Introduction

From September 2016, Higham Lane School adopted a new assessment system. Reforms in assessment methods at Key Stages 2, 3 and 4 have informed Higham Lane School's new assessment system.

Coupled with a new rigorous National Curriculum in 2014, the Government raised the expectation of the standard of GCSE qualifications, aligning the UK with the best education systems in the world. In response, Higham Lane School has worked extremely hard to update its target-setting, assessment and reporting procedures so students work to realise their potential and make exceptional progress.

The website article and accompanying paper sets out Higham Lane School's reforms, helping parents and carers to better understand and make sense of their child's academic progress.

Background to changes - Key Stages

Key Stage 2

From July 2016, students in Year 6 had their reading, writing (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling) and mathematics assessed through tests and teacher assessments. Each student received these test results as a Scaled Score. This score is between 80 - 120, with 100 being the 'expected standard' nationally. Scaled scores have replaced Numercial National Curriculum levels and alphabetical sub-levels (e.g. 4b, 6c).

Key Stage 3

Numerical National Curriculum levels and alphabetical sub-levels (e.g. 5c) are no longer used as measure of student progress, when assessing students work in Key Stage 3. Schools have been given the autonomy to develop a more bespoke and rigorous assessment system that fits with their own needs.

Key Stage 4

Traditional GCSE grades of A*-G have been replaced with numerical grades (9-1) with grade 9 being the highest grade. The Department for Education now consider a `standard' pass at GCSE to be Grade 4 a `strong' pass to be Grade 5. These are now the 'Expected Standard' for students to achieve. In line with our high expectation of students, Higham Lane School will adopt the expectation that all students will achieve or exceed the expected standard.

Qualifications are now linear. This means that students will not sit modules and will be examined at the end of Year 11 for 100% of their qualification. Controlled Assessments (coursework) has been removed in most subjects.

Assessment at Higham Lane School

Higham Lane School sets challenging progress targets for individual students, in all subjects at Key Stage 3 and 4, based on their prior achievement at Key Stage 2 (Scaled scores for Year 7 from September 2016 onwards).

All students receive their end of Key Stage 4 Target Grade and Challenge Target Grades (9-1). The emphasis is on the on-going journey throughout their five years of study in Key Stages 3 and 4.

Projected Grades (Year 7, 8 & 9)

In Key Stage 3 (Years 7,8 & 9) students are assessed twice each year and parents, carers and students will be informed of progress in relation to the students' Key Stage 4 Target Grade using a projected grade model.

Year 7, 8 & 9 students are assessed during the year using common assessments in order to generate projected grades. These are statistically generated predictions of the grade a student is likely to achieve at GCSE based on their most recent assessment scores. All projections are checked, and where necessary adjusted, by staff to ensure that they accurately represent each student’s performance. It is important to understand that this grade is a projection for the end of Year 11 rather than a current ‘working at’ grade showing current performance.

Projected grades will not be shared with parents and carers, rather the focus for students in Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 will remain on feedback and improvement rather than grading; as such, these students will receive a ‘progress towards target’ only. This gives parents/carers an indication of how close to their target grade their child is in each subject.

Above: Projected grade at least one grade above the target grade

On: Projected grade in line with the target grade

Near: Projected grade is one grade below the target grade

Below: Projected grade is more than one grade below the target grade

In Key Stage 4 (Years 9-11), students receive a current working at grade from their subject teacher. The current working grade indicates where a student is, in terms of GCSE/Level 2 grading, at that point. The grade is objectively determined informed from a sound evidence base – recent assessments and evidence of a student’s performance as exemplified through their class and book work.

Further details can be found in the Student Progress Report page of the website.

Students in all years will receive regular feedback (assessment & reporting) to ensure they know the next steps that they must take to progress further. We will continue to use Follow-on Tasks (using purple pens) in student workbooks and folders, to enable them to improve further. Further details about this can be seen in Higham Lane School's Assessment, Feedback and Reporting Policy.

Target-setting at Higham Lane School

Students' prior attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (scaled scores for Year 7 from September 2016 onwards) and baseline testing will provide the basis of target-setting at Higham Lane School. All students will be challenged to achieve their end of Key Stage 4 Target grade, reflecting the school's high expectations. Higham Lane School will adopt the expectation that all students will achieve or exceed the expected standard of a GCSE grade 4 or above* (*only in exceptional circumstances this will not be the case).

Further details can be found in the Student Progress Report page of the website