GCSE TIPS FOR SUCCESS AND HOW PARENTS CAN HELP

2016/17

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 1

CONTENTS

Information & Dates Pg 1-8

(School Calendar, College Open Days,

Provisional Exam Timetable)

Clayton Hall Academy Support Pg 9

Progress Checks Pg 10-11

General Revision Information Pg 12-26

General Parental Support Strategies Pg 27-28

The Importance of Attendance Pg 29

Summary Pg 30

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 2

2016-17 SCHOOL CALENDAR – CLAYTON HALL ACADEMY

SEPTEMBER 2016

S M T W T F S

28 29 30 31 1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 1

NOVEMBER 2016

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 1 2

SEPTEMBER 2016

05 INSET day for staff only 21&22

Open Days – 09.00 and 12.00

06 Students return to school 21 Parents’ Forum at 17.30

14 Yr 11 Injections 28-9 Yr 11 Geog Trips to Buxton

16 Individual and House Photos 29 Twilight INSET 15.45-17.45

20 Open Evening at 19.00 30 Yr 7 Author Visit

OCTOBER 2016

S M T W T F S

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31

OCTOBER 2016 4 ASK FM Cyber Bullying

Assemblies Yr 7-10 13 Twilight INSET 15.45-17.45

4 Year 7 Information Evening 17 Yr 7-11 Interim reports issued

10 Year 7 House Day - Determination 18-21 Yr 11 Battlefields Tour

11 Year 7 House Day - Integrity 19

Science workshops for Yr 7&8 BAE/RAF Project

12 Year 7 House Day - Valour 20 Last day for students - Half term

13 Year 7 House Day - Ambition

21 INSET day for staff

NOVEMBER 2016

1 District Careers Event at NULC for Yr 11 16

Parents' Forum in Library at 17.30

1 Yr 11 Parents’ Evening 22 Yr 7 Parents’ Evening

7-11 Interhouse Sporting Events 23 Axia Careers Fair 14.00-18.00

7-18 Yr 11 PPE Examinations 24 Presentation Day and Evening

DECEMBER 2016

S M T W T F S

27 28 29 30 1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

DECEMBER 2016 1 Academy Day 1 13 Christmas Show Matinee

5 Maths Team Challenge Yr 8&9 14&15 Christmas Shows

12

Tech and Dress run for Christmas Show (Music and PA)

15 Year 7-10 Interim reports and Year 11 Full reports issued

12&13

Year 11: Art /Photography Exam

16 End of term for Christmas

JANUARY 2017

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31

JANUARY 2017

3 Return to school 19 Motivational Assembly Fix-up

9-20 Year 10 PPE Examinations 19 TWILIGHT INSET 3.45-5.45

18 Parents' Forum in Library at 17.30 31 Year 9 Parents' Evening

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 3

MARCH 2017

M T W T F S

26 27 28 1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31 1

MAY 2017

S M T W T F S

30 1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31 1 2 3

FEBRUARY 2017

S M T W T F S

29 30 31 1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 1 2 3 4

FEBRUARY 2017

1 Academy Day 2 17 Last day before half term

2 Intermediate Maths Challenge Yr 9-11

27 Return to school

13-17 Academy Show 28 Year 10 Parents’ Evening

16 Year 7,9-11 Interim reports and Year 8 Full reports issued

MARCH 2017

1 Number Day 14 Pi Day

1 Parents Evening for Year 11 15

Parents' Forum in Library at 17.30

2 World Book Day 23 Academy Day 3

6-17 Year 11 PPE Examinations 20 or 21

Year 9 Maths Space Centre Visit

10-19 Science Week 27-31 Interhouse Sporting Events

APRIL 2017

S M T W T F S

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 1 2 3 4 5 6

APRIL 2017

6 Year 7-8, 10-11 interim reports and Year 9 full reports issued

24&25

Year 11: Art /Photography Exam

7 Last Day before Easter Holiday 27

Junior Maths Challenge: Year 7 & 8

24 Return to school 25 Year 8 Parents’ Evening

MAY 2017

4&5 Year 11 BTEC PA Performances

15 GCSEs begin

8-12 Year 9 Examinations 18

TWILIGHT INSET EFA 3.45-5.45

10 Parents' Forum in Library at 17.30

25 Year 8-10 interim reports and Year 7 full reports issued

JUNE 2017

S M T W T F S

28 29 30 31 1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 1

JUNE 2017

19-29 Year 10 PPE Examinations 22

TWILIGHT INSET SLCN 3.45-5.45

21 Parents' Forum in Library at 17.30 30 Academy Day 4

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 4

AUGUST 2017

S M T W T F S

30 31 1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31 1 2

Week 1

Week 2

Staff only in school

School holidays

JULY 2017

3 New Intake Evening 10 Sports Day

4 Young Teen Fiction Awards Ceremony 17-21

Creative Arts Week / Lower School Camp

5 New Intake Day

20 Year 7-9 Interim reports and Year 10 full reports issued

6 or 7 Year 7 Maths Enterprise Periods 1-3

JULY 2017

S M T W T F S

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31 1 2 3 4 5

AUGUST 2017

24 GCSE Results

SEPTEMBER 2017 – subject to confirmation

04 School Opens – Staff only

05 Students return to school: Yr 7 &11 at 8.45. Yr 8,9 and 10 at 11.10

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 5

IMPORTANT Y11 DATES

Date Event

17th

Oct Y11 Interim Reports Issued

18th

- 21st

Oct Y 11 Battlefields tour

1st

Nov District Careers Event at NULC

1st

Nov Y11 Parents Evening

7th

– 18th

Nov PPE 1 Examinations

23rd

Nov Axia Careers Fair

24th

Nov Presentation Day & Evening

1st

December Academy Day 1

12th

& 13th

Dec Art / Photography Exam

15th

Dec Y11 Full reports Issued

1st

Feb Academy Day 2

16th

Feb Interim Reports issued

1st

March Parents Info Evening

6-17th

March Y11 PPE 2 Examinations

23rd

March Academy Day 3

6th

April Y11 Interim Reports Issued

6th

April Art / Photography Exam

4th

& 5th

May BTEC PA Performances

15th

May GCSE Exams Begin

24th

August GCSE Results Day

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 6

COLLEGE OPEN DAYS

Newcastle College: 01782 715111 www.nulc.ac.uk

Monday 17th October 2016 5:30 – 8pm

Wednesday 9th November 2016 5:30 – 8pm

Tuesday 6th December 2016 5:30 – 8pm

Saturday 21st January 2016 10 – 12noon

Wednesday 15th March 2017 5:30 – 8pm

Saturday 24th June 2017 10 – 12noon Reaseheath: 01270 625131 www.reaseheath.ac.uk

NB, you need to book your place by phone or internet

Saturday 8th October 2016, 10.30am start

Saturday 12th November 2016, 10.30am start

Saturday 3rd December 2016, 10.30am start

Saturday 21st January 2017, 10:30am start

Saturday 18th February 2017, 10.30am start

Saturday 18th March 2017, 10.30am start South Cheshire College: 01270 654654 www.scc.ac.uk

Monday 3rd October 2016 5.30pm - 8.30pm

Monday 7th November 2016 5.30pm - 8.30pm

Monday 5th December 2016 5.30pm - 8.30pm

Stoke-On-Trent College: 01782 208208 www.stokecoll.ac.uk

Monday 10th October 2016 5:00pm-7:30pm

Tuesday 8th November 2016 5:00pm-7:30pm

Wednesday 7th December 2016 5:00pm-7:30pm

Monday 6th February 2017 5:00pm-7:30pm

Thursday 16th March 2017 5:00pm-7:30pm

Saturday 17th June 2017 10:00am-1:00pm

Stoke Sixth Form: 01782 848736 www.stokesfc.ac.uk

Wednesday 28th September 2016 5.00pm–8.00pm

Tuesday 15th November 2016 5.00pm–8.00pm

Wednesday 30th November 2016 5.00pm–8.00pm

Wednesday 8th February 2017 5.00pm–8.00pm

Wednesday 29th March 2017 5.00pm–8.00pm PM Training (Shelton): 01782 279121 https://pmtraining.org.uk

Wednesday 5th October 2016 4-7pm

Wednesday 2nd November 2015 4-7pm

Wednesday 7th December 2016 4-7pm

Wednesday 4th January 2017 4-7pm

Wednesday 1st February 2017 4-7pm

Wednesday 1st March 2017 4-7pm

Wednesday 15th March 2017 4-7pm

Wednesday 26th April 2017 4-7pm Trinity Sixth Form: 01782 615636 www.trinity6.com

Wednesday 19th October 7-9pm St Joseph’s College 6th Form, Trent Vale

Wednesday 2nd November 7pm

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 7

PROVISIONAL EXAM TIMETABLE

Exam Timetable June 2017

(still not confirmed - based on information prior to estimated entries)

Date Week Start Subject

Mon 15 May W

eek

1

09:30

Mon 15 May 14:00

Tues 16 May 09:30 French

Tues 16 May 14:00 Unit 1 - Biology

Wed 17 May 09:30 Unit 1 - ICT and Latin???

Wed 17 May 14:00 Religious Studies (40552)

Thu 18 May 09:30 Unit 1 - Chemistry

Thu 18 May 14:00 Urdu ???

Fri 19 May 09:30 Spanish

Fri 19 May 14:00 Physical Education & Turkish/Dutch/Latin???

Mon 22 May

Wee

k 2

09:30 English Literature (8702/1)

Mon 22 May 14:00 Unit 1 - Geography

Tues 23 May 09:30 Chinese / Latin ???

Tues 23 May 14:00 Religious Studies (40553)

Wed 24 May 09:30 Business Studies & Turkish/Dutch ???

Wed 24 May 14:00 Unit 1 - Physics

Thu 25 May 09:30 Maths - Paper 1

Thu 25 May 14:00 Unit 3 - ICT and Latin???

Fri 26 May 09:30 English Literature (8702/2)

Fri 26 May 14:00

HALF - TERM BREAK

Mon 5 Jun

Wee

k 3

09:30 History

Mon 5 Jun 14:00 Chinese ???

Tues 6 Jun 09:30 English Language (8700/1)

Tues 6 Jun 14:00 Unit 2 - Geography

Wed 7 Jun 09:30 Computer Science & German & Latin???

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 8

Wed 7 Jun 14:00

Thu 8 Jun 09:30 Maths - Paper 2

Thu 8 Jun 14:00

Fri 9 Jun 09:30 Unit 2 - Biology

Fri 9 Jun 14:00 Business Studies and Music and Turkish/Dutch???

Mon 12 Jun

Wee

k 4

09:30 English Language (8700/2)

Mon 12 Jun 14:00 Russian???

Tues 13 Jun 09:30

Tues 13 Jun 14:00

Wed 14 Jun 09:30 Unit 2 - Chemistry

Wed 14 Jun 14:00 History

Thu 15 Jun 09:30 Child Development

Thu 15 Jun 14:00

Fri 16 Jun 09:30 Unit 2 - Physics

Fri 16 Jun 14:00 Resistant Materials and Food Tech and

Italian/Panjabi???

Mon 19 Jun

Wee

k 5

09:30 Unit 3 - Biology

Mon 19 Jun 14:00 Arabic???

Tues 20 Jun 09:30 Panjabi???

Tues 20 Jun 14:00 Graphic Products

Wed 21 Jun 09:30 Unit 3 - Chemistry

Wed 21 Jun 14:00 Russian???

Thu 22 Jun 09:30

Thu 22 Jun 14:00 Arabic???

Fri 23 Jun 09:30 Unit 3 - Physics

Fri 23 Jun 14:00

Mon 26 Jun

Wee

k 6

09:30 Product Design

Mon 26 Jun 14:00

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 9

SCHOOL SUPPORT

If problems arise please contact school immediately. There are lots of people who can help:

Form Tutor / Class Teacher

Head of House / Head of Department

Assistant Principals (Mr Dugdale, Mrs Hulme, Mrs Thorne, Mrs McHugh)

All contact details are on the school website. Please contact your child's tutor or class teacher in the first instance if appropriate.

We also are developing the role of our Thrive Centre based in the Chapel where there are two full time members of staff (emotional & behavioural) working with the existing pastoral support available in school

Examples of Strategies used at Clayton Hall Academy

Intervention Timetable / Revision Sessions

Revision Materials & Past Papers

Y11 Form Tutor Intervention

Y11 targeted intervention sessions in each subject

Year 11 Parents Evening

Pre-Public Examinations (2 Sessions)

1:1 subject sessions

Study Skills Assemblies To Prepare for Exams Sessions

February Half Term Revision Timetable

Easter Revision Timetable

May Half Term Revision Timetable

Walking Talking Mocks

Pupil Premium Events

Master Classes & Intervention away days

Exam Revision Timetable

Reporting and Tracking Wall

Posters of Key Exam Facts

A variety of mentoring for targeted students

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 10

PROGRESS CHECKS

At Clayton Hall Academy there is a half termly cycle of data drops by staff as well as a full

report. It will include the following information for each student:

Current working grade

Forecast end of year grade (EYP)

Attitude to learning (A2L)

Attitude to Home learning (A2HL)

Here is a guide to the flight path system which we are using in 2016-17

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 11

In addition to the 5 year Flightpath, you will be able to track your child's progress on a year view by using the graph on the inside front cover of their books. Starting with your most recent grade from last year, your child and you can plot their Flightpath position each half term throughout the year.

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL USE THE PROGRESS DATA?

Departments meet to discuss progress, target and evaluate interventions.

Senior Leadership Team monitor and evaluate this process through regular meetings with

department heads.

The progress data will be available to parents via the interim and full reporting cycle.

Students will be informed of their progress on a regular basis.

Students should be able to explain to parents what they need to do to make progress.

WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION

Website: www.claytonhallacademy.org

Parent mail

School app

Email addresses of all staff on website ‘contact us’ page

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 12

GENERAL REVISION TIPS (For your son / daughter)

Get started! Even if it’s just a little bit to begin with.

The earlier you begin revising the more impact it will have.

Plan it! Try to produce a timetable of when and what you’re going to revise.

This helps you track your revision and ensure you give adequate time to each different subject.

Breathe! Remember to schedule small breaks into your revision.

Do something completely different; eat, drink, move around. This will help refresh your brain before beginning again.

Eat & drink! Consuming the right food (avoid sugary foods) and drink can help boost your brain power, focus and retention.

Make sure your environment is suitable for revision. Turn off your phone, get away from distractions and settle down to work.

Add variety; draw things, record things, do past papers, make lists and mind maps. These help alleviate boredom and spread the work of retaining information around your brain.

Summarise & reward! Try to end each revision session with a brief summary of the work and a reward for your hard work.

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 13

HOW CAN PARENTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Research Shows:

Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher.

Research has highlighted a correlation between parental involvement and student

achievement in school, however the "how" of parental involvement continues to be a

challenge.

(Greenwood & Hickman, 1991; Seefeldt, 1985; Voydanoff & Donnelly, 1996, in Peña, 2000; Gutman & Midgley, 2000)

Parent involvement has been linked with student outcomes including increased

achievement test results, a decrease in dropout rate, improved attendance, improved

student behavior, higher grades, higher grade point average, greater commitment to

schoolwork, and improved attitude toward school.

Parent Involvement and Student Achievement Summary #18, 2000

In schools where student achievement was reported, Loucks (1992) found that parent

involvement was a significant factor in both accelerated and sustained student academic

performance. Parent Involvement: The Key to Improved Student Achievement Steven R. Hara and Daniel J. School

Community Journal, Vol. 8, No. 2, Fall/Winter 1998

Family participation in education is TWICE as predictive of students’ academic success as

family socioeconomic status. 86% of the general public believes that support from parents is

the most important way to improve schools. School age children spend 70% of their waking

hours outside of school.

Catholic Principals’ Council

A Proven Fact:

When parents are actively involved in their child’s education student achievement

improves.

Parental support is 8 times more important in determining a child’s academic success than

social class. The Campaign for Learning found that parental involvement in a child’s

education can mean the difference between an A* and an ‘also-ran’ at GCSE.

The good news is that you don’t need to be an expert in any of the subjects your child

chooses to make a real difference. You also don’t need to give up your life and other

responsibilities – you just need to know how best to spend the time you do have.

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 14

One of the hardest demands on students is that of understanding the long-term importance

of doing the best they can, and learning to shelve short-term fun at times in the interest of

long-term benefits (not easy even for adults).

Children will also differ in their levels of maturity, their ability to take responsibility for their

learning, organisational skills and levels of motivation.

This is where parents come in.

Your support, encouragement and interest can make a spectacular difference to your child’s

motivation and ability to cope with the academic and organisational demands of the exam

period.

There will often be challenges to overcome: Busy schedules, Student doesn’t want, parent

involved, Student would rather watch TV, Student’s friends don’t value school work, Not

sure how to help

TIPS FOR PARENTS

“How can I help my child do better in school this year?”

Communicate effectively with your child’s teacher to address any issues or to advise the teacher of any challenges that your child faces outside the classroom

Keep informed

Stay positive

Be pro-active when you have questions or concerns

Communicate

Set Realistic Goals

Establish a Routine

Help Your Child Get Organized

Never do your child’s homework!

Expect and praise progress and effort

Focus and build on your child’s strengths

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 15

Firstly, ensure that your child has the resources and environment to do everything they are being asked to by their teachers.

A calm, supportive home goes a long way in helping children succeed with revision and exams. This is often the hardest part. Once they begin, even in small amounts, it tends to be much easier.

Monitor and motivate them. Keep an eye on their timetable; are they doing what they should be?

Try to motivate them on the (many) days that they just don’t want to do it.

However … Follow the 80/20 rule. If your child is doing the right thing 80% of the time, they will be fine.

Sometimes “over---nagging” can be counterproductive. It’s tricky to get the balance right between driving them on and knowing when to step back.

Reward them. Think about different rewards you might use to encourage, motivate and focus their Revision work. However, remember that sometimes intrinsic rewards like the satisfaction of learning a difficult piece of work can be the best reward itself.

Stressors. Look out for any unusual signs in your child that might show that the stress and strain is getting too much and, if spotted, support them; offer them a break, a change of scenery or just a chat.

If these concerns remain or intensify seek support.

DRAW UP A REVISION PLAN

Get your child to draw up a grid like this for all their subjects – it really does work!

TIME NEEDED COMPLETED/GET HELP

SCIENCE PAPER 1 TOTAL – 20 HOURS

Inheritance & selection 3

Structures & bonding 4

Wave & radiation 4

Humans as organisms 3 (difficult)

Maintenance of life 3

Metals 3

SCIENCE PAPER 2 TOTAL – 23 HOURS

Environment 3

Patterns of chemical change 5 (difficult)

Forces 5

Earth Materials 3

Energy 3

Electricity 4

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 16

A REVISION TIMETABLE

You will need:

All the exam dates, Dates of other commitments i.e. family events, List of your subjects

Blank calendar, Support from family & friends.

An Example:

6 Weekly Revision Timetable template:

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 17

Monthly Revision Timetable template:

Weekly Revision Timetable template:

M

y

R

e

v

i

s

i

o

n

P

l

a

n

n

e

r

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday Friday

Saturday

Sunday Week beginning –

………………………………

This week’s

Priorities:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 18

Weekly Revision Timetable template (with times):

KNOW WHAT YOUR CHILD NEEDS TO REVISE

Make a list of all the subjects that your child will have an exam in. For each subject they

should list all the different topics. Check they have all their Year 10 and Year 11 exercise

books, files, revision resources, practice exam papers, trial exam papers…

Ask for help if you think something is missing.

USE DIFFERENT REVISION TECHNIQUES

Avoid ‘passive’ revision

Train your brain to remember

Try these revision techniques:

summary notes – flash cards OR key facts – post-it notes OR link information –

mind maps OR quick quiz – create them! OR flow diagrams, time-lines, past papers,

labelled diagrams /photos…

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 19

Post it notes – There are a few awesome things about working with sticky notes:

• You can note that a scene needs to move, and then stick it where it goes. And then,

when you change your mind, move the sticky, again and again and again.

• When you complete that edit, you can peel off that sticky and move it to the back of

your notebook. There is no sense of success like watching the padding at the back of

your notebook grow, and watching your to-do stickies thin out to a mere one or two

per chapter.

• You can pick what part of your book you want to work on, reorder things, re-

prioritize, colour code by ink or sticky note colour, and generally be as organised or

chaotic as you wish.

• Your notes are sticky! They do not fall out when, inevitably, the baby grabs the

notebook! (Or, in other households, a pet / sibling / significant other.)

Mind Maps – A mind map – a kind of diagram which represents all the information you

need to learn, present or analyse, in a visual manner – enables you to get to grips with a

large body of information, increase memory retention during the revision process and even

boost your creativity.

There are a few basic principles to follow when using mind maps for revision:

Start at the centre with the page with a circle or square (‘central node’) indicating

the main topic.

The main ideas that make up the topic should be represented by thick branches that

emanate from the central node. Your branches should have one word or two for the

purpose of clarity. Think of each branch as a heading in an essay or a book.

Create smaller sub-branches which extend out from every branch. Think of these as

sub-headings.

At the end of each branch, write out one key word or concept. This will make it

easier to remember key concepts during revision.

Find images or pictures which illustrate your ideas and paste them onto key areas in

your diagram.

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 20

Try to find connections between the various branches and sub-branches; this is a

crucial aspect of critical thinking.

Flashcards – One of the main challenges faced when preparing for GCSE exams is the volume of

study notes you need to know. Time is valuable, especially running up to the busy exam period, so

it’s important to understand how to organise revision in the best possible way.

Students can create their own or use learning tools such as online flashcards to summarise

study notes. GCSE Flashcards give you a quick way to digest an entire topic by boosting your

memory. Using flashcards is proven to work by aiding recall and enhancing retention using

space repetition theory.

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 21

Labelled photos or pictures - A picture is worth a thousand words! You can print an image

from the internet – it could be a photo or a diagram – add labels (annotate) to show

knowledge and retain information.

Practice exam technique - Students will try past exam questions and whole papers in lessons, for

homework and as trial exams.

They should try improving on their answers at home.

You can download more from the exam board websites.

Students should listen carefully to the advice that their class teacher gives them – read the questions carefully, highlight key words i.e. explain, do they have to answer all of the questions…?

Attend revision / booster sessions in school - The teachers are subject experts. They have many

years of experience, Use them! At the intervention sessions students will be sharing revision

techniques, checking knowledge and understanding, practicing skills.

GCSEs – A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE JOSH AND BEN (Previous Y11s)

Be Prepared:

• Build up resources – ask teachers for useful websites, CGP textbooks, past papers (*check

you have the right exam board!)

• Motivation – It’s hard to be motivated for exams but it’s key to remember that the better

you do the more options you will have in the future

Character is called … Played by Daniel Radcliffe

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 22

• Friends – Be supportive whilst being competitive!

• Start early – Be the first to start revising, recap lessons, little bits of revision help

PARENTS CAN ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT GOOD ROUTINES

• Ensure the school bag is packed each evening ready for the following day – no need to bring

everything every day!

• Eating breakfast is vital!

• Leave the house on time in the mornings – punctuality is vital.

• Find a suitable place to do homework away from distractions.

• Sign planner every week.

• Ensure maximum possible attendance - holidays during term time are not permitted and

fines will be issued.

KEEPING THE MOTIVATION UP

FOR STUDENTS

Don’t stop going to, or working in, lessons you find hard or dislike – talk to someone about

any difficulties you are having – there is always a solution.

Revise your revision schedule if necessary and stick to it – even when you don’t feel like it.

Don’t wait until you are in the mood – the further behind you get the less you will be in the

mood (agree the schedule with your parents for a hassle-free life).

Resist the temptation to bury your head in the sand if things are getting out of hand – talk to

your parents/tutor/teachers/Head of House.

Ignore what friends and others are doing or saying – you are working for an easy life for YOU

now and later – let your friends have the hassle of redoing coursework or even the full GCSE.

FOR PARENTS

Agree the balance between work and social life and stick to the agreement. Again, flexibility

is the key – if a special night comes up, agree that they can make up the work at a specified

time.

All students fall behind, feel demotivated or overwhelmed, or struggle with the balance of

social, work and school demands at times. When your child feels like this, berating and

threatening them will have a negative effect. Talk to them about the issues, acknowledge

their feelings and adopt a sensible attitude in wanting to find a solution.

Be flexible – use the 80/20 rule. If your child is sticking to what they are supposed to be

doing 80% of the time, they will be doing alright.

If your child asks for your support, encourage them by helping them to see the difficulties in

perspective. Teenagers often take an all or nothing ‘catastrophic’ approach to difficulties –

“I’ve messed up this essay, I might as well give up.”

GCSE GUIDE FOR PARENTS

October 2016 23

GETTING READY FOR REVISION

FOR STUDENTS

Start revision early. The sooner you start the less you will have to do each day and the less

stressed out you will be.

The most important thing is to make a realistic revision timetable that you will stick to.

Get one good revision book or aid for every subject. They do much of the initial work for you by breaking the subject down into ‘do-able’ chunks.

DOING THE REVISION

Go to all lessons and make them work for you – especially the ones you don’t like or find

hard.

When your teachers tell you about exam technique – try them all out to see which one will.

work for you best (it might even be the one you thought wouldn’t work). The key thing is to

reduce the notes you work from to a single A4 by the night before the exam.

Match the revision notes you make to the sort of questions you will be asked. Get hold of

old papers (ask teachers which websites to look at – they are also in your planner).

Have a clear goal for each revision period. For example – ‘at the end of these 2 hours I will

be able to label a diagram of the heart and answer a question on how the heart works.’

Have a start and finish time – and stick to it!

Get into the routine of following your revision plan – if you really don’t feel like it, tell

yourself you will do 15 minutes and then decide whether to carry on. At least you will have

done fifteen minutes. Set your aim for the session and get right on with it – ignore the

impulse to suddenly tidy your room for the first time in 3 years!

STOP and take a break if you are becoming frustrated, angry or overwhelmed. Put aside the

problem.

Don’t waste time struggling – note down anything you are finding hard and take it to your

next lesson or if on study leave, phone friends or your teachers.

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DO NOT BE INFLUENCED BY FRIENDS WHO TALK ABOUT HOW LITTLE WORK THEY ARE

DOING

Get your head down – your results don’t matter to your friends – but they are crucial to your future.

Tell yourself it’s not for long and think about that long summer holiday.

Make yourself start however much you don’t want to – the hardest bit is over with then.

IMPROVING YOUR CHANCES OF MAKING PROGRESS

There are a number of factors that cause students to lose marks in the exams. The factors below

are often reported by examiners. You will also find them in revision books. Here is a list of factors

that you need to be aware of and concentrate on –

Start in good time – leave it too late and you will start panicking.

Plan for half hour or, at most, one hour slots. Nothing extra is likely to sink in if one subject

is revised for much longer.

When revising during the evenings plan 1 or 2 subjects only. Leave some time for relaxation

Allow some days off, but not in the few weeks just before the exams.

Plan to revise specific topics or aspects of a subject – for example, not just science, but

human systems, or waves, or chemical reactions or electricity.

Read through a topic and then make brief notes on cards which can be used for further

revision later.

Use colours to highlight key works.

Work in small groups to discuss a topic.

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KEY TASKS ON THE DAY BEFORE THE EXAM

FOR STUDENTS

Make sure you know your timetable.

Get there early – only fools leave it too late and rush – catch the much earlier bus.

Allow time for your brain to wake up – have a shower, eat breakfast – take a banana with

you.

Do a final check of the subjects you will be doing that day – know the structure and how

many sections there are.

Make sure you have EVERYTHING you need and take spares – do not get into the stress of

asking teachers for things you should have brought.

Take a pen you enjoy writing with – take 2 just in case.

During the exam –

Don’t forget that it is natural to be nervous. It actually gives your brain the extra adrenalin

it needs to make the final effort.

If your mind goes blank, don’t worry. Look at the question again, write down some notes –

it’ll get your brain ticking over again.

Don’t start writing until you know what the instructions are and you are ready to write

sense.

Make and keep to a time scale for each question depending on the number of marks (you

will have done this in revision classes – stick to it). If you only have 3 minutes left for a

question, write the answer in note form – the examiner will give you marks for it.

Allow a little bit of time at the end to check through your work to see if any changes need

making. Examiners have said that this can make the difference between a higher and lower

grade.

ON THE EVE OF THE EXAM FOR PARENTS –

Please don’t add to the stress levels by ‘rising to the bait’ when your child pushes the boundaries. Shelve the battles that don’t need winning just yet.

Help prepare your child for the exam – talk with them about when it starts, how long it lasts for, what are the main topics that might come up. Don’t ‘over egg’ this – they may have worked all day and have come down stairs to relax.

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USE THE INTERNET

Useful Websites… Information correct at time of going to press. General support for teenagers

www.projecteducation.co.uk/gcse Offers links to GCSE chat forums.

www.bbc.co.uk

www.childline.org.uk/explore/Pages/Explore.aspx

www.youthaccess.org.uk/ General parent support

www.parentlineplus.org.uk confidential helpline for parents on 0808 800 2222

www.projecteducation.co.uk Exam boards

www.aqa.org.uk The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA)

www.edexel.org.uk Edexcel

www.ocr.org.uk Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR)

www.wjec.co.uk The Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) Coursework and revision (Please read notes on the use of essay banks in ‘revision’).

www.coursework.info

www.sparknotes.com

www.gcseguide.co.uk - Use the ‘bookshop’ option to see what revision guides are available in each subject area.

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize

www.gcse.com www.S-cool.co.uk

www.skool.co.uk

www.mymaths.co.uk Careers

https://direct.gov.uk. The governments’ official careers information site. Visit the Education and Learning pages and choose ‘Which way now? Years 10-11’ followed by ‘Your Choices in Year 9’ to find out more about your options.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/studentlife/careersandchoices/

Visit http://nextstep.direct.gov.uk and select Planning your career then Job profiles for free information on hundreds of different careers.

http://connexions-berkshire.org.uk/careers

E-CLIPS lets you view and print out leaflets on lots of different topics, including Options after Year 9.

Kudos Online takes you through a series of questions to match you with career ideas.

www.Careersbox.co.uk - Careers films/videos – real people in real jobs

www.icould.com - Career advice, HE choices

www.opendoorsmedia.co.uk - Regional training prospectus – everything you need to know about college, apprenticeships, careers, training schemes and jobs in local area

www.apprenticeships.org.uk - National Apprenticeship Service

www.futuremorph.org - STEM careers

www.targetjobs.co.uk - Careers info – construction, accountancy, banking, law, engineering, environment, media . . . . etc

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ATTENDANCE

90% in an exam is a great result but in terms of attendance it means that the student has

missed 1 of every 10 days – over a period of a year this is equivalent to 4 weeks of school

and it will ultimately affect their final result. If your child’s attendance rate is at 90%

throughout KS3 and KS4 (5 years) they have missed the equivalent of about one half of a

school year.

Attendance Approximate Days missed in Academic Year

100% 0

95% 10

90% 20

85% 30

80% 40

1 in 5 pupils miss 19 days a year- these pupils will drop at least ONE GCSE GRADE,

1-4 GCSE grades can increase your wages by 17%, 5 or more GCSE A- C grades can

increase your wages by 41%, If you improve your attendance by 1% you could see a

5- 6% improvement in your attainment.

Employees with no qualifications earn an average of just £7.44 per hour. Those with only

GCSE’s earn £9.02 per hour. People with A-levels earned an average of £10.27 per hour.

Students who graduate from university with a degree earn an average of £15.01

Do you still think that 90% is good enough?

Aim for 97% or above

PUNCTUALITY

Lateness = Lost Learning*(Figures below are calculated over a school year)

5 minutes late each day 3 days lost!

10 minutes late each day 6.5 days lost!

15 minutes late each day 10 days lost!

20 minutes late each day 13 days lost!

30 minutes late each day 19 days lost!

Danger Zone:

As few as 17 missed days over the school year reduces your chances of success.

Your GCSE results could drop by one grade across all subjects!

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GOOD LUCK!

10 SUMMARY TIPS TOTO TAKE YOUR CHILD TO REVISION HEAVEN

Although it’s a stressful time of year, here are some tips to help you along the way. These

techniques have led to A Level exam success:

1. START EARLY

Facts are at their most digestible first thing in the morning. Start at 9am so you can get more

of the revision done early and to feel positive about the day and the work achieved.

2. CREATE A DETAILED REVISION TIMETABLE

Post it up somewhere everyone can see it; then everyone knows what you are supposed to

be studying and when. Showing others your timetable will mean motivation will not just be

down to you. Revise often, try and do a little every day; plan in breaks and a variety of

subjects.

List all your exam subjects and the amount of time you think you need for each then,

prioritise.

Divide your time for each subject into topics based on the units in the revision checklist or

syllabus.

3. UNPLUG AND TURN OFF EVERYTHING

It’s just too tempting to go on social media or text a friend! Find a quiet place to study with

a well-lit desk, well away from distractions.

4. HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED

Prepare everything you will need for the revision session, from drinks and snacks to

stationery, paper and resources.

5. REVISE IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.

Research shows that doing a range of activities will benefit you. There are many different

learning styles – see our downloads to the right.

Organise your folders and simplify your class notes. Make summary skeleton notes, mind

maps, audio aids and diagrams of mnemonics for key facts.

6. WORK THROUGH PAST QUESTION PAPERS

Ask your teachers for relevant past papers. You can also find papers online from the exam

board website. Practice writing essays in timed conditions – this is fantastic experience.

7. ATTEND REVISION CLASSES WHERE THEY ARE OFFERED

Your teachers will be organising these in and out of class time – attend them. You will cover

key topics, learn new revision styles and have the chance to take part in group discussions

with your peers who are revising the same thing!

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8. TAKE A BREAK

Look after yourself; keep hydrated and try to get enough sleep. Don’t try and watch TV, use

the internet or text whilst trying to revise…but that doesn’t mean you can’t watch a

favourite programme as a reward.

9. ORGANISE YOURSELF FOR THE EXAM

Organise yourself and your thoughts the night before and get plenty of sleep. Check you

have the correct equipment with you. Make sure you know when and where your exam is

and leave for the exam in plenty of time. Look at our door hanger in the download materials

section for an exam checklist.

10. PLAN YOUR TIME IN THE EXAM

Most importantly, read the instructions on the paper carefully first. Check what is involved

in the exam; how many questions you need to answer and the time allowed for them.

GOOD LUCK – THINK POSITIVELY!

THE EXAMS WILL THEN END AND THERE IS A LONG, LOVELY SUMMER WITH YOUR SON OR

DAUGHTER TO LOOK FORWARD TO!