ks4


 * __Key Stage 4[[image:students.JPG align="right" caption="Successful Students "]]__**

During Year 10 and Year 11 you will complete the OCR ([|www.ocr.org.uk]) GCSE English syllabus. You should know what your **Target Grade** is by the time you first start in Year 10 and try to work to achieve that! It will be based on your end of KS3 exam.

You will sit the English Language Exam at the end of Year 10 and if you acheive a 'C' grade, you will also study English Literature in Year 11 and be given the opportunity to get an extra GCSE grade - which could make all the difference for a college place!

Look at how the grades are worked out at GCSE. by downloading the Grade Ladders below. This will tell you how to get up to the next grade. Note: all assessed tasks have their own marking criteria and READING, WRITING, SPEAKING and LISTENING are marked very differently.




 * __English Language__**

This course is vitally important to you going to college. You WILL need to achieve a 'C' grade in this subject AND in **Mathematics** as well as AT LEAST 3 other subjects if you want to go to college after Year 11.

If you need to revise your Maths skills, go to:http://heartlandsgcserevision.wikispaces.com/maths

You can find out all about the 3 pieces of Coursework you have to complete before February when you are in Year 10 and find out about the Language Exam you will sit at the end of Year 10 in which you should strive to achieve AT LEAST a 'C' grade.

You can find out all about the assessment for this syllabus by visiting Language Assessment


 * __English Literature__**

You will start to study this course when you achieve a 'C' grade in your English Language exam and as it will be an extra GCSE, it could make all the difference when getting into the college of your choice!

You can find out about the 3 pieces of Coursework you have to complete by April when you are in Year 11 (if you have qualified to do this subject) and the Literature Exam you will face at the end of Year 11

You can also find out about how Literature is graded by going to Literature Assessment


 * __Assessing Pupil Progress at KS4__**

The different timed tasks you complete in class are marked and kept on a central Excel workbook. This will let your teacher know which part of the assessment you are weak in and they can then help you to strengthen it!

You will be also given the opportunity to improve the weakest parts of your Coursework in Year 11 and resubmit your Speaking and Listening work again to give you the best chance of achieiving ABOVE your Target Grade.


 * __English Learning Conversation:__**

When you come back after a half-term holiday, your teacher will want to meet with you on a **one-to-one** level to discuss your progress. They will have the assessment you completed before the holidays and your teacher will be asked to **complete a form focusing on**:
 * Any barriers to learning you feel you have
 * Any barriers to learning your teacher feels you have
 * The specific skills you need to focus on this half-term after your assessment and how you can impove these skills!

After the conversation with your teacher (which will take place in a lesson), you will be asked to write what you need to focus on and how you can do it on your **English Target Card** which you should stick into your planner - this will remind you what skills you need to improve and how you can do this!