The Sciences

Choosing the right subjects for GCSE House Life

DRESS AND UNIFORM

Your son/daughter will make initial GCSE choices in February so that next year’s timetable can be blocked All the information about uniform and dress guidelines can be found in the College’s uniform and and staffing planned. They will confirm their choices at equipment guide. the end of this term. There is the opportunity to add any supporting comments on both initial and final Here are a few key points: option-choice forms if you feel particularly strongly about the choices that have been made. Once the final You should wear your uniform from 7.45am until the end of the working day. options form is submitted, the allocation of options will be made based on the information supplied on You must wear College games kit for all sports and activities. the form. You may only attend lessons in casual clothes or in games kit if you have a specific reason and, even Once choices have been made, the College reserves then, only with the permission of the person in charge of the outing or the teacher concerned. the right to withdraw any courses for which there is insufficient demand. Dress for outings and events will often be ‘smart casual’ - you need to make sure you have some We try to accommodate all subject choices within suitable clothes in school for such events. Jeans or ripped trousers are not considered smart casual! the prescribed framework. However, subjects are sometimes oversubscribed and availability of staffing DUTIES prevents additional classes. If this is the case, we will contact you to discuss alternatives. KITCHEN DUTY You should always wash up after you have used the kitchen. There is a daily rota for kitchen duty but the person on duty should only need to do a

On the following pages, you will find more information general tidy round. about each subject, as well as some useful advice from HOUSE DUTIES We often run whole house events and we like all girls to get involved, the Head of Careers and Higher Education, Sharon helping to run things as well as supporting the events to maintain our

Allmark. These will help you when weighing up the excellent reputation! various factors involved in making the most BEDTIME DUTY Each evening a member of the U6th helps duty staff to ensure everyone in appropriate choices. the lower years get to bed at the appropriate time. GUIDING PARENTS You will occasionally be asked to show prospective parents around the school. When you are asked to do this, make sure you excuse yourself from any lessons being missed. You should wear your best uniform; shoes must be clean and your hair neat and tidy.

Stephen Badger

Deputy Head (Teaching & Learning) ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

Health and safety in a boarding house is extremely important and therefore you really must follow the instructions which come from the College’s Health & Safety Committee. Please read the full guidelines which can be found in the College rules at the back of this booklet.

GCSE Reforms House Life

• All GCSE subjects are now graded and assessed using the new 9-1 structure; Main points are: • 9 is the highest grade, awarded to the very best candidates in the subject. The official definition of a grade-9 • Always switch all appliances off when you are not in your room. • candidate is that they will be ‘in the top 20% of those achieving grades 7-9 in the subject’; In dorms only one item may be plugged into each wall socket. • In every subject, the content is more demanding and the assessment more rigorous than previously; • In single rooms a power extension block can be used with no more than four outlets. • 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 Hair dryers and straighteners must be plugged directly into a wall socket—they should be left on a to the relevant Head of Department. hard surface, not your bed or the floor. Tiering of exams You may not bring in your own kettles, toasters or TVs but you can bring computers, ipods, hair The new GCSEs are only split into foundation tier and higher tier if one single exam paper does not give all students equipment. the opportunity to show their knowledge and abilities. Consequently, exams are tiered in Biology, Chemistry, French, German, Maths, Physics and Spanish. FIRE PROCEDURE

FIRE

New grading structure

Current grading structure 9 A* 8 7 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.

If you discover a fire: • Inform a member of staff immediately • If it is not safe to reach a member of staff, raise the alarm by shouting ‘FIRE’ or if you are near a red alarm box, break the glass and sound the alarm. A Do not try to put out the fire yourself! Under the updated structure, the ‘good WHEN YOU HEAR THE FIRE ALARM pass’ for Maths and English is a 5, which is Stop what you are doing immediately on the border between a C and a B under the old system. Leave the house quickly and quietly by the nearest fire exit and go to the assembly point which is in the car park of the Health Centre. Do not stop to pick up any personal belongings Shut all windows and doors behind you and turn off lights At night put on dressing gown and shoes; do not stop to dress fully; ensure that others in your dorm are awake.

Choosing the right subjects for GCSE House Life

Please ensure you know where your fire exits and assembly point(s) are. Your son/daughter will make initial GCSE choices in February so that next year’s timetable can be blocked and staffing planned. They will confirm their choices at You should line up in SILENCE in your year groups. A roll call will be taken and you should stay there to await further instructions from the member of staff present. the end of this term. There is the opportunity to add any supporting comments on both initial and final Do not re-enter the House until told to do so by the member of staff present. option-choice forms if you feel particularly strongly Formal fire drills are carried out at least twice a term. about the choices that have been made. Once the final options form is submitted, the allocation of options will be made based on the information supplied on FOOD AND KITCHENS the form. • Once choices have been made, the College reserves The kitchen facilities in house are not provided as an alternative to attending meals. • the right to withdraw any courses for which there is Milk, bread, spreads, fruit, tea, coffee, squash and hot chocolate are provided in the house daily— insufficient demand. check with Matron for the times when these are available. • Please don’t bring in large quantities of food from home — particularly perishable products. • We try to accommodate all subject choices within You can bring tuck in but you must either keep it in one of the house fridges or in your own secure the prescribed framework. However, subjects are tuck box. If you put something in the fridge don’t forget to name it! • sometimes oversubscribed and availability of staffing Follow instructions when using the microwave and be careful as food and drinks can get very hot. • prevents additional classes. If this is the case, we will Toasters are for toasting bread only—please don’t try and cook anything else in them! • contact you to discuss alternatives. You should ALWAYS clean and tidy the kitchen areas after use. Don’t leave your mess for someone

On the following pages, you will find more information else to clean up! about each subject, as well as some useful advice from the Head of Careers and Higher Education, Sharon WE ARE A NUT FREE SCHOOL. PLEASE DO NOT BRING ANYTHING CONTAINING NUTS ONTO THE Allmark. These will help you when weighing up the LWC CAMPUS OR INTO BOARDING HOUSES. various factors involved in making the most appropriate choices. GAMES AND ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL

Stephen Badger

Deputy Head (Teaching & Learning)

You should attend all school games and activity sessions as these are part of your official timetable. Unless your teacher tells you otherwise, you should wear college sports kit for all games and activities. If you are selected to play the major sport of the term or represent the College in a team then you must fulfil your commitment

GCSE Reforms House Life

IN THE HOUSE

• All GCSE subjects are now graded and assessed using the new 9-1 structure; • 9 is the highest grade, awarded to the very best candidates in the subject. The official definition of a grade-9 candidate is that they will be ‘in the top 20% of those achieving grades 7-9 in the subject’; The house has lots of facilities: Nintendo Wii, table football, board games, etc. for use in your free time. Please make sure you look after these so that everyone can enjoy them. • In every subject, the content is more demanding and the assessment more rigorous than previously;HAIR • 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 Your hair should be kept neat and tidy and, for girls in 1st to 5th Form, hair must be tied up during to the relevant Head of Department. the working day. It should be natural in colour—any highlights should be subtle in nature and professionally done. 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 Your hairstyle should not exhibit any extremes of fashion. the opportunity to show their knowledge and abilities. Consequently, exams are tiered in Biology, Chemistry, French, German, Maths, Physics and Spanish. HOUSE COUNCIL

New grading structure

Current The idea of the House Council is that you can modify the House routines, make suggestions for house grading structure events or facilities and prompt changes for the better regarding school rules. The Council meets twice a term. It consists of one or two pupils per year group. You will vote for your year group representative(s) at the start of term. The Council is chaired by the Head of House Council. A The minutes are submitted to your Housemistress whose responses will be published on the house notice board. Items regarding the College in general will be brought up by the Head of House when the prefects have lunch with the Headmaster.

9 A* 8 7 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.

Under the updated structure, the ‘good pass’ for Maths and English is a 5, which is PREP (Homework) on the border between a C and a B under the Prep time is a time for individual work. old system. You should have all the stationery and equipment ready to start prep on time. Throughout prep time you should be working at your desk or on one of the house computers. It is a quiet time and you should not be chatting or wandering around the house. 3rd—5th Formers can listen to music on headphones. 6th Formers can play music on stereos as long as it is not audible outside your room.