Year 11 ‘Raising Achievement Guide’ 2016
To support pupils and parents in achieving full potential in GCSE examinations
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Dear Pupils and Parents, The following pack has been put together to help you prepare for your GCSE examinations. We hope that you find it helpful in removing some of the perceived barriers to achieving what you are capable of. PUPILS: You must ensure that you have all of the relevant materials for each subject with no gaps in the learning so that you can revise thoroughly. Your teachers have provided you with the education and these resources in lessons and you now need to take it to the next level and secure that knowledge so that you can apply it in response to the examination questions. PARENTS: As parents, you play a crucial role in supporting your son in the build up to their examinations. They will have periods of hard work and sometimes stress (and most often will take this out on you!) in the build up to the start of the exams. To help support you can listen, avoid confrontation, supply drinks and snacks, encourage work AND rest periods, provide stationary and try to remove barriers at home that could interfere with study periods. TEACHERS: As teachers we are committed to supporting you at this important stage of your life and want the very best results for you. We have been running a series of additional revision sessions after school, weekends and during the holidays and hope that these and a range of other intervention strategies will be sufficient in helping you achieve your full potential. From all the staff at Salvatorian College we wish you the best of luck! Yours sincerely
Mr D Cooper
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YOUR FIRST EXAM IS rd ON 3 MAY CONTENTS:
SECTION ONE: Planning and Preparing for your Examinations; Page 4
SECTION TWO: Knowing how to revise and track progress; Page 10
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SECTION ONE: Planning Complete all Coursework and Controlled Assessment tasks as early as possible. It is hard to start revision for final exams with other tasks requiring attention and time. Help establish priorities and motivation; find out what really matters and why, what will be the goals or end game of the GCSE’s. Familiarise yourself with the requirements of each course. On the exam board website, the ‘specification’ is the document teachers use to plan – it lists everything you should know for that subject. Get a comprehensive revision schedule (there is a template in this booklet) Start off with a couple of hours a day and build as you approach the exam period, this will ensure you ‘peak’ at the right time. Make sure you have everything you need such as practice papers/sets of questions/worksheets etc. Ensure you have got all the revision guides and passwords for online revision sites that you need. Find a good place in the house for the revision to happen. Many parents find that the computer needs to come downstairs out of the bedroom! Revising on the internet can easily turn into working on social media if you don’t keep your eye on it. However DO NOT ban items but restrict use of items as a compromise or reward for working. Equip your son with all of the stationary he may wish for, including spares, for a variety of revision ideas. We have provided you with a sample in this pack to get you started.
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Support systems! Through the revision period, parents should keep asking pupils what they plan to do that day, and ask if they need anything. Help set a timeframe for completing tasks. Take an interest and ask if they are pleased with what they’ve done. Encourage them to look ahead and see what exams are coming up; help them work out what needs to be done and when. Try not to nag! Closed choices can work - “What do you want to do first, history or physics?” Offer help as a tester, reader, source of knowledge. Remember that past papers and mark schemes are available on the internet from each exam board’s website. Sleep, food and fun are important. Keep things in perspective! Developing rewards and time off, watching favourite programme, or catching up with friends, using social media are important. Revision schedules should be flexible.
BUDDY UP – Try to have a link person for each subject where you can contact them on a regular basis to discuss a particular issue, and them with you. By having this discussion you will lead the learning and therefore secure the knowledge better than if just re-reading. Try to create study groups where you meet with a group of friends to revise a specific topic or subject.
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Beating Stress Exams will be stressful for both students and parents alike. Sources of stress include: fear of failure, not being able to answer the questions, disappointing their parents, not being able to get on the course they desire, etc. Beating stress is important as it blocks your learning so training yourself to control stress is as important as learning the material. Constructive self-talk, be positive Increase oxygen intake, deep breathing Physical activity releases muscular tension, increases blood flow and releases endorphins, so you feel good! (Healthy body/Healthy mind!) Balanced diet and sleep patterns are equally important Listen to music, know how to switch off Plan rewarding activities and ensure that you still have a social life as well as working hard. Know how to say NO to those that distract! Encouragement can come from parents but will mostly come from you when you revise, learn and progress Seek help from those around you as supportive people are good for confidence (this can be as little as a 5min chat!) Remain calm as a parent!
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Preparation - physical and emotional Diet It is important that you have a good diet when revising and also during the exams so that your bodies and brains are ready. Try to ensure that you have fresh fruit and vegetables; try to reduce sugar and fat and ensure that you drink plenty of water. DO NOT use energy drinks, EVER! On the day of an exam ensure that you have had breakfast/lunch before the exam starts. Plain water bottles are allowed in the exam hall and a well hydrated brain works better than one that is not. Salvatorian College will run a variety of examination warm ups in the school canteen from 8am for the morning exams. Here toast, fruit and drinks will be served free of charge. PM exams will have the same warm up sessions if staff are available to run them.
Rest So that the body and brain are ready for the stresses and strains of revision and exams try to ensure that you have a regular sleep pattern, making sure that you get enough sleep (8 hours recommended) and that you are not tired.
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SECTION TWO Knowing HOW to revise and track progress
LISTENING TO A LECTURE
5%
READING
10%
AUDIO-VISUAL
20%
DEMONSTRATION
30%
DISCUSSION GROUP
50%
PRACTISE BY DOING
75%
TEACH OTHERS
100%
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Know What Type of Learner You Are Before You START!
VISUAL:
AUDITORY:
KINAESTHETIC: 11
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Revision Ideas: Key Word Cards – Write out the definitions of key words on one side of a piece of card and the key word on the other. Lay them out on a table and test yourself before reading the definition. If right then put it to the side, if wrong then put it back on the table to come back to it later.
Condense and Re-condense Notes – reducing the size of notes into more manageable and memorable information is key to success
Revision Flash Cards – Have one topic per card for a brief summary to revise from. Keep each subject separate and get someone else to test you from the information they have on the card.
Mind Map – If you use both sides of your brain, left and right; artistic and structural, then more information will be remembered.
Use colour highlighters, boxes, circles, stars, abbreviations etc as your own code. Eg: VI means very important and essential to the course.
Create audio-visual recordings of specific parts of learning to play back. (You can also access GCSEpod and You Tube for some of these)
Use subject specific revision guides. However these should supplement your own revision notes and be heavily annotated so that you are not just reading the information. The A*/A candidates usually need to elaborate on the points contained in these revision guides.
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Use Mnemonics – order key information into a memorable phrase or word. Eg: PELT = Pharynx, Epiglottis, Larynx, Trachea
Be the teacher – Imagine you are delivering a session to someone else (a small child is best) so that you are teaching and explaining the key concept in depth. Study buddies are great for this but they are not always available when you want or need them. Try a mirror!
Access the exam board websites – complete as many past papers as you can. You will notice that the questions change slightly but as you become better at answering them you realise that they are basically asking for information about a specific topic. All come with mark schemes.
Create Learning Posters – Use wallpaper samples to write and draw on so that you can pin them up in the bedroom or around the house. The back of the toilet door is an excellent place to do this! It can also be done with post it notes and A4/A3 mind maps.
Annotation and re-annotation – once you have annotated, a poem for example, in detail do it again from memory on a blank copy. Remember annotations can be images and pictures as well as words.
Practice planning and writing essays. A plan should take no more than 5 minutes, particularly in an exam. A detailed plan which can be used during revision sessions will be much longer and more detailed to begin with but become shorter as your knowledge increases.
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Create a Revision Plan: Blank Templates for plans and other useful materials can be found on www.getrevising.co.uk A blank one has also been included for you to copy and use for each week in the run up to your exams.
Another example has been included which shows how it could be filled in.
Remember to write in when your exams are.
Try Colour coding each session so you can track easily how much of each subject you are doing
Allow time for rest, travel, eating properly, relaxing. Also make sure you prep the night before!
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BLANK STUDY TIMETABLE MONDAY
TUESDAY
WED/DAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
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EXAMPLE STUDY TIMETABLE
MONDAY TH MAY
TUESDAY TH MAY
WED/DAY TH MAY
THURSDAY TH MAY
FRIDAY TH MAY
SATURDAY TH MAY
9-10
SUNDAY TH MAY REST
ENGLISH 10-11
RE EXAM
HISTORY EXAM
MUSIC EXAM
ART EXAM
ICT EXAM ENGLISH
11-12 12-1
REST REST
REST
REST
REST
REST MATHS
1-2 ENGLISH
ENGLISH
MATHS
ENGLISH
MATHS
2-3
ACTIVITY WITH FAMILY
REST PLAY SPORT
3-4
REST
REST
REST
REST
REST SCIENCE
VISIT FRIENDS
EVENING ACTIVITY WITH FRIENDS / FAMILY
MATHS
4-5 MATHS
MUSIC
SCIENCE
SCIENCE
REST
REST
REST
REST
SCIENCE
5-6 6-7 7-8 HISTORY 8-9
MUSIC
ART
ICT
EVENING ACTIVITY WITH FRIENDS / FAMILY
REST REST
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Get online! Download those revision apps and access those websites! The web has a whole host of interactive resources that just keep getting better and better. Salvatorian College have subscribed to a specific few so they are free for you to use. Here a few of the key ones you should be accessing: http://students.pixl.org.uk/
You will have received your log in details already from the school and once you log in you can select your subjects specific to you and then all of the revision tools, including tests, past papers, useful tips and guidance will be available to you. There is also the Personal Learning Checklists (PLC’s) which are available There is a feature called the ‘walking and talking exam’ which guides you through every step of the examination paper in the core subjects.
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www.gcsepod.co.uk Curriculum content for the digital generation. Pupils can download and listen the curriculum content for which ever subjects they are following. They can then listen to these on the way to and from school or from any mobile or tablet device. Portable and specific to you. These can often just focus on small parts of the course so can easily be digested in short spaces of time. Great for that hard to understand topic!
General Revision Websites: www.getrevising.co.uk www.s-cool.co.uk www.learn.co.uk www.studyzones.com www.bbc.co.uk/soteacher www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ http://www.revision-notes.co.uk/GCSE/ http://lgfl.skoool.co.uk/examcentre.aspx?id=128
Subject Specific Websites: Each subject has indicated what their exam board is at the start of the year in the Year 11 handbook. This was given out at the Year 11 information evening in September. The majority of subjects included information about on-line sites that would benefit the progress in that subject. Teachers will also be making pupils aware of these and new ones as they appear throughout the year.
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Some key terms used in examination questions: Account for =
Explain the process or reason for something being the way it is.
Analyse =
Explore the main ideas of the subject, show they are important and how they are related.
Calculate =
Find out using mathematics.
Comment on =
Discuss the subject, explain it and give an opinion on it.
Compare =
Show the similarities (but you can also point out the differences).
Complete =
Finish off.
Conclude =
Decide after reasoning something out.
Concise =
Short and brief.
Contrast =
Show the differences ~ compare and contrast questions are very common in exams– they want you to say how something is similar and how it may be different too.
Criticise =
Analyse and then make a judgement or give an opinion. You could show both the good and bad points. You could refer to an expert’s opinion within this question.
Define =
Give the meaning. This should be short.
Describe =
Give a detailed account.
Diagram =
Make a graph, chart or drawing. (Remember to label it!)
Differentiate =
Explore and explain the difference.
Discuss =
Explore the subject by looking at its advantages and disadvantages (i.e. for and against). Attempt to come to some sort of judgement.
Distinguish =
Explain the difference.
Enumerate =
Make a list of the points under discussion.
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Estimate =
Guess the amount or value.
Explain =
Describe, giving reasons and causes.
Express =
Put the ideas into words.
Evaluate =
Give an opinion by exploring the good and bad points. It’s a bit like asking you to assess something. Attempt to support your argument with expert opinion.
Factors =
The fact or circumstances that contribute to a result.
Give an account of
Describe.
Give reasons for =
Use words like because in your answer as you will be explaining how or why something is that way.
Identify =
Recognise, prove something as being certain.
Illustrate =
Show by explaining and giving examples.
Indicate =
Point out, make something known.
Interpret =
Explain the meaning by using examples and opinions.
Justify =
Give a good reason for offering an opinion.
List =
An item-by-item record of relevant images. This would normally be in note form without any need to be descriptive.
Outline =
Concentrate on the main bits of the topic or item. Ignore the minor detail.
Prove =.
Give real evidence, not opinion, which proves an argument and shows it to be true.
Relate =
Show the connection between things.
Review =
Give a summary of the most important factors and compare/criticise where necessary
State =
Write briefly the main points.
Summarise =
Give the main points of an idea or argument. Leave out unnecessary details that could cloud the issue.
Trace =
Show how something has developed from beginning to end.
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Useful Vocabulary: CONCENTRATION Chemistry / English SOLUTION Chemistry / Maths / English RESOLUTION Physics / Maths / English REVOLUTION Maths / History / Physics REACT / REACTION Chemistry / English RESISTANCE Physics / Biology / History / English TENSION / STRESS / STRAIN
Physics / PE / English
INCIDENT Physics / English PRODUCT Maths / Product Design / English FACTOR Maths / History / Geography TERM Maths / History / English FUNCTION Maths / Computer Science / PE / Biology RANGE Maths / Geography / English INTERVAL Maths / Geography / Physics / English SYSTEMS Computer Science / Biology / Engineering ILLUSTRATE Art / History / RE / English / Geography ACCOUNT RE / Business Studies / History OUTLINE PE / Art / RE / History / Geography / Business Studies STATE Geography / PE / Physics / Chemistry / English / History VALUE Maths / English / Geography / Computer Science TRANSLATE Maths / MFL REFLECT Physics / Maths / English FIGURE Maths / Geography / History / RE / English NET Maths / Business Studies RATE Maths / Business studies / Geography / PE / Biology / Chemistry INTEREST Maths / Business Studies / English
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REFLEX PE / Physics / English ACUTE English / Maths SOURCE Geography / History / English RESORT Geography / English CONTROL Physics / Chemistry / Biology / English FINISH Art / English TRACE Art / English CONTRAST Art / English ANNOTATE Art / English SMART Chemistry / English COMPONENT PE Engineering Tech Physics BRIEF English / Engineering / Product Design / Humanities SYMBOL RE / Engineering / Physics PROJECT Tech / Maths PLAN Maths / Tech / English CHARACTER English / Computer Science
EAL SUPPORT PREDICT
SIGNIFICANCE
CONSIDER
OBSERVE
CONTEXT
EXPLORE
VIEW / OPINION
RESOLVE
EFFECT
BATCH
CORE
ROLE
TABLE
REFER
JUSTIFY
IDENTIFY
IMPACT
EXTENT
CASE STUDY
CONGRUENT
MARK (WITH AN ARROW) MARK OUT – (Engineering) MARKS (ie.score)
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Progress check – organisation is the key! Discuss targets set by you and your teacher with your family. Ask yourself how close you are to these and how you feel about these targets that have been set for you.
Do an equipment check as you may have used the supplies purchased throughout the revision and these may need to be replenished. Some subjects that require additional materials such as annotated preparation notes to be taken in. Make sure you check the day before! Essential Exam Kit:
Pens, not just one, as pupils tend to write a lot in the exams Pencils Eraser Ruler Calculator/maths kit Colouring pencils Tissues Plain see-through pencil case Plain water bottle with no label NO MOBILE PHONES
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Focus - Preparation - Celebrating Success Encouragement is the key in the build up week to the examinations as you may start to get really nervous. Keep reminding yourself that you have done the work and got the knowledge, that you have worked hard and are well prepared, this is your chance to show off! Ensure that you use your teachers as a support network and have one last meeting with them to fill any gaps and make sure you are as confident as you can be.
Exam Days To try and make sure that these go as smoothly as possible you can:
Make sure that you arrive to school in plenty of time Attend the warm up sessions in the school canteen Ensure that you have had a proper breakfast / lunch Ensure that you have had a proper night’s sleep – staying up all night the night before an exam revising is likely to be counter productive Ensure that you have all the correct equipment - pens, pencils, rulers, calculators, texts for English exams etc All equipment should be in a clear plastic pencil case or plastic bag Make sure that you have a bottle of water for the exam - dehydration severely affects the performance of the brain. 27
Year 11 Additional Curriculum Opportunities 2016
Departments will invite specific groups of students to each session according to their development requirements. All sessions run by departments should be attended regularly by pupils to ensure progress
WEEK
DURING SCHOOL
MONDAY
AFTER SCHOOL
ENGLISH
TUESDAY
MATHS (8.30-9.05)
MATHS
WEDNESDAY
SCIENCE (12.50-13.35) SCIENCE FRENCH (12.50-13.35) (Listening + RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Reading)
THURSDAY
PE CIRCUIT TRAINING (8.00-8.30)
COMPUTING ART
FRIDAY
MATHS (8.30-9.05) GEOGRAPHY (12.50-13.35) FRENCH (12.50-13.35) (Speaking and Writing)
HISTORY CATERING
PE will offer a range of seasonal extra-curricular activities before, during and after school
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