1                    All Schemes of work (SoW) should now be completed and resourced, please let me know of any problems. A complete set of SoW can be found and downloaded from the school’s website: www.webucate.org/ourgallery/thumbnails.php?album=61

 

2                    All ‘How Science Works’ audits sheets should also be completed. Please pass any completed sheets to me ASAP. 

 

3                    Letters regarding the structure and assessment for the new GCSE and entry level courses are to be given to pupils/parents in the first science lesson. Please discuss the letter’s content during the lesson.  

 

4                    A glossary list needed by pupils to answer questions in ISAs and tests will be available. This list needs to be glued into their books and learnt. Please test pupils throughout the course.

 

5                    Target sheets will be available to be glued into the front/back of the exercise books. Please ensure that these are filled in the first lesson. Technicians will glue in targets sheets into new books in future to avoid problems. Pupil evaluation sheets are also available for use in lessons.

 

6                    Target grades should be given out to all Year 10 pupils (see FK) and used to fill in target sheets.

 

7                    Checklists have been photocopied for each module and are to given out to pupils at the beginning of each topic/module (can see AQA longman copy master sheets).

 

8                    Module test dates will be posted around the department and are as shown below:

 

 

 

 

9                    Give pupils dates for: the rotation, examination date and ISA dates (see attached sheets for information). ISAs (Investigative Skill Assignment) will be done in the hall under examination conditions. Science teachers will invigilate during the ISAs.

 

10               Book Numbers are to be given to pupils to minimise any graffiti, please do this in the first lesson. Each book will be numbered and pupil names are to be written in alphabetical order inside textbooks. There will be no more than two names per book at any one time.

 

11               Please also spend time in the first lesson going through the normal lab rules, class work and homework expectations (still 2 homeworks per week). A copy of seating plans should be placed in the folders/plastic wallets on the teacher’s desks. Group lists are available and any problems with pupils please follow departmental/school procedures.

 

12                Please give me a list of any equipment/resources still required for the ISAs, ASAP.

 

13               ISA CD will arrive some time in September and there will be only ONE copy of the ISAs and mark scheme (and teacher’s guidance). These ISAs MUST NOT BE COPIED OR REMOVED FROM THE FILE and MUST BE KEPT SECURE AT ALL TIMES. Technicians will have keys to open the filing cabinet, which will be locked, so please ask them or me for the keys. We are yet to decide where the filing cabinet will go – perhaps in MJO’s office?

 

14               Each ISA in each subject areas will need researched Information for pupils and an investigation instruction sheets, please ensure these are done by the end of September. You may need to practice the ISA – any problems, please see me.

 

15               PSA (Practical Skill Assessment) will also need to be awarded, please give me a copy of pupil marks after each ISA.

 

16               Pupils will need to sign a sheet to accompany their ISAs. Please ensure this is done before ISAs are filed away in alphabetical order with a class list and pupil marks at the front (as before in GCSE coursework).

 

17               Moderation of marking approximately 1-2 weeks after pupils have completed their ISAs. I will organise meeting dates and times with team leaders closer to the ISAs.

 

18               Volunteers are needed to produce a Gifted and Talented projects (see NW) to accompany each subject (deadline end of September). The projects should take pupils approximately 3-4 hours. We may have posters to highlight and give prizes to encourage G&T students to do these projects.

 

19               We also need some volunteers from each subject area to run the Lunchtime Revision Sessions in the build up to the November tests.   The revision lessons are likely to start in October and posters will be displayed before this.

 

20               At present there is only one specimen test from AQA available from each module (see www.aqa.org.uk website or specimen assessment materials booklet). Other tests will have to be put together using past papers. Each module test will have 40% knowledge based questions and 60 % ‘How Science works’ questions.

 

21               Revision guides will be available for pupils for new GCSE to purchase very soon.

 

22                200 copies of Longman active book CDs should be given out to pupils very soon. A letter discussing the conditions of use and maybe a deposit will accompany the CDs.

 

23               Notice board for ‘Science in the news’ will be going up, please could you give me any interesting Scientific Newspaper articles (especially if it related to HSW 10.8, 10.9).

 

24               The CDs have arrived from the course I attended in July (‘Understanding the implications of contemporary science’). One CD has the ‘ideas and evidence’ sheets, which are already loaded onto most departmental computers. The other CD is a presentation from Tony Buckley (Scientist) about the uses of scientific discoveries in the modern world (good source of information and pictures).

 

25               Things to consider for later in the term: 

 

·        In October, I will ask teachers to give tiers for pupils who will sit examinations in November.

·        We will review Year 10 Schemes of work in each subject area, so INSET will be organised. During this INSET we should be able to incorporate the Badger and Longman AFL resources (when they arrive) into the SoW.

·        Year 11 schemes of work will also need writing before the end of Year 10. INSETs will be organised from hopefully November onwards. Remember there will be two courses running: GCSE Additional Science (for pupils who may do A’ level) and GCSE Additional applied science (for the rest).

 

SUBJECT	UNITS
BIOLOGY	1a – Human Biology 1b – Evolution And Environment
CHEMISTRY	1a – Products From Rocks 1b – Oils, Earth And Atmosphere
PHYSICS	1a – Energy And Electricity 1b – Radiation And The Universe