Key Stage 4 The GCSE Years

Mr Fay – Principal Mrs Stannett – Assistant Vice Principal (KS4)

Mr Williams – Acting Head of Key Stage 4 Lizi Martin –Youth Ministry Mentor

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Welcome!

Lizi MartinKS4 Academic Mentor

• Support students to help them to achieve their best• Struggling, behind on work, needing help with

revision techniques, organisation or motivation etc. • Develop skills and confidence to improve• Frequency of meetings • Tailored to suit individual needs

www.stmichaels.bucks.sch.uk/wellbeing

Working with parentsPlay a vital role in supportCannot be over-rated in potential for your

child’s successHelping set and sustain good levels of

independent studyGood communication- check website for letters Monitoring use of social media (Facebook,

Twitter etc)Checking use of VLE and using it appropriately We need your support

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Homework – major factor45 minutes to an hour per subject per weekRoutine is essential

“But I haven’t got any today!”

Most subjects have material that can be continuously worked on……e.g….

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Examples of continuous workRE reading over the key text/terms – 15

minutes a nightEnglish – reading and re-reading the set

booksFrench – vocabulary – 10-15 minutes a

nightScience – GCSE Revision book – one

page every night and you still will not complete!

Technology and Art – building up those portfolios with as many examples of the theme in view

Maths –revisit work from a month or two back

BTEC subjects – need to keep on top of work so you can meet deadlines

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In school support

Library open every morning from 8.30amLibrary and Learning Support Base available at

lunchtime and generally afterschoolWe will pull students of concern in and ask

them to stay after school Monday’s and Tuesday until issues with homework are rectified.

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At home…..what can we do?This can be summed up as ‘Challenge &

Support’Is there a quiet place to work?Keep on top of deadline dates, examinations

etc – family calendarTalk things over. How are they coping?Make contact if concerned- tutor first via

email or phone then HOKS

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Setting TargetsBased on prior achievement and weighted

to a given subject – Fischer Family TrustWill be sent home shortly These grades indicate ASPIRATIONAL

TARGETS – not prediction – something to work towards.

Not set in stone – can be moved up if a student shows sustainable improvement

They will be reviewed throughout the yearThey do indicate when a student is

working well, making progress or performing below their ability

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Changes to GCSEsFrom September 2015 English Literature and

English Language as well as Mathematics will be linear GCSEs.

Exams from 2017 graded 9-1 instead of A*-GEnd of Year exams – every subject in the first

week back from the May half-term (Starting Monday 6th June 2016). Science exams in hall (provisional dates):

17th May Biology19Th May Chemistry25th May Physics 9

Progress 8 and Attainment 8

The new national measure of GCSE success.

Progress 8 and Attainment 8Subjects are now arranged in 3 Buckets or

boxes. Students have to take a certain range of subjects from each bucket.

They will no longer be awarded 5A*-C inc English and Maths, but their Average point score based on their 8 Best Subjects.

But they must be the right 8 subjects and they must not overlap.

Core ScienceChemistry

PhysicsBiology

Computer ScienceHistory

GeographyMFL

Grades will be mixture of 1-9 & A*-

G

REArt

Business StudiesDrama

Technology (inc Graphics)

Health and SocialICTPE

Grades will be A*-C

Maths (new curriculum

which is 25% bigger than previous)

English Language

and Literature

Grades awarded will

be 1-9 for each.

Bucket 1 Bucket 2 Bucket 3

Students must study all of Bucket 1 = 2 Subjects

They must study Core Science and 2 others from Bucket 2= 3 Subjects

At St. Michael’s RE is compulsory, and 3 others= 4 Subjects

This gives most students 9 subjects with their best 8 counting in their Progress and Attainment 8 Outcome

Please note some students may only do 8 subjects as that will be the best support for them.

Statutory SubjectsMathsEnglish Lang and LitCore Science Computer Science PSHE Citizenship PE (Core)RE (in Catholic Schools)

Tracking & Intervention

Student Progress measured 3 times a year: December, March and July

Current ‘working at’ grade compared to target

Judgement made of ‘On track / At Risk / Off track’

Effort in lesson and towards homework

Then what….15

Tracking & InterventionOn track students – praiseAt Risk students – watch and discuss with

studentsOff track students – intervention as well as

communication with students and home

Communication with home / monitor card / extra lessons / after school catch up clinics

Staged approach involving tutors, Head of KS4, AVP4

Parental support is imperative16

ExpectationsFull involvement – extra curricular (sport,

music, drama, Young Enterprise…..etc)Community serviceGo the extra mile with independent studyHoliday leave – not in term time Uniform – check the websiteBalance between work and play

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Expectations cont…AttendanceDo you know what your child’s attendance

is ?

Do you know what it means ?

Do you know what effects it will have on their future ?

90% sounds good but ….. this is the equivalent of missing half a day every week !

( Would someone keep you on in a job if you missed this amount of time ?)

Over a school year this is 4 weeks – 100 lessons lost.

CommunicationStudent planner – weekly signingTermly assessments, December, March

and July used to monitor progress Parents’ Evening tbaWeekly e-Newsletter, half termly

Newsletter and other Lettersoffice@stmichaels.bucks.sch.ukContacts with Form Tutors, HOKS,

AVP4Website

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Careers and Work Experience Coordinator M. Grosch

St. Michael’s Catholic School

KS4Work-related Learning

through Work Experience

Careers and Work Experience Coordinator M. Grosch

St. Michael’s Catholic SchoolCommitted to provide high quality,

purposeful and challenging careers education, information, advice and guidance for its students, e.g.:

Access to independent careers adviserWork experience, enterprise day, careers

talks, careers software, opportunities to explore HE, links with BNU

Careers and Work Experience Coordinator M. Grosch

What can you get out of work experience?Work experience is a practical activity that

provides opportunities for students to practise their skills in a new setting and recognise the use of skills in that setting

Provides opportunities to transfer newly acquired skills to specific areas of the curriculum

Careers and Work Experience Coordinator M. Grosch

Learning outcomes

• Recognise, develop and apply skills for enterprise and employability

• Develop awareness of local and national employment opportunities

• Relating their own abilities etc. to career intentions and making informed choices

• Gain understanding of the qualities and qualifications needed for work

Careers and Work Experience Coordinator M. Grosch

Students’ role in the process

They are expected to source their own work placement

Students may want to consider suitable placements already and discuss options with parents and Mrs Grosch

Careers and Work Experience Coordinator M. Grosch

The Process – timeline

Work experience is likely to be a week after the Spring half term following y10 exams for 2 weeks

Students will be briefed and receive application form and guidance notes

Support throughout the programme is provided by work experience coordinator Mrs. M. Grosch

Students may be visited by a teacher or member of staff

Students attend post-placement review and opportunity to evaluate work experience programme

The Teen Brain

A quick guide to neuroscience

NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH

• Brain does not mature until early 20’s• Hazardous age- more vulnerable to crime,

alcohol, drugs and mental illness • MOST COME THROUGH THIS TRANSITION AGE

WELL!!!• Important to understand the risk factors for

behaviour can have serious and lifelong impact• We need to bear in mind beneath the surface so

much is going on

What changes?

• Changes to the grey matter in the cortex which is where the processes of thought memory are based

• There is a decline which is necessary for the brain to mature but this now happens much later into the 20’s

• A neuroscientist described it as destroying 50% of the wiring and rewiring it !

• Different parts mature at different rates • What’s the last part? Controlling impulses and

planning ahead (adult behaviours)

Other changes which can impact behaviour

• The reward system which motivates behaviour• Hormonal changes and not just the sex

hormones but the stress hormones • Capacity to learn increases but if not used will

be pruned away• Sleep (or lack of it) which can be a contributor

to depression and impulsive behaviour• Adequate sleep is vital and light from blue

screens after 9pm is detrimental

Discuss worries

• As it becomes ever more difficult to communicate it is vital that you make even more of an effort

• Eating meals together were possible • Writing things down can help• Contact form tutor in the first instance• We have well being support and counselling services • GP• Don’t assume if your child rings you because they are in

trouble that you have the full picture. They shouldn’t be phoning anyway!

THE END

• 20’s!• That is when they will have the brain of an

adult