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Brookfield Community School

Supporting Your Child With Their GCSE Studies: A Parental Guide

INTRODUCTION Key Stage 4 is a very important phase for students and we acknowledge that it can be a very demanding time. However, in taking the following steps students can minimise stress: 

Attending lessons and being on time



Listening carefully in class and exhibiting excellent behaviour and effort at all times



Being organised with time and keeping on top of homework and independent study



Keeping exercise books up to date, neat and in good condition ready for revision



Asking for help from subject teachers or pastoral staff if needed



Attending subject support sessions

Our role is to guide, help and support all of our Key Stage 4 students through their GCSE studies. We track effort and attainment throughout the year, targeting intervention at students who we feel need extra support. In this booklet you will find general information about how your child will be assessed along with detailed subject specific information of how best to support your child at home. KEY CONTACTS Please contact the school’s main reception to speak to any of the following: Head of subject/Subject teacher Head of Year Assistant Head of Year

Attendance Clerk Exams Officer

If your query is a matter relating to a particular subject or curriculum area If your query is a more personal or general matter If your query is a matter relating to punctuality or attendance or the Head of Year is unavailable If you wish to report lateness or a child absence For all matters relating to exams

REVISION AND INDEPENDENT STUDY Now that GCSEs have moved towards a more linear model, in most subjects, the majority of the assessment will occur at the end of Year 11. It is therefore essential that students regularly review their learning so that they will be better prepared for revision when the time comes. To help them in this process they should: 

Keep their exercise books and course materials neat and up to date



Keep on top of homework deadlines



Carry out independent study at home, condensing course notes

Departmental Key Stage 4 Revision Support sessions will take place at lunchtimes and after school on a weekly basis. A copy of the support schedule for this year can be seen on the following page.

KS4 Revision/Support Sessions 2016/17 DAY

LUNCH

3-4 pm

MONDAY

Fine Art (Y11 only) (D3)

Business Studies (G5)

PE Theory (P1)

History (E3 RAI/E4 MP)

Textiles (Y11 only) (D1)

Geography (T1)

French (B2) Week 1 Foundation/week 2 Higher

PE Practical (Sports Hall) Fine Art (Y10 and Y11) (D3) RMT and Product Design (D5)

TUESDAY

Fine Art (Y10 only) (D3) Textiles (Y11 only) (D1)

Science (Check Sci notice board for room number) Textiles (Y10 and Y11) (D1) RMT and Product Design (D5)

WEDNESDAY

RE (T6)

English (M5)

Textiles (Y10 only) (D1)

Graphics (D6)

Spanish Week 1 Foundation (A1)/Week 2 Higher (B2) German (A5) THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Textiles (Y10 only) (D1)

Maths (T7 and T5)

ICT (G6)

Computing CA Catch-up (G Block)

ICT (G6)

CAREERS and EMPLOYABILITY Alongside studying for GCSE qualifications, Year 10 is an important time for students to start thinking about Post 16 options. The Government has legislated that all young people should be in some form of education until they are eighteen. A good reference from school is key to the success of the application process for Post 16 destinations, therefore a good attendance, punctuality, behaviour and effort report will help tremendously. Students should take every opportunity to get involved in clubs and groups both inside and outside of school, this will provide them with additional employability skills, improve their confidence and give them something positive to write about in future applications. We do have a school Careers Advisor who is in school every Wednesday. We will arrange appointments for students who we feel would benefit most from a consultation, however in addition to this, students can request an appointment through their Head of Year if they feel it would help them.

HOW WILL MY CHILD BE ASSESSED? Throughout Year 10 and Year 11 students will have at least 6 formative assessments in all their subjects to identify their projected grade. These assessments will test them on all areas of the course, enabling them to be prepared for the final exams. Following each data collection of projected grades students will review their own progress and diagnose areas of strength and areas requiring development during an Academic Review session, identifying possible strategies for improvement. Grading Assessment will graded using the new GCSE Grading structure (9-1 for all subjects, except Business Studies, Product Design and RMT where the A*-G grades remain. New GCSE Old GCSE

1 G

F

2 E

3 D

4

5 C

6 B

7

8 A

9 A*

The top grade of the new GCSE is 9, decreasing down to 1. The grading will be structured so that:  broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 4 and above as currently achieve a grade C and above,  broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 7 and above as currently achieve a grade A and above,  the bottom of grade 1 will be aligned with the bottom of grade G,  a grade 5 will be awarded to the top third of students gaining the equivalent of a grade C or bottom third of a grade B,  the top 20 per cent of those who get a grade 7 or above in each exam will be awarded a grade 9. Target Setting  Targets will be based on the new GCSE numbered grades (except where the subject is still graded using GCSE grades A*-G)  Targets will be based on prior attainment at KS2, ensuring that students are targeted to make at least expected progress. Reporting to Parents  Parents will be informed of the End of Key Stage Target for each subject for their child. This will be in the form of a GCSE 9-1 grade, or A*-G for Business, Product Design and RMT.  Parents will receive 2 data sheets during a school year and a formal report, identifying specific areas for development for each subject.

Subject Name: Fine Art Head of Subject: Mr W Fallon Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: AQA FINE ART COURSEWORK 60 % EXTERNALLY SET ASSIGNMENT FROM JAN of Y11 40%

KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN FINE ART: Good organisation and time management. Meeting deadlines. Development of skills – embracing new approaches and challenges. Self-motivation and the ability to work independently TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH FINE ART: Make sure that they have a space to complete practical work. Encourage them to visit galleries and ask questions.

KY RESOURCES: BBC GCSE Bitesize Art and Design www.googleartproject.com All major galleries have websites which are invaluable for research and becoming more familiar with artists and art movements.

Subject Name: Business Studies Head of Subject: Mr D W Watson Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: There are 3 examinations in this subject. Unit 1 “Setting up the business” (25%) is multiple choice and tests knowledge and understanding. The unit 2 examination (50%) contains more challenging analytical questions across a variety of topics. Unit 3 (25%) is the controlled assessment based on an investigation into a local, small business.

KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN BUSINESS STUDIES: Students will need to understand and learn new business terminology. The course also tests the skills of problem solving, analysis and evaluation in a business context. Numeracy skills are also important when calculating break-even, constructing simple accounts and producing cash flow forecasts. TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH BUSINESS STUDIES: Parents can help by ensuring that their son/daughter has a G drive or Dropbox account so that they can access copies of the resources placed on the school curriculum drive. Homework is set weekly and will often require research and should not just be completed at the last minute. Controlled assessment is done in the summer term in Year 10 and must be thoroughly researched to ensure a good piece of work.

KEY RESOURCES: www.tutor2u.net contains excellent resources on every topic that we cover on this course. Reading and watching the BBC business news regularly is a good way to build up knowledge of current and business affairs. Revision guides will be issued to the students and there are also electronic revision resources available on the curriculum drive.

Subject Name: Computer Science Head of Subject: Mr A J Pritchett Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: Exam Board OCR: Two 90 minute exams, one focusing on the theory of Computer Science and one with a focus on programming and algorithms. These exams are at the end of the course. Both papers have identical weighting and mark allocation of 40% of the final grade. Controlled assessment, 20% of the final mark and is run from September in Year 11 to about Christmas.

KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE: The mathematical content of Computer Science is significant. Students are expected to be confident and able mathematicians. Students with an interest in science and technology generally succeed and find the course more enjoyable. Computer Science is all about solving problems and the methodology of solving what at first appear to be intractable problems. Perseverance and the ability to work through setbacks is essential. An interest in puzzles and solving problems is an advantage.

TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH COMPUTER SCIENCE: Encourage the practice and development of programming skills using online resources for Python. Install Python on home computers. Encourage a wider awareness of technology through appropriate TV programmes, news and documentaries. Encourage wider reading about current developments in technology in newspapers and periodicals such as New Scientist.

KET RESOURCES: There are numerous online resources to support Computer Science. The main course resource is Dynamic Learning online from the exam board. Students will have a log in and password and homework will be set most weeks using this. Resources to support Python programming. tutorialspoint.com/python/ www.usingpython.com www.codeademy.com www.Programarcadegames.com How to think like a computer Scientist (http://openbookproject.net/thinkcs/python/english3e/index.html)

Subject Name: Drama Head of Subject: Mr P Gascoyne Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: 2 practical exams, one scripted and one devised, both take place in the Spring Term of Year 11. 1 written exam.

KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN DRAMA: Developing confidence as a performer. Learning to explain, in written form, what they have done in practical sessions. TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH DRAMA: Encouraging them to meet with other students to work on practical work outside of school time. Helping with research projects and reading the student’s work. Make sure that they complete their homework. Go to the theatre and see a range of different types of productions. (This does not have to be trips to London!) The more theatre they see, the deeper their experience of theatre will be. This helps students to develop greater depth and originality in their practical projects.

Subject Name: English Language Head of Subject: Mr D Frost Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: AQA - 100% examination Paper one: 1 hour 45 mins. Exploration in Creative Reading & Writing (50%). Paper two: 1 hour 45 mins. Writers’ Viewpoints & Perspectives (50%).

KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE: paper 1 The length of the examinations can be tough for students as they are required to write detailed responses (mini essays) to 4 out 5 of the questions on each paper. The reading material requires students to have read and be familiar with a range of high quality fiction. Interpreting the wording of the questions on the exam paper. Having an understanding of how to structure responses to different exam questions. TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE: Encourage students to handwrite work and complete homework in timed conditions so that they learn to write in exam conditions and develop ‘writing stamina’. Encourage students to read both fiction and non-fiction texts regularly; recommend reading material that suits their interest. Talk to students about what they have read and what information they can infer. Encourage students to find opportunities to write for ‘real’ audiences such as formal letters, creative writing competitions and opinion-based articles for magazines and websites.

KEY RESOURCES: GCSE English Language AQA Complete Revision & Practice - for the Grade 9-1 Course ISBN: 978 1 78294 414 0 AQA website: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse

Subject Name: English Literature Head of Subject: Mr D Frost Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: AQA – 100% examination Paper one: 1 hour 45 mins. Shakespeare & the Nineteenth Century Novel (50%). Paper two: 2 hours 15 minutes. Modern Texts & Poetry (50%). KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN ENGLISH LITERATURE: paper 1 Remembering quotations from the set texts. Understanding the language of texts that were written in the nineteenth century and earlier. The length of the examinations and the nature of the questions mean that students need to write continuously for up to 150 minutes. Interpreting the wording of the questions on the exam paper. Having an understanding of how to structure responses to different exam questions. TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH ENGLISH LITERATURE: Purchase the 3 set texts: An Inspector Calls, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Macbeth. Encourage students to re-read the texts and to annotate their copies and learn quotations. Encourage students to read a range of quality literature. Let students see adults reading literature on a regular basis. Recommend literature that students could read to suit their interests. Talk to students about what they have read/ are reading and encourage them to form an opinion about it. KEY RESOURCES: GCSE English Text Guide - An Inspector Calls ISBN: 978 1 84146 115 1 GCSE English Text Guide - Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde ISBN: 978 1 78294 308 2 GCSE English Shakespeare Text Guide – Macbeth ISBN: 978 1 84146 116 8 GCSE “Love and Relationships” Poetry ISBN: 978 1 78294 362 4 GCSE ‘Unseen Poetry’ exam questions ISBN: 978 1 78294 364 8 SE English Language AQA Complete Revision & Practice - for the Grade 9-1 Course AQA website: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse

Subject Name: Food Nutrition and Preparation Contact Details: Mrs K Taylor [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: 2 Non exam assessments – both in Year 11, total 50% of the GCSE. Written Exam, 50% of the GCSE. KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENST MAY FACE IN FOOD NUTRITION and PREPARATION: Being organised. Selecting their own recipes. Bringing all ingredients.

TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH FOOD NUTRITION and PREPARATION: Remind them to bring their ingredients for practical lessons. Take an interest in the food they make and encourage them to cook at home. Watch cooking TV programmes like Masterchef, Bakeoff and The Great British Menu.

KEY RESOURCES: www.bbcgoodfood.com

Subject Name: Geography Head of Subject: Mr G Schofield Contact details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: WJEC/EDUQAS B. The Geography GCSE exam grade is based on three written examinations. There is no controlled assessment. Component 1: Investigating Geographical Issues Written Examination: 1 hour 45 minutes 40% of qualification Component 2: Problem Solving Geography Written Examination: 1 hour 30 minutes 30% of qualification Component 3: Applied Fieldwork Enquiry Written Examination: 1 hour 30 minutes 30% of qualification KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN GEOGRAPHY: The nature of the examinations in Geography GCSE means that students will be expected to use their writing skills to good effect. This can be a challenge for students who struggle with Component 1: Investigating Geographical Issues key literacy skills. The course is very broad and lots of different topics are studied. This means Written Examination: 1 hour 45 minutes that students will need to organise their revision in a methodical way. 40% of qualification TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH GEOGRAPHY: Encourage students to show you their work. Contact their class teacher or the Head of Department if you have any concerns or questions. Encourage students to attend after school revision sessions during Year 11.

KEY RESOURCES: The examination board website has some useful information for students and parents: http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/geography/gcse-b/ An EDUQAS revision guide will be published during the next academic year. We will give students an opportunity to purchase one when they are available.

Subject Name: Graphic Communication Head of Subject: Miss G Long Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: Component 1: Portfolio. 3 modules 60% of GCSE marks internally assessed, externally moderated. Component 2: Externally set assignment: 1 module 40% of GCSE marks internally assessed, externally moderated.

KEY COMMON CHALLENEGS THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN GRAPHICS: There is a considerable amount of written critical analysis to complete. Students need to make independent but informed decisions. There is an expectation that students will produce a significant amount of work outside of lesson time. After school sessions are available, as are lunchtimes in order to support this.

TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH GRAPHICS: Take your son/daughter to visit galleries, museums and other sites of specific interest to their projects. Encourage them to do the hour and a half minimum of homework per week working on the current coursework piece. Provide your child with a USB memory stick, minimum 4GB.

KEY RESOURCES: Online gallery visits. AQA online gallery of student work. Students are given work schedules that can be followed by parents and students to ensure students are on track.

Subject Name: History Head of Department: Mr R Ireland Contact Details: [email protected] ASSESSMENT: AQA History GCSE is comprised of four units each worth 25 per cent of the overall GCSE. These are assessed by two examinations at the end of Year 11. Both examinations are 1hr 45minutes long. There is no controlled assessment. Paper One – Britain:  Britain: Health and the people, c1000 to the present day  Elizabethan England c1568-1603 Paper Two – World:  America 1840-1895  Conflict and tension 1894-1918 KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN HISTORY: History is a fascinating subject that rewards commitment and hard work. GCSE History has a demanding work load and pace due to the range of content and examination questions that needs to be covered in the two years of the GCSE. Students can quickly fall behind if they do not work quickly enough in lesson or endeavour to catch up on any class and homework missed due to absence. Students will be expected and required to complete a regular amount of homework which is frequently examination style questions to prepare them for the examinations at the end of Year 11. The content is varied and students will be required to use their own initiative to complete revision exercises to consolidate and embed what has been learned in lessons. If students commit themselves to the course and work hard throughout it, they give themselves a very good chance of success. TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH HISTORY: Encourage students to watch historical programmes, read historical novels and read about history in the news, especially anything related to any aspect of the GCSE course. Encourage students to engage with the History around them – e.g. Chatsworth House, Hardwick Hall. Encourage students to revise little and often and create revision materials throughout their GCSE course, not just focus on revision at the end of Year 11. Ensure that if students are absent they complete the work that has been missed. KEY RESOURCES: AQA GCSE History revision guide – the department offers all students the chance to buy these early on in Year 10. BBC GCSE Bitesize website. AQA GCSE History website – has downloadable sample examination materials YouTube – wealth of video material to help students revise and find out more about content covered in class.

Subject Name: Mathematics Head of Department: Mr K Styles Contact Details: Mr P Anderson (KS4 Maths) [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: GCSE Maths at Higher and Foundation Levels OCR J560 Foundation: Grade 1 to 5 Higher: Grades 4 to 9 Three 1h 30min Exams. One without a calculator. A two year course examined in June 2018. Our more able students (typically from sets 1 and 2) will be given the opportunity to study a GCSE in Further Maths. KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN MATHS: The new GCSE is more rigorous than ever before. The students may find the move from KS3 to KS4 challenging at first. Key challenges will be the style of questions on the new papers and the additional content added at both Higher and Foundation levels. For a summary of the new content and the changes that have made to the GCSE, have a look at: http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/168454-mathematics-summary-brochure.pdf

TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH MATHS: Homework will be set every week. You can support your child by asking to see what they are learning about, ensuring they have the correct equipment and checking their book every week. In school, the Maths staff are always available to answer any question, and we run a very well attended drop in session after school on Thursdays to help students with their homework.

KEY RESOURCES: There are several excellent online resources. We recommend www.MYMATHS.co.uk (login Field, password Brook1) The BBC revision website is also good, and NRICH is a great resource for students with a real interest in this subject. Revision guides and DVDs can also be purchased at the start of Year 10.

Subject Name: Modern Foreign Languages Head of Department: Mrs A Walker Contact Details: French: [email protected] Spanish: [email protected] German: [email protected] ASSESSMENT: Ms Barlow (GER) Exam Board: AQA ALL exams at the end of the course Paper 1 LISTENING: F 35 mins/H 40 mins Paper 2 SPEAKING: F 7-9 mins/H 10-12 mins Paper 3 READING: F 45 mins/H 60 mins Paper 4 WRITING: F 60 mins/H 75 mins

(25%) (25%) (25%) (25%)

KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES: Learning vocabulary. Learning and application of Grammar. Confidence in spontaneous speaking – being prepared to have a go!

TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES: Be a vocab buddy – help & support with regular vocabulary learning. Encourage regular reviewing of previously learn material, including KS3. Encourage an interest in current affairs and cultural aspects of the countries where French/German/Spanish is spoken.

KEY RESOURCES: www.Kerboodle.com (course book) online resources * Use of school VLE www.quizlet.com (to aid vocabulary learning) www.linguascope.com * *log on details available from MFL department

Subject Name: Music Head of Department: Mr S Mitchell Contact Details: [email protected] ASSESSMENT: Performance – 30% - a short recital on your instrument in Year 11 Composition – 30% - a portfolio of compositions, submitted in Year 11 Examination – 40% - comprising a listening exam and a section on set works

KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN MUSIC: A common challenge for students of Music is getting started on compositions. Students are encouraged to try ideas out at home and on their main instrument in a less stressful creative environment than the classroom. It is recommended that they also record their experiments using an iPhone or Audacity (see below). The sooner they start doing this the better.

TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH MUSIC: Students often need support when it comes to practising their instrument. Providing a suitable space, encouraging their efforts and simply making sure that practice happens regularly are key areas where you can help. On average it would be expected that students practise every day for at least 20 minutes – don’t let them cram it all in to one day.

KEY RESOURCES: The following websites are extremely useful for students of GCSE Music: www.musictheory.net – great interactive resource for music theory and listening https://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity/ - download audacity, sophisticated audio recording software for free! http://imslp.org/ - download free scores of thousands of pieces in the public domain

Subject Name: Physical Education Head of Department: Mr L Sadler Contact Details: Mrs B Whitley (KS4 PE) [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: The course is split into two sections for assessment – theory and practical.

Theory – worth 60% of the final grade. Assessment is done through 2 written exam papers each lasting 1hr 15minutes and worth 30%. Paper 1: The human body and movement in physical activity and sport



Applied anatomy and physiology, Movement analysis, Physical training, Use of data Paper 2: Socio-cultural influences and well-being in physical activity and sport



Sports psychology, Socio-cultural influences, Health, fitness and well-being, Use of data.

Practical (non-exam assessment) – 40% of final grade made up of the following elements: Performance in practical activities - (75 marks) Students all complete a range of practical activities within school, the planned activities are: Football, Netball, Trampolining, Badminton, Table Tennis, Handball and Athletics. Teaching staff will then pick the highest scoring three activities to be submitted to the exam board. The three chosen activities will either be made up of two team activities and one individual or two individual and one team activity. Performance analysis – (25 marks) Candidates are required to analyse and evaluate their performance in any practical activity on the specification. This involves identifying two strengths and two weaknesses. They then need to produce an action plan that suggests ways to improve upon the two weaknesses that they have identified.

KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN PE: A lack of participation in a variety of sporting activities – they must take part regularly in more than one sport to ensure they have a broad base of skills and a good fitness base. Missing lessons in practical activities and not completing the required number of assessments. TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH PE: Encouraging regular participation in a variety of sporting activities both team and individual. Encouraging good organisation with kit and folder. Encouraging regular revision for the half termly unit tests and attendance to the weekly GCSE Study Support sessions and weekly performance clubs that are aimed at GCSE PE students to improve their practical score.

KEY RESOURCES: Exam Board website – www.aqa.org.uk – past paper and syllabus information Revision materials – http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/znyb4wx Course Specific Textbook: AQA GCSE (9-1) PE (Aqa for Gcse) Paperback by Ross Howitt (Author), Mike Murray (Author)

Subject Name: Product Design Head of Department: Mr T Fagan Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: AQA Design & Technology – Product Design 60% of the GCSE is one long controlled assessment project completed mainly in Year 11. 40% of the GCSE is a written exam based on all of the subject knowledge learned over the 2 years. KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN PRODUCT DESIGN: The biggest challenge in this subject is the quantity of project work which needs to be completed as part of the controlled assessment project and the amount of subject knowledge which needs to be learned and then revised for the final exam. Despite the clear messages we give beforehand, some students mistakenly select this subject because they think it will be some sort of lighter option where they just get to make things.

TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH PRODUCT DESIGN: Expecting students to be spending at least one hour per week every week completing homework tasks. Taking an interest in the student’s controlled assessment project and discussing it at home. Providing students with opportunities to develop their skills by getting involved in practical work at home such as helping out with DIY projects.

KEY RESOURCES: www.technologystudent.com is the bible for this subject. It is a website with the whole syllabus explained in detail, activities for students to compete and revision cards. There is an excellent textbook entitled “AQA Design & Technology Product Design” published by Nelson Thornes.

Subject Name: Religious Studies Head of Department: Mr M D Winterburn Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: OCR Examination, at the end of the two-year course. There are three examination papers. The Buddhism and Christianity papers will each be one hour in length with two compulsory questions. The Philosophy and Ethics paper will be two hours in length with four compulsory questions. Buddhism paper = 25%. Christianity paper = 25%. Philosophy and Ethics paper = 50%. KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES: In Buddhism, students will need to think deeply and often in order to fully grasp key concepts, and will also need to quickly learn unfamiliar words from the Pali language. They will be required to analyse, evaluate and discuss the issues surrounding Buddhist and Christian beliefs, teachings and practices and consider the divergent views within each of these religions. Additionally, students will be required to reach their own conclusions regarding various philosophical and ethical issues, such as the existence or non-existence of God, and offer relevant comments that employ logic and reason, not faith or emotion. TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH RELIGIOUS STUDIES: A very important element of the course is the ability to see different points of view and express one’s own opinions, with reasons given in support of them. Parents could help in this development by discussing current affairs and moral issues from various angles and asking for a personal evaluation of them. For example, the ethical arguments surrounding violence, war and terrorism will be explored during the course, and all of these types of conflict feature regularly in our news bulletins. KEY RESOURCES: Revision guides will be provided by the R.E. Department. They will be specially written and tailored to the course. Included will be a summary of each topic, with key words, top tips, examples of exam questions and guidance on how to answer them. Regular revision guides will also be made available for loan if requested, though they are of a very general nature.

Subject Name: Resistant Materials Technology Head of Department: Mr T Fagan Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: AQA Design & Technology – Resistant Materials Technology 60% of the GCSE is one long controlled assessment project completed mainly in Year 11. 40% of the GCSE is a written exam based on all of the subject knowledge learned over the 2 years. KEY COMMON CHALLENGES STUDENTS MAY FACE IN RESISTANT MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY: The biggest challenge in this subject is the quantity of project work which needs to be completed as part of the controlled assessment project and the amount of subject knowledge which needs to be learned and then revised for the final exam. Despite the clear messages we give beforehand, some students mistakenly select this subject because they think it will be some sort of lighter option where they just get to make things.

TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH RESISTANT MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY: Expecting students to be spending at least one hour per week every week completing homework tasks. Taking an interest in the student’s controlled assessment project and discussing it at home. Providing students with opportunities to develop their skills by getting involved in practical work at home such as helping out with DIY projects.

KEY RESOURCES: www.technologystudent.com is the bible for this subject. It is a website with the whole syllabus explained in detail, activities for students to compete and revision cards. There is an excellent textbook entitled “AQA Design & Technology Resistant Materials Technology” published by Nelson Thornes.

Subject Name: Combined Science Head of Department: Mr P Burton Contact Details: [email protected] ASSESSMENT: Exam Board: AQA Students following this course will sit six exam papers at the end of Y11 (two Biology, two Chemistry and two Physics papers). All the papers are 1 hour 15 minutes long and consist of multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response questions. Foundation and Higher Tier exam papers are available in this qualification. Each of the six exam papers contributes 16.7% towards the final mark. The qualification will be graded on a 17-point scale: from 1–1 to 9–9 where 9–9 is the best grade. KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN COMBINED SCIENCE: Science is a unique body of knowledge and the students will need to make sure they are learning and consolidating the key knowledge, ideas and principles as we work our way through the whole two year course as they will be examined on all of it at the end of the course. A real challenge for students is to apply their knowledge to solve problems and to provide explanations, this may be in a variety of different contexts. The students will need to develop their practical and experimental Science skills through the whole course completing the required practical activities required by the examination board. The students will also need to be able to use key mathematical skills applied within the context of scientific examples. Extended written answers can also be a challenge for students as they need to use correct technical vocabulary applied in the correct context as part of their answers. TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH COMBINED SCIENCE: We would recommend that all students invest in a revision guide at the start of the course so they can use it each week through the whole two year course to support their learning rather than waiting to the end of the course to buy one. Students need to be reviewing the work covered each week, and as the course goes on the work covered in previous months, so they are clear on the key points covered. Students can summarise the key ideas in each topic in a revision map or a set of flash cards so they can keep revisiting the work quickly as the course progresses. You could help your child by going over with them or testing them on the equations they need to be familiar with on a regular basis. As the course progresses students will need to be practising exam questions at home.

KEY RESOURCES: GCSE Combined Science Exam Board website: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/combined-science-trilogy-8464 http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zrkw2hv

Subject Name: Triple Science; (GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics) Head of Department: Mr Burton Contact Details: [email protected]

ASSESSMENT: Exam Board: AQA Students following this course will sit two exam papers for each of the three elements (Biology, Physics and Chemistry) at the end of Y11. The papers are 1 hour 45 minutes long and consist of multiple choice, structured, closed short answer, and open response questions. Foundation and Higher Tier exam papers are available in this qualification. Each of the two exam papers contributes 50% towards the final mark. The qualification will be graded on a nine-point scale: 1 to 9 where 9 is the best grade. KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN TRIPLE SCIENCE: Science is a unique body of knowledge and the students will need to make sure they are learning and consolidating the key knowledge, ideas and principles as we work our way through the whole two year course as they will be examined on all of it at the end of the course. A real challenge for students is to apply their knowledge to solve problems and to provide explanations, this may be in a variety of different contexts. The students will need to develop their practical and experimental Science skills through the whole course completing the required practical activities required by the examination board. The students will also need to be able to use key mathematical skills applied within the context of scientific examples. Extended written answers can also be a challenge for students as they need to use correct technical vocabulary applied in the correct context as part of their answers. TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH TRIPLE SCIENCE: We would recommend that all students invest in a revision guide at the start of the course so they can use it each week through the whole two year course to support their learning rather than waiting to the end of the course to buy one. Students need to be reviewing the work covered each week, and as the course goes on the work covered in previous months, so they are clear on the key points covered. Students can summarise the key ideas in each topic in a revision map or a set of flash cards so they can keep revisiting the work quickly as the course progresses. You could help your child by going over with them or testing them on the equations they need to be familiar with on a regular basis. As the course progresses students will need to be practising exam questions at home. KEY RESOURCES: GCSE Biology Exam Board website: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/biology-8461 GCSE Chemistry Exam Board website: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/chemistry-8462 GCSE Physics Exam Board website: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/physics-8463 http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zrkw2hv

Subject Name: Textiles Design Head of Department: Miss D Judd Contact details: [email protected] Assessment: AQA Component 1: – PORTFOLIO (60% of the GCSE grade) Consists of several sustained projects developed in response to a theme. This includes extensive development work in sketchbooks which will include drawing and written critical and contextual analysis, as well as final pieces. This will begin in September of Year 10 and is continually assessed. All of the work produced counts towards the final GCSE grade. The final submission date for the portfolio is January of Year 11 and is worth Component 2: - EXTERNALLY SET ASSIGNMENT (40% of GCSE grade) A complete project, set by the exam board. This will start in January Year 11, and will be completed by April/May of Year 11. This component Includes 10 hours of exam conditions to produce a final piece, as well as extensive development work. Assessed to AQA criteria. Students are assessed on their ability to: AO1 – Develop ideas through research. This includes artists and observational work. AO2 – Refine their ideas through experimenting with techniques. AO3 – Record their ideas through drawing and annotation. AO4 – Present their work. The end result.

KEY COMMON CHALLENGES THAT STUDENTS MAY FACE IN TEXTILES: Students are expected to work independently outside of lesson and meet regularly set deadlines. The Portfolio is broken down into short-term deadlines which students are expected to meet so that work can be regularly assessed and students given the opportunity to improve. TOP TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AT HOME WITH TEXTILES: Encourage your child to show you their work- it is all contained in an A3 sketchbook. Read through extensive feedback at the back of the books and encourage your child to attend the regular catch up sessions after school. Be aware that they should be spending homework time on their Textiles every week. This is usually completing on-going work rather than individual homework tasks. They should spend at least an hour a week on independent study. Be aware that Textiles is very time consuming. I will set regular deadlines but students must not get behind. Contact me as soon as you have any concerns or questions. Key resources: Students are expected to have a Pinterest account, so that they can easily research critical and contextual sources. This works as a pin board and is full of excellent resources. They can follow me as I regularly pin resources on my boards.