And I've had succeeded too... If it weren't for those pesky kids...

I like my Year 11 class. They're wonderful kids, fun to teach and generally get on. Their homework record, on the other hand, paints a different picture. Homework is an issue at our school, from top to bottom.

I teach a Year 10 class too. They're nice kids, difficult to teach and generally get on my nerves. Their homework record is abysmal.

I've found myself writing some notes for parents evening about the kids in my Year 10 class, whilst considering how to get the most out of my Year 11s in the 5 months after Christmas.

I'll hate myself for the next bit, but we're measured on levels, and here it is: Only seven out of 20 of the Year 10 kids have made progress between their KS2 grade and the end of year 9. Only one of them is 1 level of progress and only one of them is 2 sub-levels of progress - the rest are only one sub-level of progress. Their targets for the end of this year are Cs, for all 20 bar one, whose target is a B.  At the end of year 9 all were working somewhere around a high G to a low E. I've some big conversations to have on Tuesday night, which will be made much easier by my five period day!

My Year 11s are an easier proposition. They sit a mock exam this week and next, to give them a grade for a 'Mock Exam Results Day' on January 27, 2014. I have given them all one higher paper to attempt and I have received one a half sets back - the full set achieved an A and the calculator paper was an A too.

The full plan with Year 11 is:
Stage 1: Full feedback on mock exam with overall grade and areas for development using www.mathswatchvle.com. The plan is for all students to achieve an extra 32 marks on their June exams compared to their mock - the grade boundaries on their mock suggest that 32 marks would be an improvement of one grade.
Stage 2: Another mock examination prior to Easter, with the same feedback. Ideally, all students will have improved their grade by a half grade (16 marks, essentially).
Stage 3: Analyse all previous 4365/H papers to determine the most common topics covered in the exams to date and focus revision on these topics, applying this to lessons, after school sessions and half-term revision days.
Stage 4: Organise revision breakfasts on the day of the examinations focused on the above analysis to ensure that the little tricks like 'Difference of Two Squares' are fresh in their mind and give them some focus prior to the exam.
Stage 5: Congratulate all 20 on their As in August.

Now, let's hope that these kids don't foil my plans!