The SummerPod live events are now over! Thank you so much to everyone who took in our live events, we hope to see you next year!
It has been a bumper 3 weeks with incredible webinars hosted by Cameron Parker, Joanne Winters and Future Toolbox with special guest speakers Jo Heathcote and Impact Wales. The feedback has been incredible and it was fantastic to see so many students and parents involved. Take a look at some of the fantastic feedback.
Live Events
Student
6-7pmHow to stop being busy and start being productive
- In this webinar world-class speaker and youth coach Cameron Parker shared with hundreds of students tools and strategies of how to get ahead and make significant progress in life. Our goal for you isn’t to be busy, our goal for you is to be productive. If you missed the webinar don’t worry, you can click the button below to catch up.
- Download worksheet 1
- Download worksheet 2
Student
6-7pmLearn the ‘how’ behind your goals
- In this webinar world-class speaker and youth coach, Cameron Parker, will be sharing with you tools and strategies on how you can overcome stress and feeling overwhelmed so that you can focus on the things that will have the biggest positive impact for your life.
- Cameron will be diving more into how you can revise, and how you can use GCSEPod to your advantage. You will come away from this webinar feeling ready to go and excited to take the next step. It is not enough to just dream BIG, we need to understand the ‘how’ behind your goals, this will bring your future to life. Time to make things happen, see you there.
Student
6-7pmBecome the master of habit
- “I’m going to wait until I finish school, then I will start to work hard.” This is something Cameron hears on a regular basis. The truth is, when students say this, the day will never arrive, because working hard is a habit. We all have habits, whether they are habits that serve us is another question.
- Therefore, Cameron will share with you the tools and strategies on how you can develop and create great habits. So that you don’t need to rely on motivation to get stuff done, and you can now fall back on your winning mindset, routines and habits.
- Motivation doesn’t last and will-power will eventually run out. That is why we need to understand the other options that are available to us. So don’t miss out..
Parent
6-7pmWhat is a GCSE and how can GCSEPod help?
- Guest host, Jo Heathcote, Principal Examiner, explains what GCSEs are, how grading works and where you can find information about your child’s exams alongside an introduction to using GCSEPod to support your child’s learning.
Parent
6-7pmThe science behind effective learning
- Guest speakers, Impact School Improvement Ltd discuss how to encourage effective learning at home and understand the science behind learning.
- Download presentation
Parent
6-7pmProgress over pressure
- Guest speakers, Future Toolbox, share tips on how to relieve the pressure of being a teenager and how to encourage your child to enjoy their learning journey.
- Download Analysis Hashtag
Student Webinar Resources
Subject Specific Videos
English
Click here to download our support guide with top tips for good English exam habits.
Maths
Click here to download our support guide with top tips for good Maths exam habits.
WJEC English
Science
Podcasts
Parent
Student
Health & Wellbeing
It’s fair to say the last year was not exactly easy, and many of us are feeling uncertain or anxious about the future. But there’s loads of things we can all do to look after our mental wellbeing and taking any time you can for self-care is massively important, especially now. Visit our mental health page to find out more.
We’ve also created a 20 day wellbeing challenge with fun things to do over 20 days to help with your wellbeing. Click on the poster to the left to download it and start your challenge today.
Plus, don’t forget to document your challenges and share via Instagram and Twitter tagging @gcsepod for the chance of winning a spot prize.
Keep fit and healthy
YST and GCSEPod have developed a series of Wellbeing Pods to help you better manage your wellbeing.
If you look after your wellbeing and learn to take responsibility for it, not only will it support you through your exams, but also beyond that and into adult life.
Study smarter not harder!
Your time spent learning is so valuable, make sure you are making the most of it by learning “How to Learn”. These pods teach you techniques to ensure you make the most of your learning time.
Stay Motivated
Motivation with Cameron Parker
Spotify Playlist
We have created a spotify SummerPod playlist. Simply click on the button below to open the playlist in spotify and enjoy. It’s open for collaboration so feel free to add songs you think everyone will enjoy.
Useful Videos
Reading Challenge
Promotional flyers and poster!
Click on the images of the posters to download them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any cost?
None whatsoever! After a hugely challenging year, we’re delighted to offer a fun, interactive and motivational programme of events to all students and parents of students at GCSEPod subscribing schools. We can’t wait for you to take part!
Can teachers join in too or only students and parents?
Of course teachers can join too! Any teacher at a GCSEPod subscribing school can come along and maybe take back some of the activity ideas to try out with their students in the new academic year!
Is SummerPod like Summer School? Will the students be taught specific subject knowledge or is it more general advice?
We are providing a small number of videos focussed on subject-specific skills, particularly in English and Maths. However, due to the huge range of subjects covered on GCSEPod and the range of students that will be taking part, the SummerPod live events and activities will be focussed on general life and learning skills such as staying organised, ditching distractions, effective prioritisation and keeping motivated. Students will be encouraged to identify and focus on their individual subject knowledge weaknesses using the self assessment and learning features on the GCSEPod website such as Check & Challenge. Competitions and fun subject-agnostic activities will drive students to boost their knowledge and build their confidence, no matter what subject area they need to strengthen!
Is there a set itinerary/programme of events so that students/parents need to log on at a given time?
Yes! SummerPod lasts 3 weeks from the 26th July to the 14th August. Each week there will be two live events which will take place in the evening (dates and times still to be confirmed once we have firm numbers wanting to attend). One event is aimed at parents and the other is for students (although anyone can attend any event and we encourage students and parents to take part together). The events will each last 1 hour and have a live participation interactive element, a little bit like a webinar but more fun! Attendees can take part or just watch, but we encourage everyone to take part and complete the activities with the hosts. All live events will be recorded and recordings will be readily available for anyone who wants to watch on demand and catch up either during or after SummerPod.
Who is running the live events?
We have a range of fantastic hosts throughout the 3 weeks. We’re thrilled to have world-class youth coach and speaker Cameron Parker leading the student events. Find out more about his incredible events here – https://www.gcsepod.com/cameron-parker-webinar/ We’re also delighted to be partnership with Future Toolbox, who will be running one of the three parent events. Mark and Jules are multi-award winning motivational speakers, authors and creators of the Future Toolbox. They cover topics such as how to prepare for the next stage of your educational journey and what parents can do to best support their children through their GCSEs. Find out more here – https://www.futuretoolbox.co.uk/
Can students log on and work at their own pace? Or a bit of both?
Absolutely! A range of resources will be made available on the gcsepod.com/summerpod webpage including activity sheets and live event recordings. Students can complete these at their own pace, although a recommended route through the activities will be outlined and linked up to the topics covered in the live events.
If students/parents are unavailable for a particular period during the 3 weeks will they still be able to engage with the programme and pick up where they left off?
Yes, absolutely. All the resources, including the recording of the six live events will be available at www.gcsepod.com/summerpod
Will schools get notification if a student/parent has participated so that they can recognise their willingness to engage in the programme?
Yes! If you sign up to SummerPod and leave your name and the school you attend (or your child attends) we can ensure that the school is aware that you’ve taken part. All participants will also receive certificates of participation which you can show off to your teachers!
What mix of events and resources are going to be available?
There will be six live events (three for parents and three for students) which will also be available on demand as recordings. In addition there will be activity sheets, a series of short podcasts where parents share their experiences of supporting a child through their GCSEs, a Spotify playlist full of motivational songs curated by SummerPod attendees and a series of pre-recorded videos on specialist topics such as Maths and English skills for success.