Changes to GCSEs GCSE qualifications are changing over the next three years. This year, English Language, English Literature and Mathematics are the first subjects to be graded on the new scale 9 (highest grade) to 1 (lowest grade). All other GCSEs will be graded A* to G. The two scales are slightly different from each other as show below:

New scale for English Language/ English Lit / Maths

Approximate equivalent grades for all other GCSEs

9 A* PLUS

8 A*

7 A

6 B PLUS

5 C Plus/B Minus

4 C

3 D

2 E

1 F/G

The new national minimum standard that will be expected is a grade 5, replacing the standard of a grade C in the current grading system. Linear GCSEs All GCSEs are now linear. This means that all exams are at the end of Year 11. In many subjects there is an increased emphasis on spelling, punctuation and grammar. In some subjects up to 10% of exam marks are allocated to spelling, punctuation and grammar. St Hilda's Sixth Form Most of our GCSE pupils successfully progress on to study A Level and BTEC qualifications in our Sixth Form.

The entry requirement for the Sixth Form is currently 5 A*-C (or grade 5 for English and Mathematics qualifications in 2017). Some subjects may have higher entry requirements and it is definitely an advantage for pupils to have a grade B or above in their chosen subjects. Changes to A Levels A levels are now linear qualifications, assessed at the end of 2 years. As many pupils will not

be taking AS Levels any more, universities are planning to take into account GCSE grades

when making offers.

Pupil Progress Pupils will be given target grades for their GCSEs. These grades are based on their previous attainment and the judgement of their teachers. Target grades are the grades that we believe pupils can achieve if they are committed to their studies and work hard. They are not a guarantee that each pupil will achieve their target. Equally, many pupils exceed their target grades through hard work and determination. You will receive a report each half term. This will show you your daughter's progress against

her target grades. Subject teachers will monitor her progress against her target grades and

intervene if she is not making expected progress. If your daughter is falling behind in a

number of subjects, the Head of Year and the Deputy Headteacher (Curriculum) will

intervene to ensure she is on track to succeed.

Parents evenings are an important way in which you can monitor your daughter's progress and it is important that parents and guardians make every effort to attend. Additionally, if there is an important matter that you wish to speak to school about, please contact either your daughter's form tutor or the Head of Year, Mrs Storey.

10V Mme Thornton

10W Mrs Cary

10X Mr Bush

10Y Mr Noble / Mrs James

10Z Mrs Lindsay / Mrs Norton

Form Tutors can be contacted on the main school number- 0151 733 2709 or via email on info@st-hildas.co.uk Please note that all of the above staff have teaching commitments and you may have to leave a message. You will be contacted as soon as possible. If you wish to speak to a member of staff personally, please contact the school to make an appointment. Examination Boards www.aqa.org.uk GCSE Biology Chemistry Design & Technology: Textiles Technology Design & Technology: Product Design French Geography German Home Economics: Child Development Physical Education Physics Religious Studies (Short Course) Religious Studies Full GCSE Science A Additional Science Spanish www.wjec.org.uk GCSE Art English Language English Literature English www.ocr.org.uk GCSE Business Studies Creative iMedia History Sociology Entry Level Certificate Computing www.edexcel.org.uk GCSE Citizenship Mathematics Music

www.ncfe.org.uk Level 2 Certificate in Food & Cookery

Controlled Assessment Year 10 Autumn Term French 1 writing – Date to be confirmed – Mid December German 1 speaking – End October PE – Assessment approx. 3.5 hours Practical 2 hour written Music –Controlled Assessment October – February Spring Term French – 1 Speaking – Date to be confirmed – Mid-January French – 1 reading – Date to be confirmed - April French – 1 Listening – Date to be confirmed – April German – 1 Writing – Mid February Child Development – 8 hours Research Study Child Development – Observational Study 18 hours starts June of Year 10 and finished in Year 11 PE Assessment Approx. 3.5 hours Practical 2 hour written Music – 1st composition – April Music – Performance 1 – May History – 8 hour class assessment – Assessment has a high level of control and as such no work can be brought into the classroom and the work cannot be taken home during this time. This will be carried out over Spring/Summer term.

Summer Term German 1 speaking – Mid June Geography - 20 hours French 1 speaking – Date to be confirmed – end of May/early June French 1 writing – Date to be confirmed – mid May Business Studies – 10 hours June Spanish – 1 speaking test PE – Assessment approx. 3.5 hours Practical 2 hour written Art – 10 hour Practical Assessment In both Years 10 and 11 (Note: Science groups take ISAs – Individual Skills Assignments – at various appropriate points during the year.) Controlled Assessment for MFL Controlled Assessment is worth 60% of the total marks for GCSE. There are 2 parts to it;

(i) Speaking – Two recordings, each worth 15%

(ii) Writing – Two pieces, each worth 15%

Parents will receive a letter when their daughter is about to undertake preparation for controlled assessment. Controlled Assessment for Child Development For Year 10………8 hours supervised written work – pupils need at least four hours of this time to word-process their assignment

For Year 11………18 hours coursework June – January; to be word-processed whilst supervised in lessons during January 2015.

GCSE Art and Design Examination Board - WJEC http://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/art-and-design/art-and-design-gcse/ The course is 60% coursework which is covered through lessons and homework throughout Year 10 and until Christmas in Year 11. The exam paper is issued in February in Year 11. Pupils select a theme from a broad choice and then have 6 weeks to create work on their chosen theme. Finally, they complete a final piece for their project during a 10 hour practical exam which is split over a few days. Pupils are introduced to a wide variety of creative skills and techniques and are encouraged to work with increasing independence as they progress through the course. Drawing, painting, print making, sculpture, textiles, digital media and photography are just some of the processes we will cover.

Pupils will be given the opportunity to experience art and artists at first hand through gallery trips and exhibition visits. How to support your GCSE artist: Visit galleries, exhibitions and places of interest to take photographs and produce drawings relevant to their theme. Encourage your child to draw, photograph and use their sketchbook regularly. Assessment Objectives: 1. Contextual Understanding

2. Creative Making

3. Reflective Recording

4. Personal Response Head of subject: Mrs K Roberts GCSE Sociology Examination Board - OCR Sociology is the study of society. It explores issues ranging from the family to the creation of youth gangs. The course is split into three examinations; Unit B671 – Sociology Basics (One hour examination) Unit B672 – Socialisation, Culture and Identity (One hour 30 minutes examination) Unit B673 – Applying Sociological Research Techniques (One hour examination) Head of subject: Mr Jenkins GCSE Business Studies Examination Board - OCR Business is the study of how wealth is created within society. It explores the world of work and covers issues ranging from finance to recruitment. The course is divided into three elements; Unit A921 – Marketing and Enterprise (Coursework) Unit A922 – Business and People (One hour examination) Unit A923 – Production, Finance and the External Business Environment (One hour 30 minute examination) Head of subject: Mr Jenkins Entry Level Certificate in Computing Examination board: OCR Pupils who do not opt for the full Creative iMedia course will study for one hour a week on the Entry Level Certificate in Computing short course. The Benefits of Entry Level Certificate in Computing This course provides pupils with opportunities to become familiar with how computer technology works and a look at what goes on ‘behind the scenes’. Through the introduction of programming, this course will help pupils develop their problem solving skills. The students will find it a fun and interesting way to develop these skills, which can be transferred to other subjects and applied to day-to-day life. In particular, pupils will be given the opportunity to: Develop their understanding of computer hardware

Develop their understanding of common types of software

Develop their understanding of simple logic

Acquire the skills to write simple computer programs

Develop their understanding of the effects of computer technology within society at large Assessment The course is assessed via three strands as below: Hardware, software and logic (30% of qualification – written examination paper)

Programming (50% of qualification – programming coursework task)

Trends in Computing (20% of qualification – presentation coursework task)

Progression The course provides a vehicle for progression to ‘A’ level ICT/Computing courses. Further Information Should you require any further information regarding the course, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Makin at school. Head of subject: Mr Makin Cambridge National Certificate in Creative iMedia (level 2) Examination Board – OCR Digital Media plays an important part in many areas of our everyday lives and is also an important part of the UK economy. There is a demand from employers for an increasingly skilled and technically literate workforce as more and more media products are produced digitally. Cambridge Nationals in Creative iMedia provide students with specific and transferable skills and a solid foundation in understanding and applying this subject, whether it is in employment or higher education. Cambridge Nationals in Creative iMedia are media sector-focused, including film, television, web development, gaming and animation, and have IT at their heart. They provide knowledge in a number of key areas in this field from pre-production skills to digital animation and have a motivating, hands-on approach to both teaching and learning. Cambridge Nationals deliver skills across the whole range of learning styles and abilities, effectively engaging and inspiring all students to achieve great things. At St. Hilda’s the Cambridge National Certificate in Creative iMedia consists of four units:

– Pre-production skills

– Creating digital graphics

Unit 5 – Creating a multipage website

– Designing a game concept Unit 1 (R081): Pre-production skills Planning is an essential part of working in the creative and digital media sector. This unit will enable students to understand pre-production skills and techniques used in the sector, as well as gain the knowledge and skills to create digital media products and explore their application. Unit 2 (R082): Creating digital graphics Digital graphics feature in many areas of our lives, and play a very important part in today’s world. The digital media sector relies heavily on these visual stimulants within products to communicate messages effectively. The aim of this unit is for students to understand the basics of digital graphics editing for the creative and digital media sector. This unit builds on Unit R081. Unit R085: Creating a multipage website Multipage websites are the basis of internet content and are therefore used extensively in the creative digital media sector, whether for mobile phones or computers in all their forms. Students will have the opportunity to understand the basics of creating multipage websites through this unit. They will also be able to demonstrate their creativity by combining components to create a functional, intuitive and aesthetically pleasing website. This unit builds on Units R081 and R082. Unit R091: Designing a game concept This unit will enable students to understand the capabilities and limitations of a range of platforms. They will be able to identify core features of digital games and gain the knowledge to create a games design concept proposal that can be presented to a client for critical review. They will also explore the basics of planning and designing digital games for the creative digital media sector, and look at different types of digital games and where they are used. This unit builds on Units R081 and R082. Head of subject: Mr Makin GCSE Home Economics: Child Development Examination Board - AQA Year 10 there is one tier of assessment, with a single examination at the end of the 2 year course worth 40% of the final grade. Year 10 controlled assessment Research Task - 20% This Research Task must be completed under teacher supervision and should occupy 7 hours of supervised time. Year 11 controlled assessment - Child Study - 40% The Child Study must be completed under supervision within the classroom and should occupy approximately 20 hours of supervised time. Note to parents: Year 11 coursework starts in the summer term of Year 10.

Year 10/11 Child Development students must make regular visits, once a month over 7 months, to a child of their choice. This child must be under 5 years of age by the Easter of their Year 11 examination year. Studying a baby under 18 months is discouraged by AQA, as it is very difficult to comment on various stages/types of development and gain the highest grades at GCSE. The students must plan their visits, observe their chosen child and compare the development skills of their child with developmental norms. Each student will have textbooks provided to assist with this coursework. They need to use specialist terms and quotes from texts to raise the quality of their work and to prove thorough understanding of developmental concepts. Evaluation of observations and recognising change and progression of the child studied is essential. Pupils are given monthly deadlines to submit their written coursework. Summary of subject content for GCSE Child Development: 1. Parenthood 2. Pregnancy 3. Diet, health and care of the child 4. Development of the child 5. Support for the parent and child Head of subject: Mrs Greenall GCSE Drama Examination Board - AQA Students studying Drama will be entered under the AQA examination syllabus. The course combines both practical and written work in order to demonstrate a fully rounded understanding of the subject. There are three components for the course: Component 1: Understanding drama – This is an examination that is 40% of the overall grade. This will cover questions on a chosen play (which is studied and performed during the two years) and the work of live theatre makers.

Component 2: Devising drama – This unit covers the creation and analysis of your own work and consists of a written log (30% of overall GCSE) and a practical performance (10%).

Component 3: Texts in Practice – In this unit you will perform two extracts from a play of your choice. This is marked solely as a practical unit and will contribute the final 20% of your GCSE. The course focuses on an appreciation of performance and how theatre is developed, including the history of theatre. Throughout the course there will be opportunities for students to visit the theatre and work with professional actors in order to develop an understanding of the high standards and process of performance. Head of subject: Mr Washington GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature Examination Board - WJEC Notes to parents: Year 10 pupils will follow a linear GCSE which means that all external examinations will take place at the end of their two year course (summer 2017).

All Year 10 pupils will sit exams for both GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature and will receive separate qualifications for each.

Year 10 pupils are the first year group to sit the new GCSE specification. The biggest change to this new syllabus is that there are no longer controlled assessments. These used to contribute to 40% of the final grade. The new specification is 100% exams.

Pupils will study a range of texts in preparation for their final examinations. The texts they study will to some extent depend on the decisions made by their English teacher, but pupils may study the following:

A Christmas Carol- Charles Dickens

An Inspector Calls- J.B. Priestly or Blood Brothers (Willy Russell)

The WJEC Poetry Anthology (poems selected for study by the exam board

Either Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Othello or Henry V (teacher decision) Pupils are advised to buy study guides for these texts, but should not do so until their teacher has confirmed which texts they will be studying.

We aim to organise theatre trips to suit the texts being studies, although this is dependent on whether productions are running. If trips are organised we would ask parents to support these valuable visits where possible.

Encourage your children to read. Both fiction and non-fiction are valuable to their development in English.

Preparation for assessments in school is very important and parents should encourage pupils to revise thoroughly. When assessments have been marked and teachers give feedback, it is vital pupils read the targets set by their teacher and act on them. Head of subject: Mr Davies NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Food and Cookery – St Hilda’s Catering School Examination Board - NCFE NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Food and Cookery will provide learners with experience of using different cooking techniques and methods to enable them to use these within further education. The objectives of this qualification are to:

Understand food and its function in the body and in recipes

The qualification consists of four mandatory units. Unit number and title

Assessment

Unit 1 – Preparing to cook Internally assessed portfolio of evidence Unit 2 – Understanding Food Internally assessed portfolio of evidence Unit 3 – Exploring balanced diets Externally set and marked assessment paper

Unit 4 – Plan and Produce dishes in response Internally assessed portfolio of evidence

GCSE French Examination Board – AQA GCSE French COURSE DESCRIPTION The study of French, at Key Stage 4, leads to the GCSE at the end of Year 11. The main aim of the course is to develop the ability to use the language effectively, for purposes of practical communication. The subject is topic-based and the work covered will be an extension of the work completed in the lower school. Four main skills will be developed. Understanding the spoken and written language through: (a) Listening comprehension (announcements, dialogues, instructions). (b) Reading comprehension (notices, brochures, articles). (c) Communicating in the spoken language, through role-play situations and conversation on every-day topics. (d) Communicating in the written language, through letter-writing and the writing of accounts and descriptions. ASSESSMENT Two tiers of examination will be offered, targeted at the following grades: Foundation (Grades G-C) and Higher (Grades G-A*). Within each tier of examination, the assessment will cover all the Attainment Targets. Pupils will be entered for different tiers of assessment in the separate Attainment Targets considered appropriate in each case, depending on ability and competence. The scheme of assessment will be final examination for Listening and Reading, and controlled assessment for Speaking and Writing. Head of subject: Mrs Lloyd Geography Department Examination Board - AQA Year 10 will not sit any external examinations in Year 10. They will, however, complete their controlled assessment in the summer term which accounts for 25% of their overall grade.

ALL students must attend a 3 day (2 night) residential field course at Kingswood Colomendy in North Wales. It is here they will collect the data for their controlled assessment

There may be a further opportunity to revisit the site for an afternoon in Year 11 to add depth to their field study.

Many of the topics we study have relevant stories and studies aligned to current affairs. It is important for your children to keep abreast of the news on at least a weekly basis. Head of subject: Mr Norton GCSE German Examination Board – AQA GCSE German COURSE DESCRIPTION The study of German leads to the GCSE at the end of Year 11. The main aim of the course is to develop the ability to use the language effectively, for purposes of practical communication. The subject is topic-based and the work covered will be an extension of the work completed in the lower school. Four main skills will be developed. Understanding the spoken and written language through: (a) Listening comprehension (announcements, dialogues, instructions). (b) Reading comprehension (notices, brochures, articles). (c) Communicating in the spoken language, through role-play situations & conversation on every-day topics. (d) Communicating in the written language, through letter-writing and the writing of accounts and descriptions. ASSESSMENT Two tiers of examination will be offered, targeted at the following grades: Foundation (Grades G to C) and Higher (Grades G to A*). Within each tier of examination, the assessment will cover all the Attainment Targets. Pupils will be entered for different tiers of assessment in the separate Attainment Targets considered appropriate in each case, depending on ability and competence. The scheme of assessment will be final examination for Listening and Reading, and controlled assessment for Speaking and Writing. Head of subject: Mrs Boyland GCSE History Examination Board - OCR Students studying History will be entered for the OCR History B syllabus – Modern World History. Students will study the following units, which will be examined at the end of the two year course (summer 2017): Paper 1 – International Relations (The Cold War, The Cuban Missile Crisis & Vietnam) with a Depth Study on Germany 1918 - 1945. This will form 45% of the final grade.

Paper 2 – Britain 1890 - 1918. This source based paper will form 30% of the final grade. The final 25% of the grade will come from the Controlled Assessment Unit which will be on the USA 1919 - 1941. This unit requires a high level of control and means that students will not be able to bring work into the classroom from home and the work cannot be taken home at any time during the 8 hour planning and writing section. To ensure your daughter has the best opportunity in the exam, it is vitally important for her to achieve her target grade on this controlled piece of work. Suggested Revision Guide: Ben Walsh – OCR GCSE Modern World History revision 2nd Edition. ISBN: 147829723 - £7.99 (available in school while stocks allow for £6) Head of subject: Miss West

Examination Board: Edexcel GCSE Mathematics Mathematics within the National Curriculum is organised into four assessment objectives: AO1 Using and Applying Mathematics AO2 Number and Algebra AO3 Shape, Space and Measures AO4 Handling Data

All pupils in England and Wales follow the linear programme of study at GCSE. Examination papers include ‘functional’ skills style questions that test the ability to use Mathematics in a practical context. Up to 40% of each exam tests ‘functional maths’ skills’. This approach aims to develop a positive attitude to mathematics whilst increasing confidence & enjoyment of the subject. Sets 1 to 4 are initially taught the Higher Tier and sets 5 and 6 are taught the Foundation Tier. 1 GCSE in mathematics awarded by Edexcel There is no controlled assessment in GCSE Mathematics. All assessment is by examination. Examination consists of 2 papers sat in the Summer of Year 11, one of which allows the use of a calculator. How can I support my daughter at home? Homework Go through your daughter's maths homework with her. • Check that she hasn't missed any questions out, encourage her to see her teacher for help whenever she has problems. • Encourage her to try the homework on the night that it is set. • Pupils who have problems have then got time to go and ask for help before the deadline. • Check to see if she has shown all the working out and explained her answer clearly. • When homework is returned encourage your daughter to act upon feedback from the teacher and complete all corrections. Objective Check List Check through your daughters objective check list with her. This will be given to your daughter by her teacher at the start of each half- term and gives you details of what your daughter needs to do to achieve her target grade and suggests resources to support revision. Details of the grade descriptors for maths are also available on the school website. Revision Guide Ensure your daughter has an up-to-date revision guide from the start of Year 10. We recommend CGP books and these can be purchased from the maths department for £6. How can I encourage my daughter to be better at maths? Maths is like ice cream, with more flavours than you can imagine - and if all your children ever do is textbook maths, that's like feeding them broccoli-flavoured ice cream. -Denise Gaskins No matter how confident you are with maths it is crucial that parents speak maths with their children. It is really important that you make a conscious effort to take the opportunity to use and talk about maths every day with your daughter. This will help them to become a mathematical problem solver, and develop lifelong mathematical skills. You don't even need to know mathematical facts to help with problem solving. You can encourage curiosity and provide opportunities to investigate by just asking open-ended questions which promote thinking, such as:

I wonder what will happen if….? What makes you think that ….? How many ways can we….? Is there another way we can find out? How do you know you are right? Can we solve the problem another way?

Some of the simple ways to work numbers into everyday conversation:

Cooking in the kitchen (measuring & weighing) Operating a microwave oven (numbers and counting backwards) Stacking containers in the cupboard (3-D shapes) Finding a certain house number down the street (counting by twos) and looking out for other

patterns. Note numbers on signs when you're walking or driving with children: speed limits and exit signs on

the motorway, building addresses, sale prices in store windows (percentage change).

Use numbers when you refer to time, dates, and temperatures: how many hours and minutes until bedtime, how many weeks and days until a holiday (how many days in each month), the high and low the weatherman predicts for that day (difference in temperature).

With older children, maths can become a part of talking about sports, science, history, video games, or whatever else they're interested in. Useful websites to support learning: MyMaths www.mymaths.co.uk St Hilda's has subscribed to this website which offers teaching and revision sections, as well as practice tests. Each student has been given their own login and password. The 'booster packs'- 'Ds to Cs' or 'Cs to Bs' are particularly useful just before any examination. Corbett Maths www.corbettmaths.com This is a fantastic revision site that reviews all topics needed for GCSE. The maths department particularly recommends that your daughter completes the 5-a-day section. Hegarty Maths www.hegartymaths.com An excellent comprehensive site that covers everything needed for GCSE preparation. BBC Skillwise www.bbc.co.uk A fantastic website from the BBC which is aimed at bringing you up to speed with all the key skills that pupils need to succeed at maths today. BBC Bitesize www.bbc.eo.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/maths/ This website has plenty of notes, examples, interactive solutions, and questions for pupils to have a go themselves and you can even download a big revision check-list. Nrich www.nrich.maths.org When your child has a spare 20 minutes, doing puzzles from this website will teach them to solve problems and think for themselves, essential skills for success in Maths. Sites for Parents www.sitesforparents.com This is a collection of websites designed to help parents become involved in all aspects of their child's study. GCSE Music Unit 1: Performing Music 30% of the total GCSE • Internally assessed • Exam to be taken before May 2017 Overview of content • One solo performance (voice/instrument) • One ensemble performance (voice/instrument) It is vital that your daughter is having instrumental/vocal lessons in order to succeed in this part of the course. Should you require help in finding a teacher please contact the music department who will be happy to help. Overview of assessment • Recordings of both solo and ensemble performances (on CD/MD/MP3) • Scores, professional recordings or written commentary for both performances Unit 2: Composing Music 30% of the total GCSE • Internally assessed • To be submitted before May 2017 Overview of content • Two compositions, or • Two arrangements, or • One composition and one arrangement This work is to be completed in school only. Pupils have 20 hours of composition time with sufficient preparation time. Composition club takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:10 - 4:10 and is specifically for GCSE, AS and A2 composers. Overview of assessment • Recordings of both compositions/arrangements (on CD/MD/MP3) • Notated scores or written commentaries for both compositions/arrangements Unit 3: Music – Listening and Appraising 40% of the total GCSE • Externally assessed • Exam May/June 2017 Overview of content • Knowledge and study of set works in the Areas of Study Area of Study 1 Western classical music 1600-1899 G F Handel: Chorus: And The Glory of The Lord from Messiah, HWV 56 W A Mozart: 1st Movement from Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550 F Chopin: Prelude No 15 in D flat major, Op. 28

Area of Study 2 Music in the 20th century A Schoenberg: Peripetie from Five Orchestral Pieces, Op. 16 S Reich: 3rd Movement (fast) from Electric Counterpoint L Bernstein: Something’s Coming from West Side Story Area of Study 3 Popular music in context M Davis: All Blues from the album Kind of Blue J Buckley: Grace from the album Grace Moby: Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? from the album Play Area of Study 4 World music Capercaillie: Chuir M’Athair Mise Dhan Taigh Charraideach (Skye Waulking Song) from the album Nàdurra Rag Desh - A Shankar:,S D Dhandhada and H Dhandhada, B Wertheimer and S Gorn: Koko: Yiri Overview of assessment • A 1 hour and 30 minute written paper • All questions relate to the set works • The paper will be in two sections • Section A: eight compulsory questions in response to extracts from the set works that will be played on a CD during the examination (68 marks) • Section B: one question from two optional questions on the set works, requiring extended writing (12 marks) • A total of 80 marks for the paper Head of subject: Miss Linforth Pupils’ Guide to GCSE PE Examination Board - AQA Welcome to GCSE PE! This course is fun and enjoyable for anyone who enjoys playing sport, dancing, coaching sport or refereeing. You will have one extra practical lesson every week and sometimes the theory lesson will be taught practically. Pupils taking PE will try new sports which are not available in Years 7-9 and have the opportunity to go off site for some lessons. Practical and coursework – 60% You will be marked on your four favourite sports. If you are very good at sport you can play four sports but if you only like one or two sports you can do coaching or refereeing instead. You will do a short project on your favourite sport. You will study the different skills and types of fitness needed for your sport and you will analyse your own performance. When you have identified your strengths and weaknesses you will make a training plan to improve your performance. Theory – 40% You will have one theory lesson each week where you will learn about topics such as coaching sport, sports injuries, training methods, types of fitness and sport in the media. Head of subject: Mrs Robinson Parents’ Guide to GCSE PE Examination Board - AQA GCSE physical education is a good stepping stone for pupils interested in a wide range of careers in sport, leisure, science, teaching or childcare, medicine/nursing, physiotherapy and many more. It is also a good choice for anyone who simply enjoys physical activity whether it be games, dance, fitness or outdoor adventurous activities. It is a subject which works well alongside the sciences and humanities. GCSE physical education will be of interest to pupils who enjoy any aspect of PE in school or take part in sport outside of school. The course includes practical assessment, coursework and theory work. Pupils will have a practical lesson and a theory lesson each week. In theory lessons pupils will study a wide variety of topics including basic physiology, pathways in sport, health and fitness. In practical lessons pupils will have the opportunity to develop their skills and try new sports. They can be a performer in sport, a coach or a referee/umpire. They can be assessed in sports they have done outside of school such as horse riding or martial arts. Pupils will gain 1 GCSE qualification plus the opportunity to gain Sports Leadership qualifications and coaching/officiating awards. There is one exam at the end of the two year course where pupils will be tested on their knowledge and understanding of the theory content. The practical assessment is four marks from at least two different sports. Pupils can be assessed as a coach or referee/umpire if they are not a strong practical performer in four sports. There is one piece of coursework which allows pupils to study training and performance in their favourite sport.

GCSE Design & Technology: Product Design Examination Board - AQA Students studying will be entered for AQA GCSE Product Design. GCSE Design and Technology: Product Design enables students to design and make products with creativity and originality, using a range of materials and techniques. Packaging, labelling and instructions are encouraged as part of the complete design proposal and advertising, points of sale can be used to supplement the making experience and help create products which can be evaluated for their commercial viability. This course has 60% controlled assessment in order to recognise the importance of practical work within this subject. Unit 1 - 2 hour exam in the summer term of Year 11 Unit 2 - 40 hour controlled assessment Suggested Revision Guide: · Lonsdale School revision—the Essentials of GCSE Design Technology Product Design · CGP -GCSE Design Technology Product Design Revision Guide Head of subject: Mrs Dean Religious Studies GCSE Full Course Accelerated Examination Board AQA Religious Studies B. Religious Philosophy and Ultimate Questions. AQA Religious Studies B. Religion and Morality Examinations: Two one and a half hour examination papers in Year 11. No coursework. Textbooks and revision guides are provided by the RE Department. Additional Information This is an accelerated course and pupils must be aware of the requirement to work in their own time. It is essential that the required reading and homework is completed to a high standard. Revision classes Pupils are strongly advised to attend the revision class on Friday lunchtimes. Further information can be obtained from Head of subject: Mr Spencer GCSE SCIENCE Examination Board: AQA There are three possible courses on offer: A 3 GCSE course in which pupils will gain qualifications in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Pupils can opt for Separate Sciences but it does not take an additional option in the Option Blocks. A 2 GCSE course in which pupils study Science A and Additional Science. The two courses are completely separate from one another so that pupils gain a grade in Science A and a grade in Additional Science. This route will allow pupils to continue to study Sciences at A-level. A 1 GCSE course in which pupils study Science A 1, 2 or 3 GCSEs awarded by AQA 3 GCSE course - The written examination consists of three papers for each Science. All papers are taken at the end of year 11. Pupils also complete coursework in the form of an Investigative Skills Assignment which is completed in lessons under controlled conditions (25%). One ISA is completed for each GCSE. Pupils are taught to Higher Level. 2 GCSE Course - Science A and Additional Science GCSE are both examined at the end of Year 11. There are two combined papers for each GCSE which examine topics in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Pupils also complete coursework in the form of an Investigative Skills Assignment which is completed in lessons under controlled conditions (25%). One ISA is completed for each GCSE. Pupils can be entered for Higher or Foundation Level for each examination. 1 GCSE Course (Science A) – this is examined at the end of year 11. There are two combined papers which examine topics in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Pupils also complete coursework in the form of an Investigative Skills Assignment which is completed under controlled conditions (25%). Pupils can be entered for Higher or Foundation Level for each examination. Head of Subject: Mrs Townsend