Presentation slides from the Autumn term 2015 Year 11 Supporting Success evening at Countesthorpe Community College

1. Supporting Success Evening
Year 11

2. Programme for Evening
Welcome Catherine Fisher, Head Teacher
Expectations and
Key Events
Sam Richardson and Matt Page,
Learning Managers
English Angela Lancini, Head of English
Science Raj Sangar, Head of Science
Maths
RE
David Curson, Head of Maths
Tony Pagkalis, Head of RE
Parental Monitoring Tim Gartside, Vice Principal

3. Supporting Success Evening
Year 11
Learning Managers
Sam Richardson and Matt Page

4. Academic Progress
• There will be 5 assessment data inputs September,
November, January, February and March.
• Subject teachers record progress against target and
motivation
• Students will then discuss their progress with their
Assertive Mentor and will agree targets
• The data will be available via the
MyChildAtSchool.com after each input.

5. Monitoring Your Child’s Progress
You will get information for each subject:
• Target grade
• Current working at grade
• Projected grade
• Motivational score
Grade Description
9 Excellent... is always cooperative, enthusiastic and hardworking. Always do their best at school
8 Between excellent and good
7 Good... is usually cooperative, enthusiastic and hardworking. Usually do their best in school without undue pressure
6 Between good and below expectations
5 Below expectations... is usually cooperative, but generally does little more than required
4 Between below expectations and poor
3 Poor... needs constant pressure and attention to ensure they do some work
2 Between poor and very poor
1 Very poor... is uncooperative and indifferent for much of the time. Makes very little effort in their school work

6. Key Dates for your diary
• Sixth Form Open Evening: Tuesday 3rd November 2015
(Other Open Days/Evenings will be publicised for students)
• Parents’ Evening (6-8pm) Thursday 26th November 2015
• Parents’ Evening (4-6pm) Thursday 3rd December 2015
• Applications for 16+/FE: December 2015
• Mocks begin Monday 7th December 2015
• Mock results day – Friday 15th January 2016
• Sixth Form Interviews: February 2016

7. Examinations
• The examinations officer – Janette Hare telephone
0116 277 1555 or e-mail on:
jhare@countesthorpe.cc
• GCSE entries will be finalised by departments in
March, when tiers are decided (if appropriate)
• Examination entry statements will be given to
students before the Easter Holidays and individual
seating plans after Easter Holidays
• Our Exams policy can be found on the College
website

8. Exams
• The official start of the summer examination
period is Monday 16th May 2016 but practical
exams will be taking place before this date in
Music, Drama, Art, Languages and PE –
some will be in April
• Exam slips will be issued
• Results will be available to students on:
Thursday 25th August 2016

9. Good Habits
• Planners – please ensure your child is using it and
you are checking it and signing it
• Equipment – this will be checked by tutors and
students are aware of the requirements
• Attendance – please ensure any absence is
reported to our attendance officer at the earliest
opportunity, texts will be sent for absences
• Details – please ensure details are updated
especially emergency contact numbers

10. New Initiatives
• Dress code for Year 11.
• Site Security and punctuality … Students will need their ID
cards and lanyards at all times.
• Cashless payments – The ID card will allow students to
book out resources from the library, purchase credits on
PaperCut and pay for school meals … but the cards must
be kept topped up!
• Financial transactions will now take place using ParentPay.
Details are in the Parent Handbook on the website.

11. What is Show My Homework?
This year, we are introducing
an online homework calendar.
It will show homework
information and deadlines.
It will be accessible to
parents, teachers and
students.
More detailed information will
be available as part of the
launching process during this
term.

12. Benefits for
Students
• See all homework at
the click of a button
• Access to description
and resources
wherever they are
• A personalised
experience to help
stay organised
• Automatic notifications
to remind them in
advance
• Visibility on exactly what
homework has been set,
across subjects
• Easily take part in home
learning
• Direct engagement with
teachers
• Translation into 50+
languages
• Better communication
through school
announcements
Benefits for
Parents

13. English in Year 11
WJEC

14. In English…
• Most students take both English Language and
English Literature, so gain 2 GCSE qualifications
• Assessment is by Controlled Assessment and
external examination
• Support is used to address underachievement
and ensure that students fulfil their potential
• Parental support is vital

15. Year 11 Controlled Assessment
All Controlled Assessments have been
completed in Year 10. These are worth:
40% of the English Language GCSE
25% of the English Literature GCSE
In Year 11 we will also look to re-do any
assessments that can be improved.

16. Year 11 Exams
These are worth:
60% of the English Language GCSE
75% of the English Literature GCSE

17. Year 11 Exams (provisional dates)
Monday 23rd May 2016 am
• English Literature Unit 1 – 2 hours, 35%
• Of Mice and Men / Unseen Poetry
Friday 27th May 2016 am
• English Literature Unit 2 – 2 hours, 40%
• About a Boy or Never Let Me Go / An Inspector
Calls
Monday 6th June 2016 am
• English Language Unit 1: Reading – 1 hour, 30%
• English Language Unit 2: Writing – 1 hour, 30%

18. How you can help with English
• Talk about progress and target grades, and ask what
they are working on in English
• Check homework is of a sufficient length (usually at least
a side of A4)
• Ensure that they have proof-read written work carefully
and corrected any spelling, punctuation or grammatical
errors
• Buy copies of the set texts for your son/daughter so they
can highlight key quotations and annotate them; this will
really help with revision and exam preparation
• Read their set texts too so you can discuss what their
texts are about, what the characters are like and what
the key themes are etc.

19. How you can help with English
• Make sure they attend catch-up or extension
sessions
• Remind them to use the College’s virtual
learning platform when researching and revising
• Please, please encourage them to read at
home, especially fiction books and newspapers

20. GCSE Maths

21. How Students Excel
• Take responsibility – review learning, plan revision
• Know what to revise
• Use appropriate resources:
• Analysis of previous tests/APP
• Revision Guides and Work Books
• Past papers
• www.mymaths.co.uk (User: Countesthorpe, Password: triangle)
• College learning platform - Fronter
• Access support from teachers, parents and friends

22. Homework
• Pre-planned for the year, set weekly
• Advanced notice
• On Fronter and as a booklet
• Teachers will check that homework is
completed and provide answers
• Specific pieces of work will be marked in
greater detail

23. We will support all students to
achieve their best
• We identify students who are underachieving and
intervene to boost their performance. This is
particularly the case for those on grade borderlines
• As the final exam approaches we will provide
additional revision opportunities. Sessions after
school run every week on a Tuesday and a Thursday
– the late bus runs on these days

24. GCSE Maths Assessments
• GCSE Maths is assessed by 2 exams both at the end of
Year 11 in June 2016.
• Some students in the top set will do a GCSE in Further
Mathematics at the end of Year 11, if they excel.
• We use different exam boards depending on students
ability and needs.
We offer:
• WJEC Higher to students likely to gain at least a B
grade.
• EDEXCEL Higher to student who are C/B borderline.
• WJEC Foundation to students who are working towards
a C grade.

25. GCSE Maths
Students will then take the linear exam in the June assessment series:
Provisional Examination Dates:
WJEC
26th May 2016
9th June 2016
Edexcel
9th June 2016
14th June 2016
AQA
15th June 2016
19th June 2016

26. Science in Year 11

27. Year 11 Science Courses
Core and Additional Science – Students gain 2 GCSEs
• GCSE Core Science (content already been covered in year 10 -
Biology B1, Chemistry C1 and Physics P1)
• Exams at end of year 11 (May/June 2016) – 3 exams
• Investigative skills assessment (coursework) completed for core
science grade in summer 2015
• GCSE Additional Science (content currently being covered in
year 11 – Biology B2, Chemistry C2 and Physics P2)
• Exams at end of year 11 (May/June 2016) – 3 exams
• Investigative Skills Assessment (coursework) for Additional to
complete in Autumn 2015

28. Triple Science
Same as Additional Science Curriculum except:
• Extra content taught in option lesson as in
Year 10/11 (Chemistry C3, Biology B3 and
Physics P3)
• Triple science students do three ISAs in Year
11
• 9 exam papers taken in May/June 2016

29. Support
• Key issue – retention of knowledge from
Years 10 and 11
• Drip feed revision in lessons
• Exam practice questions in lessons
• Revision Guide – bring into class and use
with the teacher
• Encourage independent study

30. Revision Guides

31. Support
• Revision Guide
• Learning Link (Fronter) has links to other
sites
• Websites e.g. BBC Bitesize
• Past Paper practise
• Apps
• Mentor
• Interventions during or after-school

32. Religious Studies
GCSE

33. Course Outline
Y10
• Medical Ethics
• Religion & Science
Y11
• Good & Evil
• Relationships

34. Year 11 Outline
RELATIONSHIPS
• Gender Roles
• Marriage and ceremonies
• Divorce
• Sexual relationships and
contraception
RELIGION &
SCIENCE
• Origins of the world and
life
– Science vs. Teachings
• Attitudes to animals vs
Teachings
• Environmental issues
– Secular vs Religious
responses

35. Course Progress
• Progress will be assessed by:
• Regular homework
• Common Assessment Points
• End of topic tests
• We will address underachievement
• Parental support is vital to making progress

36. Course Assessment
• External examination only -100% of final
grade
• Examined on Year 10 and Year 11 work
• 2 exam papers
• 1 hour long each

37. How You Can Help - Homework
• Homework will involve research
• Ask your child what facts they have
discovered
• What have they found interesting
• Set them a challenge – say you would
like to know more about a particular
topic or issue

38. How You Can Help – Tests, Revision
• End of Topic tests/exams require revision
• Try to ensure your child is not simply reading their
existing notes
• Advise them to make revision cards and volunteer to
help them memorise the information
• Be a sounding board for them to explain an issue to
you
• Ask for more than one point of view and/or
evidence/examples

39. MyChildAtSchool.com

40. MyChildAtSchool.com
• Online way to share attendance,
behaviour and progress information to
parents.
• The website is live and shows lesson by
lesson attendance and punctuality.
• Through this password protected website
we provide parents with reports.