Weekly Update

Archdiocese of Liverpool Secondary School Improvement Trust

Archdiocese of Liverpool Secondary School Improvement Trust Weekly Update - W/E 15th February 2019

Dear Colleagues, We would highlight meetings that take place the first week after half term, as below. Attendance is low at several of these meetings, including the Alternative to GCSE Construction and Engineering session.

To ensure the continued support of exam boards, please register to attend as soon as possible.

Dates for all events can be found on our website https://www.alssit.co.uk/ If you have any queries please contact Vikki Borlase at v.borlase@rcaolp.co.uk

Half Term 18/02/19 - 22/02/19 Mon 251Feb 2019 2015 Newsletter—Edition Winter 13:30 - 15:30 Exam Officer Training—Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/2bp1m Hope Academy, Ashton Road, Newton-le-Willows, WA12 0AQ Tue 26 Feb 2019 13:30 - 16:00 Music HoD Meeting - Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/g3l9j Maricourt Catholic High School, Hall Lane, Liverpool L31 3DZ 4.00pm - 6.00pm Science Hub—Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/c4ea7 St Peter’s Catholic High School, Howards Lane, Wigan WN5 8NU Wed 27 Feb 2019 13:15 - 16:00 HoD Drama - Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/5xb0l Holy Family Catholic High School, Virgins Lane, Thornton, Liverpool L23 4UL 13:30 - 16:00 Alternatives to GCSE: Construction/Engineering - Please book http://w.pfrms.co/a4m8o Saints Peter and Paul Catholic College, Highfield Road, Widnes WA8 7DW Thu 28 Feb 2019 13:15 - 16:00 HoD Maths Meeting - Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/hu1es Carmel College, Prescot Rd, St Helens WA10 3AG Fri 1 Mar 2019 08:30 – 10:30 Pupil Premium Coordinator Training - Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/6esq4 St Peter's Catholic High School, Howards Lane, Wigan WN5 8NU

Upcoming Archdiocesan Events Tue 5 Mar 2019 13:15 - 16:00 HOD Design and Technology Meeting - Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/4p8ll De La Salle School, Mill Brow, St Helens, Eccleston, St Helens WA10 4QH 13:30 - 16:00 Physics Partners Programme (West) - Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/ducvt St Francis Xavier's College, Woolton Hill Rd, Liverpool L25 6EG, UK Wed 6 Mar 2019 NPQML 2nd Meeting The Wrightington Hotel & Country Club, Moss Ln, Wrightington, Wigan WN6 9PB 13:30 - 16:00 Alternatives to GCSE: Sports Related - Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/bxvyl Holy Cross Catholic High School, Myles Standish Way, Chorley PR7 3LS Thu 7 Mar 2019 13:15 - 16:00 HoD Languages Meeting - Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/i1lb9 St Cuthbert's Catholic High School, Berrys Lane, St Helens, Saint Helens WA9 3HE 14:00 - 16:30 Physics Partners Programme (East & Central) - Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/6bqgm St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Rookery Ave, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan WN4 9PF Fri 8 Mar 2019 09:00 - 15:30 Headteacher Trust Meeting (Wrightington) - Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/7qjm0 Wrightington Hotel & Country Club, Moss Lane, Wrightington, Wigan WN6 9PB

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Archdiocese of Liverpool Secondary School Improvement Trust Events, External Courses and Grant Opportunities Exam Officers Training 25th February 2019- Last opportunity to register!

A final reminder that we are running a session for Exam Officers in partnership with Pearson which will cover the role and how to improve understanding of qualifications, processes and deadlines. This event will also focus on the responsibilities/differences between VQ/GQ and the importance of avoiding late entries/fees incurred.

To attend this session 1.30pm to 3.30pm on 25th February at Hope Academy, please use this link http:// w.pfrms.co/2bp1m

Music HoD Meeting Tuesday 26th February 2019 - Change of Venue We have had to change the venue of the Music HoD meeting taking place on Tuesday 26th February. The new Newsletter—Edition 1 Winter 2015 venue is Maricourt Catholic High School, Hall Lane, Liverpool L31 3DZ.

Science Hub Meeting 26th February - Open to all Science Teachers A reminder that our first Science Hub meeting will take place 4.00pm - 6.00pm on 26th February at St Peter's Catholic High School, Howards Lane, Wigan WN5 8NU. Please note that this date was incorrectly noted as 27th in the newsletter.

This meeting is not exam board specific and all colleagues are invited to attend, with the agenda as follows: 1. Pedagogy of teaching Science in the current educational climate 2. The move from Modular to Linear – linking ideas for teaching and learning to the reformed qualifications

3. Examples and best practice 4. Open forum – Questions and sharing ideas This is open to all Science Department colleagues, not only HoDs, so please confirm your attendance via this link http://w.pfrms.co/c4ea7

Alternatives to GCSE Meetings : 27th February Construction/Built Environment The first in our series of Alternatives to GCSE meetings will take place 1.30pm to 4.00pm on Wednesday 27th February at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic College in Widnes. Representatives from Pearson, OCR and Eduqas will present on Construction/Built Environment, with full details below: Pearson: BTEC First Award Construction & the Built Environment - Revised, BTEC Engineering.

OCR: Engineering Design Award/Certificate Level 1/2, Engineering manufacture Award/Certificate Level 1/2, Principles in Engineering & Engineering Business Award/Certificate Level 1/2, Systems Control in Engineering Award/Certificate Level 1/2.

Eduqas: Constructing the Built Environment (New for 2018) Level 1/2, Designing the Built Environment Level 1/2, Engineering Level 1/2 To book your place please use this link http://w.pfrms.co/a4m8o

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Archdiocese of Liverpool Secondary School Improvement Trust Events, External Courses and Grant Opportunities

Pupil Premium Coordinators Training 1st March 2019 **Important Information from Anne Pontifex** A reminder that the Pupil Premium Coordinator Training will take place 8.30am to 10.30am at St Peter’s Catholic High School in Wigan. It is vital that all schools are represented at this session to enable cross school work to take place in triads.

Please use this link to book your place http://w.pfrms.co/6esq4

Newsletter—Edition 1 Cluster Winter Schools 2015 First Aid Training for East First Aid Training, in Partnership with Swift Training, has been scheduled to take place at St Peter's Catholic High School on 28th March at a cost of £40pp (including lunch). This is a one day event, starting at 9.30am and ending by 3.00pm and all content will be related to working in schools.

There are 10 places available so please book your place by Friday 1st March via this link http:// w.pfrms.co/4pgqs

Alternatives to GCSE Meetings - Bookings now open!

Please note that these meetings are not exam board specific and all colleagues are invited to attend. Each meeting takes place 1.30pm to 4.00pm Sports Related on 6th March at Holy Cross Catholic High School Please book here: http://w.pfrms.co/bxvyl This meeting will see Pearson cover BTEC First Award Sport and BTEC Sport, Activity and Fitness, OCR cover Sport Science Award/Certificate Level 1/2 and Sport Studies Award/Certificate Level 1/2, and Eduqas present on Sport and Coaching Principles Level 1/2.

Health & Social Care HoD on 20th March at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic College Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/86xpd Our HoD meeting will include a session 1.30—2.10pm from OCR covering Health and Social Care Award/ Certificate Level 1/2.

Enterprise & Retail on 12th March at Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School Please book here http://w.pfrms.co/hdooy Pearson will attend this meeting to cover BTEC Enterprise, OCR will present on Enterprise and Marketing Level 1/2, and Eduqas Retail Business Level 1/2.

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Archdiocese of Liverpool Secondary School Improvement Trust Events, External Courses and Grant Opportunities

Subject Specific CPD - Open to all colleagues We have scheduled several subject specific training sessions in partnership with Pearson. These events are not board specific and therefore all colleagues can attend.

Each event will run from 1.30pm until 4.00pm. Further details and link to book your place can be found below.

Science 27th March - Book here http://w.pfrms.co/2apx7

Teaching and Learning workshop: Teaching and Assessment of Maths in GCSE (9-1) Sciences In this workshop teachers will: Explore and share effective teaching strategies to stretch and challenge their most able students in preparation for the 9-1 GCSE assessments Look at examples of high demand sample assessments and how their students can best be prepared.

English 28th March - Book here http://w.pfrms.co/8e0xo GCSE English Language: Students as writers and approaches to improving writing skills.

Newsletter—Edition 1 Winter 2015

This face-to-face event is designed for teachers who are delivering GCSE (9-1) English Language. This half day workshop is split into two sessions. Session 1 (1 hr 15): What do we know about the writing process? This session will consider ideas and research which help us understand the process of writing and the implications for teaching. This will include an exploration of the place of grammar teaching to support writing. Session 2 (1 hr 15): The writing curriculum and approaches to assessment. This session will investigate ways of ensuring that planned activities are appropriately supporting improvements in writing. It will conclude by considering the most appropriate ways to monitor and respond to students writing.

English 26th June - Book here http://w.pfrms.co/2508k GCSE English Literature: Responding to unseen poetry This face-to-face workshop-style event is designed for all teachers who are delivering GCSE English Literature. It will include teaching and learning activities designed to help students deal with unseen poetry and some poem pairings.

MFL 5th July - Book here http://w.pfrms.co/c7nj5 GCSE MFL: Building strong foundations at Key Stage 3 This half-day workshop is designed for teachers who are looking to build strong foundations at Key Stage 3 in preparation for GCSE. Delegates will: - Observe models of how translation and literary texts can be taught and exploited in the classroom - Work with colleagues to prepare translation activities and activities using literary texts Learn new methods to help students use the target language more effectively in speech

GCSE MFL: Entering students for the correct tier The letter already sent to schools follows Ofqual’s recent blog on the subject which set out the following key messages: •

• • •

The exceptional arrangements that were put in place for 2018 will not be repeated again this year. This effectively means that the extended ‘allowed’ grade of 3 on MFL will still exist, but will be half the width of a normal grade boundary (it was the equivalent of a full grade boundary below the 4 in 2018).

As a result, students who miss the safety net will be ungraded this year.

There is nothing on a student’s certificate that says whether they achieved a grade via higher or foundation and the common questions ensure that it is no easier to get a grade 5 on foundation than it is on higher.

Ofqual recommend in the blog that students who are predicted grades 4/5 should ideally be entered for foundation tier.

Please remember that you can change the tier of entry free of charge up until 21 April.

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Archdiocese of Liverpool Secondary School Improvement Trust Events, External Courses and Grant Opportunities

Student Media Competition - Deadline to register 1st March We will be holding our Student Media Competition in the Chapel at Hope University on 25th June.

This year’s theme is ‘Sustainability; 'We must care for the Earth so that it may continue as God willed’. The importance of caring for all creation has been highlighted by Pope Francis and he has appealed to every person living on our planet to take care of our common home.

Schools can choose any form of media to represent the school’s entry and this should be accompanied by some descriptive text not exceeding 150 words that gives context and meaning to the form of media being submitted.

If it is dance, drama, ‘film’, etc., the entry should be submitted via film with the length of time not exceeding more than 10 minutes. Each school can submit up to 4 entries in any category (Dance, Drama, Song, Film).

It is up to schools to determineNewsletter—Edition how they decide what pieces of work are submitted, but this could feasibly take 1 Winter 2015 the form of a house/year competition that captures the imagination of a number of students, or could be subject specific e.g. RE, Art or another subject that would like to approach this from their curriculum perspective.

While we do not need specific details at this point, we do need confirmation of how many schools will be submitting entries. Please use this link http://w.pfrms.co/i0oip to register that your school would like to take part by Friday 1st March 2019. We will then contact schools before Easter with a request for further details.

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