Year 9 Information Evening

Aims:• To help you monitor your child’s learning through

Go4Schools and ‘Show My Homework’• To give you important information about the new

GCSEs and how they will affect your child

The Big Picture

• New GCSEs in English and Maths from Sept 2015

• Numbers, not grades (1-9)• No controlled assessments – all exam• Other subjects continue with grades – a

transition year

What is Go4Schools?

Go4Schools gives parents access 24/7 to up-to-date information about their child and their learning:– Current information about achievement and

progress in the subjects they are studying– Attendance information– Timetable information– Behaviour information– Interim and annual reports

Sample Student Page

• http://www.go4schools.com/screenshots/Student.aspx

Target and Current Grades

On Go4Schools you will see two main grades:

1. Target Grade

2. Current Grade

The ‘at-a-glance’ graph

Is my child on track to achieve?Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2

+2

+1

0

-1

-2

-3

-4

-5

-6

Reports

English Language &English Literature GCSEs

All students will take both English Language and Literature GCSEsEnglish Language GCSE will involve:• Reading and responding to a range of high quality,

challenging literature and non-fiction text from a range of genres and types (from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries).• Writing clearly and accurately, in good Standard

English. There will be an increased emphasis on spelling, punctuation and grammar including the use of vocabulary.• Speaking confidently in formal situations.

English Literature GCSE will involve:• Reading a wide range of classic literature fluently,

including A 19th century novelA Shakespeare playA selection of poetry since 1789 including

representative Romantic poemsBritish fiction or drama from 1914 onwards.

All English GCSEs will have terminal assessment with no controlled assessment.A new grading system will be introduced. Students will be awarded a grade from 1 to 9, with 9 being the highest.

Getting PreparedStudents should:

Read! (see our recommended reading list).

Write and get in the habit of always planning, writing and then editing and re-drafting written tasks.

Develop written accuracy (SPaG) and vocabulary.

Engage with the Year 9 English course and work hard to improve and make progress every lesson as it has been designed to build the skills students will need.

Ask for advice and guidance from English staff or myself, Mrs Gibberd (Head of English).

The New Maths GCSEInstead of letters students will receive a number as their grade.

9 will be the highest grade

1 will be the lowest

The content has increased by a third at both Higher and Foundation Tiers.

Current GCSE New GCSE

9A* 8A 7

6B

5C

4D 3E 2F 1G

Grade Changes

• More problem solving content.

• Greater need to “explain their answer”.

• Greater total length of examination (currently two papers of 1 hour 45 minutes each).

General Changes

Example Changes to ContentTopics currently in Higher Tier only will now be included in the Foundation Tier examination.

For example Standard Form, Trigonometry, Congruence and Simultaneous Equations all previously B grade topics will now be at C grade equivalent.

Topics currently in A Level will now be included in the Higher Tier examination.

For example Equation of a Circle, Inverse and Composite Functions and Quadratic Sequences.

• 6 sets (with mixed ability below the top 2 sets)

• Regular assessments

• Two pieces of homework every week

• Calculators are required for all students

Mathematics in Year 9

• Results of assessments will be put onto Go4Schools

• Target grades are currently still letters

• Target grades are for the end of Year 11

Go4Schools