1. Assessment without Levels

3. Finding a way forward for Stanborough January 2016 INSET Session

4. Aims of this session  To understand the national context surrounding assessment in general and the removal of National Curriculum Levels in particular  To explore what we need any new system to deliver  To provide you with a proposed framework to take forward and discuss  For you to discuss this proposal in your Curriculum Teams today and provide me with written feedback by the end of the day

5. DfE: September 2014 Assessment Reform As part of our reforms to the national curriculum, the current system of ‘levels’ used to report children’s attainment and progress will be removed from September 2014 and will not be replaced. By removing levels we will allow teachers greater flexibility in the way that they plan and assess pupils’ learning. The programmes of study within the new national curriculum set out expectations at the end of each key stage, and all maintained schools will be free to develop a curriculum relevant to their pupils that teaches this content. The curriculum must include an assessment system which enables schools to check what pupils have learned and whether they are on track to meet expectations at the end of the key stage, and to report regularly to parents

6. Rationale for the removal of Levels  Accuracy and Consistency – Levels were originally intended to be ‘best fit’ descriptors to assess student progress against the whole programme of study, not assessing individual tasks  Impact on learning – There is a disconnect between Levels and the content / skills defined in the POS. Teaching became increasingly focused on getting students up to the next Level rather than ensuring that knowledge / understanding is secure  Fixed mindset – Levels were a ‘label’, demotivating for less able  Clarity and coherence – Levels and sub-Levels do not provide meaningful information to parents about what their child knows, understands or can do

7. Benefits of assessment without Levels  Allows greater focus on individual aspects of learning they are doing well in and those they need to work on  Strengthen formative assessment – The accurate assessment of student knowledge, understanding and skills better informs feedback planning and teaching  Promotes a growth mindset  Creates greater clarity and coherence for students and parents (and teachers!) – More constructive reporting and feedback should lead to greater knowledge of where students are, including strengths and areas for development

8. DFE Assessment Principles (April 2014)  Give reliable information to parents about how their child, and their child’s school, is performing. o Allows for meaningful tracking of pupils towards end of KS expectations o Provide information that is easily understood and covers both qualitative and quantitative assessment o Differentiate attainment between pupils of different abilities giving early recognition of those falling behind and those excelling o Reliable and free from bias

9. Assessment – The National Picture  Reception – Baseline Tasks  Age 7(KS1) – National tests probably re-introduced  Age 11(KS2)- National Tests in Maths and English (80-130, 100=4c)  Year 7&8(KS3) at Stanborough  Age 16(KS4) New GCSEs / BTECs  Age18(KS5) New Linear A Levels

10. To develop an assessment framework that has student learning at its core. The new system should provide an effective framework for students, teachers and parents to play their role in improving the progress and attainment of students at Stanborough School Our Mission Statement

11. A checklist for success? (Or, any new framework will be a success if….)  Focus is on improving student learning  Consistent system across the school with some flexibility within it for subjects  It is clear and easy to interpret for students, staff and parents  It helps prepare students for success at KS4 and builds upon KS2  All stakeholders are involved in its development and implementation  Robust and fit for purpose  Challenging and progressive  Manageable and realistic for staff

12. How did we arrive at this proposal?  Visits to local secondary and primary schools  Lots of reading / research  Much discussion (which we are sure will be continued today!)  Lessons learnt from Secondary schools who ‘went early’?

13. The new system at Stanborough  Builds on KS2 experience of students  Looks ahead to GCSE and aims to create the foundations for success  Allows us as a school / subject professionals to decide what should be assessed and how this should be done  Replaces NC levels at KS3 and modifies current practice at KS4 – No need for major changes here  At KS3 the focus should be on a successful secondary transition and creating the conditions for high achievement for all at KS4, and beyond

15. How will it work? Year 7  Subjects to draw up a set of ‘Learning Goals’ for students in Year 7  These will include the important (ie: not all!) skills and knowledge that we would want all students to have learnt by the end of Year 7 so that they can be successful in Year 8 and beyond!  We decide these, these are not given to us  Students are judged against these criteria using a range of assessment techniques  3 PUs a year – PU1: November, PU2: March, PU3: July (NB at PU1 ATL grades only for Year7, too early to assess progress

16. At Each PU (except PU1 in Year7)  ATL grades as now  Replace Current Assessment and Projection with the following:  (D) Developing towards achieving the necessary skills and knowledge to meet expectations  (S) Secure in the required skills and knowledge and likely to achieve expectations  (X) Exceeding the required skills and knowledge and likely to achieve above expectations  (E) Excellence / Exceptional level of work shown in all respects and on track to achieve well above expectations

17. Personalised Learning Goal (PLG)  This will allow us to distinguish between different abilities of students  From PU2 of Year7 students will get a (PLG) giving them an expectation of E, X, S, D in individual subjects  This will be based on KS2 data, CAT Tests, Baseline Testing in Yr7 and work completed prior to PU2 in Year 7  Will allow us to monitor progress of individual students / groups

18. Please note, the focus should now be on good quality learning and teaching and feedback and less on ‘the grade’ ie: e, x, s, d achieved. This is purely a framework to monitor who is on track. We do not envisage e, x, s, d to be commonly used in the classroom except at key points in the year.

19. How will it work? – Year 8  More challenging ‘Learning Goals’ to be drawn up to reflect progression from Year 7 and increasing level of challenge  PU1 will include e, x, s, d analysis, we should know the students by now!  Information from e, x, s, d analysis will obviously inform Option choices for students

20. An Asymmetric system which promotes excellence and progression Year 7Year 8 E EX XS SD D Asymmetric – Students encouraged to get above (S) level by having two levels above and only one below ‘Learning Goals’ should show progress from Year 7 to 8 and the level of challenge should increase accordingly. For example (S) in Year 7 is only (D) in Year 8, students will need to raise their game to even stay at the same level!

21. How will it work? Year 9 and above  Similar system to now. A few tweaks to tie KS3 & 4 together and to act upon staff feedback  Subjects (within the tolerance of meeting the schools targets) will be able to adjust student targets. No expectation of a Current Working Grade (replacing Current Assessment) for PU1 in Year 9. Parents made aware that target grade may also change at PU2 based on work thus far  Still three PUs per year, at each one: 1. ATL as now 2. Target Grade 3. Current Working Grade (not PU1 in Year 9) 4. Projection replaced with e, x, s, d analysis (D – Working towards target (Red), S – On Target (Yellow), X – Working above target (Green), E – I have put your target up as you have consistently worked above target (Gold?)

22. Questions?

23. Implications of change – Some issues to consider!  Workload / time / resources. Don’t we have enough to do?  Informing Year 7 parents of a new system  Parental and student involvement in development  Please let me know of any more!

24. Where next?  Discussions today at curriculum level  Feedback  Changes  Final proposal before February HT (consultation with CL/SL)  Roll out system ready for Year 7 in September 2016, other years would remain the same as now  Your views count but we do need consistency across the school

25. Planners  Looking to review the use, design and content of student planner  Any ideas to me please  If interested in working on this more closely please let me know