Key Stage 4 Student Support and Strategies

Key Stage 4 student support and strategies

Some simple strategies a parent can use to monitor their child’s progress and provide support are listed below. There are further strategies on the school website; and for any subject specific queries you can contact the teachers by e-mail using the format [email protected]. The staff codes are listed on the school website for all teachers.

1. Read exercise books

These are where you will see the standard of work and the work completion that your child is consistently producing. You will be able to see if they are completing work in line with previous standards and taking the same care in their work that you are used to.

1. Read marking feedback

Use the written feedback from the teacher and improvement comments from your child to identify strengths and areas for development.

1. Speak to your child about their work

Check your child knows how to make improvements from feedback. This includes marked exam papers and controlled assessment drafts.

1. Ensure your child completes homework

Use the record book to check that your child is keeping up with the increased homework demands and identify where you think they may be having difficulties. Where appropriate your support in planning a work timetable will be appreciated by your child and will model the organisational skills they are going to need throughout their education and work career.

1. Provide a good working environment for your child at home

Where possible provide a quiet space with a container of equipment (pens, pencils, rulers, etc) at home. Support your child in keeping this tidy and organised. Providing refreshments when they are concentrating for extended periods of time is appreciated and will also help them concentrate for longer on their work. Work is more effective when completed in a quiet space. Whilst a number of people prefer to work with music, the actual effectiveness of the time spent whilst listening to music is lessened. Reminding your child of this is important when providing the working environment.

1. Ensure your child has revision resources

Every GCSE will have a revision guide. These cover the key points specific to the course and examination specification that is being studied. Departments in school recommend revision guides and can often provide them cheaper than retailers. However, they are also available from many book stores plus online retailers such as Amazon. Other resources include access to online revision resources, such as and

1. Support a good working routine

It is important that your child consolidates the work they have done in class with extra revision / reading at home. A rough guide is 1 hour per subject per week (approximately 10 hours). This should provide time to complete homework and revise key topics. If a student works, on average, an extra 2 hours per day they will also be able to devote extra time to core subjects (English and maths), weaker areas within subjects and those subjects that are most important for their post-16 choices. It is also important that the working routine leaves social time and hobbies / interests continue. Supporting your child with the organisation of their work and social calendar will help remove some of the stresses and pressures during KS4.

1. Reinforce good working practises

It is easy to make a timetable showing when work is going to be completed at home. It is harder to stick to that schedule. As a parent you can support your child by helping them stick to their work schedule and, whilst they are doing this, removing distractions. These include mobile phones and game consoles. Research has shown that having a mobile phone in the area in which a student is working, causes a distraction and reduces the effectiveness of the work / revision. The lure of messages and social media is a distraction even if the device is switched onto silent and isn’t being used. The use of games consoles, mobile phones and tablets close to bed time affects sleep and how the brain processes information from the day. This is also detrimental to how well a child can concentrate on the following day. Agree time limits for your child’s use of these devices and ensure they are switched off at the agreed time. Ideally these devices will also be removed from a child’s bedroom as it is harder to monitor their appropriate use if they are not in a shared space.

1. Use the exam boards website(s)

Each exam board provides materials, such as past exam papers and mark schemes, on their website. Either ask the subject teachers for this information or use the school website to find the specification details;

1. Contact your child’s teacher(s) if you have any questions

If you wish to discuss your child’s progress in any of their individual subjects further, please contact the subject teacher using their email address or by telephoning the main school number.

Ways to revise

Developing effective revision techniques now, will help you with all your future exams. Try out a selection of these ideas and find out which work for you. Remember, simply reading through notes or a textbook rarely works well!

1. Make your own revision notes from a textbook/revision guide. Ensure you have bought a revision guide for each subject. The process of shortening information ensures you have gone through it a number of times. Only include essential words and phrases, not long sentences. Use colours, symbols and diagrams that will jog your memory in the exam.

2. Memorise your notes. Look, cover, say, check. Try to recall everything on your page by explaining it aloud, if you have to refer to your notes; check what you forgot and then start from the beginning again until you get it right!

3. Make cue cards. Cut up card into small pieces (or buy from WH Smiths etc.) put key concepts/words onto the cards. You can flick through these wherever you are and learn on the go.

4. Test yourself. Get someone to quiz you on your revision notes. Or if revising with friends, test each other game-show style. Thinking of the questions is also good revision.

5. Make a concept map. Like a big spider diagram, with key words linking different parts of your diagram. Try and fit a whole section of the topic on one page, when you know this map, you know the section!

6. Stick posters of key ideas/words around your bedroom. Make sure they are simple, clear and colourful and read through them every time you pass by. As you begin to know them by heart, replace with new ones.

7. Apply your knowledge to past papers. Download past papers or borrow from school. Attempt under exam conditions first. Then go through the answers. Look up and correct things you got wrong. If still unsure why your answer was wrong, ASK YOUR TEACHER TO EXPLAIN AGAIN!! Be aware of the number of marks available and write a sufficient amount.

8. Use online resources;

a) BBC Bitesize. Work through the revision bites and attempt the test sections. Lots of simple explanations and helpful animations too.

b)GCSEpod. This is a series of podcasts that can be downloaded via an App. They cover most GCSE subjects and are separated into sub-topics of each GCSE. Every student has their own GCSEpod login.

c)Get revising. Students have to register for get revising. The site contains an online revision planner, an area to create your own revision resources (including mind maps and prompt cards) plus a library where you can access revision materials that have been uploaded by other users.

General Advice;

DO NOT PANIC!! You are not alone and you can do it! Many people are available to help. Give yourself plenty of time and revise topics one section at a time and it will all ‘go in’.

Revise in short sessions of about 30-45mins (NOT in front of the T.V.) taking a short break in between. Reward yourself when a section is complete.

Avoid wasting time making a ‘beautiful, colour-coordinated revision schedule’, this time is better spent on actual revision rather than planning to revise!