calculus)

• Simple geometric progressions including surds, and other sequences

• Deduce expressions to calculate the nth term of quadratic sequences

• Calculate and interpret conditional probabilities through Venn diagrams

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

•

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Omitted Topics • Trial and improvement • Tessellations • Isometric grids • Imperial units of measure • Questionnaires • 3D coordinates • Rotation and enlargement of functions

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Grades and Tiers

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Higher Tier

Foundation Tier

Overlap

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

The Examinations • The total time for the examinations is increasing from 3½ hours to

4½ hours. • This is spread out over 3 examinations. • All exams will be sat at the end of the course. • No early entry option available for pupils. • There are fewer marks at the lower grades and more marks at the

higher grades for both Foundation and Higher Tiers.

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

The Examinations

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Formulas • Students will be required to memorise formulae

– Fewer formulae will be provided

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Formulas • Formulas provided

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GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Formulas • Formulas removed and will need to be memorised

×

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

January Mock Exams • Students will sit two papers • Paper 1 – Non Calculator

– Tuesday 5th January

• Paper 2 – Calculator – Monday 11th January

• 1 hour 45mins each • Students will be graded on the 9-1 scale

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Equipment • Pencil • Black Pen • Ruler • Rubber • Pair of compasses • Protractor • Scientific Calculator (recommended Casio fx series)

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Resources • Textbooks

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Resources • Textbooks • Revision Guides

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Resources • Textbooks • Revision Guides • www.mymaths.co.uk

Login: southam Password: multiply

GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

Resources • Textbooks • Revision Guides • www.mymaths.co.uk • www.mathswatchvle.com

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GCSE English Language GCSE English Literature

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Key Information

• Two separate, equally important GCSE qualifications • English Language assesses reading and writing skills

through unseen material • English Literature assesses reading skills through pre-

read texts and some unseen material • Both qualifications are 100% exam • Both qualifications must be sat at the end of Year 11 • Both qualifications have 2 exams – so there are 4 exams

in total • There are no tiers of entry: all students sit the same exam • English Literature exams are ‘closed text’. i.e. Students

will not take copies of the text into the exam

GCSE English Language

• Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing • Section A: Reading (50% of the marks for the paper) • Students read one extract from a creative text – this is

likely to be an extract from a novel • 4 questions • Q1: Retrieval of information • Q2: Analysis of language • Q3: Analysis of structure • Q4: Evaluation

The questions increase in challenge and in marks (from 4 up to 20)

GCSE English Language

• Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing • Section B: Writing (50% of the marks for the paper) • A choice of questions – either descriptive or narrative • E.g. A piece of writing inspired by an image such as this:

GCSE English Language

• Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives • Section A: Reading (50% of the marks for the paper) • Students read two extracts: one modern non-fiction (e.g.

a news article) and one pre-1900 literary non-fiction (e.g. travel writing)

• 4 questions • Q1: True or false • Q2: Summary of both texts • Q3: Analysis of language • Q4: Comparison of views and language

The questions increase in challenge and in marks (from 4 up to 16)

• Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives • Section B: Writing (50% of the marks for the paper) • 1 question – writing to argue and persuade • The question will be based on the reading material • Students will be given a statement to argue for or against

GCSE English Language

GCSE English Literature

• Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-century Novel • Section A: one question on Macbeth • Students are given an extract to analyse • They then need to link to the whole play • Section B: 19th-century novel (e.g. Frankenstein, The

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde) • Again, students are given an extract to analyse and then

need to link to the novel as a whole

GCSE English Literature

• Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry • Section A: Modern Prose or Drama • Students study one text (e.g. An Inspector Calls, Never

Let Me Go, Animal Farm) • They answer one essay question about a

theme/character/idea

• Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry • Section B: Poetry • Students study an anthology of poetry (‘Power and

Conflict’) with past and present poets covered • They must compare a named poem (which is printed in

the exam paper) with a poem of their choice • Section C: Unseen Poetry • Students analyse a poem they haven’t seen before • They then see a second unseen poem, which they have

to compare to the first

GCSE English Literature

Overcoming Fears...

It’s a closed-text exam. How am I

going to remember every word of all

these books?

Overcoming Fears...

You don’t have to!

• Quote from the texts/extracts printed on the exam paper • Refer to sections of the text (e.g. “When Lady Macbeth sleepwalks”) • Paraphrase (e.g. “When Lady Macbeth says that she would murder her own baby if she had promised to do it”) • Refer to key words in the text (e.g. “When Lady Macbeth says she would “dash” her baby’s brain out”) • It is important to have a bank of quotes for each text but students don’t have to remember them word-for-word

Overcoming Fears...

What if I don’t do well on the day?

It all comes down to the exam!

Overcoming Fears...

Put in the work now and it will pay off

• Exams aren’t just passed on the day: they are passed in the weeks and months leading up to them • Skills and knowledge will be acquired, developed and assessed regularly throughout years 10 and 11 • A wide range of skills are assessed across the exams

Mock Exams

• Students will sit two exams; each is 1 hour • English Language – Paper 1 Section A (Reading) • English Literature – Paper 1 Section A (Macbeth) • Read age-appropriate novels • Create index cards of language techniques and structural

devices • Create index cards of top tips for each question • Create index cards for Macbeth – characters, themes, context • Create quote cards for Macbeth • Re-read and/or watch Macbeth • Use study guides for Macbeth, available online or in print

How can you help?

• Encourage wider reading

• Support your son/daughter to include English revision in their revision timetable

• Provide opportunities for reading of the news online and in print

• Provide opportunities for the use of study guides, either in print, online or via mobile/tablet apps

• Read the set texts and discuss your views on the characters, events and themes

• Watch suitable film or TV adaptations of the set texts together

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Please feel free to contact me or your son/daughter’s

English teacher for any more advice.

Science at Southam

Jim Eltringham Head of Science

Rob Holt KS4 Science Co-ordinator

42

• Our GCSE courses. • When the exams are. • How we will get you

there.

This is all about:

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• GCSE OCR Gateway Science Suite – Science B

• GCSE OCR Gateway Science Suite – Additional Science B

GCSE Science & Additional Science

44

GCSE OCR

Gateway Science B

B1, C1, P1 (35%)

B2,C2,P2 (40%)

Controlled Assessment

(25%)

Course Outline Science B

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GCSE OCR Gateway Additional Science B

B3, C3, P3 (35%)

B4,C4,P4 (40%)

Controlled Assessment

(25%)

Course Outline Additional Science B

46

External Assessment: All the dates you need to know.

• Science B (Year 10): – B1, C1, P1 – 75 minutes Summer 2017 – B2, C2, P2 – 90 minutes Summer 2017 – Controlled Assessment (Beginning of Year11)

• Additional Science B (Year 11):

– B3, C3, P3 – 75 minutes Summer 2017 – B4, C4, P4 – 90 minutes Summer 2017 – Controlled Assessment (Beginning of Year11)

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• GCSE OCR Gateway Science Suite – Biology B

• GCSE OCR Gateway Science Suite – Chemistry B

• GCSE OCR Gateway Science Suite – Physics B

GCSE Biology, Chemistry & Physics

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GCSE OCR Gateway Biology

Science B

B1, B2, B3 (35%)

B4, B5, B6 (40%)

Controlled Assessment

(25%)

Course Outline Biology B

The format is exactly the same for Chemistry and Physics.

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External Assessment

Biology – B1, B2, B3 – 75 minutes Summer 2017

– B4, B5, B6 – 90 minutes Summer 2017

– Controlled Assessment - (Beginning of Year11)

The format is exactly the same for Chemistry and Physics.

So... What do we do to

get the best out of your child...

...and how can you as parents support this?

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Now, 2017 is a long way off...

...and we don’t want to be too late.

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Target grades

These are intended to be ambitious, yet achievable.

52

Regular testing

We have a programme of mini-tests and mocks designed to ‘uncouple’ the testing from the recent learning.

Gradually, the learning catches up with the tests. Students should prepare for these as if they were real GCSEs. Results are displayed on a public notice board. Intervention will be aimed at students most in need.

53

How to prepare for exams in Science (internal or external)

• Revision notes. • Past exam papers. • Revision ‘cards’. • Lunchtime revision sessions (voluntary). • Revision guides. • BBC Bitesize website.

54

Revision notes (used sensibly)

55

56

Past paper questions (or putting your shirt on a live horse)

Remember to use Gateway Science from 2012 (until you know what you are doing). Use these (plus mark schemes) to diagnose the areas you need to work on. Then go to town with the revision notes, focusing on those areas.

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What to use to make your revision notes

What if you are in a hurry?

58

What if I need more help?

This lady will dress up as you and take your exam for you.

Not really. But she is co-ordinating the

revision materials such as the revision cards, and would love to hear from you.

All your Science teachers will be happy to help you, obviously.

59

Mrs Jones

60

Some clever ideas people just like you have used

1. Learn the mark scheme, eat your meal, then try the question. 2. Keep a score chart of how you do in exam questions. 3. Reward yourself once you get, say, 50 marks. 4. Make up your own exam questions. 5. Look at questions from other boards and work out if they are

relevant to you. 6. Write your answers on the back of an envelope to save on

printing. 7. Print off and carry questions with you in case you have time. 8. Bring tricky questions and answers in to discuss with one of

us. See if you can catch us out!

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Parting Thoughts: Who would you rather be?

I’ve already done a question like this before twice. I need to

remember units! Thank goodness for mini-tests.

Which way up does this go?

And lastly, ...

...don’t underestimate the impact parents can make.

Thank you for listening.

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