Thamesmead
School
Welcome to our
Year 7
Raising Achievement Afternoon
Thursday 29th September 2016
What we will cover this
evening
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GCSE results, new attainment measures and target setting
Supporting your child
Communication between home and school
Rewards and sanctions
Successes so far
Safeguarding
Key information for English and Maths
Top tips
Tutor appointments
What were our headline
attainment grades?
% 5+ A*-C
with EN
and MA
% 5+ A*-G
School
2015
78%
National
2015
56%
School
2016
81%
100%
93%
99%
What % of our students
achieved A*-C grades in
English?
School
2015
National
2016
School
2016
English
Language
90%
60%
90%
English
Literature
77%
75%
81%
What % of our students
achieved A*-C in Maths?
Maths
School
2015
National
2016
School
2016
82%
61%
82%
Changes to the GCSE
grading system
G
1
F
E
2
D
3
C
4
B
5
A
6
7
A*
8
9
Target
setting
How are the Y7s settling in?
• Is your son/daughter enjoying school?
• Are they organised?
• Are they managing the homework expectations?
• Are they behaving in a way that supports learning?
• Have they joined any clubs?
• Are they getting involved in inter-house competitions?
Supporting your child
Communicating
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Email- all staff emails on website
Phone call
Text message
Daybook
Parent Portal
Planner
Letters
Rewards
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Vivos
Head Teachers Award
Golden Tickets
Text messages home
Phone calls home
Tutee of the week
Head of Year awards
Sanctions
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Homework- 30mins
Equipment- 30mins
Uniform- 30mins
Late- 30mins
• Behaviour- 30mins
– Verbal Warning
– Negative comment
– Detention
– On call
Successes so far…
Safeguarding
Useful websites:
•www.thinkuknow.co.uk
•www.childline.org.uk
•www.ineedhelp.org.uk
Safeguarding
Year 7 English: What to expect
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Spring 1
Amazing people
Private Peaceful
Reading, analysing and being
inspired to write by role
models from different
disciplines
Engaging with a Morpurgo
text at a deeper analytical
level. Exploring theme and
context.
Introduction to
Poetry
Spring 2
Summer 1
Summer 2
Introduction to
Shakespeare
Understanding and
creating detective
fiction
Spoken language
study
Reading, watching,
examining different
Shakespearean texts – a
synoptic unit
Following the adventures of
Sherlock Holmes and John
Watson with a view to
writing own crime fiction.
Analysing and interpreting
different forms and periods
of poetry, mapping the
genre’s transition through
time.
Interpreting how we use the
spoken word to achieve a
range of purposes and what
it reveals about how we
shape our identities and
personas.
Fortnightly: Reading lessons in the Learning Resource Centre, supported by
the use of the Accelerated Reader programme.
Home learning
• Autumn 1 – Grammar and writing
focused activities
• Autumn 2 – Reading engagement
project
• Spring 1 – Analysis focused activities
• Spring 2 – ‘Writing a Shakespearean
monologue’ project
• Summer 1 – Writer focused context
and research tasks (Arthur Conan
Doyle)
• Summer 2 – Spoken Language data
collection and research
• Before assessments – Revision tasks
Supporting sensible decisions
about effort.
• Avoid the dangers of too little or too
much work.
• Starting early greatly reduces stress.
• Check work In a supportive manner, do
not just accept it has been done.
• Check for pride in work – neatness,
effort, care and depth.
A purposeful and calm
environment.
Space to work productively - Internet
access - No distractions – No phone?
Reading for Pleasure
“Reading for pleasure…has been revealed
as the most important indicator of the
future success of the child. ” – findings of
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
research on education and reading (2013).
“Of all the free-time
activities teenagers do…
reading is the only activity
that appears to help them
secure a good job.” Oxford
University study on reading (2011)
“Reading Literature
Makes Us Smarter and
Nicer. ‘Deep reading’ is
vigorous [brain]
exercise…and increases our
capacity for empathy” – Time
Magazine on University of Toronto studies
on reading (2013)
Reading for Pleasure
Some excellent reading lists to peruse with your child…
• Love Reading for Kids:
http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/genre/12/11-plusreaders.html
• Scholastic: http://www.scholastic.com/parents/booksand-reading/book-lists-and-recommendations/ages11-13
• Booktrust:
http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/teenagers/booklis
ts
Areas we cover in Maths
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Analyse and display data
Build on number skills
Algebra – simplifying, solving and substitution
Ratio and Proportion
Angles
Sequences
Graphs
Transformations
Assessment at Key Stage 3
 In-class testing and feedback
 Half termly assessments
 End of year exam
What help is available
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www.mathswatchvle.com
www.mymaths.co.uk
Every teacher has an ‘open-door’ policy
KS3 study room
What help is available
Most of all, be positive..!
“Effective revision in Maths is to not
practise until you get it right, but to practise
until you can’t get it wrong!”
- Marion Johnston (Thamesmead School)
Tutor Meetings
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In the hall
5 minute appointments
Waiting area available in the hall
Tutors will call you in turn
Refreshments on sale by World Challenge
students