Modern Foreign Languages

Choosing the right subjects for GCSE House Life

CARS Your son/daughter will make initial GCSE choices in From the summer term of Lower Sixth, pupils in the Sixth Form may be allowed to bring their cars to February so that next year’s timetable can be blocked school. We have a permission form your parent/guardian must sign first; these forms are available on and staffing planned. They will confirm their choices at the VLE or from the School Office. Once permission to drive has been granted by the Senior Deputy the end of this term. There is the opportunity to add Head, you will be added to the Driving Register. Your driving privileges will be withdrawn if you do any supporting comments on both initial and final break these very important rules. option-choice forms if you feel particularly strongly about the choices that have been made. Once the final For you to drive or be driven by a student driver we MUST have permission from both sets (driver options form is submitted, the allocation of options and passenger) of parents/guardians. will be made based on the information supplied on the form. SIGNING IN AND OUT / REGISTRATION Once choices have been made, the College reserves This is one of the most important things you have to do at least 3 times a day. the right to withdraw any courses for which there is insufficient demand. Gosden operates a T-Card system which shows when you are: • We try to accommodate all subject choices within In house • the prescribed framework. However, subjects are In school but not in house • sometimes oversubscribed and availability of staffing Out of school but on a school trip/activity • prevents additional classes. If this is the case, we will Out of school contact you to discuss alternatives. Day folder—please write in where you are planning to be after 4pm e.g. Horse riding

On the following pages, you will find more information about each subject, as well as some useful advice from Monday-Friday • the Head of Careers and Higher Education, Sharon Register with your tutor at 8.35am • Allmark. These will help you when weighing up the Register with your tutor at 3.35pm • various factors involved in making the most Wednesday pm register with Matron between 1-2pm appropriate choices.

Stephen Badger

Deputy Head (Teaching & Learning)

Saturday • · Register in house before 9.20am

ALWAYS sign-out with Matron or the tutor on duty before you go home

GCSE Reforms House Life

SPACE AND BELONGINGS • All GCSE subjects are now graded and assessed using the new 9-1 structure; We have to ask you to think carefully about how much ‘stuff’ you bring to school. We have to ensure • 9 is the highest grade, awarded to the very best candidates in the subject. The official definition of a grade-9 everyone has enough space and that it is fairly distributed. candidate is that they will be ‘in the top 20% of those achieving grades 7-9 in the subject’;Day pupils: desk, lamp, shelf or drawer, chair: please do bring in some photos /poster to personalise • In every subject, the content is more demanding and the assessment more rigorous than previously; your work area. Shared cupboard space for sports bags. • The assessment will be mainly by exam. In some subjects such as Drama and Art, other types of assessment will be used only where they are needed to test essential skills. For further information about assessment, please speak Flexi pupils: bed, drawers or bedside cabinet, desk, lamp, chair, shelf. Please do not bring in too many to the relevant Head of Department. home clothes. Wardrobe/cupboard space is very limited. Please bring in photos/posters to personalise your bed area. Tiering of exams The new GCSEs are only split into foundation tier and higher tier if one single exam paper does not give all students Full and weekly pupils: bed, 1 under-bed drawer, small single wardrobe, desk, shelf, chair, lamp. Please the opportunity to show their knowledge and abilities. Consequently, exams are tiered in Biology, Chemistry, French, be aware that you will not have limitless amounts of room or storage space. Do bring photos/posters German, Maths, Physics and Spanish. to decorate your bed space/room. Please do not leave your personal belongings around the House. You will find that Mrs Radmann and the Matrons will remove them.

New grading structure

Current grading structure You have a lockable space for items of value—please bring a combination lock

9 A* 8 7 A 6 B 5 4 C 3 D 2 E F 1 G U U

9 is awarded to those pupils achieving what would currently be a top A*: perhaps at around 96%+

GOOD PASS (DfE) 5 and above = top of C and above Schools are no longer AWARDING assessed on A*-C 4 and above = bottom of C and above statistics, but on ‘9-4’ statistics.

DRESS AND UNIFORM You should wear your uniform from 7.45 am until 4pm or after your activities. You must wear College games kit for all sports and activities. Under the updated For meals you should be dressed appropriately: no skimpy shorts or tops etc. structure, the ‘good pass’ for Maths and English is a 5, which is Dress for outings and events will often be ‘smart casual’ - you need to make sure you have some on the border between suitable clothes in school for such events. If in doubt check with Mrs Radmann before you go. a C and a B under the old system.Make sure you have a white and/or flesh coloured bra to wear under your white shirts. Skirt length: • 3rd-5th Form: just below or on the knee when standing tall • Sixth Form: no shorter than one hand width above the knee when standing tall. Be aware of back vents which can be rather high and can rip. Skirts that ride up when you walk are not appropriate.

You should be in smart , conservative, office dress. I would suggest buying three skirts, two pairs of tailored trousers, three jackets and three shirts to mix and match for the working week (Mon-Fri).