The Kings’ Messenger

Changes afoot in Maths for Years 9 and 10We are pleased to announce an exciting change to whenstudents in our current Years 9 and 10 will take theirGCSE Maths exams.Current Year 9 students will be taking their GCSE Maths for thefirst time in Year 10 this November, which will provide them withthe opportunity to obtain a Grade C or higher earlier than planned.This will allow them to then focus on the highest available gradesduring the rest of Year 10 and Year 11. It will also give students theopportunity to have up to three more opportunities to take their importantGCSE Maths exam before the end of Year 11 and allow themost able in the year to start working on Maths to support their A-Level studies.The current Year 10 will take the exam in November of Year 11 then again in the summer of Year 11.After each exam students will be given a GCSE Maths certificate and they can then keep the highest gradethey achieve in any of the exams.For the current Years 9 and 10 students Maths lessons will now focus on making sure students are preparedfor the first exam this November. Revision material will also be available from the beginning of the nextacademic year to support students’ learning at home. By Mr Carey, Subject Leader for MathsTwittering about ExamsMore technological advancements at Kings!The Exams Office has created aTwitter account @KoWExamsVIThis will be used by teachers to broadcastexam notices/messages and last minuteexams tips in no more than 140 charactersto our students in Years 12 and 13 whilst they are onstudy leave.Tweeted by Mr D White, Student Progress LeaderFundraising is underway for Year 12Biologists to finance their once in alifetime trip to Honduras in SouthAmerica for two weeks in July 2014with Operation Wallacea, biodiversityand conservation network. The studentswill be carrying out conservation workin the rainforest for the first week beforesurveying coral reefs and aquaticspecies whilst scuba diving andsnorkelling in the second.Part of the group (seen here—with Harryas a helper) raised money by sellingcakes and chocolates at last term’sacademy production of “Hairspray".The students must raise a total of £2,750each and are undertaking variousfundraising methods, including bagpacking in supermarkets and othersponsored events over the year.Fundraising is in its early stages, but if you would like to make a donation,we will gladly accept! Our fundraising group email isTheBiologists@hotmail.co.ukBy Fabian Bowes-Richley