Revision Help

CLASS OF 2015 Revision & Study Guide

KEY DATES 11th—22nd May : Year 11 Pre-study leave timetable (see explanation on next page on our alternative timetable for Year 11. Fuller details are on the school website.

Friday 22nd May: English Literature Exam 8:35 am Year 11 Dress Up afterwards Celebration Evening Rehearsal and Leaver’s Assembly Period 5

25th—29th May Half-term (revision sessions will be posted on website)

Monday 1st June 1st day of Study Leave

Monday 1st June— Friday 19th June Exam Timetable

Friday 19th June: Celebration Evening

Thursday 20th August: Exam results (when you can collect the yearbook) Sixth Form Enrolment Day

Friday 4th September: First day of the new academic year for KS3 & KS4 students at Highgate Wood School

Wednesday 9th September: First day of the new academic year for Year 12 students at Highgate Wood School

The exam timetable is available on the school website, under the Learning Tab.

GOOD LUCK! With thanks to Young Minds for much of the content of this booklet. Visit them at www.youngmindsvs.org.uk

General Principles of Effective Revision Make a plan /revision timetable - http://getrevising.co.uk/ has a great tool for doing this.

Be active – psychologist Daniel Willingham says ‘memory is the residue of thinking’ – so the more you actively think about something the more likely it is to lodge in the memory, so highlighting text isn’t very effective whereas answering test questions and then reviewing the ones you got wrong is.

Do it frequently – students should be doing some revision every day once they have finished their coursework in each subject. Revisiting topics is also good for memory consolidation.

Do it in short spells - ideally around 20-30 minutes before a short break and/or change of activity.

Ask to see the evidence – your son/daughter should be producing notes, revision cards, mind maps, etc. or you can look at what they are meant to have revised and test them on it.

For more information, ideas and links see the ‘Exam Preparation’ page of the school website located in ‘Learning’ Subject specific support Individual subjects may have already have sent out details of sessions, you can find an overview on the school website in ‘Revision Sessions’ in the ‘Learning’ tab at the top We also often text home reminders about revision and exams so please make sure the school has your current mobile number.

See also our revision site on the school website by clicking Study Portal under the Learning Tab The username is student the password hws2015 Alternative timetable leading up to study leave As a number of exams are now scheduled on earlier dates students may be sitting them before they go on study leave. In order to maximise the benefit of those students time in school and ensure they are all well prepared for their exams we have incorporated some specific revision sessions in school during lesson time from 11th May onwards. These are outlined on the ‘alternative timetable’ and in a nutshell this means students who have an afternoon exam during this period will receive guided revision from their teachers that morning. There are also two days devoted to English Literature revision, 15th May and 21st May. Therefore we expect all students to be in school at all times up to 22nd May. Details of the alternative timetable are on the school website on the Revision Sessions page which you can find under the Learning Tab.

Concern about:

Contact:

Subject area

Head of Department or Subject Teacher

General issue or issues on range of subjects

Head of House or Form Tutor

Special Educational Needs

Mr M Dobrashian (SENCo) mdo@hws.haringey.sch.uk

Exam Entries

Mr J Demetriou (Exams Officer) jde@hws.haringey.sch.uk

General issues about Year 11

Mr A Hartley (Assistant Headteacher) aha@hws.haringey.sch.uk

Progress to the sixth form

Mr N Charlesworth (Head of Sixth Form) nch@hws.haringey.sch.uk

Logging into on-line resources

Mr T Ashman (Assistant Headteacher) data@hws.haringey.sch.uk All contact details for the above are on the school website

To access SAM Learning go to www.samlearning.com Centre ID is N8HW Your username and password will be the same, and will be a combination of your date of birth and initials. So, if your name is Frieda Bloggs and you were born on 16th May 1999 your Sam Learning username and password will be 160599FB If you have problems accessing SAM Learning email data@hws.haringey.sch.uk

EXAM STRESS There are lots of links on the school website to help you deal with exam stress.

One of the most useful points of contact is Childline.

During the exam season they have a team of advisers available to answer calls from anxious students around the country.

FAQS When should I be in school for your exams?

You should always make sure you are ready for your exam, and outside the exam room, before the exam starts.

You should be in school at least 20 minutes before the exam begins. For some exams there will be preparation sessions immediately before, where breakfast snacks and other refreshments will be available.

What if I forget the equipment I need for an exam?

Part of good preparation for an exam is to make sure you are fully equipped. Make sure you have things ready the night before. It is always a good idea to have at least one spare pen.

When will I go on study leave?

Study leave begins straight after half-term.

What if I need to study for an exam that is taking place before half-term?

Up until 22nd May you must attend all your lessons (unless you are actually in an exam). Remember that your attendance is still being recorded and good attendance is required for most sixth forms and colleges. There will be lots of opportunities for revision at lunchtime and after school .

Will I need to wear school uniform for my exams?

School uniform is compulsory for exams. The last thing you want before an examination is to get into a confrontation about what you are wearing. Please ensure you wear your uniform correctly. Blazers, however, will be optional.

What if I break an exam rule?

The exam board regulations are on the school website (on the exams page) and our exam invigilators will also explain them to you. It is very unusual for any student to break any of the regulations but students should be aware that exam boards have the power to disqualify a student from all their exams if they are find they are breaking the rules in one.

What if I am sick on the day of an exam?

If you are so sick that you are unable to attend it is vital that you let the school know. You will need to produce some evidence of your illness. It may be possible to give you an exam grade based on your other work in the subject but if you don’t have a note from a doctor or hospital you may simply be given a zero in the exam you miss. If you are sick but do take the exam you should inform the school so we are able to apply for a special consideration form.

How do I get my results if I am on holiday on August 20th?

If you leave a stamped-addressed envelope with the exams officer your results can be posted to you.

Alternatively, if you provide a signed letter of instruction someone else can pick up your results for you.