Guidance for Y9 Students

How to Improve your Academic Report Score

This guide has been designed to support those of you scoring a 1 or 2 for Academics in your recent
report but it may well be useful to those scoring 3s or 4s too. Some subjects are not included as no
one was given a 1 or 2 in those subject areas. Should you be finding it difficult in subjects that are
not listed, please go directly to the class teacher for help.

If you engage with this guidance you will likely find yourself making more progress; this is
particularly important as you have your first Assessment Window coming up in February. Putting in
a bit of work now will pay off in the future. You can also speak to your subject teachers for further
guidance and support.

English
● Revise non-fiction writing through the resources linked in The Hate U Give PLC - this will
form a part of key assessments and your GCSEs in the future. BBC Bitesize and YouTube
(search for ‘AQA Non-Fiction Writing’) are useful resources.
● Read back through the Romeo and Juliet PLC (success criteria at end) for understanding of
how to analyse language and structure, as well as re-reading your own essays and your
teacher's Whole Class Feedback. This is a core component of the English Language and
English Literature GCSEs going forward.
● You will soon be moving onto some of the key texts for your English Literature GCSE:
Macbeth and An Inspector Calls. It would be beneficial to start revising them early, making
flashcards with key quotations, characters, plot events, techniques, etc. You may also want
to invest in study guides (CGP provides excellent ones for most of the texts we study at
GCSE).
● Alongside reading fiction, read quality non-fiction (e.g. The Guardian, The Independent,
etc.); read articles and opinion pieces. These can be about things you are interested in, e.g.
sport, video games, etc. Discuss them with your family at home.
● You may find listening to audiobooks useful, especially when we move onto the key texts.
As Macbeth and AIC are plays, YouTube/performances will likely be useful.
 Chemistry
The topics that have been covered so far this year are: states of matter and mixtures; atomic
structure and periodic table; (the start of) bonding.

If you received a 1 or a 2 for Chemistry, the best place to start learning about these topics is to go
to https://cognitoedu.org and sign up for the edexcel chemistry course. Then, go to the ‘lessons’
section and complete lessons for topic 2 (states of matter and mixtures), lessons 1.2-1.7 (atomic
structure and periodic table) and 1.8-1.12 (bonding). This includes watching videos.

The next step is to go to seneca learning and complete the lessons on the same topics.

Physics
The topics that have been covered so far this year are: Topic 2 Forces and Motion, Topic 3
Conservation of Energy, Topic 8 Energy - Forces doing work.
If you received a 1 or a 2 for Physics, the best place to start learning about these topics is to go to
https://cognitoedu.org and sign up for the edexcel physics course. Then, go to the ‘lessons’
section and complete lessons for the topics listed above This includes watching videos.

The next step is to go to seneca learning and complete the lessons on the same topics.

DT

Economics
1. To review content, listen to BFL’s voice recordings here, completing items 2-11 as the
topics covered so far. These can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/17JvYWIm1arB0tgbuAR0pXFADNgNRqyu7
2. Review PowerPoints for Point 1 and 2, here:
 https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1Kw2zqujaIl_Cy272bkXarUufa57RchaJ
3. Complete Introduction Revision sheet, here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1ovZNFsY9gbHoBmhh_uvsBDbWr16AsG9A
4. Complete Supply & Demand revision sheet, here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1ovZNFsY9gbHoBmhh_uvsBDbWr16AsG9A

French
Revise the lesson Powerpoint after each lesson, spend at least 10 minutes a week learning your
tenses (present, past, and near future), and regularly practise your vocabulary/grammar using an
online tool of your choice (Eg.: Active Learn, Seneca, Memrise, Quizlet).

Spanish
Revise the lesson Powerpoint after each lesson, spend at least 10 minutes a week learning your
tenses (present, past, and near future), and regularly practise your vocabulary/grammar using an
online tool of your choice (Eg.: Active Learn, Seneca, Memrise, Quizlet).

Geography
Have access to a GCSE (9-1) Geography specification A: Geographical Themes and
Challenges textbook which they can use to support independent work revisiting concepts
covered in lesson.

Use Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Geography A Revision Workbook to practice exam style
questions, self mark and complete purple pen improvements.
Learn definitions of and how to apply all Geographical terminology.
Learn definitions of and how to apply and explain all Geographical processes.

History
● Familiarise yourself with the content of the PLCs for each subject studied. These can be
found on your Google Classrooms. Put aside some time once a week to answer the
questions or undertake the tasks in each section.
 ● Read at least three of the DTC Readings provided on your History Google Classroom each
term, or try to complete all of them by the end of the academic year. Write
comprehensive notes on each and try to incorporate this material in any written work to
undertake.
● Improve your contextual knowledge of each of the periods we study at GCSE, especially
the Anglo-Saxon and Normans. What were the key events of the time? What were the
main social, religious, political and economic trends? Who were the key individuals?
Websites like BBC Bitesize can be helpful here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z8f4mnb/revision/2

Latin

Food and Nutrition

Please use the Collins revision guide to review the topics covered in lessons and answer the
relevant questions for each topic.

Ensure that you are adequately prepared for practical lessons. Revisit recipes or skills that you
found difficult in class, this will help to develop your skills and confidence.

Maths
● Make sure you are using the CPG GCSE (9-1) revision guides bought through parent pay.

● Make sure you are using the topic revision spreadsheets that are placed on SMHW when
there are topic tests, to help with targeted revision.

● Use these websites to help: Corbett Maths (https://corbettmaths.com/contents/ ),Maths

Genie (https://www.mathsgenie.co.uk/gcse.html ) and examsolutions
(https://www.examsolutions.net/gcse-maths/ )