Monday 10 th September

Monday 10 th September

Date Information 10 th September Year 11 Parent Information Evening 18th September Year 11 Photographs 19 th September Geography field trip to Guildford 16 th October Year 11 Parents Evening 18 th October Charity Fair 30 th October Year 11 Revision Evening 19th November Year 11 MFL SPANISH GCSE Trial Oral Examinations 21 st -23 rd November School Drama Production 26 th November Year 11 MFL FRENCH/GERMAN Trial Oral Examinations

7 th February Academic Review Day / Designated F6 Interview Day Date Information 13 th December Art Trial Examinations 3 rd 8 th January Photography Trial Examinations 12th January 15 th January Year 11 Trial Exam RESULTS Day Year 11 Reports to Parents Trial Examinations Results Day & Results to Parents 28 th January Year 11 Art Trip

Date 4 th March 11 th March Information MFL Spanish, GCSE Trial Oral Exams MFL French German GCSE Trial Oral Exams 18 th March Drama GCSE Acting Examination March 2018 dates will be confirmed Trial Examinations Science, Maths + other subjects 24 th April Final Art GCSE Exam 29 th April MFL Spanish GCSE Oral Examinations 7 th May MFL French & German GCSE Oral Exams May - TBC May 2018 a timetable will be provided Final Day: Celebration Assembly Start GCSE Exam Season 4 th July - TBC Year 11 Prom

The picture at Tomlinscote 2018 81% 9-4 In BOTH English & Maths. 57% 9-5 in BOTH English & Maths. 88% achieved Grade 4+ in English 80% achieved Grade 4+ in Maths Our attainment results are well above our estimated results and therefore we expect to achieve a value added score (progress score) well above the national average.

4.2% 24% 3.4% 24% 80% 86%

All students in Year 11 will continue to study the AQA English Language Course Syllabus A. There is only one entry level. This entry level is graded numerically. All students have a copy of the grid that compares previous assessment grades to the now current numerical grades. This course is assessed by terminal examination. There are two separate examination papers: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (1 hr 45 mins) 2 sections Section A: Reading; Section B: Writing Paper 2: Writer s Viewpoints and Perspectives (1 hr 45 mins) 2 sections Section A: Reading; Section B: Writing

Students will need to practise their examination skills and writing under timed conditions. Students need to focus on technical accuracy and maturity of expression in their responses. Students need to develop and extend their personal vocabulary. Students need to develop personal opinions and viewpoints relating to current and controversial topics. Students should be reading news events and papers. Students should be acting on advice from teachers and their EBIs.

All students will continue to follow the AQA GCSE English Literature Course Syllabus A. This course is assessed by terminal examination. There are two separate examination papers: Paper 1: Shakespeare and the Nineteenth Century Novel - Section A: Shakespeare (Macbeth); Section B: Nineteenth Century Novel (Jekyll and Hyde/The Sign of Four) Paper 2: Section A: Modern Text (An Inspector Calls/DNA); Section B: Anthology Poems (Power and Conflict); Section C: Unseen Poetry

Past exam papers for Lit/Lan Building vocabulary Spellings Forms of writing Wider reading Summary skills Word analysis Comparative skills Comprehension Summary of the week s learning Extra tuition / intervention On-line Noticeboard BBC Bitesize, Sparknotes, You Tube etc S Drive

All Year 11 students are continuing to study the GCSE Linear syllabus. They are grouped according to ability and flightpaths. They are continuing to study the new Linear mathematics specification GCSE Mathematics (8300) The exam board is AQA. See the website for further details: www.aqa.org.uk

Year 10 internal assessment results indicate the majority of students are on target to achieve or exceed their GCSE target grade. Content in GCSE Maths has changed slightly. For example, there are some new topics in the higher tier ; topics that traditionally are seen on an A-level course. Also, some traditional higher tier topics now appear on the foundation tier, therefore making the syllabus more rigorous.

Year 11 students studying the GCSE syllabus broadly cover the topics of: Number, Ratio and Proportion Algebra Geometry Data Probability

Two Areas of Focus will be assessed during this term to ensure students know their strengths and weaknesses in preparation for the next steps. Revision for trial exams later in the academic year will focus on exam technique Decisions on tier of entry Higher or Foundation will be finalised at the end of the spring term.

Teachers in the department update resources on the school s S:drive and Google classroom. Sixth form students and teachers offer their support to your children with additional before school study support Tuesday Keep parents up to date with how your child is progressing throughout this term and next.

Check that your child has sufficient revision materials from the school and online. Make sure they have a structured home learning plan to complete revision tasks. Reward them and praise them for their successes. Contact us if there is anything else you think we can do to support your child s Mathematics education.

Head of Science Dr C Wiskin

Students have been re-set coming into Year 11. For the majority of students this has meant no change. Three trial examinations will occur in late February early March 2018 and will be based on all GCSE science work completed. The exact dates need to be confirmed.

All science qualifications are completed with Pearson Edexcel: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualific ations/edexcel-gcses/sciences-2016.html 100% pass rate across all four qualifications in science, 2018. GCSE Biology 9-4 100% (Nat. 89%) GCSE Chemistry 9-4 98% (Nat. 89%) GCSE Physics 9-4 100% (Nat. 91%) GCSE Combined Science 9-4 73% (Nat. 55%) Two science qualifications at 4+ = 75%

Students will continue to follow one of two GCSE pathways in the sciences: TRIPLE SCIENCE Leads to 3 separate GCSE qualifications in Biology, Chemistry and Physics COMBINED SCIENCE Leads to 2 separate GCSE Grades in Combined Science.

Assessment All external examinations take place at the end of Year 11 (May/June 2019). Two x 1 hour & 45 minute examinations in each subject. Both examination papers are equally weighted.

Assessment All external examinations take place at the end of Year 11 (May/June 2019). Six x 1 hour & 10 minute examinations (two papers per subject). All six examination papers are equally weighted. All papers are tiered: either Higher or Standard.

Please ensure that students are completing their homework. That it is neat and answered in full. Encourage students to read the appropriate pages of the digital textbooks that have been made available to all students. Ensure that students are doing suitable and purposeful revision for end of topic tests and are completing the improvement tasks.

The key is for all pupils to aim high and to help themselves in achieving their future goals.

Becoming an effective learner

Focus on helping to prepare our Year 11 students for the increasing demands on them regarding content breadth Focus of project is to help students to fully understand effective revision strategies

Staff from Farnborough and Tomlinscote met to share current learning strategies and approaches Discussed a more common approach moving forward to student learning strategies Staff from both establishments worked side by side to create and deliver a session to all of Year 10 Set students summer holidays goal

Delivery of a Year 11 Revision Evening for Parents and Students - October 30th Mr Major and Mrs Tonkin Drop in sessions - one to one revision strategy help - voluntary Opportunity for each student to self evaluate success of the strategies employed to date - January 2019 Opportunity to work with staff off timetable, reflecting on which learning strategies are working and which need abandoning Mindfulness Monthly sessions

New GCSE demands regarding content Preparing students for leap to Linear A levels Teenage behaviours and attitudes Lack of awareness re. knowing HOW to learn Creatures of habit regarding revision Empowering parents/carers to know how you can best support

Retrieval Dual Coding Spacing Elaborative Interrogation

Students: Get students to create a schedule Space out, rather than cram Set time aside every day/ week

Dual Coding Involves taking written or verbally received information / existing knowledge, and converting it into visual representations.

EFFORT

HOW it works Accepting that you need to forget Don t use notes but check afterwards Practice tests Make own questions Create flashcards - dual coded Write down everything you know from memory Organise ideas in to concept maps Elaborate and make connections through asking questions

The Learning Scientists http://www.learningscientists.org/ Bjork: https://bjorklab.psych.ucla.edu/research/

Tracking & regular monitoring of student performance by Year 11 pastoral team and Intervention Co-ordinator Intervention Groups, e.g.: L4 Borderline Under-achievers 7-9 Borderline Self-esteem Handwriting sessions Controlled Assessment Reminders to Parents from departments less of these now or a smaller % of final marks but still very important in some subject areas. Subject termly assessments & Department intervention Sixth form mentors Period 7 sessions after school Saturday sessions Revision Guides get them now! Online passwords E.g. Kerboodle www.kerboodle.com Username: jbloggs17 Password: jbloggs17 Institution code: CP6

Farnborough 6 th Form College Open Evenings 17 th and 18 th October 2018 (3.30-9.00 p.m.) Year 11 Interviews with every student with the careers team

Monitor planners for deadlines / responsibilities Encourage students to take care over the presentation and their handwriting can be the difference between grades! Monitor Part-time work / Extra-curricular clubs and social life Monitor social media usage / gaming Ensure good attendance and punctuality to school Support & understanding Student & family well-being is vital! Support the school we are a team!

Head of Year: Stuart Young syoung@tomlinscoteschool.com Assistant Head of Year: Kirsten Allen kallen@tomlinscoteschool.com Student Support Officer Gina Brown gbrown@tomlinscoteschool.com