Assessment and Accreditation
Baseline assessments and progress
To be able to measure progress we need clear baselines. When students arrive in Year 7 we begin to assess where they are with their learning; what they have mastered, where there are gaps, and where they have particular strengths. We use an assessment system based on the ‘fundamentals’ of the Primary National Curriculum; similar systems are in use in most primary schools.
We have a particular focus on assessing English (Reading & Writing) and Maths to get a baseline so teachers can adapt their teaching and learn plans to students’ starting points, and because
- All of our students have significant, though not necessarily similar, learning needs these areas
- The National Curriculum is very clear about typical age-related expectations for each Primary year group, so the assessment framework is also clear
- We can use the baseline to set ambitious flight paths so that we can evaluate the progress of students, inline with our objectives
- We can compare students’ English and maths accreditation outcomes at Key Stage 4 with their baseline to help evaluate the impact of the curriculum
Following internal moderation we use external expertise, usually via the local authority, to moderate our baseline assessments.
Baseline assessment in other subjects is reported to parents during the summer term. It takes longer as the rich, broad and balanced curriculum means fewer lessons per week than English or maths. Our curriculum is fuller than most students have experienced; our experience is that subjects outside the core are often squeezed out in upper primary. Additionally, our students have often missed curriculum content in primary due to withdrawal e.g. for intervention.
Assessment in Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9), Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11) and the Sixth Form (Year 12)
All national curriculum subjects in Key Stage 3 use the ‘fundamentals’ system for their subject.
In Key Stage 4 and the Sixth Form the assessment frameworks are linked to the accredited courses being followed, which themselves reflect the National Curriculum.
Accredited Courses Offered
We offer a wide range of accredited courses in Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11) and the Sixth Form (Year 12)
This includes levelled accredited course in nine subjects: English, maths, science, art & design, design technology, food technology, PE, computing, and personal & social development. Courses range from Entry Level 1 to GCSE (typically grades 1 or 2).
More information on the courses we offer is included in Assessment and Accreditation Framework 23-24, which is downloadable below