GCSE advice for Parents and carers : Making a difference

Helping your Son prepare for his GCSE examinations

7th October 2008

Making a good start in Year 10Making a good start in Year 10

What is successful learning?What is successful learning? How do you learn?How do you learn? Self BeliefSelf Belief MotivationMotivation Time ManagementTime Management GoalsGoals Exams- revision tips & how to prepareExams- revision tips & how to prepare

SuccessSuccess

A successful learner hasA successful learner has

The right environment for workingThe right environment for working MotivationMotivation Positive attitudePositive attitude Self BeliefSelf Belief GoalsGoals

Learning StylesLearning Styles

VisualVisual AuditoryAuditory Kinaesthetic ( Physical)Kinaesthetic ( Physical) Which is your dominant learning style?Which is your dominant learning style? We remember 20% of what we hearWe remember 20% of what we hear 30% of what we say30% of what we say 40% of what we see40% of what we see 50% of what we do50% of what we do

& & 90%90% or what or what we see, hear and say & dowe see, hear and say & do

MotivationMotivation

Re-assess your goals oftenRe-assess your goals often Manageable routineManageable routine DeterminationDetermination Take pride in your workTake pride in your work Accept praiseAccept praise Celebrate successesCelebrate successes Set SMART targetsSet SMART targets

Time ManagementTime Management

Balance what you Balance what you havehave to do & what you to do & what you wantwant to do to do

Plan your time realisticallyPlan your time realistically What wastes time?What wastes time? Avoid last minute panicsAvoid last minute panics PrioritisePrioritise Stick to your planStick to your plan Attend after school revision sessions.Attend after school revision sessions.

GoalsGoals

Work experienceWork experience - What are you interested in?What are you interested in?- What will be a worthwhile experience?What will be a worthwhile experience?- Can you improve your CV?Can you improve your CV?

66thth Form Open evening – 18 Form Open evening – 18thth Nov 2008 Nov 2008 Careers interviewCareers interview Look at universities – find out about courses are Look at universities – find out about courses are

on offer and the grades neededon offer and the grades needed

Challenges AheadChallenges Ahead

The concentration span in minutes of The concentration span in minutes of

a person is their age, plus or minus one. a person is their age, plus or minus one.

16 year old is 15 to 17 minutes.16 year old is 15 to 17 minutes. Hard work & revision can be difficult and Hard work & revision can be difficult and

daunting at times!daunting at times! Revision can be boring!Revision can be boring! It can be stressful fitting everything in!It can be stressful fitting everything in! Key is to be well organised!Key is to be well organised!

In the lead up to examsIn the lead up to exams Meet Coursework deadlines Meet Coursework deadlines Revision timetableRevision timetable Check how they are doing by letting Check how they are doing by letting

them explain something they have just learnt. them explain something they have just learnt.

Encourage your son to ask for help at school on Encourage your son to ask for help at school on any parts of their work they do not understandany parts of their work they do not understand. .

Encourage your son to persevere and to work Encourage your son to persevere and to work hard in the run-up to the exams. hard in the run-up to the exams.

Useful revision tipsUseful revision tips Plan to revise one or two subjects – 30 mins.Plan to revise one or two subjects – 30 mins. Revise specific topics in each subjectRevise specific topics in each subject.. Reading is not generally enough. Reading is not generally enough. Brief notes in either words or picturesBrief notes in either words or pictures Start with tackling the most difficult bits. Start with tackling the most difficult bits. Plan to cover each subject several timesPlan to cover each subject several times & revisit.& revisit. Revising with the TV or radio on or with loud Revising with the TV or radio on or with loud

music is not a good idea. music is not a good idea. Revising with friends – health warning.Revising with friends – health warning.

Revision Ideas (Tricks)Revision Ideas (Tricks)

Index CardsIndex Cards Post-it NotesPost-it Notes PostersPosters

MusicMusic Personal TrainerPersonal Trainer HighlightersHighlighters

Games – clockGames – clock Notes on TapeNotes on Tape WalkaboutWalkabout

Read itRead it Hide itHide it Write itWrite it

SubheadingsSubheadings Tables/listsTables/lists Colour codesColour codes

My Very EasyMy Very Easy

Method JustMethod Just

Speeds UpSpeeds Up

Naming PlanetsNaming Planets

Past papers/Rev Past papers/Rev GuidesGuides

WebsitesWebsites REWARDSREWARDS

Common ProblemsCommon Problems

Not Finishing the paper Missing out answers / questions Misreading the question Not enough revision / avoiding topics Spellings – key words

Exam SolutionsExam Solutions

Read the whole paper first Come back to problematic questions Deconstruct questions – what do they want? Learn key words / spellings Plan use of time Remember to have the

right equipment

Exam timetableExam timetable

Year 10 module exams in Maths & ScienceYear 10 module exams in Maths & Science

Year 11 Study leave will be dependant on Year 11 Study leave will be dependant on completion of completion of allall coursework. coursework.

GCSE exams - @ May and JuneGCSE exams - @ May and June 2009 2009

MFL ,Art & PE practical exams are earlier.MFL ,Art & PE practical exams are earlier.

Exam DayExam Day

Golden Rules for Success:

Equipment checked the night before Bag packed Well rested Well fed & watered Calm & ordered routine On time

School contactsSchool contacts

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the school if you would like more help or advice to school if you would like more help or advice to prepare your son for their GCSEs. prepare your son for their GCSEs.

Assistant Head – KS4:Mrs D Jackman Assistant Head – KS4:Mrs D Jackman Head of Year 10: Mrs G Tiddy Head of Year 10: Mrs G Tiddy Examinations Officer: Mrs M LomasExaminations Officer: Mrs M Lomas

Subject staffSubject staff

Other materialsOther materials

Encourage the use of the issued bookletEncourage the use of the issued booklet School website -this powerpoint & more useful tips School website -this powerpoint & more useful tips BBC ‘Bitesize’: BBC ‘Bitesize’:

www.bbc.co.uk/education/gcsebitesizewww.bbc.co.uk/education/gcsebitesize www.examzone.co.ukwww.examzone.co.uk www.Letts-SuccessZone.comwww.Letts-SuccessZone.com Past exam papersPast exam papers Have a look at the materials in bookshops – there Have a look at the materials in bookshops – there

are some useful revision guidesare some useful revision guides

Good Luck!!Good Luck!!

See it as a chance to parade your See it as a chance to parade your knowledge and hard work. knowledge and hard work.

Think positively!Think positively!

Think Think If you think you are beaten, you are;If you think you are beaten, you are;If you think you dare not, you don't;If you think you dare not, you don't;

If you'd like to win but you think you can't,If you'd like to win but you think you can't,You can almost be certain you won't.You can almost be certain you won't.

If you think that you'll lose, you are lost,If you think that you'll lose, you are lost,For out in the world you will findFor out in the world you will find

Success begins with a person's will;Success begins with a person's will;It's all in the state of the mind.It's all in the state of the mind.

If you think you're outclassed you are;If you think you're outclassed you are;You've got to think high to rise.You've got to think high to rise.

You've just got to be sure of yourselfYou've just got to be sure of yourselfBefore you can win the prize.Before you can win the prize.Life's battles don't always goLife's battles don't always goTo a stronger or faster man;To a stronger or faster man;

But sooner or later the person who winsBut sooner or later the person who winsIs the person that THINKS they can.Is the person that THINKS they can.

- Anon- Anon..

EnglishEnglish

Language Written Paper 1: 1hr 40 mins Section A :Multi-part questions on unseen non-fiction and media texts Section B: A choice from three or more questions (Argue, persuade, advise)

Written Paper 2: 1 ½ hours Section A: 2 questions on Poetry from Other Cultures Section B: Personal writing – article or essay

(Analyse, Review & comment)

EnglishEnglish

Literature Written Paper: 1 ½ hours ( 10 mins reading) Section A: Prose (40 mins)

Lord of the Flies or Of Mice & Men

Section B: Poetry (40 Mins)

War Poems anthology studied in Yr 10

Refer to texts for evidence

MathematicsMathematics

Higher Tier - A* to D There is NO coursework and it is studied in

modules Module 3 ( Number) – November of Year 10 Module 1 ( Algebra) – March of Year 10 Resits in June of Year 10 Module 5 – June of Year 11

ScienceScience Higher tier - A* to D Majority- Core in Yr 10 & Additional Science in Majority- Core in Yr 10 & Additional Science in

Yr 11Yr 11

Core- Year 10Core- Year 10 10 components – worth 10% each10 components – worth 10% each - 6 Multiple choice module exams- 6 Multiple choice module exams - 4 Internal assessments (Practical, Bio, Phy & - 4 Internal assessments (Practical, Bio, Phy &

Chem)Chem)Additional – Year 11 Additional – Year 11 10 components – worth 10% 10 components – worth 10%

eacheach- 4 Internal assessments4 Internal assessments- 3 Multiple choice module exams3 Multiple choice module exams- 3 Structured exams3 Structured exams

ScienceScience

All Module exams are taken in Nov, March & JuneAll Module exams are taken in Nov, March & June

Some boys will do the triple award and follow the Some boys will do the triple award and follow the same core & additional work at a faster pace with same core & additional work at a faster pace with some extension units at the end of Year 11.some extension units at the end of Year 11.

Check Statement of EntryCheck Statement of Entry

Recommended to buy Revision booksRecommended to buy Revision books