Dear Parent/Carer
YEAR 9 MOCKS, YEAR 9 PARENT/CARER CONSULTATION SESSION AND YEAR 9 OPTIONS EVENING
We are writing to you regarding the rescheduling of Year 9 mocks. You will recall that due to school closure as previously communicated, we took the decision to reschedule Year 9 mocks. To confirm, Year 9 mock assessments will be taken in the core subjects of English, Maths and Science and will be completed in examination conditions. Other subjects will complete assessments (‘mini mocks’) within lesson time. Therefore, core mocks (English, Maths and Science) will start on Monday 15 January 2024 and will be condensed into two days. With remaining subjects completing ‘mini mocks’ within their timetabled lesson time. For some non-core subjects this will commence week commencing 8 January 2024. Students will be informed and reassured by their subject teachers. This adjustment is later than originally calendared and will give staff and students additional lesson and preparation time. Our teaching staff are absolutely confident that students will be ready and well prepared for core mocks and ‘mini mocks’. Further information regarding timings of core mock and ‘mini mock’ assessments will be communicated to you before the Christmas holidays.
We will hold Year 9 assemblies to ensure students are well prepared and supported for these mock assessments. In these assemblies we will reaffirm where students can go for support, and share the expectations that we have for our students over the course of the mock assessments. These expectations are in place to ensure that all of our Year 9 students are as prepared as possible. Finally, the assemblies will also include revision tips and advice, as well as signposting students to useful websites.
To further support and prepare our students, our Year 9 teachers will be delivering a programme of teaching, support and specific revision advice. Students will also receive a standalone lesson on revision tips and examination practice in tutor time.
Whilst we stress the importance of your child taking any assessments seriously, preparing for them as best as they can and striving to achieve their best, we equally emphasise the importance of health and wellbeing. We are fully committed to supporting all students in ensuring that we support and prepare them as best we can as they continue with their studies throughout Year 9.
If you have any further queries about the forthcoming assessments, or what support is available for your child, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Head of Year, Form Tutor, Subject Teacher, or relevant Head of Faculty or Department.
We aim to issue students with their results from their mocks later in the Spring term. Further information regarding dates will be published on our website.
Year 9 Parent/Carer Consultation Session: Tuesday 30 January 2024, 3:00pm – 7:00pm
This is a swap of dates with the Year 9 Options Evening. We will write to you separately after the Christmas break with details of how you can make appointments with the teachers of your child. You will receive instructions regarding how to make appointments via our SchoolCloud system. We are offering a hybrid evening again where you will have the opportunity to make appoints online or in school face-to-face. We are sending out a parental survey this week regarding parental preference between online or face-to-face so that we can plan accordingly.
Year 9 Options Evening Monday 12 February 2024, 5:00pm – 7:30pm
This is a swap of dates with the Year 9 Parent/Carer Consultation Session. This is an ‘in school’ event. We will write to you after the Christmas break with further details of the format of the evening and the options process for your child.
Other Key Dates for Parents/Carers:
- Year 9 Grade Card 2 (April 2024).
Yours faithfully,
Mrs E Dowling
Head of KS3
Mr S McLaughlin
Head of Year
Year Nine Mini Mocks/Assessments for Non-Core Subjects Dates
Please see below a list of non-core subject timings that usually carry out Year Nine Mini Mock Assessments.
| Non Core Subjects |
Date of Mini Mock/Assessment Year Nine |
| History |
2nd Lesson w/c 8th January |
| Geography |
2nd Lesson w/c 8th January |
| RE |
15th Janury |
| 9A1 - TUES 1 - 23/1 |
| 9A2 - FRI 2 - 19/1 |
| 9A3 - THURS 3 - 18/1 |
| 9A4 - TUES 2 - 23/1 |
| 9A5 - MON 4A - 15/1 |
| 9B1 - WED 1 - 17/1 |
| 9B2 - MON 6 - 22/1 |
| 9B3 - WED 1 - 17/1 |
| 9B4 - WED 1 - 17/1 |
| 9C1 - WED 5 - 17/1 |
| 9C2 - FRI 5 19/1 |
| 9C3 - WED 6 - 17/1 |
| 9C4 - WED 6 - 17/1 |
| Drama |
Asessment Complete |
| Computing |
Asessment Complete |
| Art |
In lessons during first two weeks back |
| MFL |
In two lessons w/c 15th January |
| Food & Nutrition |
In 1st lesson during first two weeks back |
| DT |
In 1st lesson during first two weeks back |
| Performing Arts |
Asessment Complete |
Year 9 Autumn Mock Examinations Week
Week Commencing: 15 January 2024
Revision List
You can find revision support on our VLE and One Drive. Your teachers will show you where this is. All Year 9 students have access to this. You should also use your exercise books. There are a range of revision websites students can use. BBC Bitesize is a good start. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z4kw2hv
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SUBJECT
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YEAR 9
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ART
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The mock exam will be based on the Artist study which students have been given for their first Year 9 assessment. They will be able to prepare by completing the research and being familiar with the artist’s work. There will be an image and some information provided. Students will be required to answer a multiple choice and a comprehension question, they will also have the opportunity to write an analysis using a writing frame guide.
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COMPUTING
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Python, binary numbers, ASCII character representation, digital graphics and digital sound
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DT
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Design Process
Workshop tools and equipment
Material categories
6 R's of Sustainability
Product Life Cycle Assessment
The impact materials have on the environment
Impact of using Plastics
Impact of using Timber
Impact of using Batteries
Modelling
Drawing communication
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ENGLISH
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The task is to produce a piece of descriptive writing based on an image. The image will be linked to ideas studied in 'The Book Thief'. Students should use a wide range of language techniques such as similes, metaphors, personification, and pathetic fallacy. Use ambitious and powerful key vocabulary. Include structural techniques such as juxtaposition, foreshadowing, and motif. Also, include a range of sentence types (simple, compound, embedded, and subordinate clauses) as well as a wide variety of ambitious punctuation in their writing.
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FOOD
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Nutrition
Diet
Where food comes from
Food Science - linked to practical work
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FRENCH
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The main focus of the mock exam will be Unit 1- Healthy Living.
Students should revise key vocabulary from this topic and the grammar rules for forming past, present, and future tenses. There will also be a small amount of content based on the topic of school, for classes who have studied this since the re-opening of the school. The writing task will require the use of extended sentences; therefore, students should also revise connectives, time phrases, intensifiers, and opinions. Teachers will provide a knowledge organiser in advance, which should be used as the main revision tool.
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GEOGRAPHY
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What is a natural hazard? The structure of the earth, hazard risk, plate boundaries (location & types), tectonic theories, convection currents, earthquakes, & volcanoes. Map skills such as grid references, human and physical geographical features, distance and geographical skills.
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HISTORY
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Causes of World War One, The Battle of the Somme (General Haig), Life in the trenches (conditions), Causes of the Russian Revolution
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MANDARIN
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The exam will be a reading exam in Chinese characters only, and will be challenging. Students need to focus on recognising job vocabulary in particular, but also: forms of transport, places in town, food, family members. These are all in the students' vocabulary booklets. Students will not need to write any Chinese; they will only need to answer in English. .
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MATHS
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A revision list is included at the end of this document
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MJSIC
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Your mock exam will be based on your musical learning throughout KS3. Students can prepare by revising all musical elements Dr P Smith. You will be required to answer multiple choice questions. Your teacher will upload a revision sheet with links to help you revise.
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RE
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Year 9 will be assessed by a Frog Exam Quiz - single attempt - this will be set by your teacher on Monday 15 Jan and you will have 1 week to complete it as homework. This will cover 2 topics -
Topic 1 - Ethics
- What is the study of ethics ?
- How we make decisions?
- Absolute and relative morality with examples.
- Situation ethics - who proposed it?
- Main teachings of agape and Christian love based on the teachings of Jesus and how it can be used to make decisions.
- Examples of situations where this ethical theory could be used/put to the test - to save lives, dilemmas like stealing or killing.
- Own views on Situation ethics.
Topic 2 - What is Stewardship?
- Why stewardship is needed?
- Examples of 'bad' stewardship – dominion
- Examples of good stewardship
- Religious responses - Is the Earth Sacred?
- Laudato Si - letter from the Pope.
- Christian reasons to support stewardship or dominion - including beliefs about creation - quotes and sources of authority - how Genesis 1 can be interpreted to mean stewardship or dominion and how that interpretation influences peoples’ behaviour towards the planet
- Second religious view – Islamic view - Khalifah
And assessed by mini mock - written exam - in your RE lesson. Yyour RE teacher will give you the date of this - this will be 1 evaluation response of a statement linked to stewardship of the planet.
Christian reasons to support stewardship or dominion - including beliefs about creation - quotes and sources of authority - how Genesis 1 can be interpreted to mean stewardship or dominion and how that interpretation influences peoples’ behaviour towards the planet · Second religious view – Islamic view - Khalifah
You will need to give reasons why people would agree and disagree with the statement , evaluation of the strength of the evidence and write a conclusion
You have practiced this question in lessons and have a written plan that you will need to take home and learn for the mini mock written exam paper.
Your teacher will send out the revision power point for you to use for the Frog exam quiz and home and to prepare for the mini mock - written exam - in your RE lesson
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SCIENCE
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Physics:
- The particle model
- Density calculations and density practical
- Internal energy
- Specific heat capacity calculations and practical
- Specific latent heat
- Motion of gases
Chemistry:
- Atoms. elements, compounds, and mixtures
- Separating mixtures
- The structure of the atom
- The development of the model of the atom
- Electron configuration
- Trends and patterns in the periodic table
- The development of the periodic table over time
Biology:
- Plant and animal cells
- Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
- Tissues, organs, and organs systems
- Microscopes and magnification calculations
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SPANISH
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Unit 1 - Relationships and first section of Unit 2 – Leisure and interests
Revision content:
Students should revise the following vocabulary: family members, personality and physical descriptions, key verbs and expressions to describe relationships, opinions on ideal partner and marriage, free time activities (music, films, sports, TV programmes), verbs, and adjectives to express/justify opinion. Students should also revise using past, present, future, conditional and future tenses and be prepared to complete a writing task, and reading and translation questions. Teachers will provide a knowledge organiser in advance, which should be used as the main revision tool. For further support on grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, students are encouraged to visit the Youtube channel ‘v gonzalez otero’.
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Year 9 Revision List Maths
Videos can be found on www.corbettmaths.com/contents/
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Number
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Video
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Algebra
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Video
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Converting between fractions, decimals and percentages
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123, 126
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Collecting like terms
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9
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Time calculations
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322
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Substitution
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20
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Rounding – watch video on www.mathsgenie.co.uk
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Solving Equations
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110
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Prime numbers
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225
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Laws of indices
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17
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Metric to imperial conversion
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349d
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nth term of sequences
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288
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Simplifying ratios
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269
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Highest common factor
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219
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Shape and Space
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Video
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Lowest common multiples
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218
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Angles on a straight line
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35
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Ratio: express as a fraction
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269a
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Angles around a point
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30
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Sharing in a ratio
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270, 271
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Volume of a cuboid
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355
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Fraction and % problems
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137, 234
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Plan views
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354
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Calculations in standard form
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301, 302, 303
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Translating shapes with vector
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325
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Multiplying mixed numbers
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142
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Area of a circle
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40
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Percentage change
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233
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Pythagoras
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257
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Exterior angles of polygons
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32
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Data and Probability
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Video
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Using trigonometry to find missing sides
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330
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Drawing pie charts
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163
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Volume of a prism
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356
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Bar charts
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148
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Probability of an event
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245
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Finding the mean
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53
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