Y9 new exam information evening

1. Year 9 Information Evening
Aims:
• To help you monitor your child’s learning through
Go4Schools and ‘Show My Homework’
• To give you important information about the new
GCSEs and how they will affect your child

2. The Big Picture
• New GCSEs in English and Maths from Sept
2015
• Numbers, not grades (1-9)
• No controlled assessments – all exam
• Other subjects continue with grades – a
transition year

10. What is Go4Schools?
Go4Schools gives parents access 24/7 to up-to-date
information about their child and their
learning:
– Current information about achievement and
progress in the subjects they are studying
– Attendance information
– Timetable information
– Behaviour information
– Interim and annual reports

12. Sample Student Page
• http://www.go4schools.com/screenshots/Stu
dent.aspx

13. Target and Current Grades
On Go4Schools you will see two main grades:
1. Target Grade
1. Current Grade

14. The ‘at-a-glance’ graph

15. Is my child on track to achieve?
Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
+2
+1
0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6

16. Reports

18. English Language &
English Literature GCSEs

19. All students will take both English Language and
Literature GCSEs
English Language GCSE will involve:
• Reading and responding to a range of high quality,
challenging literature and non-fiction text from a range of
genres and types (from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries).
• Writing clearly and accurately, in good Standard English.
There will be an increased emphasis on spelling,
punctuation and grammar including the use of vocabulary.
• Speaking confidently in formal situations.

20. English Literature GCSE will involve:
• Reading a wide range of classic literature fluently, including
A 19th century novel
A Shakespeare play
A selection of poetry since 1789 including representative
Romantic poems
British fiction or drama from 1914 onwards.
All English GCSEs will have terminal assessment with no
controlled assessment.
A new grading system will be introduced. Students will
be awarded a grade from 1 to 9, with 9 being the highest.

21. Getting Prepared
Students should:
Read! (see our recommended reading list).
Write and get in the habit of always planning, writing and then editing and
re-drafting written tasks.
Develop written accuracy (SPaG) and vocabulary.
Engage with the Year 9 English course and work hard to improve and make
progress every lesson as it has been designed to build the skills students
will need.
Ask for advice and guidance from English staff or myself, Mrs Gibberd (Head
of English).

22. The New Maths GCSE
Instead of letters students will receive a
number as their grade.
9 will be the highest grade
1 will be the lowest
The content has increased by a third at both
Higher and Foundation Tiers.

23. Grade Changes
Current GCSE New GCSE
9
A* 8
A 7
6
B
5
C
4
D 3
E 2
F 1
G

24. General Changes
• More problem solving content.
• Greater need to “explain their answer”.
• Greater total length of examination (currently
two papers of 1 hour 45 minutes each).

25. Example Changes to Content
Topics currently in Higher Tier only will now be included in the
Foundation Tier examination.
For example Standard Form, Trigonometry, Congruence and
Simultaneous Equations all previously B grade topics will now be
at C grade equivalent.
Topics currently in A Level will now be included in the Higher
Tier examination.
For example Equation of a Circle, Inverse and Composite
Functions and Quadratic Sequences.

26. Mathematics in Year 9
• 6 sets (with mixed ability below the top 2 sets)
• Regular assessments
• Two pieces of homework every week
• Calculators are required for all students

27. Go4Schools
• Results of assessments will be put onto
Go4Schools
• Target grades are currently still letters
• Target grades are for the end of Year 11