Bellerive FCJ Catholic College

Key Stage 4

Parental support booklet

2017-18

Introduction

Thank you for taking the time to read this booklet, which aims to support you in understanding daughter’s educational journey in Year10/11.

Parental support is vital in making a difference to the grades awarded at the end of Y11. By working together we can achieve the outcome we all want; the very best education for your daughter.

Working with school

If you have any concerns about your daughter’s progress, please contact school as soon as possible. These concerns may be about:

  • A lack of homework
  • Progress in tests or assessments
  • Worries about behaviour or attitude

Speaking to her Head of Year might be the best place to start or ask to speak to the relevant subject leader. Get your daughter to record the names of each of her teachers for you to help communication.

We also hold various evenings to enable you to speak to teaching staff about your daughter’s progress. More details will be sent to you nearer the time.

  • Y10 target setting evenings will be held on 7th November 2017
  • Y10 Parents evening will be held on 8th March 2018
  • Y11 mock results evening will be on 11th January 2018
  • Y11 Parents evening will be held on 24th January 2018

Before parents evening, write down any questions you may have and what you would like to get out of the conversations with teachers. If the news is positive, celebrate that with your daughter but equally if the news is less positive, keep a sense of perspective and be clear with teachers before you leave what you can do to support improvements.

Key Stage 4: how it works

In Y10 and Y11, your daughter will be studying a range of compulsory and option subjects, which will be GCSE or equivalent.

GCSE for the current Year 11

  • Are graded 9-1 in every subject except for Design and Technology subjects
  • Grades 5-9 will be seen as good GCSE pass grades, equivalent to a C-A* grade currently
  • Are graded from A*-G for Design and Technology subjects. Below grade G, students are Unclassified (U).
  • D-G grades mean students are passing at Level 1 of the National Qualifications Framework and A*-C grades are at level 2.
  • These grades will help inform your daughter’s options at 16. For example, A level courses will be likely to require passes at C/Grade 5 or better.
  • Can be sat at different tiers, usually higher and foundation. Decisions about which tier to enter your daughter for are made by teaching staff using the full range of assessment data available to them.
  • Students starting GCSE courses will have to take the examination at the end of 2 years of study.

GCSE for the current Y10

  • Are graded 9-1 in every GCSE subject
  • Some vocational subjects are graded Pass, Merit, Distinction and Distinction*

Compulsory examination subjects at Bellerive include English, Maths, Science and RE.

For more details about these qualifications please visit or

How can I help?

Y10 and Y11 are very demanding years so here are some tips for you as parents to help your daughter:

  • Please make sure she attends school and is punctual to all lessons. There is a clear link between attendance at lessons and examination success.
  • All Y10 and Y11 students should be studying for at least an hour most nights of the week. This might be completing homework, revising for tests or many other tasks
  • Draw up with your daughter a study timetable, building in free time as well as any clubs they are committed to.
  • Get the balance between school work and social life right. Flexibility is really important. If home study is missed because of an outside event, the work missed needs to be completed as soon as possible
  • Rewards are good! We all respond to incentives in work so students are no different. These can be anything you think might work but again, get the balance right. The reward must be linked to the scale of the achievement.
  • If you are worried about your daughter becoming stressed about school work, ask them to talk to you, their teachers, Head of year or another trusted adult. Reassure them it is OK to be stressed and that a solution can usually be found
  • A sense of perspective helps too. Students are often guilty of exaggerating the importance of an exam, a piece of coursework and so on. The professionals here at school are very experienced and if you and your daughter discuss your problems with us, we can usually resolve them.

Assessment and Targets

All students will be given a target for each subject they study. Progress towards this target will be assessed throughout the year. Y10 reports will be issued in July 2017 and teachers will be asked to input assessment grades in October/November 2016 and February/March 2017. Y11 reports will be issued in early 2017.

Revision

Parents often tell us that they are not sure how to support their daughters in revising for exams so here are some useful pointers:

  • Help them draw up a revision timetable
  • Start the process in good time for the exams. Check with school if you are not sure about the dates
  • Encourage them to take regular breaks
  • Reward their efforts
  • Make sure they have the necessary equipment: pens, paper, folders and so on
  • Make sure they are eating and drinking correctly. Water is especially important for concentration
  • Offer to test them on key facts
  • Keep a sense of perspective: exams are important but they can be retaken

We have an online revision tool to help students revise at home. The web address is Students have been given a username and password. Students also have access to GCSEPod which provides revision podcasts for a wide range of subjects. It can be accessed at

Some useful links for parents

Exam boards and courses

Here are the examination courses taken by Y10 and Y11 students in Bellerive

Exam board / Subject / Qualification
Eduqas / English Language / Year 10 and Year 11
Component 1:
20th Century Literature.
Reading and Creative Prose Writing (Exam.)
Component 2:
19th and 21st Century Non-Fiction
Reading and Transactional/Persuasive Writing (Exam.)
Spoken Language assessment.
One formal presentation or speech.
Achievement in spoken language will be reported but will not form part of your final GCSE qualification/grade.
Eduqas / English Literature / Year 10 and Year 11
Component 1:
Shakespeare
Poetry from 1789 to the present day (exam.)
Component 2:
Post – 1914 prose/drama
19th century prose
Unseen poetry (exam.)
AQA / Mathematics / GCSE Mathematics
Tiers available are Higher and Foundation.
Paper 1: Non-calculator paper
Paper 2: Calculator
Paper 3: Calcluator
Eduqas / Religious Education / Year 10 and Year 11 – Eduqas Route B
Paper 1: Foundational Catholic Theology - Origins and meaning - Good and evil
Paper 2: Applied Catholic Theology - Life and death - Sin and forgiveness
Paper 3: Judaism -Beliefs and practices
AQA / Biology
Chemistry
Physics / GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics
Y10 Set 1/2 (Final decision on Separate Sciences entry made at Easter 2018) based on progress in Y10.
Y11 Set 1
AQA / Combined Science
Entry Level Certificate / Sets 2-6 in Year 10 and Year 11
Set 6 in Year 10 and Year 11
AQA / Geography / GCSE Geography (AQA) - 8035
Paper 1 – Living with the Physical Environment
Paper 2 – Challenges in the Human Environment
Paper 3 – Geographical Applications
AQA / History / GCSE AQA History (8145)
Paper 1-Understanding the modern world 50%
Section A: Period Studies Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and dictatorship.
Section B: Wider World Depth Studies Conflict and tension, 1918 1939.
Paper 2: Shaping the nation 50%
Section A: Thematic studies Britain: Power and the people: c1170 to the present day.
Section B: British depth studies and historic environment of Elizabethan England, c1568–1603
AQA / Spanish / Paper 1: Listening 25%
Paper 2: Speaking 25%
Paper 3: Reading 25%
Paper 4 Writing 25%
AQA / French / Paper 1: Listening 25%
Paper 2: Speaking 25%
Paper 3: Reading 25%
Paper4 Writing 25%
Pearson / ICT (Y10) / Certificate in Digital applications
OCR / ICT (Y11) / Level 1/2 Cambridge National Certificate in ICT
R001: Understanding computer systems
Written paper – 1 hour
R004: Handling data using databases
Centre assessed task, OCR moderated
Pearson
OCR / Business Studies
Business Studies / Year 10; BTEC in Business Studies
Year 11 :GCSE in Business and communication systems
Unit A265: Businesses and their
Communication Systems
Unit A266: Developing Business
Communication Systems
Unit A267: ICT Skills for Business and
Communication Systems
Edexcel / PE / GCSE Physical Education (1PE0)
Component 1: Fitness and Body Systems (1PE0/01) (36%)
Component 2: Health and Performance (1PE0/02) (24%)
Component 3: Practical Performance (1PE0/03) (30%) This includes three activities from a set list. One must be a team activity, one must an individual activity and the final activity is a free choice.
Component 4: Personal Exercise Programme (1PE0/04) (10%)
Edexcel / Art and Design: Textile Design (Y10 and Year 11) / GCSE in Art and Design: Textile Design (Y10 and Y11) (2TE01)
Unit 1 (60%) - Personal Portfolio (5TE01)
All practical work set internally. (2 projects of work)
Unit 2 (40%) - Externally Set Assignment (5TE02)
Set by exam board, preparation period followed by 10 hours to complete practical work.
AQA / Design and Technology
Product Design / Year 10
Written exam worth 50% of the GCSE
Design and make task worth 50% of the GCSE
  • Core technical principles
  • Specialist technical principles
  • Designing and making principles
Year 11
Unit 1: Written Paper
40% of total marks
2 hours
120 marks
Candidates answer all questions in two sections
Unit 2: Design and Making Practice
60% of total marks
Approximately 45 hours
90 marks
Pearson
AQA / Health and Social Care
Home Economics Child Development (Y10/Y11) / Year 10
BTEC Level 1/Level2 Technical Award
Component 1 - Human Lifespan Development 30% (internally assessed assignment)
Component 2 - Health and Social Care Services and Values 30% (internally assessed assignment)
Component 3 - Health and wellbeing 40% (externally assessed task)
Year 11
GCSE in Home Economics Child Development (4582)
Unit 1 (40%) 45801 - 1 hour 30 minutes written exam paper.
Unit 2 (20%) 45802- Controlled Assessment – Research Task
Unit 3 (40%) 45803- Controlled Assessment – Child Study
Eduquas / Food preparation and nutrition / Component 1:Principles of Food Preparation and Nutrition Written examination: 1 hour 45 minutes 50% of qualification.
Component 2:Food Preparation and Nutrition in Action Non-examination assessment: internally assessed, externally moderated Assessment 1 is8 hours (15%) Assessment 2 is12 hours (35%) Totalling 50% of the qualification.
Assessment 1:The Food Investigation Assessment A scientific food investigation which will assess the learner's knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to scientific principles underlying the preparation and cooking of food.
Assessment 2:The Food Preparation Assessment Prepare, cook and present a menu which assesses the learner’s knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking and presentation of food.
AQA / Music / • Listening to and Appraising Music – 20% of total marks
• Composing and Appraising Music – 20% of total marks
• Performing Music – 40% of total marks
• Composing Music – 20% of total marks