Year 11

GCSE Pre-Public ExaminationsRevision Guide

Examination Period: 24 November – 5 December 2014

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Stamford Welland Academy

CONTENTS

Page3 NOTES FOR PRE-PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS - YEAR 114 Revision5 GCSE / BTEC Subject Guides for PPE Exams6 Art7 Dance8 Design and Technology: Food & Graphics9 Design and Technology: Product Design & Textiles

10 Drama11 English Language (Sets 1 & 2)12 English Literature (Sets 1 & 2)13 iGCSE English Language (Sets 3, 4 & 5)14 iGCSE English Literature (Sets 3, 4 & 5)

15-16 French17 Geography18 Health & Social Care19 History

20-21 Italian22-23 Mathematics24-25 Music

26 Philosophy & Ethics27 Photography28 Physical Education

29-30 Science31 Sport

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NOTES FOR PRE-PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS - YEAR 11

EXAM DATES 24 November – 5 December 2014TIMETABLES Go through your timetable with your subject teachers and if

necessary ask for advice.If you do not have an examination you will attend normal lessons for private study.

EXAMINATIONS

You must be on time for all your examinations. o Lesson 1 – Arrive at the Hall/Exam Room at 8.50am for a 9.00am

starto Lesson 3 - Arrive at the Hall/Exam Room at 11.15am for a

11.20am starto Lesson 4 - Arrive at the Hall/Exam Room at 12.50am for a 1.00pm

start

You must not take into the examination any unauthorised material or equipment e.g. instruction leaflets for your calculator. Put your pens etc. into a clear plastic bag.

The minimum equipment you will be expected to bring is: 2 black pens, pencils, ruler, eraser, pencil sharpener, calculator, a pair of compasses and a protractor. No equipment will be lent to you by staff invigilating the examination. Make sure that you are ready for the first exam. You are onlyallowed to use BLACK ink. Correction fluid and ink erasers are not permitted. It may also be a good idea to have a selection of coloured pencils with you.

Mobile phones are NOT allowed in the examination room (even if they are switched off). You will need to hand them in, along with any other electronic devices, on entering the Exam Hall.

You must line up in silence, in alphabetical order, outside the examination hall. Listen to all instructions. You must enter the hall in silence.

You can only look at the paper when told to do so. Important notes or instructions will be read out at the beginning of the examination.

You can put up your hand to ask a question if you are not sure what to do, but the invigilator cannot help you to answer the questions.

If you require extra paper or if you have dropped anything onto the floor, you must put up your hand up and ask the invigilator to fetch it for you.

If you finish early, you must sit in silence. You may not bring a reading book into the exam.

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Pupils who are caught cheating or deliberately disrupting an examination will be removed from the examination and sent to a member of the Leadership Team. They will then face a ban on social activities for the rest of the academic year.

Please note: All pre-public examinations will take place in examination rooms under formal examination conditions.

What Should You Revise?

As these are your first examinations for some of your GCSE courses, many subjects will set you past GCSE papers. These could be on any aspect of the course you have studied so far. This means that in most cases you will need to revise all of your Year 10 and Year 11 topics.

In this guide you will find a specific revision sheet for every GCSE subject informing you of the examination requirements and telling you exactly what to revise.

These are important examinations for you. They will give you, your teachers and your parents a good picture of how well you are doing in your chosen GCSEs and will be used for predicted grades on reference requests from Post-16 establishments.

Make sure that you prepare well enough to do yourself justice and so they represent your very best efforts.

How Should a Year 11 Pupil Revise?

We are all individuals. You will have probably developed your own techniques for revision. It is important that you update and refine these techniques to achieve your true potential. To help you prepare for your examinations, you should use the various revision techniques you have covered in tutor times, or any that suit you.

Revise in short sessions of 20-30 minutes and then have a break before you return to your study.

When to Revise:

It is important that you manage your time carefully. Spread your work load so that you can reduce the stress that you are under. You will also achieve much more and have more time for other things!

How to Revise:

Cover a range of subjects during the day. Allow more time for the difficult topics. List the topics you need to cover for each subject.

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Timetable your topics into manageable time slots. Take regular breaks. Reward yourself when you achieve your goals.

Good Luck!

GCSE, iGCSE & BTEC

SubjectGuides

All the guides are in alphabetical order.

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You may find it helpful to remove the guides that are not relevant to you and then add any extra material that your teacher may give you.

Art:

Students have been issued a past paper in which they have chosen a theme from. They have begun researching and developing this in their sketchbooks.

Exam Format:

Students will sit a five hour mock exam where they will complete a final piece of work for their current project. This exam is un-aided and carried out under exam conditions.

How to prepare:

Make sure preliminary work is completed, and shows a clear development of your theme.

Try out different compositional ideas for your final piece. Experiment with different materials for your final piece. Complete a mini version of your final piece in your sketchbook. Use ‘Don’t Panic’ Book to ensure you have met all assessment objectives. Make sure there is a clear link between your final piece and the artist you have

studied. Come prepared with any materials you need for the exam. Any assistance that may be required for setting up must be done with teacher

the day before exam. Sketchbooks and preliminary work are allowed in exam.

Examination Board: AQA

Useful website: http://www.juliastubbs.co.uk/exemplar-material/gcse-exemplar-material-1.html

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GCSE student- Preliminary work examples

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/art/

Dance:

Students have been given a past paper to work from. In lessons they will explore the theme for their performance piece. The performance is a solo audition which they will complete in lessons. The exam is a written letter of application relating to the exam paper.

Exam Format:

Students will sit a two hour computer based exam where they will complete a letter of application referring to a job opportunity as laid out in the exam paper. This exam is un-aided and carried out under exam conditions.

How to prepare:

Make sure all research work is completed. Identify the theme of your dance work and show a clear link to the job

opportunity. Use all examples and prepared resources to ensure you have met all

assessment objectives. Come prepared with any research materials you need for the exam.

Examination Board: EdExcel

Useful websites: 7

http://www.edexcel.com/quals/firsts2012/performing-arts/Pages/default.aspx

Design and Technology: Food Technology.

Exam format:

Exam board: AQA.

Students will sit ONE 2 hour paper. The paper has TWO sections:

Section A: Design section, which has an announced design context, issued on a preparation sheet.

Food context: Decorated cakes

Section B: A range of questions using topics covered in the KS4 syllabus.

Students are expected to research and prepare ideas for use in the exam in section B, but NONE of this work can be taken into the exam, and revise topics that were covered in Year 10 (notes in their green exercise book).

Useful website: BBC GCSE Bitesize.

Equipment needed for the exam:

Black pen, pencil, ruler and rubber. Colouring pencils.

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Design and Technology: Graphic Technology.

Exam format:

Exam board: AQA.

Students will sit ONE 2 hour paper. The paper has TWO sections:

Section A: Design section, which has an announced design context, issued on a preparation sheet.

Section B: A range of questions using topics covered in the KS4 syllabus.

Students are expected to research and prepare ideas for use in the exam in section B, but NONE of this work can be taken into the exam, and revise topics that were covered in Year 10 (notes in their green exercise book).

Useful website: BBC GCSE Bitesize.

Equipment needed for the exam:

Black pen, pencil, ruler and rubber. Colouring pencils.

Design and Technology: Product Design Technology.

Exam format:

Exam board: AQA.

Students will sit ONE 2 hour paper. The paper has TWO sections:

Section A: Design section, which has an announced design context, issued on a preparation sheet.

Section B: A range of questions using topics covered in the KS4 syllabus.

Students are expected to research and prepare ideas for use in the exam in section B, but NONE of this work can be taken into the exam, and revise topics that were covered in Year 10 (notes in their green exercise book).

Useful website: BBC GCSE Bitesize.

Equipment needed for the exam:

Black pen, pencil, ruler and rubber. Colouring pencils.

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Design and Technology: Textile Technology.

Exam format:

Exam board: AQA.

Students will sit ONE 2 hour paper. The paper has TWO sections:

Section A: Design section, which has an announced design context, issued on a preparation sheet.

Textile context : Products for teenagers inspired by the theme fairground, which include a range of decorative techniques.

Section B: A range of questions using topics covered in the KS4 syllabus.

Students are expected to research and prepare ideas for use in the exam in section B, but NONE of this work can be taken into the exam, and revise topics that were covered in Year 10 (notes in their green exercise book).

Useful website: BBC GCSE Bitesize.

Equipment needed for the exam:

Black pen, pencil, ruler and rubber. Colouring pencils.

Drama:

Students have been given a topic to begin researching. In lessons they will decide on a theme for their performance piece. The performance is group based and students can work in groups from 2-6. The final piece must last at least 5 minutes and have a clear link to the topic they have been given.

Exam Format:

Students will sit a five hour practical exam where they will complete a group performance based for the chosen topic. This exam is un-aided and carried out under exam conditions. You will be required to:

Devise a group piece lasting at least 5 minutes Complete a written working record of the process of devising Perform your finished piece in front of an audience

How to prepare:

Make sure all research work is completed.10

Identify your theme and show a clear link to the main topic. Explore different ideas and complete written work to show the development of

your ideas. Try out different structures for use in your final piece. Experiment with different techniques and staging plans for your final piece. Use all examples and prepared resources to ensure you have met all

assessment objectives. Come prepared with any materials/props/costumes you need for the exam. Any assistance required for lights or sound must be organised by the 3rd hour of

the exam.

Examination Board: OCR

Useful websites:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zbckjxs

http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/179504-gcse-drama-factsheet-for-learners.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=devised+drama+GCSE

English Language

Groups: 11.1 Mr Alam & 11.2 Ms Lupton

Exam Board: OCR

- 2 hour exam on Information and Ideas for your GCSE English Language course. - The exam is worth 60% of your entire English Language grade. - The other 40% is your Controlled Assessment.

Section A is called Non-Fiction & Media. It is worth 40 marks and worth 50% of the exam, therefore 30% of your entire course. You will need to read 2 texts that you haven’t seen before that will be non-fiction and media texts. You will answer 3 questions on the texts. It is usually two questions on 1 text and then one on the second text. But, be prepared for different possibilities. You MUST ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS!

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You will be tested on the following skills, so make sure you brush up on them:

1. Show understanding of how meaning is created through words, sentences and the whole text

2. Examine the effects of the writers’ language choices, layout and presentation

3. Evaluate the ways texts may be interpreted by different perspectives of the reader

Section B is simply called Writing. You will have a choice of 2 tasks. YOU WILL NEED TO ONLY ANSWER ONE TASK. The task is worth 40 marks, the same of Section A, therefore worth 50% of the exam and 30% of your entire Language course. You will be tested on the following writing skills, so make sure you polish them up for the exam:

1. Make sure your content matches the audience and purpose you have been asked to write about

2. Use appropriate vocabulary and style to match the purpose and audience3. Use a wide range of sentence structures, punctuation, paragraph

structures to engage the reader4. Make sure you plan your writing before writing to make the structure

engage the reader throughout

Top TipsReading (Language &

Literature)Writing (Language)

1. Always provide a quotation from the texts you are studying to support the points you are making

2. Always explore how the text engages the reader in detail, thinking about their emotions, their thoughts and attitudes towards the text

3. Examine how the writer uses language to create effects and what their purpose and viewpoint is

4. Always focus on the question (make the question into a statement to start off your answer

5. Literature only - Examine how the text links to the time it was written (Wider Context)

1. Always check the audience and purpose of the text and make sure you match it

2. Make sure you plan your writing task and stick to it – no-one likes waffle!

3. Make sure you use paragraphs – always start new paragraphs when you change TIME, PLACE, TOPIC, PERSON – Use the Topic- Expand – Link structure for your paragraphs to give them depth and length

4. Always use a wide range of punctuation and check your work for missing punctuation

5. Use a wide range of sentences structures (simple, compound and complex) to vary the pace and depth of your writing

6. Check your writing makes sense before your finish, especially for tense, spelling and punctuation

English Literature

Groups & Teachers: 11.1 Mr Alam & 11.2 Ms Lupton

Exam Board: OCR

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For English Literature, you will sit 3 different exams as outlined below:

Unit Details Assessment

A662Modern Drama

You will have a choice of 2 questions on your chosen text

One question will be on a specific extract from the play

The second question will be on the whole play

The play you have studied An Inspector Calls

45 minutes long Answer 1 question from a

choice of 2 Each question worth 40

marks 9 marks are added for

Spelling Punctuation and Grammar

25% of the Literature course

A663 Prose from

Different Cultures

You will have a choice of two questions

One question will be on a specific extract from the novel

The second question will be on the whole novel

You have studied Of Mice and Men

45 Minutes long Answer 1 question from a

choice of 2 Worth 40 marks 25% of the Literature

course

A664Literary Heritage

ProseContempora

ry Poetry

Section A – Literary Heritage Prose You will have a choice of two

questions One question will be on a

specific extract from the novel The second question will be on

the whole novel You have studied Animal Farm

for this sectionSection B Contemporary Poetry or Unseen Poetry You will have a choice of

answering a question on a set poet you have studied or answering a question on a poem you have not seen (unseen poem)

1 hour 30 minutes long Answer a total of 2

questions Section A – 24 marks Section B – worth 16

marks The quality of your

writing is assessed on this paper

25% of the Literature course

When you analyse any Literature text you will need to apply the following concepts to the texts: Themes (what’s the deeper meanings and ideas behind the text?) Characters (how are the main people in the text presented? What are their

conflicts and problems?) Language Devices (poetic devices when studying poetry) Structure & Form (How is the story structured? How does it engage the reader?) Wider Context (social, political, economic and historical debates and issues) Audience / Reader responses to the text (What emotions does the story create

in the reader / audience) Writer’s Viewpoint / Purpose through the text (is the writer putting across a

message or just reflecting real life?)

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CIE iGCSE First Language in English

Groups & Teacher: 11.3 Mr Moan, 11.4 Ms Lupton & 11.5 Mr Moan

- Called Reading Passages. - You will either be entered for:

Paper 1 Core (grade C-G) OR Paper 2 Extended (A* and E).

Paper 1 Core (C-G)1hour 45 minutes

Paper 2 Extended (A*-E)2 hour exam

Read one Passage and complete 3 questions.

Read two Passages. 2 questions on Passage A and one

question on Passage BQuestion 1 Analyse the Passage showing your

reading skills. There will be question a) to g)

focused on identifying words used in the Passage, their meaning and their effect.

Total of 20 MARKS

Question 1 Complete a piece of extended

writing based on the Passage you have read.

This will test your writing skills with some reading skills to see if you have understood the Passage you have read.

Total of 20 MARKS Question 2 Complete a piece of extended

writing based on the Passage you have read.

This will test your writing skills with some reading skills to see if you have understood the Passage you have read.

Total of 15 MARKS

Question 2 Identify key words and phrases in

the Passage and analyse their deeper meanings and how the writer uses them to create effects on the reader

Total of 10 MARKS

Question 3 (split into 2 questions) 3a will get you to identify certain

words in the Passage and their impact and meaning.

3b will get you write a summary of the Passage using your own words.

Total of 15 MARKS

Question 3 Based on Passage B Tests your skill to summarise what

you have read. This question is worth 20 MARKS

Top TipsReading (Language &

Literature)Writing (Language)

1. Always provide a quotation from the texts you are studying to support the points you are making

2. Always explore how the text engages the reader in detail, thinking about their emotions, their

1. Always check the audience and purpose of the text and make sure you match it

2. Make sure you plan your writing task and stick to it – no-one likes waffle!

3. Make sure you use paragraphs – always start new paragraphs when you change TIME,

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thoughts and attitudes towards the text

3. Examine how the writer uses language to create effects and what their purpose and viewpoint is

4. Always focus on the question (make the question into a statement to start off your answer

5. Literature only - Examine how the text links to the time it was written (Wider Context)

PLACE, TOPIC, PERSON – Use the Topic- Expand – Link structure for your paragraphs to give them depth and length

4. Always use a wide range of punctuation and check your work for missing punctuation

5. Use a wide range of sentences structures (simple, compound and complex) to vary the pace and depth of your writing

6. Check your writing makes sense before your finish, especially for tense, spelling and punctuation

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AQA iGCSE English Literature

Groups & Teacher: 11.3 Mr Moan, 11.4 Ms Lupton & 11.5 Mr Moan

The AQA iGCSE Literature exam will have two sections.

The exam will last 1 hour 30 minutes.

Section AUnseen Poetry

Section BDrama (Shakespeare’s Romeo and

Juliet) Section A is on Unseen Poetry and

will require you to analyse a poem you haven’t seen before.

This is worth 35 marks You should spend about 40

minutes on this section

Section B will be on Romeo and Juliet. There will be a choice of a question on a specific extract of the play or a question on the whole play.

This worth 40 marks You should spend about 50 minutes

on this section

When you analyse any Literature text you will need to apply the following concepts to the texts: Themes (what’s the deeper meanings and ideas behind the text?) Characters (how are the main people in the text presented? What are their

conflicts and problems?) Language Devices (poetic devices when studying poetry) Structure & Form (How is the story structured? How does it engage the reader?) Wider Context (social, political, economic and historical debates and issues) Audience / Reader responses (What emotions does the story create in the

reader / audience) Writer’s Viewpoint / Purpose (is the writer putting across a message or just

reflecting real life?)

Useful resources

EnglishBiz website www.englishbiz.co.uk BBC GCSE Bitesize - www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects - then select English or

English Literature (for Romeo and Juliet / An Inspector Calls / Of Mice and Men / Animal Farm and general Reading and Writing skills)

BBC Skillswise website - www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/english (For reading and writing skills)

Shmoop – www.shmoop.com/literature - a website for getting detailed quotes and analysis on your Literature texts (e.g. Romeo and Juliet. Animal Farm etc)

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French:

Exam format:

- 2 OCR past exam papers – Reading and Listening (each 45 mins long). - Short speaking assessment on the topic that you are currently studying.

- These marks will be combined with your controlled writing assessment marks to give you an overall grade.

- Questions will be in English and you should answer in English. - You will not be able to use a dictionary in the exam.

What to reviseFor the speaking exam:

- Specific vocabulary for health. - You should be able to answer questions in full sentences, using a variety of

tenses, opinions and reasons, as well as give extended answers.

For the listening and reading exams: - Revise all the topics that you have covered in year 10 and 11.

How to revise – Top Tips It’s impossible to ‘cram’ for a Languages exam! ‘Little and often’ is the best

policy when it comes to French revision. Refer to the specification vocabulary list on the VLE – this gives you a

comprehensive list of the vocabulary that will appear on the exams Use sites such as linguascope (username: sqes password: Europe) and quizlet to

revise easily Complete practice paper questions on BBC Bitesize Complete revision activities on www.zut.org.uk (free to use after 4pm on

weekdays and on weekends) Make cards and test yourself on specific vocabulary Complete the reading improvement pack on the VLE For the speaking assessment look back over your class notes at any questions &

answers and think about what other questions could be asked on the same topic.

Look especially at the tricky little words that can catch you out!

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Tricky little words!..

après – after Après mes examens, je voudrais aller au lycée. After my exams, I would like to go to sixth-form.avant – before Avant, j’allais au collège en vélo. Before, I went to school by bike.ne...pas – not Je ne joue pas au foot. I don’t play football.ne…jamais – never Il n’arrive jamais en retard. He never arrives late.ne…personne – no-one Il n’y a personne dans la cuisine. There’s no-one in the kitchen.ne…que – only Elle ne mange que des bonbons. She only

Useful sites for listening revision

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Tricky little words!..

après – after Après mes examens, je voudrais aller au lycée. After my exams, I would like to go to sixth-form.avant – before Avant, j’allais au collège en vélo. Before, I went to school by bike.ne...pas – not Je ne joue pas au foot. I don’t play football.ne…jamais – never Il n’arrive jamais en retard. He never arrives late.ne…personne – no-one Il n’y a personne dans la cuisine. There’s no-one in the kitchen.ne…que – only Elle ne mange que des bonbons. She only

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Name Information Link

BBC’s Bitesize With revision material and tests for all levels, exams advice and games. Also on FB.

Bitesize

French Revision Site created by French teachers with exercises for 3 different levels, access to past papers, games and links. Also with authentic news videos and exercises

frenchrevision.co.uk

Zut! Free after 4pm on weekdays and on weekends, for access to interactive exercises which use native speakers.

Zut

French Video Resources

The staff at Ashcombe school has put together a large selection of video clips attached to a fill in the gaps exercise. All GCSE topics covered and script available. Also available on iPhone.

French video

TV5 Monde Advanced level, entirely in French (but dictionary av.) with many interesting exercises in different levels. Authentic material like news on music, cinema, Sport, History etc. . On FB and downloadable to iPhone/Pad.

Exercises

TV

Modern Languages at Burntcliffe

Has audio video clips to help you practise listening to texts in the past as well as access to past papers and other downloadable material.

Burntcliffe

Bonjour de France

Offers Advanced level (but with transcripts) listening comprehension exercises. Not GCSE topics but much more general and authentic (French being studied from France normally).

Bonjour

Le journal en français facile RFI

10 minutes authentic news show up-dated daily with transcripts and listening exercises. Upper-Intermediate level and with sources from French-speaking countries all over the world.

RFI

Chante France The only French station (from Paris) to play music that is100% from French-speaking countries (like a normal station, you can listen to the news, adverts etc)

Chante France

French Robot Radio

American station that plays only French music too but also displays the lyrics and their translation. Also features a few audio files for single words, phrases etc.

French Robot Radio

Geography:

Exam Format:Students will sit 2 papers:

Paper 1: 1:10hr Terminal exam.

This exam will focus on what has been taught in class, including case studies which have been taught. The units covered will be;

o Rivers and Coasts, o Settlemento Population.

The questions will be a mixture of describe and explain questions, which range from 1 mark to 4.

Each section will end with a 9 mark case study question.

Case Study Examples:

o Rivers: Boscastle / Bangladesho Coasts: Happisburgh / Swanage Bayo Settlement: Stratford Olympic Regeneration / Willow Place Corby

shopping improvements / Kibera Shanty Settlement.o Population: China’s One Child Policy / Mexico to USA Migration.

Paper 2: 1:30hr; Decision Making exam.

This will focus on a Geographical problem to do with Development and Economic Activities. Students will be given a problem and will need to pick an option to solve the problem.

They must:o focus on the sustainability of their choiceo Structure their written response by following the examination matrix, as

practiced through KS3o In total 16 marks are awarded for this section of the paper.

Examination board: OCR B

Useful website: The school VLE, Year 11 revision.

Also: BBC Bitesize, Geography all the way, Juicey Geography, Geopods.

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Health and Social Care (BTEC First Award):

Unit 1 Human Lifespan Development (External Assessment)

Paper based 1 hour Examination

The paper consists of short sentences and opportunity for extended writing

The total mark for this paper is 50

The marks for each question are shown in brackets (use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question; a minute a mark will give you 10 minutes to check your work).

The actual BTEC examination will be on Thursday 8th January 2015

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History:

Students will sit 2 papers:

Exam Format:

Paper 1: 1hr 15 mins exam.

This will focus on four key topics:-

The US economy US society 1919-29 The USA in Depression 1929-33 Roosevelt and the New Deal 1933-41

In total there are 54 marks awarded over six questions. In a range of 4, 6, 8 and 16 mark questions.

They will be expected to:

o Extract information from a source.o Describe the key features of an event.o Analyse the causation and effects of events. o Analyse the importance of an event in this time period with other events.

Paper 2: 1hr 15 min; Exam source based paper

Exam source based paper. Students must answer five questions based on four key topics:-

The impact of the depression Britain at war The home front 1939-45 Labour in power

The exam will be made up of questions that test your ability to extract information from the source.

There will be a source booklet for students to use where they will be expected to assess the purpose, reliability and nature of the sources in a 6, 8 and 10 mark questions.

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They will also have to use all the sources provided in order to argue ‘how far’ with a certain issue or event.

Examination board: Edexcel A The Making of the Modern World

Useful website: The school VLE, Year 11 revision.

Also: BBC Bitesize, Edexcel revision guide, Edexcel revision quizzes

Italian

Exam format:

You will sit two Edexcel past exam papers:- Reading (50 mins) - Listening (40 mins)-

These marks will be combined with your controlled writing and speaking assessment marks to give you an overall grade. The reading and listening papers are exactly the same format as you will have in the summer. Questions will be in English and you should answer in English. You will not be able to use a dictionary in the exam.

What to revise

For the listening and reading exams you should revise all the topics that you have covered in years 10 and 11.

How to revise – Top Tips

It’s impossible to ‘cram’ for a Languages exam! ‘Little and often’ is the best policy when it comes to Italian revision.

Refer to the specification vocabulary list on the VLE – this gives you a comprehensive list of the vocabulary that will appear on the exams

Use sites such as linguascope (username: sqes password: Europe) and quizlet to revise easily

Make cards and test yourself on specific vocabulary Use the revision pack on the VLE Practice your listening skills at http://www.barrbeaconschool.co.uk/?p=4244 or

http://www.newsinslowitalian.com/ Try changing familiar DVDs into Italian with Italian subtitles

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Listening: o Build up your listening stamina! Start with one listening exercise, then

build up to three or four per revision session o Look at the question. What’s the topic? Which words can you expect to

come up? How could the examiner try and catch you out?o Numbers can be tricky. Listen out for ages, dates, times and prices and

note them down.o Always listen to a passage at least twice before committing to an answer.

Try and repeat sentences to yourself more slowly so the words sink in.o Look at the transcript (if available) and write down any vocabulary you

didn’t recognise.o Try listening to Italian radio for 5 minutes (increasing this with time) and

make notes in English. Do this with a friend and compare what you’ve written!

Vocabulary:o Aim to learn 10 words per day. o It’s best to spend 10-20 minutes in the morning revising them, then get a

friend or family member to test you on them at lunchtime or the end of the day.

o Make a list of all the words you find most difficult to remember and return to these every couple of days.

o Write the words out and colour-code them (masculine nouns, feminine nouns, plural nouns, verbs, adjectives, other words). Write them on Post-It notes (English on one side, Italian on the other) and stick them around the house.

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o Remember to revise how the words sounds, repeat it several times and try and write it phonetically.

o If you’re a visual learner, try making a mind-map for each topic area or sub-topic. Do this without your book/dictionary first, and then allow yourself 2 minutes to look at your book before adding to it.

Reading:o Look at the question first. What’s the topic? Which words can you expect

to come up? How could the examiner try and catch you out? o Read the passage carefully. Identify key words, then look for those tricky

little words that can change the meaning of a sentence o Find the verbs. What tense are they in? o If you’re reading a series of statements by several people, and the

question asks you to write the name of one of the people, try writing a brief summary of what each person has said in English.

o Check your work thoroughly and write down any vocabulary you didn’t recognise.

Mathematics

Exam format:

You will sit two papers at either foundation (C – G) or higher (A* - D) tier:• Paper 1 is non-calculator and is worth 50% of your total marks; 100 marks in total• Paper 2 a calculator is allowed and it is also worth 50% of your total marks; 100 marks in total

Each exam is 1 hour 45 minutes

GradeMarks Needed on Foundation Tier (approximate boundaries)

Marks Neededon Higher Tier(approximate boundaries)

A* 150/200 (75%)A 120/200 (60%)B 100/200 (50%)C 150/200 (75%) 80/200 (40%)D 120/200 (60%) 60/200 (30%)E 100/200 (50%)F 80/200 (40%)G 60/200 (30%)U Less than 50/200

(25%)Less than 50/200 (25%)

Securing The Grade- Questions generally become increasingly difficult

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- Focus on the first half of the paper, making sure that no marks are lost due to carelessness

- With ‘big mark’ questions (3 marks or more); NEVER leave them unansweredo Can you start them, even if you can’t finish them!

What to revise:

You will have covered virtually the whole maths syllabus in Years 9, 10 and 11 so everything that you have studied could come up.

Four Areas of Maths:

Maths is spilt into 4 sections; and each section is covered in each exam paper

- Number: approximately 30% of total marks- Algebra: approximately 30% of total marks- Geometry: approximately 20% of total marks- Statistics: approximately 20% of total marks

Trick Questions:- MONEY:

o make sure that it is in the correct formato is it £ or p?

- TIME:o 60 minutes in an houro 1 hour 15 minutes is NOT 1.15; it’s 1.25!!

- UNITS:o Check that the units are the same

Top 10 Tips:

1. Make sure you know how to use your calculator.All calculators work in different ways so it is important that you have your own one and know how to use it effectively. Do not forget to take it to your examination.

2. Have the Correct Equipment:You will need to have the correct mathematical equipment:

black pen, pencil, ruler, compass, protractor, scientific calculatorEquipment WILL NOT BE LENTEquipment WILL BE EXCHANGED if it is broken

3. Write Clearly:Make sure that your numbers can be easily read; 7 looks like a 7 NOT a 1!!!

4. Answer the question:Read the question carefully and make sure that you have done what has been

asked5. Websites:

Make use of mathswatchvle.com 6. Use your orange revision book notes and revision guides to find out what you need to revise:

Look back at the notes that you have made during years 9, 10 and 11. Try making some revision cards with key facts.

7. Know the concepts you need to be able to use to get the grade you want:

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In order to move up a grade or two, use mathswatchvle.com to identify the specific topics needed for each grade.

8. Show your work clearly and in order:Discipline yourself to show all the steps in your solution, even on the Calculator Paper!Show them one after the other, not little bits of maths written here, there, and everywhere.Method Marks are SO importantIt is very easy to drop a minus sign or make some other careless mistakes if you’re writing down one step out of three. If you write down all the steps, one after the other, you are more likely to get each one right the first time and more likely to find any mistakes when you check your work.Use sub-headings to help structure your working out

9. Annotate questions:If a question has a lot of writing; underline key words and facts.Write down the topic which is needed to answer the question

10. Check your answers.When you’ve solved a problem, put your answer back in the problem and make

sure it works. If you were given an equation to solve, put your answer(s) back in the equation and make sure they work.

Exam Board: Edexcel Linear (1MAO); Higher and Foundation

The best type of revision is ‘DOING’

- DO lots of questions- DO lots of past papers- DO ask if you don’t understand

Music

Exam Board: Edexcel GCSE

http://www.edexcel.com/migrationdocuments/GCSE%20New%20GCSE/GCSE_Music_Spec_2012.pdf

The examination is worth 40% of your total GCSE.

Listening and Appraising:

Examination requirements: 1hour and 30 minutes.

The examination is divided into two sections.

Section A: (65 minutes)

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o Eight questions requiring students to respond to extracts of music on CD, which are taken from the set works.

o The exact number of times the extract will be heard is announced on the CD

o Students will be given one minute reading time at the start of each question and three minutes to complete their answers at the end of each question.

o A range of question types including multiple choice, melody/rhythm completion, grid completion, one-word response, short response and free response questions will be used.

o The 68-mark total for this section – the questions will not necessarily be of equal weighting.

Section B: (25 minutes)o One extended response question (from a choice of two) on any one of the

set works, or comparing musical features across set works.o This section will be worth 12 marks.

Scores of the set works must not be brought into the examination!

o Quality of written communication will be assessed in section B.o Students should answer in prose.

How to prepare for the Listening and Appraising Examination:

- Listen to the set works regularly and compare each of the elements of music present in each piece.

- You should have revision resources for each of the areas of study and the set works in your files.

- Read through these regularly, at least 5 times a week.

Your memory needs to develop a routine in order to remember key information when you need it.

Create fun revision resources to help you enjoy memorising the key information:

This will support your memory when revising. Aim to have a different type of game for each of the areas of study, this will organise your memory appropriately.

For example: AoS1 – Mind maps, AoS2 – Snakes and Ladders, AoS3 – Articulate and AoS4 – Memory game cards.

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Philosophy and Ethics:

Exam Format:

Students will sit:

- One paper, o 2 elements

30 minutes per topic.

1hour: Terminal exam

This exam will focus on what has been taught in class. The units covered will be; “Belief in Deity” and “Life After Death”.

The questions are the standard exam paper format:

Questions 1, 2 and 3: fact point questions

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Helpful revision links for Music:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/Chopin%20Raindrop%20Prelude%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/Electric%20Counterpoint%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/Moby%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/Peripetie%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/Skye%20Waulking%20Song%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/Mozart%20Symphony%20No%2040%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/Yiri%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf http://www.apsch.org.uk/ attachments/article/773/s%20Coming%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/All%20Blues%20-%20Miles%20Davis%20-%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/Grace%20Jeff%20Buckley%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/Handel%20And%20the%20Glory%20of%20the%20Lord%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

http://www.apsch.org.uk/attachments/article/773/Rag%20Desh%20-%20FULL%20REVISION%20NOTES.pdf

Questions 4 & 5: extended essay type questions.

Students are expected to use revision guides at home, alongside making their own revision notes.

Examination board: OCR B

Useful website: The school VLE, Year 11 revision.

Also: BBC Bitesize, http://www.rsrevision.com/GCSE/index.htm

Photography:

Students have been issued a paper with the theme portraiture.

They select a film poster as their initial starting point which was then developed by looking at other similar portrait photographers.

Exam Format:

Students will sit a five hour mock exam where they will be expected to:

Refine the concept for their theme. Evaluate an image from their chosen photographer. Create a detailed photo shoot plan. Create an annotated contact sheet. Edit and annotate images from their photo shoot. Create a final image. This can be in style of a film poster or a photograph. This should all be presented on A3 or A2.

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How to prepare:

Make sure preliminary work is completed, and shows a clear development of your theme.

Make sure there is a clear link between your final piece and the photographer you have studied.

Use ‘Don’t Panic’ Book to ensure you have met all assessment objectives. Experiment using different techniques that you may use in photo shop. A new photo shoot MUST be done prior the exam. This should be a photo shoot

that relates to your theme but you have not used before. Come prepared with any materials you need for the exam. Any assistance that may be required for setting up must be done with teacher

the day before exam. Sketchbooks and preliminary work are allowed in exam.

Examination Board: AQA

Useful website:

http://test.lightboxresource.co.uk/assess/gcse-gce-examples/gcse-photography/

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/art-and-design/gcse/art-and-design-4200/subject-content/photography-lens-based-and-light-based-media

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/art/video/photography/

Physical Education

Written paper 40% of Overall grade (80 marks)

Exam Format

The exam is marked out of 80 It is separated into three sections;

o 10 mark multiple choice, o 30 mark short answer questions o pre-released material section.

This section has longer mark answers that will also assess the student’s ability to include Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar in their answers.

Topics the students may be assessed on include:

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Health, Fitness and a Healthy Active Lifestyle Physical and Mental Demands on Performance Training Characteristics and Benefits of Leisure and Recreation Diet The Participant as an Individual Cultural and Social Factors International and other Social Factors School Influences Opportunities for Further Involvement

A full list of the content can be found by visiting AQA GCSE PE Specification OR visit the school VLE GCSE PE page

Science:

Exam Boards:

GCSE examinations through AQA BTEC qualifications through Edexcel.

For the PPE’s, students will sit a variety of papers depending on their options:

Triple GCSE Science Students (Set 1)

Three exams (Biology 2, Chemistry 2 and Physics 2)

Double GCSE Science Students (Sets 2, 3 and 5)

Three exams (Biology 2, Chemistry 1 and Physics 1)

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Double award BTEC and GCSE students (Set 4)

One exam (Unit Eight – Scientific Skills)

Exam Format: GCSE exams are 1 Hour long. BTEC exam is 1hr 15minutes long.

The exam papers are either Higher tier papers or Foundation papers.

Students carrying out Higher tier papers are able to gain grades ranging from an A* to an E.

Students carrying out Foundation tier papers are able to gain grades ranging from a C to a G.

If the students do not achieve sufficient marks to gain the lowest grade on each paper, the student will receive a mark of Ungraded (U).

How to Revise:

The best revision for the students is provided through the Kerboodle website.

The website contains all information required for the students for each exam.

It contains downloadable content, interactive activities and resources for all areas of each qualification.

Useful websites: Kerboodle, the school VLE.

Also: BBC Bitesize, AQA revision guides, Intervention and drop-in sessions

Here is an outline of the key topics covered in each exam depending on which Science set you are in:

Double award BTEC and GCSE students (Set 4)

BTEC Unit Eight – Scientific skills:

This will focus on key topics including:-

Constructing a hypothesis and prediction Patterns in graphs and results tables Analysing evidence Drawing conclusions

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Evaluating evidence

Triple GCSE Science Students (Set 1) Double GCSE Science Students(Sets 2, 3 and 5)

Biology 2: Cells, tissue and organs Organisms in their

environment Enzymes Energy from respiration Simple Inheritance in Animals

and Plants Old and New species

Biology 2: Cells, tissue and organs Organisms in their

environment Enzymes Energy from respiration Simple Inheritance in Animals

and Plants Old and New species

Chemistry 2: Structure and Bonding Structure and Properties Calculating mass and yield Factors affecting reaction

rates and energy Salts and Electrolysis

Chemistry 1:This will focus on key topics including:-

Atom structure fundamentals Rocks and building materials Metals and their uses Crude oils and fuels Products from oils Plant oils Our changing planet

Physics 2:This will focus on key topics including:-

Motion Forces Work, energy and momentum Current electricity Mains electricity Radioactivity Energy from the nucleus

Physics 1:This will focus on key topics including:-

Energy transfer by heating Using energy Electrical energy Generating electricity Waves Electromagnetic waves

Sport Studies (BTEC) – Unit 1 Fitness for Sport and Exercise

Exam Format one hour 50 questions online test

Assesses students’ knowledge of fitness for sport and exercise

The online test will include different types of questions including: short answer photograph

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video/graphics analysis.

You will need a calculator as some question will required the application of learned formulas.

The following learning topics are included in this unit of work:

Components of Fitness Fitness Training Methods Fitness Testing and Understanding Fitness Levels

A full list of content can be found on the BTEC Sport EDEXCEL website or Google ‘Level 2 BTEC Sport Specification’. This can also be found on the school VLE.

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