Modern Foreign Languages

Choosing the right subjects for GCSE House Life

Your son/daughter will make initial GCSE choices in 1. Log in using your username and the password given to you by your Houseparent. February so that next year’s timetable can be blocked 2. You will now need to set your own password (Please note the criteria below for setting your and staffing planned. They will confirm their choices at password). You will be asked to enter the ‘old’ password (the one given to you by your the end of this term. There is the opportunity to add Houseparent) in the top box. Then enter a password of your choice in the ‘new’ password box any supporting comments on both initial and final and again in the ‘confirm’ box. option-choice forms if you feel particularly strongly about the choices that have been made. Once the final 3. Passwords must not contain any part of your username. They must be at least six characters options form is submitted, the allocation of options long and there must be at least one CAPITAL letter and at least one number. will be made based on the information supplied on 4. If you forget your password you can contact the IT Office for help. the form. 5. The College has a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) facility. Please refer to the College VLE for

Once choices have been made, the College reserves instructions on how to connect your device. the right to withdraw any courses for which there is insufficient demand.6. You will also be issued with a Printer/Copier PIN by the IT Office via your Houseparent. You will need this for printers and all copiers that have a touch pad attached.

We try to accommodate all subject choices within the prescribed framework. However, subjects are sometimes oversubscribed and availability of staffing DO NOT GIVE ANYONE ELSE YOUR PASSWORD prevents additional classes. If this is the case, we will contact you to discuss alternatives. DAY PUPILS On the following pages, you will find more information There are a few things which are relevant just to day pupils: about each subject, as well as some useful advice from the Head of Careers and Higher Education, Sharon 1. You should not be in boarders’ rooms unless you are staying overnight or you have specific

Allmark. These will help you when weighing up the permission. various factors involved in making the most appropriate choices. 2. Don’t forget to sign out in person before you go home each day. 3. We like our day pupils to stay on after school to socialise, take part in house activities and prep— all we ask is that you let us know each day if you are staying for the evening routines. Stephen Badger 4. Please do not leave your belongings/home clothes hanging around the house.

Deputy Head (Teaching & Learning) 5. If you are going home with someone other than your parents you need to let us know. 6. There are evening events which you will be expected to attend—check the calendar regularly so that you know when these are.

GCSE Reforms House Life

DRESS AND UNIFORM

• 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’; All the information about uniform and dress guidelines can be found in the College’s uniform and equipment guide. • In every subject, the content is more demanding and the assessment more rigorous than previously; Here are a few key points: • 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 You should wear your uniform from 7.45 am until the end of the working day. to the relevant Head of Department. You must wear College games kit for all sports and activities. 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 You may only attend lessons in casual clothes or in games kit if you have a specific reason and, even the opportunity to show their knowledge and abilities. Consequently, exams are tiered in Biology, Chemistry, French, then, only with the permission of the person in charge of the outing or the teacher concerned. German, Maths, Physics and Spanish. Dress for outings and events will often be ‘smart casual’ - you need to make sure you have some suitable clothes in school for such events. jeans or ripped trousers are not considered smart casual! You must not go to tea in your games kit, although you may put your tracksuit on over the top of it and wear clean trainers if you are in a rush.

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.

DUTIES CLEANING DUTY Under the updated A You should always wash up after you have used the kitchen point areas. There is a daily rota for tidying the point areas. Make sure you check the rota so you know when it is your turn. structure, the ‘good pass’ for Maths and BEDTIME DUTY English is a 5, which is Each evening a member of the 6th Form is on call to help the member on the border between of staff on duty to ensure everyone in the lower years gets to bed at the appropriate time. a C and a B under the old system. 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.