Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the Plus One Challenge?
The Knowsley Plus One Challenge is an initiative developed in partnership with schools to enhance and extend current school practice. It challenges every current Year 11 pupil to raise their predicted
grades by one in at least one subject between mock exams and the GCSEs in the summer. The Plus One Challenge aims to raise
the profile of education within the borough by improving average grades through effective preparation and practice. It provides a series of activities to support personalised
learning, focussing on attendance, self organisation, learning skills and support.
What is a Personal Revision Kit?
Every GCSE pupil in Knowsley will
receive a Personal Revision Kit which contains advice and revision
aids to help support them during the exam period. A breakdown
of what the kit contains can be found on the 'Packs'
section of this site.
Where can I get one from?
You will be able to obtain a Personal
Revision Kit from your Secondary School. Each school has a
Plus One Challenge Coordinator who is responsible for distributing
the kits.
Who should I contact
if I didn’t receive my Personal Revision Kit?
Every Secondary School in Knowsley has a Plus
One Challenge Coordinator who should be able to provide you with a
Personal Revision Kit.
What are Master Blaster
sessions?
Master Blaster sessions focus exclusively on short term
memory, covering the most important things that pupils need
to ensure they do well in the exam room. Elements of subject
knowledge only will be included, with the emphasis on what
is routinely and regularly covered in exams.
Planning groups comprising of two or three experienced
local teachers and an external Senior or Principal Examiner from the relevant
board, will draw up teaching ‘templates’ ie lesson plans for
each Master Blaster session, comprising of key knowledge, concepts, themes
and techniques that are most likely to gain marks on the exam paper. The
external examiner will bring knowledge of common errors and the operation
of the mark schemes, whilst local teachers will bring knowledge of Knowsley
pupils, and what the best focus for short term memory is, and of local
teaching.
These sessions are designed for all year 11 students at all entry levels and
are designed to last between 11/2 and 2 hours.
What subjects, exam board
and syllabus are the Master Blaster session for?
AQA English Syllabus A (3702) –templates for written
papers 1 and 2
AQA English Literature Syllabus A (3712) –template
for one written paper
AQA maths Syllabus A (3301) –templates for papers 1
and 2
AQA ICT syllabus A (3301) –templates for one written
paper
AQA D/T Resistant Materials (3545) –template for one
written paper
AQA D/T Food Technology (3542) - template for one written paper
AQA D/T Graphic Products (3543) –template for one written paper
When will Master
Blaster sessions take place?
Each session will take place immediately
before the exam, eg in the morning before an afternoon
exam , or in the afternoon before the next day’s
morning exam.
