Assessment and Reporting

How do we Assess?

We recognise that assessment and the curriculum cannot be viewed separately. In order to develop a knowledge rich curriculum, we must support this with valid, reliable and useful assessment. Effective and timely summative assessment design is also a tool in understanding student progress and reflecting on the taught curriculum to inform teaching.

Our in class and exam venue assessments are categorised as below:

Mid Term In Class Testing

These are purposeful practice tasks completed independently in lessons. These tasks take place twice per half term and allow students to apply knowledge and skills acquired. Students receive personalised written feedback that identifies strengths and targets (Try Now Task). Students reflect and respond to the feedback they receive.

Formal Summative Assessments

These are cumulative summative assessments, which interleave knowledge and skills to support students in developing long-term memory. Students receive personalised written feedback, identifying strengths and targets (Try Now Task). Students receive a score and a grade with feedback lessons to ensure that students reflect and respond to teacher comments.

• Formal Summative Assessments take place typically twice a year at Key Stage 3 (December and May)
• Formal Summative Assessments take place typically 3 times a year at Key Stage 4 (November, February and June)

It is the information from robust and reliable Formal Summative Assessments that become the main source of evidence for our reports to parents.

How do we report at Key Stage 3?

We send a progress reports home to parents three times per year. We report on two key aspects of your child’s education:

• Attitude to learning (ATL)
• Academic progress

Attitude to Learning

Attitude to learning is the key for students to fulfil their potential. Our ATL grades range from:

• Excellent effort
• Good effort
• More effort required
• Unacceptable effort (contact is made home)

There are separate grades for attitude to Classwork and attitude to Homework

Academic Progress

At Key Stage 3, we report the level at which our students are currently performing at by using 4 descriptors which also provide parents with an indication of where their child is performing in relation to the rest of their cohort:

These are NOT predictions; progress depends on the way in which students approach their learning, which is why we monitor their Attitude to Learning.

Targets at Key Stage 3

Students are given a single target metal to aim for in all their subjects. This is based on their performance in their Year 6 SATs and Year 7 CATs.
The target metal is calculated from expected progress from Key Stage 2 in English and Mathematics, it should be seen as the minimum grade a student should be attaining in their Graded Summative Assessments, it should not be seen as a prediction or cap on attainment.

How do we report at Key Stage 4?

We send a progress report home to parents twice in Year 11 and three times in Year 10. We report on two key aspects of your child’s education:

• Attitude to Learning
• Academic Progress

Attitude to Learning

Attitude to learning is the key for students to fulfil their potential. Our ATL grades range from:

• Excellent effort
• Good effort
• More effort required
• Unacceptable effort (contact is made home)

There are separate grades for attitude to Classwork and attitude to Homework.

Academic Progress

At Key Stage 4, progress is reported using GCSE Grades (1 to 9) for GCSE courses and Distinction, Merit and Pass grades for BTEC subjects.

Students’ attainment at Key Stage 4 is measured against their end of Year 11 targets generated using the national Fischer Family Trust (FFT) database. The FFT database calculates personalised targets for each student in each subject they are studying. The database takes a student’s Key Stage 2 data, looks for similar students with similar Key Stage 2 scores and generates an end of Year 11 target in each subject. The target generated would be the expected grade at the 20th percentile. This would be the grade attained by the top 20 percent of students with similar Key Stage 2 scores as your child.

Year 10 and 11 External Exam Information

• IFC-Coursework Assessments 2023 FINAL download_for_offline
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• IFC-NE Assessments 2023 FINAL download_for_offline
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• IFC-On-Screen Examinations 2023 FINAL download_for_offline
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• IFC-Written Examinations 2324 Revision One FINAL download_for_offline
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• Information-for-candidates-Privacy-Notice 21-22 download_for_offline
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• JCQ-Preparing-to-sit-your-exams-2023 24 download_for_offline
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• JCQ-Social-Media-Infographic-v6 download_for_offline
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