New Specification Updates: AQA A-Level Psychology

ABOUT THIS COURSE

This new course will focus on the AQA A Level Psychology specification updates and the diverse questions featured across the 3 exam papers. An in-depth course exploring high impact strategies that raise attainment and support students to access top marks in examinations. You will leave equipped with knowledge of the latest evidence-informed teaching, learning and assessment practice as well as feedback from the most recent exams. How to tackle tricky topic areas with a particular emphasis on developing the essential A01, A02 and A03 assessment skills. In addition, the course includes access to a 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. Examples are taken from the AQA examination, but the course will be of benefit to all teachers of A-Level Psychology.

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BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Guidance on how to plan, prepare and successfully implement the new specification updates.
• Review exam feedback to Identify the main areas where students lose marks when answering exam questions
• Explore the range of question types across all three exam papers and how to extract information from a question to allow access to all the marks available
• Implement strategies to boost subject knowledge and assessment skills.
• Analysing data to monitor progress and inform strategic interventions with successful outcomes
• Develop an understanding of accurate assessment, marking and feedback.
• Develop greater understanding of what examiners are looking for in Grade A/A* responses
• Take away a range of innovative teaching ideas and resources to impact your pupils’ learning immediately.

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PROGRAMME

Preparing for the AQA A-Level specification updates and examinations.

10.00am

• Intent – Rationale and clarity on the new specification updates. Cognitive overload and how to deal with a content heavy specification. Strategies for helping students to deal with and retain theoretical knowledge of Psychology.
• Implementation - Effective planning strategies to implement the new specification updates. Review of schemes of work, T&L resources and assessment progress trackers.
• Impact - Research and data analysis to monitor and inform strategic interventions and departmental training.

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Paper 1

10.30am

•  Paper 1 overview of the specification updates and planning for successful implementation.
• Decoding the questions – understanding the command words and embedding Tier 3 subject specific terminology. Strategies for selecting appropriate content and effective planning for both structured and extended questions.
• Exploring what the examiners are looking for in the diverse range of examination questions including multiple choice, stem questions and essays.
• Developing student’s exam skills; A01, A02 and A03 assessment skills. Exemplar strategies on how to signpost and elaborate effectively.
• Implementation of high impact T& L strategies and how to embed these in the delivery of Paper 1 topics.
• Explicit evidence of outstanding marking, assessment and feedback.
• Developing lower ability students- creative strategies to motivate and engage learners.
• Synoptic skills to stretch and challenge the more able to achieve an A/A*.

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Break

11.30am

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Paper 2

11.45am

• Overview of the specification updates and planning for successful implementation.
• Decoding the questions – understanding the command words and embedding Tier 3 subject specific terminology. Strategies for selecting appropriate content and effective planning for both structured and extended questions.
• Exploring what the examiners are looking for in the diverse range of examination questions including multiple choice, stem questions and essays.
• Developing student’s exam skills; A01, A02 and A03 assessment skills. Exemplar strategies on how to signpost and elaborate effectively.
• Implementation of high impact T& L strategies and how to embed these in the delivery of Paper 2 topics.
• Explicit evidence of outstanding marking, assessment and feedback.
• Developing lower ability students- creative strategies to motivate and engage learners.
• Synoptic skills to stretch and challenge the more able to achieve an A/A*.

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Lunch

12.45pm

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Paper 3

1.45pm

• Overview of the specification updates and planning for successful implementation.
• Decoding the questions – understanding the command words and embedding Tier 3 subject specific terminology.
• Exploring what the examiners are looking for in the diverse range of examination questions including multiple choice, stem questions and essays.
• Developing student’s exam skills; A01, A02 and A03 assessment skills. Exemplar strategies on how to signpost and elaborate effectively to go beyond basic A01 knowledge and understanding.  
• Implementation of high impact T& L strategies and how to embed these in the delivery of Paper 3 topics.  
• Explicit evidence of outstanding marking, assessment and feedback. Assessment trackers, progress checklist, digital technology, genius questions and exam wrappers.  
• Synoptic skills to stretch and challenge the more able to achieve an A/A*. Boosting knowledge, evaluation and application of challenging topics

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Break

2.45pm

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Reflect and Review - Next Steps

3.00pm

• Preparing for OSTED and Departmental Deep Dives
• Preparing for Lesson Observations
• Preparing for work scrutiny  
• CPD Training  
• Beyond the specification

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Questions and Depart

3.30pm