Aiming for A/A* in Pearson Edexcel A-Level Politics

ABOUT THIS COURSE

This new course will demonstrate how to guide your best students to achieve Grades A & A* in future Pearson Edexcel A-level Politics examinations. The course will explore the characteristics of A/A* students identified in research and why and how we must challenge our most able Politics students. Focused extensively on evidence-based teaching, learning and assessment practice as well as feedback from the most recent exams, you will leave with a vast range of resources and practical strategies that will enable you to meet the needs of your most able students and ultimately increase A and A* grade attainment. Finally, we will look beyond the course to focus on preparing these students to continue studying Politics at university. The course is designed for teachers of Pearson Edexcel A-Level Politics, but would be of benefit to teachers of other exam boards as well.

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BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Understand how applying current pedagogy regarding flipped learning and metacognition will transform your teaching of more able students
• Develop the use of mental models to promote student recall, supporting the teaching of the most challenging A-Level topics
• Develop greater understanding of the precision and detail that examiners are looking for in A/A* students
• Find out more about the barriers to progression and ways to support highly able students to overcome them
• A detailed look at the different demands of questions and how to prepare students to answer then effectively
• Take away a range of innovative teaching ideas and electronic resources to help advance your most able students

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PROGRAMME

Focus on the Pedagogy; How can it Unlock the Potential of A/A* Students? 10.00 – 11.15am

• Mental models, metacognition and flipped learning; how can they be practically applied and what benefits will they deliver
• Review characteristics of A and A* A-Level students
• How are A/A* Grades achieved?

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Break and informal discussion

11.15 – 11.30am

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The Exams – Techniques and Tactics

11.30 – 1.00pm

• The key topics A/A* students find most challenging and how to scaffold Techniques for memory retrieval and recall and application to examination questions
• Dissecting examination questions- vocabulary & command words
• Strategies to improve responses to exam questions and signposting
• A look at some of the challenging areas and difficult topics in A-Level Politics
• Mechanisms; how to embed the academic rigour required to maximise marks
• Avoiding potential hazards – what can cost a top student their A/A* grade?

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Lunch

1.00 – 2.00pm

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The Key Challenges for A/A* Students in the Papers

2.00 – 3.00pm

• Developing a deep understanding of Politics concepts
• Strategies to ensure students write top level responses to questions every time
• Developing a personalised approach to note taking to support recall
• Activating prior knowledge to improve retention of key topic areas

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Afternoon tea and informal discussion

3.00 – 3.15pm

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Stretching and Challenging the Most Able Students

3.15 – 3.45pm

• What makes a strong A-Level response? How can we build up to this?
• Using wider reading to prepare for exams
• using questions over and above recommended reading, preparing for Oxbridge
• Resources and lessons to stretch the most able students in Politics.
• Strategies for stretching A/A* students in a mixed-ability classroom and challenging complacent high-achievers