Bulletin - 19th April 2010

Hi all,

Welcome back everyone (assuming no-one is stuck in a foreign airport!). Hope you enjoyed the break and the turn for the better in the weather - it's going to be another super-busy term, particularly for exam classes, but the end is nigh! Thanks to all fof you for the hard work that is going into supporting our students with their learning at all levels this term.

Moderation Arrangements 2010

Moderation for GCSE and A Level coursework will take place this Weds. Arrangements are as follows:
- I have asked to use the Community Hall as per last year - I'm waiting for confirmation that this is OK and will let you know.

GCSE and A Level teaching staff - please bring along:

- A Level Coursework as appropriate

- GCSE folders with marks clearly shown for EN2 and 3. It is not necessary to fill in written details for En1 tasks or for Oral Responses at this stage, but this will obviously be required should folders be called by the exam board.

- Copies of marking criteria

KS5 Lit:

- PTO / AW / GSn / JKy

GCSE Media Studies

- Tbo / Ewa on GCSE Media (am)

GCSE English and English Lit

JD / CSw / Ntu + TBo and EWa (pm)

Work Scrutiny
I would like to conduct a Year 8 work scrutiny over the next week, along the lines of the Year 9 scrutiny which we did during the department review. Could I therefore ask everyone who teaches year 8 to provide me with a book and assessment folder for one top, one middle and onebottom ability student from your year 8 classes by Friday please, and I'll aim to get it done over the weekend.

Folders / Books

A reminder - please ensure that students books and folders are kept graffiti-free. My approach is to provide a replacement folder on one occasion (ie if they draw on it once they can have another one along with a reminder) but to issue detentions beyond this.

Coping Without Heather!

Now that Heather is no longer here, could all requests for students to be detained be passed directly to me please. The post has been advertised but it will be a while before it is filled I imagine.

Year 9 Teaching

One of the issues which came out of our last meeting was to decide what would be most appropriate for Year 9 teaching this summer, given that the syllabus for 2010 has changed. This puts us in a funny situation really as we want to prepare the students for their GCSE course, but haven't yet planned the course through thoroughly. We also need to ensure that we are in a position to provide accurate TA levels at the end of the year.

At the moment, AQA are saying that they have released the Controlled Assessment tasks for next year, but I cannot find them on their website - I've therefore contacted the board and will be able to make more concrete suggestions as soon as I find out what the coursework tasks are. The thinking is to complete a S and L and a written controlled assessment coursework task (poss media or creative writing) - Liz and I will get on this ASAP. In the meantime, please continue to work within the existing framework for year 9.

Thanks everyone and have a wonderful week.

Tom