Preparing for the examsYear 11 2019

English Language and English Literature are two completely separate GCSE courses, although they have been taught by the same teacher and have been interleaved throughout Year 10 and 11.

There is NO coursework. It’s all about the exam on the day.

Year 11 students this year sat four exams in English – two x 1 hour and 45 minutes for Language and two exams for Literature – one x 1 hour and 45 minutes and the other 2 hours and 15 minutes.

That’s 7 hours and 30 minutes of English exams.

Students have been prepared in terms of skills.

You can’t ‘revise’ content but you can learn and practise the approach for each question as the questions will always test the same skills.

On each paper, there are four questions in the Reading section and one question in the writing section.

Paper 1 – Explorations in Creative Writing and Reading – is based around fictional and descriptive texts.

Paper 2 – Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives –is based around non-fiction texts and writing to present a viewpoint.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

This is very different to Language – students are required to study, analyse and write about prose, drama and poetry texts. The exam is ‘closed book’ so they need to have learned a range of quotations.

They will write four full length essays, a shorter essay and a shorter comparison poetry response.

Paper 1 is ‘Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel’. Students have studied Macbeth and A Christmas Carol.

Paper 2 is ‘Modern Texts and Poetry’. Students have studied either Blood Brothers or An Inspector Calls. They have studied an Anthology of 15 poems on the theme of Power and Conflict. They have also been taught to analyse and compare unseen poems.

ENGLISH LITERATURE

GCSE English Literature Paper 1 – Wednesday 15th May in the afternoon

GCSE English Literature Paper 2 – Thursday 23rd

May in the morning

GCSE English Language Paper 1 – Tuesday 4th

June in the morning

GCSE English Language Paper 2 – Friday 7th June in the morning

Each individual teacher will have given their groups a schedule of revision to be undertaken in class and independently.

During the Easter holidays, some teachers will be providing a guided revision session and others will be providing revision work packs (eg. past papers).

Teachers have set up Google Classrooms, GCSE Pod and Seneca tasks, given out workbooks and their own revision guides and guided students towards appropriate online revision materials on platforms such as YouTube.

Teachers will continue to provide learning surgeries – students will be invited based on their personal learning needs and attendance is compulsory.

Students also have folders and books full of class notes.

In addition, official text guides and workbooks are available for purchase at hugely reduced prices from the English Department.

Encourage students to have a healthy attitude towards revision – this should be planned to include regular breaks and exercise. They should see Easter as a revision break rather than a ‘holiday’.

Help them to organise a schedule which is balanced to include all of their subjects.

Be supportive without pressuring.

Make sure they’re eating properly and getting plenty of sleep.

If they need resources such as revision guides, discuss the best options with staff.

Have a chat with teachers about any specific concerns in English. If they aren’t here tonight, I can pass messages on.

Foundation Grades 5 - 1

Higher Grades 9-4

Paper 1

● Written examination papers with a range of question types

● Calculator NOT allowed

● 1 hour and 30 minutes (both Foundation and Higher tier

papers)

● 80 marks available

Paper 2

● Written examination papers with a range of question types

● Calculator allowed

● 1 hour and 30 minutes (both Foundation and Higher tier

papers)

● 80 marks available

Paper 3

● Written examination papers with a range of question types

● Calculator allowed

● 1 hour and 30 minutes (both Foundation and Higher tier

papers)

● 80 marks available

Pair of Compasses

Protractor

Tracing Paper

Support with Hegarty mathsQuiet place

Show working out

Discuss the video/quiz

Encourage the completion of weekly exam papers

Mr Lea – Head of Science

Thursday 28th March 2019

This presentation and other revision information will be shared via Show My Homework.

1. Structure of the Science exams.

2. Styles of questioning and exam tips.

3. How to revise Science – for students and parents.

Biology paper 1 (17%) Biology paper 2 (17%)

Chemistry paper 1 (17%) Chemistry paper 2 (17%)

Physics paper 1 (17%) Physics paper 2 (17%)

Physics – Each exam is 1 hour 15 mins

Chemistry – Each exam is 1 hour 15 mins

Biology – Each exam is 1 hour 15 mins

The mean results of all 6 exams are then

awarded two GCSE grades, e.g. 4-4 or 5-4One mark

per minute!

Biology paper 1 (50%)

Biology paper 2 (50%)

One GCSE

Chemistry paper 1 (50%)

Chemistry paper 2 (50%)

One GCSE

Physics paper 1 (50%)

Physics paper 2 (50%)

One GCSE

GCSE Physics – Each exam is 1 hour 45 mins

GCSE Chemistry – Each exam is 1 hour 45 mins

GCSE Biology – Each exam is 1 hour 45 mins

14th May pm – Biology paper 1 exam

16th May am – Chemistry paper 1 exam

22nd May pm – Physics paper 1 exam

7th June pm – Biology paper 2 exam

12th June am – Chemistry paper 2 exam

14th June am – Physics paper 2 exam

Equipment needed for each of the 6 Science exams;

A clear pencil case with: Black pens, sharp pencils, ruler, rubber, scientific calculator, protractor.

Biology paper 1 exam

Chemistry paper 1 exam

Physics paper 1 exam

All 3 mock exams will be in June.

Each mock exam will be one hour 15 minutes.

Equipment needed for each of the 3 Science mock exams;

A clear pencil case with: Black pens, sharp pencils, ruler, rubber, scientific calculator, protractor.

Learn all the definitions and keywords. Be able to label

diagrams with keywords and be able to describe processes

Be able to explain why processes happen.

Be able to use equations (magic triangles).

Be able to describe & explain trends in results (from

tables or graphs). Use data!

Be able to state the facts & say why one argument is

better than another.

Distance

Speed x time

Units!

Magic triangles!

Please help to

test their

understanding

of the units and

equations.

Students need to get their circles green!

1. Key information from this PowerPoint is available from the Science stall (also shared on Show My Homework)

2. Science revision guides are available to buy from Wisepay / the Science block (£5.70)

3. Get green circles on Seneca Learning!

GOOD LUCK!

Use the Seneca Learning website to revise topics and answer quizzes.

https://senecalearning.com/ The greener the better!

Use past papers from the AQA website. Then use the mark schemes to identify areas to

improve.

www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/exams-guidance/find-past-papers-and-mark-schemes

Highlight the specification (everything that you need to know!)

www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/combined-science-trilogy-8464

Youtube video links for ALL topics!

Primrose Kitten

www.youtube.com/channel/UCBgvmal8AR4QIK2e0EfJwaA?safe=true

Required Practicals: Malmesbury Science

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX6mow1AExI&list=PLAd0MSIZBSsF3vV_uxzbcNHuDrQ6Hc-Ul

www.my-gcsescience.com/

www.youtube.com/user/LSGScience?feature=watch

Use the BBC Bitesize activities and tests. Test yourself!

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/

Biology Paper 1: Topics 1-4 Cell Biology, Organs, Infection and Response, Photosynthesis and Respiration.Chemistry Paper 1: Topics 1-5 Atoms and The Periodic Table, Bonding, Quantitative Chemistry, Chemical Changes, Energy Changes. Physics Paper 1: Topics 1-4 Energy, Electricity, The Particle Model of Matter, Radiation. Biology Paper 2: Topics 5-7 Homeostasis, Inheritance, Ecology.Chemistry Paper 2: Topics 6-10 Rates of Reaction, Crude Oil, chemical analysis, The Earth's Atmosphere, Using The Earth's resources.Physics Paper 2: Topics 5-7 Forces, Waves, Magnets.

Science Revision Advice for Parents

• The Science revision schedule

has been shared with students

and can be found on the

academy website.

• Science teachers are available

to support revision. (Mondays)Revision strategies

How can parents help?

• Allow time for your child to revise, and encourage them to start and

focus on their revision! Establish a realistic plan.

• Suggest that they revise in half-hour bursts with short breaks in

between.

• Provide them with a quiet space to work if possible, free from

distractions. Put phones in another room! Establish a routine.

• Get and use the revision guide to test them on key points.

• Go through checklists / the syllabus and highlight key points.

• Ensure that they eat, drink and sleep well.

• The hardest bit is starting! The sooner the better!

Mind-mapsReading

notes/revision guide

out loud

Writing key points

/ definitions on

post-it notes

Re-writing notes/writing

bullet points to

summarise a sectionMnemonics

Record

sections

onto phone

and play

them back

Teach someone

else about a topic

Practice AQA

past paper

questionsRecommended key

resource:

• Their revision guide

• Available from Wisepay

or the Science prep room

/ Science lessons.

Revision resources

are also saved in the

Student Resources

folder;

W:\Science\GCSE

Revision Material.

BUG questions before answering.

BOX the command word e.g. describe / explain.

UNDERLINE the keywords / information.

GLANCE at the question again and the number of marks – write two different points for a two mark question.

Answer all questions and check through the whole paper.

Get organised and start now!