Tadcaster Grammar School Sixth Form: Year 12

Tadcaster Grammar School
Sixth Form: Year 12
Steps towards Success
Steps towards Success: Parent Workshop
• How Sixth Form Works.
• Asking the right questions.
How Sixth Form Works
• Most students study a combination of AS
and BTEC subjects in Year 12, followed by A2
and BTEC in Year 13.
• Most students will study at least 4 subjects
at AS/BTEC in Year 12 and 3 subjects at
A2/BTEC in Year 13.
How Sixth Form Works
• All students will be entered for General
Studies AS in Year 12.
• Some students will choose to add the
Extended Project (EPQ) to their curriculum
(70% A*-B last year!).
How Sixth Form Works
• All students will have formal exams in
May/June. Performance in these
assessments will count towards their final
grade.
• Some students will also be submitting
coursework which counts towards their final
grade.
How Sixth Form Works
• Some students will begin a formal process of
applying to university (UCAS) in June.
• Universities will use AS grades achieved in
Year 12 as a tool to select students for
courses.
How Sixth Form Works
• Some students should consider Higher Level
Apprenticeships as an alternative to
university. This is determined by their career
goals rather than academic ability!
How Sixth Form Works
• Students should attend all lessons.
• Study leave may be allowed after half term.
• Parents should report any absence though
illness to the Sixth Form Office.
• Please do not plan any holidays during term
time!
Asking the Right questions
• There are two useful questions we can
consider:
“What can TGS do better to help
students make progress they should?”
“What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
Asking the Right questions
• “What can TGS do better to help students
make the progress they should?”
- Provide high quality teaching and feedback.
- Work with parents to provide support for
students who may not be making the
progress they should.
Asking the Right questions
• The Lifebelt
• This is a new system in school to identify and
support students who may not be making
the progress they should.
Asking the Right questions
• The Lifebelt
• Teaching staff, Heads of House and tutors
will work together to identify students who
need help.
• Parents, students and staff will agree a 6
week plan to boost student progress.
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
•
- Students study habits are probably the
biggest factor in determining success at A
Level.
• This does not shift responsibility from
teachers, but this is a much more difficult
issue to address!
• We believe that parents and teachers working
together can help students to adopt the best
habits.
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
- What are Effective Study Habits?
- This will vary a little from subject to subject,
but we can provide some useful general context
and guidelines!
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
•
- What are Effective Study Habits?
1. Work Ethic
- Effective students in our school complete an
average of 2.5 hours of work outside the
classroom per day.
- Effective students in some subjects, (Art,
Technology) complete an average of 4 hours of
independent study per day!
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
•
- What are Effective Study Habits?
1. Work Ethic
- Effective students never feel they ‘have nothing
to do’. They re-submit work with improvements,
read widely and attempt extension tasks.
- Effective students do not seem to require a
‘rest’ in S1!
- What are Effective Study Habits?
1. Work Ethic
- We have developed a bank of ‘Cloud 9’
extension resources on the VLE.
- Parents and students can access Cloud 9
using the enrolment key (cloud9).
- Students should not consider Cloud 9 work as
optional!
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
- What are Effective Study Habits?
2. Power of Practice
- Effective students embrace the power of
practice!
- Students who practice the performance of a
skill or recall of key information regularly and
often, (distributed practice) will enjoy much
greater success in assessments.
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
- What are Effective Study Habits?
2. Power of Practice
Dunlosky et al, 2013 –
Demonstrated that
distributed practice is by
far the best way to
prepare for assessments.
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
•
- What are Effective Study Habits?
2. Power of Practice
- Effective students start to practice key skills
and recall in September and sustain this
practice as their learning continues.
- Some effective students use smartphone
apps such as Cramberry to practice.
www.cramberry.net
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
•
- What are Effective Study Habits?
2. Power of Practice
Student A –
ALPS Target = B
AS Grade = B
A2 Grade = A*
•
Student B -
ALPS Target = B
AS Grade = B
A2 Grade = A*
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
•
- What are Effective Study Habits?
2. Power of Practice
Student A –
ALPS Target = B
AS Grade = B
A2 Grade = A*
Essays completed = 53
•
Student B -
ALPS Target = B
AS Grade = B
A2 Grade = A
Essays completed = 47
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• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
•
- What are Effective Study Habits?
3. Working Smart
- Effective students are selective about where
they work.
- Effective students in our school never try to
work in S1!
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
•
- What are Effective Study Habits?
3. Working Smart
Effective
students
never try to
multi-task!
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
•
- Career Goals
- Students often become far more effective as
learners when they have a clear career goal.
- Parents can help by encouraging students to
undertake useful research activities such as
online research, work experience, shadowing,
volunteering, talking to friends and family.
www.ucas.com
www.apprenticeships.org.uk
• “What needs to change for more of our
students to get the highest grades?”
•
- Individual Problems – Individual Solutions
Please encourage students to approach teachers,
House Leaders and tutors with any concerns.
All staff can be contacted by email if you are
worried about the progress your young person is
making.
Students should start trying different working
methods early to allow time for some trial and
error.
• More information
KS5 Skills Development Booklets
Cloud 9 (VLE)
• KS5 Careers Pods (VLE)
• PowerofPractice@TGSSixthForm

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