THE DOWNS SCHOOL

KEY STAGE 4

INFORMATION EVENING

YEAR 10

SEPTEMBER 2016

Striving for excellence in learning through

Resilience, Responsibility & Respect.

KEY STAGE FOUR INFORMATION EVENING

Year 10: September 2016

PROGRAMME

Welcome Mrs C. A. Butler – Deputy Headteacher(KS4)

Success in Key Stage Four Miss S. Wilding - Head of Year 10

English Subject information Mrs V. Rolls - Head of Faculty - English

Science Subject Information Mrs E. Sarris - Head of Faculty - Science

Mathematics Subject Information Miss R. Lohan – Head of Faculty -Mathematics

BTEC and EP Information Miss F. Hodges - Head of Applied Learning

Examinations Mrs E. Thomas - Examination Manager

Student Leadership Opportunities Miss S. Wilding - Head of Year 10

Any questions?

Between 6.30pm and 7pm, there will be an opportunity for Year 10 parents to meet staff in The Downs Diner.

‘Your involvement during these crucial years can make an enormous difference. Parental support is eight times more important in determining a child’s academic success than social class, according to studies’.

The Year 10 Tutor Team

Head of Year 10 Miss S. Wilding

Assistant Head of Year 10 Mrs E. Tunley

Student Support Manager Mrs J. Gayler

10A Tutor Group Mrs Smith/ Dr Dunster

10B Tutor Group Mrs Hewett/ Mrs Cox

10C Tutor Group Mr Samuel

10L Tutor Group Mr Jones

10P Tutor Group Mrs Tunley

10R Tutor Group Mrs Pearce

THE ROLE OF STUDENTS

The very nature of KS4 courses requires students to become more independent learners It is imperative that students learn to

·  Set time aside to complete work to the best of their ability.

·  Check work thoroughly and consistently.

·  Understand the work being set and complete it on time.

·  Prioritise their use of time so as to allow for longterm projects, impending deadlines, or revision.

·  Realise that in Years 10 and 11 they will always have work to do.

·  Make note of assessment dates and thoroughly prepare for these assessments.

·  Recognise that word processing can be of great benefit in presenting and redrafting work. Computers in school are open access. It is essential that students ,ensure that all work has been saved into their own work space which allow the students to retrieve the work easily.

If there are problems, students should check with the subject teacher before the deadline. Understanding the actual task being set can save a great deal of time and effort. Students must also ensure that all work submitted is a result of their own endeavours & not others.

THE ROLE OF PARENTS

Parents can support and encourage their child's progress by ensuring that:

·  There is a peaceful, quiet working area, with basic equipment at hand.

·  Time is established for the completion of school work which is recognised and respected by all the family.

·  Their child has a hardbacked file or a sensible bag in which work in progress can be kept and an ample supply of pens, pencils, rulers etc.

·  They encourage their child to use the Library, particularly if extra resources are required.

·  They check and initial their child's planner on a regular basis, i.e. at least once a week.

·  They take a regular interest in the work being completed, encouraging their child to discuss any concerns with their teacher/tutor before following up with the teacher/tutor any recurring weaknesses they notice.

·  They remember that what students do in the evening and how late they carry on doing it affects their school performance the next day. Students who are tired at the start of the day have little chance of success.

·  Students need to have as complete an attendance record as possible. Taking leave of absence during term time in Years 10 and 11 is strongly discouraged due to the detrimental effect on their education.


IF THERE ARE CONCERNS

We recognise that problems may sometimes arise and can be caused by a variety of factors such as illness, anxiety and hobbies or clubs outside school. If you have concerns, or a problem develops and your child has not been able to follow up with their teacher or tutor, it is better to be in touch with school teachers and for all involved to try to sort it out.

·  If you feel home learning is not being completed, check with the subject teacher.

·  If you are concerned about a particular problem, check with the tutor.

·  If you do not feel the response you receive addresses the issue contact the Head of Year or Head of Department

For our part, if we feel students are underachieving we will bring this to your attention. We cannot overstate the importance of students completing work to the best of their ability and on time, and we would hope that parents would support our endeavour to enable every student to achieve their very best.


What can parents expect from the school?

Pastoral Team Roles and Responsibilities

The Head of Year (HOY)

The Head of Year has overall responsibility for the pastoral care of the children in their Year Group. The term “pastoral care” encompasses safeguarding, well-being, academic progress, attendance and behaviour. In order to discharge this responsibility, the Head of Year will lead a team comprised of an Assistant Head of Year, a Student Support Manager (SSM) and Tutors.

The Student Support Manager

The role of the Student Manager is primarily to support the HOY in their responsibility for the safeguarding, well-being, attendance and behaviour of the students in the Year Group. They will follow up any incidents, providing the HOY with the facts needed to make informed decisions.

They are also trained in giving students and their family’s emotional support and guidance. They will mentor a small number of students who are finding it difficult to manage in the school environment, meeting with them regularly and maintaining close contact with their families. The Student Manager for KS4 is Mrs J Gayler.

The Tutor

Each student in the school has a Tutor. The role of the Tutor is incredibly important. Working under the leadership of the Head of Year and working closely with other colleagues in the school, such as the Student Manager, the Tutor is the member of staff with whom their tutees form the closest bond; somebody who offers them the support they need to be successful in school.

The Tutor should also be the person whom parents contact if they have any questions about their child’s performance in school, or if they have any information they feel the school should be aware of.

The Tutor will register their group in the morning and in the afternoon and is responsible for following up concerns with attendance. If your child is ill please telephone the school with a message for their tutor. This will make following up absence much easier. Parents / Carers are sent text alerts for unexplained absences via a SchoolComms message and you will be expected to reply.

Part of the Tutor’s role is to monitor the academic performance of the students in their tutor group. They will meet with each student at least once a term to give guidance and support.

A vital part of the Tutor’s role is cultivating a positive attitude in their tutees. They will set the high standards of behaviour and expectations needed to be successful in school, and will keep a close check on uniform, homework and correct use of their planners. Please help your child’s Tutor by ensuring that your child leaves for school in the morning wearing correct uniform and leaving jewellery or make-up at home. Furthermore please ensure that your child is showing you their planner at least once a week.

Good Examination Results

The secret of gaining good results is about getting things right at each stage of the process.

1. ATTENDANCE

Ensuring students attend school and all lessons to ensure they get all the information required and use the expertise of their individual subject teachers. It has been proven that students with high attendance rates achieve higher than those who have a lower attendance rate.

For every 10% of school missed, students drop a grade in their eventual results.

Attendance during controlled assessment periods is essential

2. COMMITTED TO LEARNING

Students will grow in their awareness of future opportunities and they must understand the impact these two years will have on their future careers or work opportunities.

3. REVISION

All students need to revise. This can be done in many ways and students will be shown various revision techniques throughout the two years.

4. THE EXAMINATION OR FINAL ASSESSMENT

Knowing the subject matter, organisation skills and exam technique are all crucial elements for success.

How do we keep track of how students are progressing?

THE USE OF STUDENT DATA

·  Tracking how well a student has been doing in respect of their starting point as they enter The Downs ( prior attainment) usually this is from their KS2 attainment. Consider assessment outcomes from testing, marking and reporting

·  Use assessments to identify students who may need more one-on-one mentoring, encouragement or challenge

Progress Summary

For students in the current Year 10 the grading of exams has changed. Students will no longer achieve a letter from A*-G but instead will be accredited with a numerical grading.

All subjects
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

All GCSEs for current year 10 are also ‘linear’ so they will be sitting all of their exams at the end of Year 11, rather than making an entry in Year 10. Therefore, there are fewer opportunities for retakes and the need for students to get the grades they need for their next steps the first time round is imperative.

English

Notes:

Maths

Notes:

Science

Notes: