Succeeding at Beechen Cliff A parents guide to survival : Mr D - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

• A parent’s guide to survival : Mr D Sayers (Assistant Head)
• Communication with the School: Mr K Mann (Assistant Head)
• Literacy: Mr C Crow (Library Coordinator)
• Numeracy: Mr M Glanville (Assistant Head – Numeracy)
• Careers: Mr J Forrest (Head of Careers)
• Assessment and Reporting: Mr T Markall (Assistant Head)

Succeeding at Beechen Cliff

If only…

Parental survival guide?

‗When the going gets tough’

(Billy Ocean 1983)

Help ‘doing work’

• Homework timetables
• Show my homework
• ‗Rummage‘
• The kit
• Flexibility
• Sensitivity
• Interest
• Perspective

Some Tips

• Agree a balance
• Non-confrontation
• Rewards
• Snacks
• The 80/20 rule of thumb
• Strategies for excuses:

‗There are 2 secrets to success: One is never to tell all you know‘

Excuses, excuses

And strategies for dealing with them

• Keep track of them – they won‘t!
• Check on SMHW
• Follow it up!
• If it becomes a real problem – explain your

concerns to them and say you will contact the school

• Remember the objective – to get him to do the

work and do it well

A message to the boys

• Accept you will fail as you test yourself
• Learn from it
• Listen to advice
• Work hard
• Persevere – keep going
• You might not be brilliant at something but you will get

better

A message to the boys

WHAT IF THERE STILL SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM?

Contact the school/teacher Listen to both sides of the story ‗What can we all do, together, to move forward?‘

KEEPING A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE

• Asking ‗what‘s the worst that can happen?‘
• Remind them (and yourselves) of when

they have overcome difficulties in the past

• Getting them to focus on their

achievements

• Remember that little has been achieved

without hard work and mistakes – life is like that

Communication with the school

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL BEECHEN CLIFF

• If your son consistently tells you he has no homework
• Concerns over behaviour; aggressive / withdrawn / anxious -

meet with tutor or Head of House

• Subject concern – meet with subject teacher
• Poor information from your son
• On going ―clash‖ with a teacher
• Change in home circumstances
• Prolonged health problem

When to contact the school

• Unexplained absence / patterns of absence / patterns of

lateness

• Concerns over behaviour in class or during break and lunch
• ―Incidents‖ (use of phones in school)
• Change in attitude or application / missed homeworks
• Positive behaviour showing maturity and compassion
• Exceptional effort – going beyond the expected

When school will contact you

• Show My Homework, Progress Reports,

Newsletter, Full reports

• Meet with teacher as early as possible
• Explain how you support your son at home
• Ask for further ideas

General Tips

https://beechencliff.showmyhomework.co.uk/school/homeworks/calendar

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

Show My Homework

CURRICULUM

Subject teacher ↓ Head of Faculty ↓ Deputy Head Curriculum (Mr Watts)

Channels of Communication

PASTORAL

Tutor ↓ Head of House ↓ Mr K. Mann

Channels of Communication

Supporting your son’s literacy

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL BEECHEN CLIFF

"The limits of my language means the limits of my world." Ludwig Wittgenstein”

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL BEECHEN CLIFF

RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL 2016 BY DR. Josie Billington has shown that books can have an influence on making life

• decisions. It found that:
• 27% of the population have been inspired to make a positive change

in their life from reading a book such as look for a new job

• 36% of the population have been inspired to go travelling by a book
• 20% have been motivated to take better care of their health by reading

a book

• 19% of adults say books have given them the impetus they need to

take up a new hobby

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL BEECHEN CLIFF

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

Your son’s library lesson

• Individual Reading
• Reading to a member of the library team
• Reading to a Sixth Form Reading Assistant
• Book recommendations
• Book reservations
• Book requests
• Taking Accelerated Reader quizzes

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL BEECHEN CLIFF

Motivates pupils to read by guiding them to books matching their ability and interests. Provides fast feedback on progress and rewards success. Promotes significant reading age growth in just one academic year while promoting reading for pleasure. Develops a life-long love of reading in

• ur students.

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

BEECHEN CLIFF

STAR Reading Test

ZPD - recommendation of ideal level of books

Read at the lower end of your ZPD range Take the AR quiz

• % correct score
• Points (pro rata)
• Total words read

Choose next book

FAQs

• How much reading will my son be doing during

the school day?

• Can my son take AR Quizzes on books we‘ve

already got at home? http://www.arbookfind.co.uk/ AR Book Finder

• Is it OK for him to read outside of his reading

level?

• Will be son have to read the book he is given?
• How can I help my son become a better reader?

FAQs

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

2016 -17 READING CHALLENGE

In the next week your son will start his reading challenge for the year. Aim: read 25 books by June 2017 across different genres. Please encourage your son to complete this challenge and to fill in the reading journal they receive.

Genre Number Realistic fiction 5 Historical fiction 2 Fiction from other cultures 2 Dystopian 2 Science fiction/Fantasy 1 Biography/ Autobiography 1 Nonfiction 5 Poetry 1 Play 1 Traditional / classical literature 1 Graphic novels 1 Free choice 3

• Set an example. Let them see YOU reading for pleasure and describe your

process.

• Leave books, magazines, and newspapers around. Check to see what

disappears for a clue to what interests them!

• Build on their interests. Look for books and articles that feature their

favourite sports teams, hobbies, or television shows. Give a gift subscription to a special interest magazine.

• Read some books written for teens. Young adult novels can give you

valuable insights into the concerns and pressures felt by teenagers. You may find that these books provide a neutral ground on which to talk about sensitive subjects.

• Make reading aloud a natural part of family life. Share something you

clipped from the paper, a letter, or a random page from an encyclopaedia— without turning it into a lesson.

• Encourage older children to read to their younger brothers and sisters.

Older children enjoy showing off their skills to an admiring audience.

How To Encourage Your Son To Read

• Play games that are reading-related. Look for spelling games played with

letter tiles or dice, or board games that require players to read spaces, cards, and directions.

• Check the Wednesday Newsletter for our Book of the Month
• Reintroduce the bookmark. Let them know that you don't have to finish a

book in one sitting; you can stop after a few pages, or a chapter, and pick up where you left off at another time. Avoid insisting books are finished - recommend trying another.

• Keep the big picture in mind. For all sorts of reasons, some teenagers go

through periods without showing much interest in reading. Don't panic! Time

• ften helps rekindle their interest.

How To Encourage Your Son To Read

Supporting your son’s Numeracy

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

BEECHEN CLIFF

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

BEECHEN CLIFF - Numeracy

What is Numeracy?? ―The confidence and competence to use numbers or measures to solve mathematical problems in everyday life‖

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

BEECHEN CLIFF - Numeracy

• We are seeing increased Mathematical content

in ALL subjects at GCSE and beyond

• Most jobs require a numerate applicant
• The world we live in has seen an exponential

increase in the use of technology and figures

Clearly a confidence with numbers and measures is essential

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

How to improve your son’s Numeracy

• Multiplication Tables – Test them regularly.
• Household Finances – Expose them to bills/shopping budgets/taxes etc.
• Be Prepared! – Ensure they have all of the right maths equipment for EVERY
• lesson. Maths equipment should be packed irrespective of having maths that day or

not.

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

BEECHEN CLIFF - Numeracy

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

How to improve your son’s Numeracy

• Multiplication Tables – Test them regularly.
• Household Finances – Expose them to bills/shopping budgets/taxes etc.
• Be Prepared! – Ensure they have all of the right maths equipment for EVERY
• lesson. Maths equipment should be packed irrespective of having maths that day or

not.

• Newspapers/Articles – Encourage them to explain to you what a chart/graphic

means.

• Use the competitive spirit in your son – Sudoku, Brain Training apps, family

games, beat the cashier, etc They naturally want to win, provide an opportunity to apply to number based problems.

• Most of them carry a calculator everywhere they go now! – Encourage them to

use their mobile phone to help you.

• Swot up on your skills – National Numeracy and mymaths.co.uk

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

BEECHEN CLIFF - Numeracy More info: www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

BEECHEN CLIFF - Numeracy More info: www.mymaths.co.uk

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

How to improve your son’s Numeracy

• Multiplication Tables – Test them regularly.
• Household Finances – Expose them to bills/shopping budgets/taxes etc.
• Be Prepared! – Ensure they have all of the right maths equipment for EVERY
• lesson. Maths equipment should be packed irrespective of having maths that day or

not.

• Newspapers/Articles – Encourage them to explain to you what a chart/graphic

means.

• Use the competitive spirit in your son – Sudoku, Brain Training apps, family

games, beat the cashier, etc They naturally want to win, provide an opportunity to apply to number based problems.

• Most of them carry a calculator everywhere they go now! – Encourage them to

use their mobile phone to help you.

• Swot up on your skills – National Numeracy and mymaths.co.uk
• Get them to teach you – If they can explain a problem they will likely understand it

better, this is being seen more and more in job/university interviews.

• Praise your child for effort rather than for being "clever” – This shows them

that by working hard at mathematical problems they can always improve them.

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

How to improve your son’s Numeracy

Try not to reinforce any mistakes you may have made – in modern society it is

• ften joked ―I was always bad at maths..‖ or

―I hated maths at school..‖ Try not to provide a stereotype for them to follow, they will start to believe it too.

Careers Education

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

BEECHEN CLIFF

Careers Information, Education and Guidance

Careers Department Objectives…

• 1. Provide students with opportunities to develop an understanding
• f themselves as individuals (their strengths, skills, personal

qualities, interests, attainments and capabilities).

• 2. Increase student awareness of the world of work and opportunities

available to them after school (further/higher education, training and employment).

• 3. Promote the schools core values of Aspiration and Independence

and stimulate students to develop skills and personal qualities necessary to gain admission to higher/further education courses and employment.

Principals of CEIAG

Year 7 Program of Study

Friday 30th September – Morning registration in Main Hall Assembly - What is Careers Education? w/c Monday 7th November - 2 x English Lessons Re-scheduled – w/c 14/11/16 Lesson 1 & 2 – Inviting a Guest Tuesday 6th June - Periods 1 & 2 collapsed timetable L1 Preparing Questions & L2 Communicating via Body Language Friday 9th June - Periods 5 & 6 collapsed timetable Year 7 Summer Careers Showcase Thursday 15th June – Periods 3 & 5 collapsed timetable L1 Skills/Personal Quantities & L2 Multiple Intelligence Theory

Rest of Key Stage 3

Year 8

• Job Categories.
• The Value of Research.
• Self Reflection & Selling

Yourself.

• What/who influences

me?

• Shaping my Future.

Year 9

• Stereotyping its impact
• n choices.
• Knowing my Options
• Qualifications
• Finding good CIEAG

7A Building living things - Different cells for different jobs

Other Opportunities

Other Opportunities

Other Opportunities

Assessment at Beechen Cliff

BEECHEN CLIFF

On entry to the school all pupils are baseline assessed based on:

• KS2 teacher assessments
• KS2 SATs
• Cognitive Ability Tests (CATs)

Baseline Assessments

These determine teaching groups in Year 7 and give a baseline to track future performance against. (Art, Music and PE carry out subject specific baseline assessments over the first term.)

• National Curriculum has changed
• Levels have been removed from the national curriculum
• Attainment targets have changed – there is no longer

progression through levels, rather all pupils are expected to meet all the attainment strands by the end of the Key Stage.

• GCSEs are being reformed to fit with this new curriculum

(grading is changing from A* - G to 9 -1)

Curriculum Changes

Physics Department

How will work be graded?

Baseline assessments give pupils a banding of A* - E in each subject for internal tracking purposes. Pupils will be then graded on formal assessments with a GCSE style grade from A*- E. These will be shared with pupils and reported to parents. These grades will be based on their understanding of the curriculum in that year and are NOT CURRENT GCSE GRADES! Yr 7 B would mean a pupil is working at a B grade within the Year 7 Scheme of Work. Yr 8 C would mean a pupil is working at a C grade within the Year 8 Scheme of Work.

Physics Department

What Does ‘Yr 7A’ or ‘Yr 7 C’ mean?

Developing… Secure… Extending… Grade equivalent E D C B A A* Bloom‘s Taxonomy links Remembering & Understanding Application & Analysing Evaluation & Creating

……in their knowledge/skills from the National Curriculum

Physics Department

Grade Descriptors

• Descriptors for Grade A, Grade C and Grade E

for have been produced for each subject (alongside course content and skills) for each Year group.

• These are available for parents, pupils and staff.
• Include explanations of how grades will be

awarded.

Physics Department

Grade Descriptors

These are spilt into A, C and E in a similar way to GCSE style assessment. e.g. History Yr 8 C

Can describe historical events and offer a limited explanation of them.

Yr 8 A

Historical events are described and explained supported with some relevant specific evidence relating to the question. A conclusion is reached and explained.

• Descriptors will be used by teachers to inform

pupils how to improve.

• They are available for parents to help you to

support your son.

• Booklet online.
• Our KS3 assessment system online.

Grade Descriptors

• Grades link to national expectations so you will know your

son‘s attainment relative to them e.g. Yr 7 C/B is meeting national expectations

• Maintaining a grade shows good progress e.g. Yr 7 C to Yr 8 C
• Key Point: A Yr 8 C is better than a Yr 7 C since new content

and skills have been learnt.

• Pupils will not be given a target level/grade. They should aim

for the highest grade they can.

How will I know if my son is making progress?

Physics Department

How will I know if my son is making progress?

Year 7 Year 8 Yr 7 B Yr 8 B Yr 7 D Yr 8 C Yr 7 A Yr 8 B

Good progress Excellent progress Less than expected progress

Even within a year maintaining the grade (e.g. Yr 7 B to Yr 7 B) implies good progress as new skills and content are being learnt.

Maintaining an A* would also mean excellent progress!

Physics Department

Possible Future Outcomes

Yr 7 Assessments Yr 8 Assessments Yr 9 Assessments Likely Old GCSE Outcome Likely (?) New GCSE Outcome

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

Physics Department

Possible Future Outcomes

• The grades are NOT forecasts – so many things can

contribute towards GCSE results in the future.

• However, some indication is however given about

possible future attainment.

• Progress is NOT always linear so grades may vary.
• Pupils are NOT being fixed into an achievement

bracket.

We do know the initial link between the old and the new GCSE grades.

Physics Department

KS4 Grading

A mixed scale will be used for the next few years in

• ur internal assessments i.e.

Grade 9 (A*) Grade 8 (A*/A) Grade 7 (A) Grade 6 (B) Grade 5 (B/C) Grade 4 (C) Grade 3 (D) Grade 2 (E) Grade 1 (F/G)

Within each subject assessments will be made throughout the year using:

• small end of unit tests
• project work
• levelled assessed homework or classwork tasks
• Science/Maths – written assessments before Christmas and in

March Year 7 will take end of year exams (Summer Exams) in May/June. w/c Monday 15th May 2017 – Computing, English, French, History, Geography, Maths, RPE & Technology w/c Monday 5th June 2017 – Science

Tracking Progress

Pupils are expected to prepare for exams Revision guidance and information is provided to pupils in school via:

• Assemblies
• PSHE sessions
• Tutors
• Subject teachers in lessons

Timetables and revision guidance are provided on the school website Exam results will be used by some subjects to help

Preparing for Summer Exams

The year splits in half (8A and 8x) depending on the language choice made. The two halves of the year run in parallel. Pupils are set on attainment/ability in Maths, Computing and Science and to some extent in Humanities and English. Other subjects have mixed ability classes. Year 7 assessment results will help to determine setting in subjects where it occurs.

Year 8 Sets

Termly Reports Autumn: Thursday 12th January 2017 (Progress Report) Spring: Tuesday 4th April 2017 (Progress Report) Summer: Tuesday 11th July 2017 (Full Report) Subject Parents’ Evening: Wednesday 22nd February 2017

Reporting To Parents

Application (App): effort/behaviour on a scale of 1-5 (where 1 is exceptional and 5 is very poor) Homework Grade: scale of 1-4 (where 1 is exceptional and 4 is poor) Attainment: working grade e.g. Yr C or Yr 7 B based on assessment tasks or end of year exam Summer Exam %: on summer report only Teacher comments: Full Reports include subject teacher comments, tutor comments and Head of House comments. Reports are paperless and accessed through the school‘s ePortal Parent usernames and passwords issued tonight or posted home.

What’s in the termly reports?

Web based access to:

• attendance information
• timetable
• reports
• behaviour ‗events‘
• grade analysis throughout the year

You will be notified by email and in the Wednesday Newsletter when reports are available to view

ePortal

www.beechencliff.org.uk

Lots of ‗positives‘ are seen above However there is one ‗negative‘ in Science

• The above/on/below target colours and the target column

can be ignored since we longer use targets

• You are able to see progress throughout the year
• Progress isn‘t always linear so some fluctuations would be

expected

All the presentations from this evening will be available in the Parent Evenings section of the school website from tomorrow.

Information from this evening