Helping your child to achieve their best A Parent guide to study and revision skills for GCSE
The next few months are crucial for your child as they sit their GCSE exams. Success in this is a passport to a brighter future. You will want your child to achieve their best and this can be made possible when
should have every confidence and belief in their own ability. There are a number of simple things that important in determining a child’s academic success than social class, according to a study by The Camvolved in your child’s revision programme.
You can make a difference… Even if it’s years since you went to school! You can and you will! You don’t have to be an expert in your child’s subjects… You just need to know how you can support them. They will be given revision text books to support them at home. Test them on this content and you can’t go wrong!
What are we doing at the Academy? Your child receives personalised support in all subjects by well qualified staff. The courses have almost been completed so there will be lots of exam
You are vital to their success!
What can you do to help? reduces your child’s chance of achieving their best. Academy Partner—
sure about your child’s expected grades/ college routes etc. Study Buddy—Help them with homework, quesed well. Ensure they have met the high expecta-
could jump up 2 grades with hard work! Project manager—Agree the rules for homework. Where is completed? How long? What are the priwho are all on hand to help your child through this if they say they have no homework (know this is their hardest to achieve their best. Your child can stay behind any night Monday to Thursday in ‘The WORKshop.’ Here, they can request 1:1 support from their teachers or work, with support, through their coursework/ homework/ them to focus on improving grades. They must use this resource…. Every night if possible!
stand the long term significance of the next few months.
Together we can give them the best chance of achieving their goals.
Coach– Celebrate their achievements, set them targets, reward where necessary. Challenge them if high standards are not met. Extra Study Advocate– proved chance of success. How can you ensure your child stays for at least 2 sessions? Librarian– Your child will be given lots of revision books by their teachers. Make sure they are using them. Do they need anything else? Let us know. Peace keeper– Ensure the rest of the family sup-
Revision techniques
During the exams..
Your child must do more than just read!
Try to ensure that:
Their bedroom should be covered by learning! Wallpaper the wallpaper! Make it VISIBLE! Give them old wall paper. Use the blank side for them to chart their learning and roll this around their room. This gives a great reminder to them of their progress. Add Post its, diagrams, key words, use highlighters, Be Cool on the way to School!- Make it LOUD!
Your child gets a good nights sleep before exams each exam They arrive to MCA early that day (make sure they have breakfast). We will arrange breakfast for those arriving early for last minute reminders!
Your child can use technology in many ways. They can record their voice reading notes, make podcasts, download help. They can listen to this on the way to school.
Encourage them not to dwell on the last exam and focus on future exams
Talk to them about their learning– a great way to
Make sure they are in school uniform
Praise them, wish them well, be proud!
Avoid ‘panic revision’- this will not be necesunderstand. – Make a game.. Make revision cards with them. Test them on these. See if comparisons can be found between topics and subjects to connect learning
Stay in control. Be flexible if necessary but
day!
Be in the knownot only know what to expect but will also be able prises in an exam. Become familiar of these expecUse Revision websites wiselyEnsure they revise what their teachers direct them to. Revision websites can be a great help but also can result in them revising things they will not be tested on.
School Contact Please get in touch with your child’s Progress Leader if you want more help or advice. Remember, the next few months are vital for their futures. Studies show that high parental inHelp us to help your child in achieving the results that we expect from the high standards we share.
When will exams begin? Why are these exams and grades so important? GCSEs are highly valued by schools, colleges and employers. They can be a passport to success as they are the first step in allowing your child to child may have to redo English or Maths if they do not achieve a grade A-C. Good grades places your
June, some such as MFL will take place earlier. A you know when each exam is and ensure they are in school early. We will provide breakfast on days will be late! They should be early to prepare properly for each exam. My child says they are too difficult.
in some subjects. They are viewed no less and count in the same way.
GCSEs are graded A-G. BTEC s are graded as Pass,
They are meant to be difficult, we want students to be resilient. They must focus on doing their best in all subjects, especially English and Maths as these two will be needed for all college courses and future training and employment. Students muse not become frustrated in difficulty and learn to work
A grade C grade is considered a good pass and a school is judged on the percentage of students who achieve 5 grades at GCSE between grade A-C which must include English and Maths. In 2014 in Manchester, just over half of students achieved
Would they expect to complete a computer game straight away without any challenge? What do they do if they don’t succeed? Give up or try again using a different approach? They need to apply these skills!!!
courses (but not always).
When should they begin revising?
mary School, we expect them to achieve at least a C in their subjects. Although for many students, we would expect them to achieve grade B’s or A’s.
to them that they do not learn the words of a song
How are they graded and what results should they achieve?
How are they assessed? ams or controlled assessments (coursework/ mini tests). Achieving the best grades will be harder in 2015 due to government changes. This means that more importance is placed on the exams, therefore
song, the more they remember before they learn it off by heart… Can they do this with their studies? How can I help them revise? spread it out and display it. Ask to see their revision notes for each subject
Which subjects? If there is an exam, your child should revise. Revision should be specific and structured in key chunks. For example, in Maths, they should revise Then Repeat, Repeat, Repeat!
Ensure they have a quiet room to study. Make them a brew! Schedule ‘mini breaks’
Be Smart!
Ask them to explain their revision back to you
Revising for hours can be useless. Encourage your
Reading alone is not enough– answer ques-
ing!
– Being punctual everyday is also vital.
The WORKshop The WORKshop will open in January Monday-Thursday 3-4pm. This will provide a purposeful study environment for students to use to support their learning. Situated in the Media room, they can revise, comresources, past papers and technology. This will replace the previous study support structure for year 11 students. and they will be rewarded with Vivo points for each
night as well as the pastoral support team. Students Teachers may also agree with small groups or even full classes to provide a focused mini lesson. If your
At home, your child should be working through all
ers.
20:20 Vision is part of our strategy to ensure that students achieve success. This ensures that students and support them in achieving this. The 20:20 vision is that your child is achieving success in the Year 2020. They may be gradu-
making a dierence in their community, wherever it may be! Like you, we want the best for them.
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