GCSE YEAR 11 PREPARING FOR SUCCESS REVISION. Balcarras School East End Road Charlton Kings Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 8QF NAME:

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1 REVISION YEAR 11 GCSE PREPARING FOR SUCCESS Tel: Fax: Website: Balcarras School East End Road Charlton Kings Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 8QF NAME:

2 Parents Guide to how to use the Online Resources CURRICULUM-RELATED QUESTIONS Various resources are available that will enable your son/daughter to revise effectively. Should you have any curriculum-related questions, please contact the relevant Head of Department. You can do so by ing Balcarras School at and request that your query be directed to the relevant Head of Department and your son/daughter s Head of House. VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) This is the most likely place where they will find resources and past papers for exam preparation. Staff and departments will put onto the calendar proposed revision sessions for them to attend. Go to balcarraslearning.com to find details on how you can gain access to the VLE to help you monitor and support your child. A parents guide is also available which goes into more detail on the potential use of the VLE. Network Students can gain access to all departmental resources, including worksheets, presentations and quizzes. Also on the website there will be regular updates up to the start of the GCSE exam period advertising lunchtime, twilight and Easter revision sessions. In many cases students will be formally advised that their attendance is expected, although students who voluntarily attend will be welcome. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail! WEEK Departments Heads of Departments Art... Mr D Hazael Business Studies... Mr P Perry Computer Science & ICT... Mr R Cook Dance GCSE... Mrs S Thompson-Clemow Design Technology: Product Design Mr J Draisey Design Technology: Food & Nutrition Mrs C Saunders Design Technology: Textiles... Mrs C Poleykett Drama... Mr A Bennett English... Mr D Sharkey Geography... Mrs N Lambert-Masters Health & Social Care... Miss J Hoskins History... Mr P Sexton Mathematics... Mr S Critchley Modern Languages... Mrs J Hockenhull Music... Miss K Dilworth Physical Education... Mr M Harvey Religious Studies: Philosophy & Ethics Miss H Ebanja Science... Mr G Towers 2 23

3 NOTES September 2016 Dear Member of Year 11, The next few months will be the most important in your school career. In a few short months you will be taking your GCSE exams and they will have a major impact on your future options. One of the keys to exam success is having a revision strategy. Successful pupils will be well organised and highly skilled in revision techniques. The good news is that developing these skills is something that can be learnt. WEEK The aim of this booklet is to help to get you organised, give you some helpful tips on revision techniques and help you to make the most of the opportunities that you have. One of the most important skills is to plan your time effectively and the centre pages set out all your controlled assessments over the year. If you require any additional help or advice please speak to your teachers, who will be only too happy to help you and answer any questions. Very good luck. Mr Dominic Burke Headteacher 22 3

4 Advice for Parents and Guardians NOTES Making a Difference Helping your daughter or son prepare for their GCSEs General things you can do to help Provide a quiet place for study. Encourage the rest of the family to help by not disturbing revision. Praise hard work. Emphasise the need for plenty of sleep. Encourage planned relaxation time (too much study is not helpful). Help your daughter/son to forget about each exam as it is finished. Remind your daughter/son that the exam period will soon be over and that there will be a good break from school when she/he will be able to catch up on what they have been missing! Every department offers additional lunchtime and after school provision to help you achieve. You need to be pro-active in organising your commitments as some subjects may clash. If you have any concerns please contact your subject teacher Useful revision tips You can help your daughter/son by helping them to follow these tips: Plan for half-hour sessions or an hour at most. In the evenings after school, plan to revise one or two subjects only. Leave some time for relaxation. Plan to revise specific topics in each subject, not everything at once. Ensure that each session starts with tackling the most difficult topics first. Encourage that all resources are at hand. Exam Dates All GCSE written exams take place between 15th May and 30th June There are no exams during the week of the bank holiday, when schools are normally on half-term break. In 2017 this will be the week beginning 29th May. WEEK 4 21

5 W/C 8TH MAY 2017 (WEEK 2) W/C 15TH MAY 2017 (WEEK 1) WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS BEGIN NOTES Advice during the spring term Get your daughter/son to check that they have all notes and books for revision. Get them to talk to their teacher if they are missing any. Check that they have a revision timetable which includes the dates and times of the examinations in May and June. Include any important dates (such as birthdays) when you want them to take some time off from revision. Include in the timetable a plan for revision. Spread revision out evenly so that subject demands match to the exam timetable. School Contacts Keeping in touch with school can be extremely important when seeking advice in preparation for exams. Listed are the names of staff who will help should any issues occur during the exam period. During the exam period Try to ensure that: Your daughter/son gets a good night s sleep before exams. They have all the equipment for the day. They know the start times of each exam for the day and plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before. You wish them well and tell them that they have worked hard and that they can only do their best. Heads of Houses Foley: Miss J Hoskins Graveney: Mr P Greenway Ottewell: Mr P Amor Selvey: Mr D Leatherbarrow Examinations Officer Ms. Christine Paris-Johnstone Head of Individual Learning Mrs C Williams And when it s all over... tell your daughter/son to relax and forget about study for a while. Enjoy the summer break! 20 5

6 REVISION SESSIONS ESSIONS DIARY IARY ORGANISATION / TIME MANAGEMENT Start early Spend quality working time in a quiet and organised environment Plan each session with specific outcomes, decide what you are going to achieve from each activity - ask parents to monitor and reward you Keep intensive time periods relatively short, eg divide up an hour into 5 minutes planning, two 20 minute sections with 10 minutes for review. Then break and repeat Use a variety of strategies and techniques to keep things fresh Write things down on paper - you will remember them more clearly - summarise notes using headings Learn and remember what you have written, then test to check Invest in some highlighter pens and file dividers Keep a balance between work and relaxation - reward good revision Plan your timetable and stick to it Try your best and develop confidence as you build up your knowledge The countdown to your GCSE your TEACHERS are a valuable resource - and seek out the advice of your MENTORS W/C 3RD APRIL 2017 (WEEK 1) INSET DAY END OF TERM W/C 24TH APRIL 2017 (WEEK 2) W/C 1ST MAY 2017 (WEEK 1) BANK HOLIDAY 6 19

7 REVISION SESSIONS DIARY FOLD FOLD FOLD W/C 13TH MARCH 2017 (WEEK 2) REVISION STRATEGIES Brainstorming Concept mapping Flow diagrams KEY IDEA KEY IDEA LINK INFORMATION W/C 20TH MARCH 2017 (WEEK 1) Reduce information onto revision cards Convert text material into diagrams KEY- WORD DEFI- NITION KEY- WORD DEFI- NITION Focus on key terminology and concepts/ideas Test learning regularly - use each other - teamwork Begin with model answers - this is what I am aiming for Draft answers before you begin Review and check answers what could I have included to make it better W/C 27TH MARCH 2017 (WEEK 2) Organise material logically Focus on areas of weakness - turn them into strengths Look at past papers and mark schemes Good Luck! that you must put these into effect NOW. It is planned and systematic ACTION that delivers results, NOT talk of good intentions 18 7

8 SUBJECT BASICS REVISION SESSIONS ESSIONS DIARY IARY ART W/C 20TH FEBRUARY 2017 (WEEK 1) 40% exam / 60% coursework ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES The Art department feel that the best kind of support we can offer the GCSE students is that from September the Art department will be running workshops and catch up sessions for those students who would like to take advantage of extra studio time. All art students are welcome. The sessions will run on afternoons until 5pm. Please feel free to take advantage of this extra tuition. SYLLABUS WJEC BUSINESS STUDIES 75% exam (one 2-hour paper - no tiers) / 25% controlled assessment ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES Students have been issued with a CGP revision guide - very useful and presents key information in a student-friendly way. Students will also be issued with exam specific help sheets as the exam gets nearer. The department has also provided a booklet full of past papers and likely questions to be set. SYLLABUS OCR 60% Controlled Assessment / 40% exam SYLLABUS WJEC COMPUTING ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES There is a comprehensive and detailed course text book which is provided upon receipt of a refundable deposit ( 18). There is an online revision course with explanatory videos plus numerous past papers, resources and revision guides available on the VLE and school network. DESIGN TECHNOLOGY : FOOD AND NUTRITION 40% exam / 60% controlled assessment (2 PIECES) ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES There is no specific revision guide for the GCSE course we run. However, this year we have purchased a new textbook which you will be loaned nearer the exam preparation period (details will follow). Students will be given lots of revision aids and help sheets. The food technology pages of the VLE provide 40% exam / 60% coursework DESIGN TECHNOLOGY : PRODUCT DESIGN ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES Specific product design revision guides are available from the design and technology department at a cost of Students should see their D&T teacher if they wish to purchase one. The product design pages of the VLE provide numerous revision aids, including past papers (with mark schemes) and revision W/C 27TH FEBRUARY 2017 (WEEK 2) W/C 6TH MARCH 2017 (WEEK 1) 8 17

9 REVISION SESSIONS DIARY SUBJECT UBJECT BASICS ASICS W/C 23RD JANUARY 2017 (WEEK 2) 40% exam / 60% coursework DESIGN TECHNOLOGY : TEXTILES ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES Specific textiles revision guides and workbooks are available from the design and technology department at a cost of Students should see their D&T teacher if they wish to purchase one. Past papers are available from their D&T teacher on request. There are a number of revision resources available on the VLE, GCSE page. W/C 30TH JANUARY 2017 (WEEK 1) DRAMA 40% written exam / 60% practical coursework ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES Final practical exams are in the Spring term with moderation evening in February or March (TBC). All students have major final performances around this time and homework will involve after school time and possibly one Sunday rehearsal. There will also be an assessment in November or January. Written work will be in more focus during the year requiring patience and commitment. To prepare, ensure that your revision materials are easy to learn and your own work. You should develop personal notes through regular updates. This could be done via a few minutes per evening rather than in homework blocks whichever suits you best so long as you meet deadlines and it doesn t affect other subjects. ENGLISH LANGUAGE W/C 6TH FEBRUARY 2017 (WEEK 2) 100% exam ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES The GCSE English Language course culminates in two 1 hour 45 minute exams. The first of these will test students on their ability to analyse unseen literary fiction and will also require them to produce a short piece of creative writing; the second will test students on their ability to analyse unseen non-fiction and will also require them to produce a short piece of functional writing. Throughout Years 10 and 11 specific periods will be devoted to preparing for these exam units, but students will also acquire valuable analytical skills through their study of the literature units and these will enhance their ability to explore the unseen texts in the English Language exam. The New GCSE English Language AQA Revision Guide for the 9-1 course is a practical guide to what is required: HALF TERM MONDAY 13TH - FRIDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2017 ENGLISH LITERATURE 100% exam ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES The GCSE English Literature course culminates in two exams: the first of these lasts for 1 hour and 45 minutes and will require students to answer questions on a Shakespeare play and on a nineteenth century novel; the second exam lasts for 2 hours and 15 minutes and will require students to answer questions on the play Blood Brothers and on a range of 19 th, 20 th and 21 st century poetry both seen and unseen. There are CPG revision guides available on the poems ( and a wide range of book and internet based revision material on all the other texts. In Y11, students will study a Shakespeare play and will revise the texts done in Y10. Students are advised to wait for their teacher to tell them exactly what texts their individual GCSE group is studying before purchasing any revision materials. 16 9

10 SUBJECT BASICS REVISION SESSIONS ESSIONS DIARY IARY 40% exam / 60% controlled ASSESSMENT FRENCH ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES..Students should log onto the VLE and complete all exercises in the Key Stage 4 section. These resources can also be found on under GCSE French. All students have been told the login and password in class. Students will also find the following websites helpful: - grammar section - intermediate section. Lastly an AQA GCSE French revision workbook is available at the price of Please see your French teacher for a letter. This is an excellent resource and contains listening material available on the internet as well as other activities. We highly recommend that all pupils buy one from the MFL department. GEOGRAPHY (A) 75% exam / 25% controlled assessment GEOGRAPHY ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES Pupils will be provided with an A3 revision note sheet for each topic as it is taught, along with a specification breakdown which acts as a tick sheet. We do not provide a revision booklet and so we recommend the following three guides for purchase: 1. GCSE Geography AQA Specification. The Revision Guide. CGP Publishers. Richard Parsons. GHR42 2. Practice Workbooks and Answers (for workbooks). CGP Publishers. (Higher and Foundation versions available) 3. Revise AQA GCSE Geography A revision workbook and guide. Pearson Additionally each pupil will be given a past paper question booklet to work through throughout the course of the GCSE. Each student will be issued with a core text book in Year 11. HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE W/C 2ND JANUARY 2017 (WEEK 1) BANK HOLIDAY HOLIDAY HOLIDAY W/C 9TH JANUARY 17 (WEEK 2) SYLLABUS OCR 40% examination / 60% controlled assessment There are no formal revision guides for GCSE Health and Social Care, resources can be found on the VLE and the school R:drive and students will be given a number of past papers to complete beginning in September. W/C 16TH JANUARY 2017 (WEEK 1) HISTORY SYLLABUS OCR MODERN WORLD HISTORY 75% exam / 25% coursework ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES There are a number of revision guides available in the department for students to borrow. If you want to buy one, the best available is: OCR GCSE Modern World History by Ben Walsh. ISBN This is quite a detailed revision guide and is suitable for all candidates. If you want a less detailed revision guide ask your teacher

11 SUBJECT BASICS SUBJECT UBJECT BASICS ASICS RELIGIOUS STUDIES PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS SYLLABUS OCR PHILOSOPHY AND APPLIED ETHICS 100% exam ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES Pupils should look at the VLE and R:drive where resources and revision material will be placed. A good revision guide to purchase is OCR and Heinemann: GCSE Religious Studies B: Christian Philosophy and Applied Ethics. SYLLABUS CIDA INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY 25% exam / 75% coursework ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES We are always keen to support students and the ICT rooms are open before school, during lunch and after school to enable this. Staff will also make themselves available to help during these times. Workbooks are provided which list all the required evidence and can be used to track progress. The exam brief for the year can be found at RUSSIAN MATHEMATICS SYLLABUS EDEXCEL 100% exam ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES There are no formal revision guides for this subject, however, an extensive range of revision materials can be found on the VLE. Here students can access grammar notes and practice exercises, an online version of the GCSE textbook and past papers with mark schemes. The following website may also be useful: SYLLABUS EDEXCEL 100% exam ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES Pupils can use Login: balcarras Password: radius Further support is available via Login with balcarras then use your mymaths login and password to access support from level 1 to 9 at GCSE. SCIENCE MUSIC 75% exam / 25% coursework ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES The science department issue AQA revision guides. We would also direct students to the online textbook and VLE revision resources. SPANISH 40% exam / 60% controlled assessment ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES Students should log onto the VLE and complete all exercises in the Key Stage 4 section. These resources can also be found on under GCSE Spanish. All students have been told the login and password in class. Students will also find the following websites helpful: - grammar section - intermediate section Lastly an AQA GCSE Spanish revision workbook is available at the price of Please see your Spanish teacher for a letter. This is an excellent resource and contains listening material available on the internet as well as other activities. We highly recommend that all pupils buy one from the MFL department SYLLABUS EDEXCEL 40% exam (listening) / 30% performance / 30% composition ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES Edexel GCSE revision guides are available for 4 each from the Music department. This will help with highlighting key words and concepts. Audio Examples and resources to support students are available on the VLE under Music. 40% exam / 60% coursework PHYSICAL EDUCATION ADVICE ON REVISION GUIDES Revision guides are available at 3 each from the sports hall office. Additional support material available on the VLE under physical education, including links to GCSE Bitesize

12 Coursework / Exam Timetable Coursework / Exam Timetable