High Tunstall College of Science

In Spring of the 2005/06 academic year, HTCS introduced a college-wide Assessment Cycle involving the termly collection of performance data from all teachers of every student in the college.

 

The following data is collected throughout each year:-

 

This is so that progress towards end of year targets can be monitored centrally on a termly basis.

 

 

 

For Y7-Y9 students, termly current levels are recorded by teachers in terms of National Curriculum KS3 sub-levels. Below is the list of levels used (in ascending order):-

 

A – student has had a long period of absence or there is not enough information available to calculate a result

D – student has been disapplied

W – student is working towards level 1 or is working within P-levels 1-8

1C, 1B, 1A, 2C, 2B, 2A, 3C, 3B, 3A,…….., 8C, 8B, 8A – National Curriculum sub-levels

E – Exceptional performance

 

For Y10 and Y11 students, termly current GCSE grades or Btec levels are recorded.

 

The Assessment Period each term lasts for 2 weeks. During this time, students are assessed and levels/grades are recorded and analysed centrally, providing a ‘snap shot’ of current performance and progress. However, because the Assessment Period lasts for only 2 weeks each term, teachers are unable to assess students against every component of their subject area. This may result in fluctuations in the recorded current levels/grades from one term to the next. In other words, the recorded current level will not necessarily increase from one term to the next. It is important to stress that in addition to the formal Assessment Periods, teachers are continually recording assessment results throughout the year.

 

 

At KS2, the national expectation is that a student should achieve a level 4 or above in the Y6 SATs and Teacher Assessments.

 

At KS3, the national expectation is that a student should achieve a level 5 or above in the Y9 SATs and Teacher Assessments.

 

It is inappropriate to state what the expectation should be at the end of Y7 and Y8 because some of the subjects studied from Y7 onwards are brand new to students – Modern Foreign Languanges, for instance.

 

Students who achieve a level 6 or above in a subject at KS3 are expected to then achieve a grade C or higher at KS4 in the same subject.

 

 

Teacher Assessment (TA) is an essential part of the National Curriculum assessment and reporting arrangements. It is carried out as part of teaching and learning in the classroom. In Y9 the results from TA are reported alongside the test results (SATs). Both have equal status and provide complementary information about a student’s attainment.

 

TA covers the full range and scope of the programmes of study. It takes into account evidence of achievement in a variety of contexts, including discussion and observation.

The tests give a standard snapshot of attainment in English, maths and science at the end of the Key Stage.