INTRODUCTION – AND DRAMA GCSE
This is a very important time of your child's life.
Choosing the right courses now may influence their future career path. This
booklet gives details relating specifically to the GCSE courses we offer at
Kingshill School.
The following general points relating to the
GCSE courses on offer should be noted.
1. 1. GCSE scale
of awards for 2006 – 2008:
A*, A, B, C, D,
E, F, G and U
Those from A* to G are passes with A* to C
commonly referred to as "higher" grades. In addition a grade X
implies that the candidate has failed to meet the minimum requirements of the
examination either through failure to complete coursework or non attendance at
the terminal examinations. Vocational GCSE courses are graded in exactly the
same way.
2. 2. Accurate
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar in GCSE Examinations
Current guidelines state that 5% of total marks
available should be allocated to spelling, punctuation and grammar. The full 5%
can be earned with a high level of accuracy. This affects all GCSE examinations
except Mathematics.
3. 3. Coursework
Please take note of differing requirements between
subjects with regard to coursework. The coursework component is obviously of
importance and we would ask you to support your son's/daughter's work through:
· ·
regularly
asking him/her which coursework pieces he/she is presently engaged in, and/or
which are coming up in the near future.
· ·
asking
for marks/grades of latest pieces.
· ·
asking
to read through completed pieces, thus checking for completion, sense,
grammar etc.
· ·
helping
them to plan their time with regard to other demands and the needs of
your family life.
· ·
ensuring
things are not left to the last minute.
· ·
ensure
he/she makes the most of opportunities available to them e.g. documentaries etc
on TV or radio, using the Town Library, using the experience, knowledge and
skills of people, gathering information from sources such as the Internet.
The most important aspect of success in Upper School
Courses is that the pupil should be well organised. It is essential that
Student Planners are maintained and that adequate time is given to completing
the tasks set.
OUR CORE CURRICULUM
Kingshill wishes to offer a broad balanced curriculum for all
its pupils in order to ensure that their options are left open at post 16
level, hence there is a large core curriculum which the majority of pupils
follow : -
Subject
English, Mathematics,
Science, Modern Languages, Core P.E / Health related fitness
Citizenship / Careers, RE Short
Course GCSE
In addition pupils choose
three more courses, which account for the remaining 30% of the timetable.
The following pages describe
the course available to your son/daughter over the next two years. The section
printed on white paper contains details of the core subjects, which all
pupils will study. The section printed on yellow paper contains details
of the optional subjects.
When helping your child to
decide on their subject choice for Key Stage 4 please bear in mind the
following points:
(i) It
is our belief that pupils benefit from following a broad range of subjects and
that this range should only be narrowed in exceptional circumstances.
(ii) Pupils
who choose to pursue one area at the expense of another should only do so for
positive reasons, i.e. their strengths and talents in Design & Technology
or Creative & Expressive should be emphasised rather than their weakness
elsewhere as justification for dropping a subject.
(iii) The form “Your Subject Choice” at the back of this booklet
should be completed and returned to Form Tutors by Friday 24th March
at the latest.
DRAMA GCSE
EXAM BOARD EDEXCEL
TEACHER I/C OF SUBJECT MR R BLACKALLER
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Paper 1 Theatrical
Presentation 40%
Paper 2 Coursework
60%
COURSE DESCRIPTION