Study skills parents forum presentation delivered at Roding Valley High School, Loughton, Essex

1. Welcome to RVHS ‘Parents forum’ on – Study Skills,
revision tools and how best to support your child's
learning.
Ms Paige Larkin
Assistant Head Teacher- T&L@RodingValleyHS

2. Ms Paige Larkin
Assistant Head Teacher- T&L
Aims of the session:
1. To share with you RVHS’s T&L vision- higher level teaching and
learning
2. To share some practical advice on study skills
3. To share some practical revision tools- KS3-KS5
4. To share some important subject specific information on exam boards
etc.
How do we
get there?

3. Ms Paige Larkin
Assistant Head Teacher- T&L
Regular
student voice
Learning walks
Lesson
observations
Book and work
monitoring
Coaching
Our expectations
ARE high. All
lessons will
encourage
ASPIRATION, instil
RESPECT and help
all pupils
ENDEAVOUR to
realise their full
potential, through
developing a life-
long love of
learning.
Examples:
1. Use of pupil learning checklists
2. Learning checks (AFL) to check
understanding in every lesson
3. Differentiation of resources to
make everything accessible
4. DO IT NOW tasks to get
everyone engaged from the get
go!
Aim 2: To share with you RVHS’s T&L
vision- higher level teaching and learning

4. What challenges do we face?
- As students
- As parents
- As teachers
We’re all in it together!

5. Ms Paige Larkin
Assistant Head Teacher- T&L
- You’re not expected to know subject specific terminology-
‘Mum, what’s mitosis?!’
- Provide STRUCTURE to learning at home:
- A schedule- day by day.
- Timings- ‘I will time 30 mins and homework piece 1 should be
done!’ See SMHW for timing details- very handy
- Monitoring- use SMHW to monitor- R.A.G- has it been handed
in?
- Communication- if your child cannot complete the homework-
then they can contact their teacher directly using the app!

6. Ms Paige Larkin
Assistant Head Teacher- T&LAim 2: To share some practical advice
on study skills
Opportunities
Recognition
Interactions
Modelling
Try to create moments at home to ask questions about your child’s
home work or reading- the 5 W’s are helpful- Who? What? When?
Where? Why? Encourage them to tell you WHY they are doing this
particular homework- how does it link to what’s taught? Example to
follow.
Using reading lists and available resources on the school website- curriculum
maps for all year groups are also available. Year 11- revision guidance
available from ALL faculties to keep you in the loop.
Check SMHW and look for the green! Notice their organisation
commitments- ask them for their books/assessments to see their
progress.
Here at RVHS, we are really trying to create a culture- the love of
reading. Could you possibly share your favourite reads etc?

7. Aim 3: To share some practical
revision tools- KS3-KS5
Questions that unlock thinking of students:
Evidence - How do you know that? What evidence is there to support that position?
Clarification - Can you put that another way? Can you give me an example? Can you
explain that term?
Explanation – Why might that be the case? How would we know that? Who might
be responsible for…?
Linking and extending - Can you add to what X just said? How does this idea
support/challenge what we explored earlier in the lesson?
Hypothetical – What might happen if…? What would be the potential
benefits/impact of X?
Summary and synthesis – What remains unsolved/uncertain? What else do we
need to know or do to understand this better/be better?
Metacognition – What was the most difficult part of that task? How would you do
it differently next time? How could you approach this question?
These questions can
be applied to all
subjects and can
encourage your child
to speak with you
about their learning.

9. Recommendations from department areas.
Skills needed to be successful:
Subject area: Skills to develop through KS3, 4 and 5 to be successful:
English ‘30 minutes private reading every day. Broad subject materials in reading materials. Ability to interpret
implicit and explicit details. Reading comprehension of extended pieces of writing from Shakespeare to the
current day.’ Head of English- Mrs Routledge
Science ‘Debate on ethical scientific issues. Describe, Explain and Evaluate. Extracting information from data.
Drawing conclusions. - Calculating means, mode, median. Metric prefixes. Use of remembered or given
equation.’ Head of Science- Mr Poovilingham
Maths ‘Place Value, number properties (factors and multiples) four operations including decimals, area of shapes,
angle facts (straight line and around a point), converting metric units, converting and comparing fractions,
operations with fractions, algebra, percentages and statistics’ Head of Maths- Mr Odeko
Humanities Reading and Comprehension. Research. Note taking and annotations . Memory / Recall. Extended writing.’
Head of Humanities- Mrs Preston
MFL ‘Using context, gist and knowledge of one's own language to work out meaning from texts. Learning and
retaining vocabulary. Reading and Listening of authentic texts to increase ability to understand target
language in different settings and contexts Speaking and Writing - Grammar study to construct sentences
and manipulate language. Resilience to try to speak and write and learn from mistakes’ Head of MFL-
Mr Melvin
ICT, Business
& Media
‘Comprehension, presentation skills to specified audiences, numerical skills, logical thinking, analytical and
critical thinking, ability to make and justify judgements whilst considering the bigger picture’ Head of
Computer Science- Mr Hussain
Creative Arts Good written and analytical skills, basic drawing skills, ability to use a variety of sources to research the
work of relevant artists and photographers, planning and organisation in arranging your own photo
shoots/props/models/locations, thinking outside the box creatively and avoiding cliché and stereotype
responses, superb time management and adhering to strict deadlines’ Head of Creative Arts- Ms Ball
SEN
department
ASDAN award- ‘The programmes offer flexible ways of accrediting skills
for learning, skills for employment and skills for life.
They encompass preparation for life and work, enrichment, PSHE and Citizenship’ Head of SEN- Ms
Lafferty

10. Ms Paige Larkin
Assistant Head Teacher- T&L
Aim 3: To share some practical
revision tools- KS3-KS5
At RVHS, we would expect our mind maps to be:
1. Based on a particular section/ key topic or key skill from the exam board- IE Nazi
Germany
2. Branches that break down the KEY information
3. Added detail to the KEY information
4. Pictures for memory
5. Thickness of stands to depict importance
6. Colour coding system
A Buzan
Mindmap

11. Ms Paige Larkin
Assistant Head Teacher- T&L
Aim 3: To share some practical
revision tools- KS3-KS5

12. £1.80 for a full revision pack
Everything
available from
the RVHS shop!

13. Revision style- taking notes
Cornell Notes- useful for students who want a structure/
logic

14. The revision motto is:
1. Learn It
2. Define It
3. Use It
•4. Link It
•5. Deconstruct It

15. Aim 4: To share some important subject
specific information on exam boards
etc.
Handout:
1. Important information regarding examination boards for our faculties and subject areas.
2. Resources- potential, accessible ways to access resources for revision and learning
3. School website- Take a look at our reading lists and curriculum maps to see what your
child is learning per term
I welcome your feedback on this
evenings session!
plarkin@rodingvalley.net