Friday 17th March 2017

RUSHEY

MEAD

ACADEMY

Newsletter

ISSUE NUMBER 12

Take it further opportunities

Y7 CSI workshop: University of Leicester

On Wednesday 1st March, Year 7 students attended the ‘behind the yellow lines CSI’ workshop at the University of Leicester as part

of the ‘Take it Further’ provision and extracurricular science.

The day started with investigating different practical techniques used by the CSI departments, including dusting for fingerprints and lifting fingerprints techniques. The students learned about evidence gathering upon entering a crime scene and were delivered a presentation on how autopsies are conducted and how the results from these can be used to form conclusions. Students also had the opportunity to find out about the different roles within the forensics and criminology fields. They were encouraged to consider

future careers within forensics through some inspirational STEM talks.

This workshop was an exciting way to introduce criminology and a different way of looking at biology. To view more photos of the

day, please follow @rusheymeadsci on Twitter.

‘It was a great day out and my favourite part of the day involved the crime scene investigation’. Swayam 7BOM

‘I thought the forensic science practical experiments were really interesting and fun’. Abdullah 7MER

Year 7 Brilliant Club

Once again, we are extremely fortunate to offer 12 of our Year 7 students a place on the ‘Brilliant Club’. The Scholars Programme

is an in-school academic programme designed to give students exposure to a genuine academic environment and to experience learning in the style of a university student. Students will be working closely with a PhD Tutor in a series of small group university-

style tutorials to study a ‘super-curricular’ course that explores science topics they may not usually study in the school curriculum.

The Brilliant club kicked off with a launch trip to the University of Nottingham on Monday 27 th February where our students had the opportunity to meet their PhD tutor and students from other schools. They were given their first assignment and tutorial in a university setting and participated in study skills sessions involving designing a society. Mahima and Vyashti created a ‘reading society’ and presented their aims and objectives to all the schools at the launch trip, impressing the judges and winning the

competition!

The next set of tutorials will take place every Monday morning at our school and finish off with a graduation trip upon submission of their final assignment at another Russell group university. This is an extremely exciting programme for our more able students. Congratulations to the following group of students for gaining a place on the Scholars

Programme:

Anais Laxman 7BOR, Nikhil Rajkotia 7MEM, Amaani Ajmayeen 7CHM, Heer Isvar 7BOR, Aum Dave 7BOR, Zak Holland 7HAS, Abhinaya Rajenthiram 7BOS, Bagirdan Dharmalingam 7CHR, Vyashti Rajpara 7HAM, Shivani Pancholi 7BOM, Dev Vardhan Sharma 7BEM, Mahima

Jankee 7HAM

Year 10 Gifted and Talented Easter Schools: De Montfort University

De Montfort University Gifted and Talented Easter Schools Programme is a highly successful scheme open to Year 10 students across the city and county. Once again we have had a record number of students apply for the various courses and many have been successful in their applications. The Easter Schools will provide our students with the opportunity to experience their subject of interest in higher education set ting and

push boundaries. Throughout their time at the university, the students will participate in challenging and inspirational activities.

Congratulations to the students listed below in gaining a place on the Easter Schools. We look forward to hearing about your

experiences next term.

Amar Prajapati, Praneal Mistry, Punit Jivan, Sophiya Sian, Maryam Ameen, Zannatul Maua, Fathi Ahmed, Salmah Shiham

Abdulwahid, Nethmini Athukorale, Simrann Kaur, Punya Khurana, Radhika Keshwala

Journey to a comet: public physics lecture and telescope observing

On TUESDAY 28th MARCH 2017, the National Space Centre and Ogden Trust will be delivering a public lecture on Astro Academy: Principia, a unique education programme carried out by Tim Peake aboard the International Space Station. Year 9 and KS4 students, parents and carers are invited to attend this lecture and telescope observing at Rushey Mead Academy (5.00 – 6.30pm). If you would like to attend this fantastic opportunity, please

email or see Ms Kholia (nkholia@rushey-rmet.org.uk) to book your place.

Rushey Mead Academy joins the Tennis Foundation’s School of Tennis

Programme.

Rushey Mead Academy is delighted to announce that we have been chosen as one of 40 new schools to take part in the Tennis

Foundation’s new School of Tennis programme.

Rushey Mead was welcomed onto the programme with a national training day at Loughborough University which brought together PE staff and Senior Leadership Team staff from the schools to enjoy a busy day of learning and on court activity to equip staff with

the skills and knowledge to implement the School of Tennis programme in their secondary school.

The 40 new schools will join the 21 schools already on the programme following an incredibly successful pilot in 2016 with 94% of stakeholders stating that there has been a significant impact and radical overhaul of tennis delivery within their school since the

start of the programme.

The programme, run by Britain’s leading tennis charity the Tennis Foundation, aims to radically change the way tennis is delivered in secondary schools to make it more relevant and engaging for teenagers. There is a sharp dip in tennis participation as young people reach their mid-teens and many don’t realise the many varieties of tennis available away from the traditional game. The School of Tennis programme aims to reverse this decline by giving secondary schools the support and funding needed so they can

deliver tennis in the form and way that best suits their school and their pupils.

94% of stakeholders stated that they have witnessed personal development in those taking part in the programme, whilst 90% believe the programme has increased the confidence and competence of both participants and ambassadors highlighting the

positive impact that tennis can have both on and off court.

We are eligible to receive up to £5,000 worth of support in the first year of the programme with further funding available in Years 2 and 3 based on an annual progress review. We will be employing a LTA coach to deliver coaching sessions to students

during extra-curricular tennis clubs after school. All staff will also have the opportunity to receive coaching and partake in a new form of tennis called ‘Cardio Tennis’ to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing. We are also looking to host a fun day of tennis

for parents at the school.

Christine Sprowell, Schools Manager at the Tennis Foundation said: “We are delighted to welcome Rushey Mead onto the School of Tennis Programme. As shown from our pilot programme last year the Programme has had a really positive effect on the pupil’s engagement and confidence as well as how tennis is delivered in schools. As part of our wider Education Strategy we want more students to enjoy the physical, social and mental benefits of playing tennis and our School of Tennis Programme is proven to be

doing that.”

Year 10 Geography in the Peak District

Two trips have taken place recently allowing 122 Year 10 Geographers

to carry out field work in the Peak District.

Students were exceptionally well behaved on the trip. They made an excellent impression on locals and tourists in Buxton whilst carrying out questionnaires with the public. Students worked hard to collect river data

at Edale and Burbage Brook, whilst using a range of equipment.

The wonderful outdoors, coupled with exercise provided by the walk,

meant students were quiet on the way home.

Showcasing students work

Congratulations and well done to students who were invited to showcase their work at a Teaching and Learning staff meeting and

to the Senior Leadership team meeting last term.

The students invited were amongst the highest Attitude to Learning from each year group, boys and girls, all abilities. We were so impressed with the standard of their work and their incredible attitudes. Huge congratulations to them and thank you for taking the

time to share with us. More students will be invited next term after the next series of termly tracking.

Hegarty Maths

Our online homework platform Hegarty Maths has enabled Rushey Mead students to learn independently of the classroom. Students are able to watch videos before doing quizzes on a range of math topics. This flipped learning allows students to tackle harder problem solving questions in school ready for the new more challenging GCSE. The school is now placed 4th nationally out of over

250 schools.

Our top performers are a credit to the school and have all completed over an hour a week since term began and are as follows:

Year 7 - Jiya Joshi, Dhara Sachania, Jahnavi Narendrakumar

Year 8 - Princei Sukhadia, Parth Sagar, Shyam Dattani

Year 9- Mira Solgama, Kian Patel, Suraj Ramgi

Year 10 - Reena Magan, Ayman Bakar, Zainab Karim

Year 11 - Mohamed Amir Ullah, Ashiti Baria, Razina Issa

Year 11 prom

The Year 11 prom will take place on Friday 30th June at King Power Stadium. Further information will be sent to parents/carers

next week.

Forthcoming events

Year 9 parents evening - Thursday 23rd March 2017, 4.30pm - 7.30pm.

Drama showcase - Wednesday 5th April, 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Shashank Himatrai 11BEM

Bhavita Chotai 11MER

Vinay Jobanputra 11CHR

Prashant Jivan 10BEM

Punit Jivan 10MES

Vidhi Calane 10BOR

Bipasha Narendra 9BES

Dhrumil Rajpara 9BER

Liberty Gemmell 8MEM

Qaliyah Rawat 8BER

Vraj Barot 8MER

Anais Laxman 7BOR

Kush Parekh 7BEM

Radha Mistry 11CHR

Christina Reginold-Rajendran 11CHR

Tanvir Dharni 11MER

Ashish Dipaklal 11MER

Krina Gandhi 10CHM

Urvi Raval 10MES

Shivam Chandegra 10HAR

Shivangi Joshi 9HAM

Pihu Vinod 8BER

Dylann Patel 8BER

Nisha Limbachiya 7HAM

Munir Bakar 7MER

Liberty Gemmell 8MEM

GCSE Grading is Changing in 2017

INFORMATION PAPER

Frequently asked questions for parents1 I have heard GCSEs are changing, what does this mean?

GCSEs will be graded on a new scale of 9 to 1, with 9 the highest grade, rather than A* to G as now, to distinguish clearly between the reformed and unreformed qualifications.

The government and Department for Education (DfE) have specified that the new GCSE syllabuses will include more challenging and knowledge-based content with exams only at the end of the course. There is less non-exam assessment too. English language, English literature and maths will be the first to be graded from 9 to 1 in 2017. Another 20 subjects will have 9 to 1 grading in 2018, with most others following in 2019. During this transition, students will receive a mixture of letter and number grades.

2 If the exams are harder, what will happen to the grades this summer?

Although the exams will have to cover a wider, more challenging range of content, the independent exam regulator Ofqual has made it clear that students sitting these examinations for the first time will not be disadvantaged. Whilst students may come out of the exams feeling that they have done less well, Ofqual has said that broadly, the same proportion of students who currently achieve a C and above, will achieve a grade 4 and above in the new GCSEs (see Q4). The exam boards will base standards on results of 16 year-olds who took previous GCSE qualifications, so that it does not disadvantage this year’s Year 11 students.

3 Why has this new grading system been introduced?

The introduction of the 9 to1 system increases the number of higher grades than the previous A*to G system. By using 9 to 1, there are now six different grades from 4 to 9 rather than four in the old system (A*, A, B, C), which means individual students can be more accurately recognised in terms of their outcomes. The revised scale will also enable employers and others to easily identify which students have taken the new, more challenging GCSEs.

4 How does the new grading system match the old one?

The new grade scale will not be directly equivalent to the existing one. However, to be fair to the students and to give meaning to the new grades, Ofqual has decided that there will be some comparable points between the old grades, and the approach used to awarding will ensure that in the first year of a new qualification:

lbroadly the same proportion of pupils will achieve a grade 7 and above as currently achieve a grade A and above

www.ascl.org.uk

lbroadly the same proportion of pupils will achieve a grade 4 and above as currently achieve a grade C and above

lbroadly the same proportion of pupils will achieve a grade 1 and above as currently achieve a grade G and above

It is important to realise that the new GCSEs have more grades. While it is true to say that the same proportion of candidates will get a 4 and above as currently get a C and above, it is not true to say a grade 4 is directly equivalent to a grade C. This is because of the expanded number of grades above a 4. So, a grade 4 represents the bottom two thirds of a grade C, while a grade 5 is the equivalent of the top third of grade C and the bottom third of grade B.

5 As the top grade is grade 9, will there be similar numbers of 9s awarded to A*s currently?

There is more differentiation in the reformed qualifications, as there are three top grades (7, 8 and 9), compared to two in the unreformed qualifications (A and A*), so you would expect that fewer students will get a grade 9 than previously got an A*.

6 I want my child to aim for the equivalent of a grade C across all subjects but I am confused as to whether they should be aiming for a 4 or a 5

Because the same proportion of candidates will get a 4 and above as currently get a C and above, aiming for 4 and above is equivalent to aiming for C and above.

However, the government has defined a ‘good pass’ as a grade 5; in reality this is equivalent to a lower B grade or a high C grade. This shows the government is raising expectation in terms of what it hopes students will achieve. Grade 4 is the equivalent to a level 2 with grades 3 and below equivalent to level 1. A grade 4 is what the government will consider a ‘pass’, however, it will be down to an individual institution’s entry policy as to whether this will be enough to secure a place at the college or university of your child’s choice. If your child has achieved a grade 4 in English and maths, they won’t be required to resit those subjects post-16.

7 If 5 is the new ‘good pass’ and 4 means my child won’t have to resit English and maths GCSE,howdoIknowthatthe4theymightgetwillbesufficienttosecureaccesstofurther education, training or employment ? Should they resit until they get a 5 anyway?

A grade 4 is considered a ‘pass’ and your child will not be required to resit if they achieve a 4 in maths and English this summer. The current government intention is to introduce resits post-16 as part of the condition of funding for those not achieving grade 5 from 2019 onwards. However, the government will take a view on this in the light of experience gained over the next year or so and may review in time.

8 MychildissittingthenewmathsGCSEthissummer-whatarethemaindifferences between the old and the reformed maths GCSEs?

The main differences are the structure of the assessment (more examination papers for students to sit), the content of the syllabus and the examination questioning styles. One of the aims of the reformed maths qualification is to encourage students’ development of problem-solving skills, and this is reflected in the way that the questions are worded and structured in the assessment.

9 Howwillemployersbeinformedandeducatedonthedifferencesbetweenthenewandold gradesandqualifications?

The DfE is working with the independent regulator Ofqual, exam boards and partner organisations such as the Confederation of Business Industry (CBI), using a variety of products and channels including social

Association of School and College Leaders130 Regent Road, Leicester LE1 7PGT: 0116 299 1122 E: info@ascl.org.uk W: ascl.org.uk Tw: @ASCL_UK March 2017

media, to ensure that all stakeholders can access the information they need. This includes ensuring that employers understand that the new GCSEs are more demanding, and that a new grade 4 represents a similar level of achievement to a current low/medium grade C – the threshold for a level 2 qualification.

Ofqual’s films and digital platforms to communicate the changes to GCSE grading can be found here.

10 Will employers and colleges be asking for a 4 or a 5 as part of their entry criteria?

Employers, colleges and universities will continue to decide the level of GCSE grades needed to meet their individual employment or study requirements. The DfE is encouraging employers, colleges and universities to have realistic expectations of pupils in the first cohorts to sit the new, tougher GCSEs when setting their entry requirements for work or further study. Employers and colleges will also need to recruit the same number of students as previously so are likely to set their criteria in terms of the equivalence of C and above and 4 and above.

11 Will A levels be changing their grades too?

No, A levels will retain their A*-E grades and AS qualifications their A-E grades.

ASCL Curriculum and Assessment Specialist, Suzanne O’Farrell