CREATIVE ARTS GCSE SUPPORT HANDBOOK
Manchester Communication Academy Subject: Art / Photography GCSE Exam Board: AQA Practical Exam: What %age of overall mark? 40% How long? 10 hours Which units will be tested? AO4 – Personal Response (Final Piece) How exam is usually presented… Multi choice/ short answers/ extended writing Exam questions are different ‘themes’ – ‘Texture’, ‘Disguise’, ‘Gardens’ etc. Students should select 1 question and create a body of work in response to it. Marks Available: 80 marks Any other information you feel may be relevant… Examples of artists and practitioners whose work relates to question ‘themes’ in the exam paper. Art staff will highlight/suggest questions we believe will be most accessible to the students, however this is not mandatory and students are able to select any question they wish from the paper. Exam paper is handed to students on the 5th of January, and all support work must be submitted by the Easter holiday. Controlled assessment will take place over two days (Provisionally 3rd and 4th of March) Practical Coursework - What %age of overall grade? 60% What is assessed? One ‘main unit’ of coursework – usually the most comprehensive, best quality project that the student has created – plus additional examples from other projects. As a minimum, students should submit one full project and work from a second project for their coursework portfolio. How many marks available? 80 When will this be complete? Mid-late May Any other information you feel may be relevant… Our Support Package Support offered in lessons The Workshop What interventions are being offered? Catch-up sessions for GCSE students on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. Small intervention group for Year 11 classes to boost practical skills and understanding. What students should be doing at home? Creating artwork that will help develop, refine and improve their coursework portfolio. Researching artists, designers or practitioners relevant to their projects. e.g. make revision cards/ revise key words/ focus on extended answers/ past exams/ Revision schedule….N/a Useful websites: www.instagram.com/mca_art_ www.pinterest.com/mcaartdept How parents can support their child…. Ensure that coursework deadlines are met for each unit. Encourage their child to develop and improve their coursework portfolio after school or at home.
CREATIVE ARTS
Page 1
Manchester Communication Academy Subject: GCSE Computer Science Exam Board: OCR Written Exam: 40% Exam length: 1 hour 30 minutes Units covered: Unit A451 – Computer Systems and Programming Question type(s): Written Marks Available: 80 Other comments: N/A Practical Assessment: 60% (2x30%) Units covered: Unit A452 – Practical Investigation Unit A453 – Programming Project Marks Available: Unit A452 – 45 Unit A453 – 45 Completion date: May 2015 Support available During lesson: Students work in groups with classmates undertaking the same unit Short one-to-one (5-15 minutes) sessions with each student each lesson Exemplar materials, podcasts and tutorials are available covering relevant skills from each unit Support available during ‘The Workshop’/ESA: Every night is made available for students undertaking the qualification to ‘book in’ with their teacher, or simply arrive for one to one or small group support with assignments or to allow them some time to work on their assignment outside of lesson time. Available interventions ESA/’The Workshop’ catch-up sessions available each night Monday to Thursday What students should be doing at home? Working on their Programming assignment Revising for their May examination using the provided practice materials Revision schedule January – May: A451 – Computer Systems and Programming Useful websites: http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_computing/ocr/GCSE_A451_topics.html http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_computing/gcse_computing_quizzes.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/z34k7ty How parents can support their child: Ask them about their progress towards their assignments Give them time to quietly work through assignments or revision Ask them how often they have attended extra sessions and encourage them to attend more
CREATIVE ARTS
Page 2
Subject: Cambridge Nationals ICT (Vocational qualification) Exam Board: OCR Written Exam: 25% Exam length: 1 hour Units covered: Unit 1 – Computer Systems Question type(s): Written Marks Available: 60 Other comments: The examination is accompanied by a scenario document giving context for the examination Practical Assessment: 75% Units covered: Unit R002 is mandatory and must be completed, a further two of the remaining three are selected to make up the remainder of the marks Unit R002 – Business Solutions Unit R006 – Digital Images Unit R007 – Web Development Unit R008 – Introduction to Programming Marks Available: Unit R002 – 60 Unit R006 – 60 Unit R007 – 60 Unit R008 – 60 Completion date: May 2015 (Unit R002 has been completed and submitted) Support available During lesson: Students have been allowed to choose their additional units, allowing them to choose a unit they feel most comfortable with Students work in groups with classmates undertaking the same unit Short one-to-one (5-15 minutes) sessions with each student each lesson Exemplar materials, podcasts and tutorials are available covering relevant skills from each unit Support available during ‘The Workshop’/ESA: Every night is made available for students undertaking the qualification to ‘book in’ with their teacher, or simply arrive for one to one or small group support with assignments or to allow them some time to work on their assignment outside of lesson time. Available interventions ESA/’The Workshop’ catch-up sessions available each night Monday to Thursday Time is made available during Friday morning ‘Design4u’ curriculum with Mr Garry to work on their assignments What students should be doing at home? From now until the end of January: Working on their current assignment (R006, R007 or R008) From the end of January onwards : Revising for R001 exam and working on their final assignment (R005/6/7/8) Revision schedule January – May: Unit R001 – Computer Systems revision Useful websites: http://learnict.it/ocr/cambridge-nationals/unit-1-cambridge-nationals-revision-help/ http://www.ict-interactive.co.uk/freecam.htm How parents can support their child: Ask them about their progress towards their assignments Give them time to quietly work through assignments or revision Ask them how often they have attended extra sessions and encourage them to attend more
CREATIVE ARTS
Page 3
Manchester Communication Academy Subject: GCSE DRAMA Exam Board: EDEXCEL
Our Support Package Support offered in lessons: Students who struggle with literacy are given extra support and guidance from both teaching and support staff. Although staff are restricted in marking and providing feedback for students written work, student handbooks are made for each unit that fully support and guide students through their responses. The Workshop What interventions are being offered? Personalised targets are continually put in place for all students that are relevant to each unit. These might include targets to develop confidence, team work, creative thinking and literacy. What students should be doing at home? Although students cannot do any of their written work at home, they can continue to read their student handbooks in preparation for their documentary response. We also encourage students to access the BBC GCSE Bite Size website which has extensive information on the course including assessment criteria, relevant strategies, elements and drama mediums that can assist students in their practical and written work. With regards to Unit 3, students are strongly encouraged to take their scripts home and continue to learn their lines so that rehearsals run more smoothly.
CREATIVE ARTS
Page 4
Revision schedule…. Students will be required to attend rehearsals over Easter half term. The dates are TBC closer to the time as allocated study days will also be in place for other subjects.
Useful websites: http://www.edexcel.com/migrationdocuments/GCSE%20New%20GCSE/UG030946_GCSE_Drama_S pec_2012.pdf http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zbckjxs
How parents can support their child…. Continual conversations between parents and their child can make a positive impact on their progress. Unlike some GCSE’s, in drama the students are assessed in every lesson. This additional support can really motivate students and encourage them to succeed.
CREATIVE ARTS
Page 5
Manchester Communication Academy Subject: Music GCSE Exam Board: AQA
Our Support Package Support offered in lessons The Workshop ESA GCSE club What interventions are being offered? Catch-up sessions for GCSE students every day after school. Personal tuition for Guitar, Drum & Singers. What students should be doing at home? Completing their coursework and making adjustments to the suggestions that have been given to them. Revising exam topics for Unit 1 Revision schedule…. Unit 3 & 4 completed by December Unit 2 completed by March Unit 1 External exam in June
Useful websites: http://www.aqa.org.uk/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/ How parents can support their child…. Ensure that coursework deadlines are met. Encourage their child to improve their coursework after school or at home.
CREATIVE ARTS
Page 6
Manchester Communication Academy Subject: Media GCSE Exam Board: WJEC
Our Support Package Support offered in lessons The Workshop What interventions are being offered? Catch-up sessions for GCSE students every day after school. Small intervention group for Year 11 classes to boost coursework marks. What students should be doing at home? Completing their coursework and making adjustments to the suggestions that have been given to them. Revising exam topics. Revision schedule…. All coursework completed by December Revision of TV Adverts and Adverts in Print for mock exam in March Useful websites:
http://www.wjec.co.uk/
http://media.edusites.co.uk/ How parents can support their child…. Ensure that coursework deadlines are met. Encourage their child to improve their coursework after school or at home.
CREATIVE ARTS
Page 7
Manchester Communication Academy Subject: GCSE Performing Arts Exam Board: WJEC Written Coursework: Unit 1.1 Developing Performing Arts Skills 30% overall. Candidates will complete an audit one of their performing arts skills. They will develop an improvement log, identifying how they have met each target. 5% (10 marks) After their mini-performance, students will then analyse and evaluate their skills under controlled conditions. 10% (20 marks) 1500 words To be completed by Tuesday 16th December Unit 1.2 Knowledge of the Performing Arts Industry 15% (30 marks) (3 hours controlled conditions) Students will research skills and qualifications needed for two jobs with the Performing Arts Industry. They will create a written report outlining the key qualifications, professional skills and employment opportunities for each job. They will also outline their suitability for one of the roles they have researched. 1500 words To be completed by Thursday 5th February. Unit 1.3 Preparation for Performance 15% (30 marks) (4 hours controlled conditions) Candidates will carry out research on the themed showcase performance e they will produce in Unit 2. They will research material for the performance, venues. costing and complete a brief report on health and safety. 1500 words To be completed by Thursday 12th February.
Unit 2 Themed Showcase: 40% Written evaluation in exam conditions, brought by the examiner. (1 hour, 20 marks available) Provisional date for exam: Week beginning 27th April. Written evaluation must be completed within 24hrs of practical exam.
PracticalUnit 1.1 Developing Performing Arts Skills 30%. They will complete a brief task demonstrating their learning and development either as a performer or a technician. 15% (30 marks) To be completed by Tuesday 16th December Unit 2 Themed Showcase: 40% Candidates will either create a performance or contribute their chosen technical production skill to a
CREATIVE ARTS
Page 8
performance in response to a theme set by the school. (Externally assessed by visiting examiner) Provisional date for exam: Week beginning 27th April Written evaluation in exam conditions, brought by the examiner. (1 hour, 20 marks available)
Any other information you feel may be relevant… Students may need to attend rehearsals after school. Our Support Package Support offered in lessons: Group work and visits from external professionals to support students. Literacy support WJEC student website The Workshop Skills building Running of lines Rehearsals Literacy support WJEC student website What interventions are being offered? WJEC student website Rehearsals after school Literacy support-resources and help sheets What students should be doing at home? Getting familiar with the website – skills, watch videos and performances Revise structure for written elements of the course Rehearse and learn lines for performances. Revision schedule…. Catch up every Tuesday and Thursday 3-4 Useful websites: http://www.skillsup.co.uk/ http://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/performing-arts/index.html How parents can support their child…. Encourage to attend catch-up sessions Encourage to attend after school rehearsals Run through lines with students
CREATIVE ARTS
Page 9