KS4 Assessment Summary

Measuring progress in Year 10 and Year 11

Teachers access progress regularly using many methods. This might include short tests, recap exercises, questioning, student self-assessment or quizzes. At other times we use more formal assessment, projects or exams to judge progress over time.

We ask our teachers to report summary progress data three times in Year 10 and in Year 11. We also gather data on Attitude to Learning and Attitude to Homework six times a year (once each half term). At all of these points we update your child’s data report and update the report on the My Child at School (MCaS) space on the school’s management information system.  This a secure portal giving you access to information about your child, or children, only.

The data we share needs to be read carefully.  Attitude to learning judgments are guided by statements at each grade 1 to 6 and these can be found in the student planner.  However it is inevitable that judgments about attitude are subjective and we expect that they may vary from teacher to teacher.  Summary assessment data will offer judgements that compare student performance within the cohort of students and broadly within standards expected nationally of students at that age.  ‘Current grade’ is a snapshot of a performance in an assessment that reflects work done to date, or recently.  It will have been marked in a way that reflects GCSE success criteria.  Students will do better in some topics than others; also they may only make progress in some skill or knowledge areas over time.  It is a guide to performance.  The ‘predicted grade’ uses teachers experience and student’s progress to date to estimate the most likely outcome at the end of the course, at the time the prediction is made.

Target grades are shared with students in Year 10 and Year 11 as ‘information’.  We share information from national organisations such as the Fischer Family Trust (FFT); they take national data from Key Stage 2 and compare this to performance in exams at the age of 16.  The information they provide encourages students to see what some students have done from the same starting point as they have at the end of Ks2, helping them believe their ambitions are possible.

As well as the data profile that is updated throughout the year we have other opportunities for discussing progress with you.

TERM 1

GCSE briefing evening (Year 10) – an opportunity to meet with subject leader in English, Maths and Science, to discuss how our students are progressing and to look at how home and school can best work in partnership to secure the best progress, and student wellbeing during the demands of GCSE courses.

Year 10 Parents’ Evening: a chance to meet each subject teacher, share successes and concerns, seek additional information and ask questions.

Year 11 Interventions Evening – if this can benefit your child, you will receive an invite to attend with your child.  We’ll share some useful revision and preparation tips before three practical sessions led by our Heads of English, Maths and Science. This was a very well received evening last year.

TERM 2

Year 11 Parents’ Evening: a chance to meet each subject teacher, share successes and concerns, seek additional information and ask questions.

Form Tutor profile (Year 11) – the data profile with the trial exam assessments and predictions, and with the addition of a detailed form tutor report.

TERM 3

End of year data and Form Tutor profile (Year 10) – the data profile with the most recent assessments (end of year exams), with the addition of a detailed form tutor report.

A rough guide to data equivalences as we move from old style GCSE’s to new:-