Primary Assessment and Target Tracker Information for parents – January 2016 Blackthorns Community Primary Academy

Background In September 2014 the Government released a new National Curriculum for schools, outlining clear expectations as to what children should have achieved by the end of each Key Stage. In general this new curriculum has more content and the expectation of what children should achieve is higher.

Why change? The Government were concerned that when assessing using levels there was a focus on moving through the levels and often children did not consolidate their learning thoroughly enough before moving on. They were also concerned that just knowing what level a child is at did not show what the child can do and what they need to learn next.

What’s new? The Government have said they would like all schools to develop their own systems to track the learning of their children against national expectations. This might involve choosing a commercial tracking system if the school feels this would meet their needs. Schools are no longer required to report the level each child is working at. They should instead be able to tell parents where their child is working in relation to the expectation for their age, and what their child needs to learn next to make progress.

Target Tracker Already established as a leading provider of software that allows schools to record, analyse and share assessment data within schools, Target Tracker has developed a system in response to these changes. The software allows teachers to efficiently record progress and attainment against the new National Curriculum requirements. It allows teachers and the senior leadership team to analyse the data for individuals, groups and cohorts within the school.

Formative assessment ‘Working towards’ is used when children are first experiencing a skill or concept. They might not be very confident and need support to apply it. ‘Achieved’ is used when children are confident and are able to apply the skill or concept on their own in similar activities. ‘Mastered’ is used when children have a really good understanding of a skill or concept. They can remember it even weeks after it was last taught and are able to use it in different subjects and situations. Having carried out this ‘formative assessment’ the teacher can easily see the gaps in learning for individuals and for the class or cohort which is then used to inform planning and feedback to children. They can also use the information to inform the termly or half-termly ‘summative assessment’ from which progress can be tracked.

Summative assessment Target Tracker has organised the curriculum statements into ‘bands’. Each band relates to a year group. To show progress within the band we have split each band into 6 steps as follows - B Beginning (below the expected EOY age-related standard) <25% of statements are achieved B+ Beginning Plus (below the expected EOY age-related standard) 25% of statements are achieved and/or 50% are working towards W Within (below the expected EOY age-related standard) 50% of statements are achieved W+ Within Plus (below the expected EOY age-related standard) 50% of statements are achieved including all of the KPIs and the remaining 50% are at least working towards S Secure (at expected EOY age-related standard and on track for a scaled score of 100+) 75% of statements are achieved including all of the KPIs and the remaining 25% are at least working towards S+ Secure Plus (above the expected EOY age-related standard) 100% of statements are achieved including all of the KPIs with at least 25% at Mastery

Summative assessment

Age Expectation This assessment will be defined as below, just within, at or above the age expectation for the year and half term. Generally speaking, at the end of a year, The Government would expect children to demonstrate a secure understanding of the curriculum for that year. It must be noted that some children, especially in these first transitional years may not reach this. It should however be clear what progress they have made, what their targets are and how they can be supported to develop their learning.

INTERIM REPORTS 2016 Interim Reports will be sent to parents on Friday 11th March 2016 These will reflect the child’s current summative assessment – not the end of the year or an ‘on track’ judgement The format of the Interim Report will be very similar to previous years, with an effort judgement as well as an indication of your child’s attainment

KEY STAGE 1 AND 2 STATUTORY REPORTING In the summer term of 2016, children in Year 2 and Year 6 will be the first to take the new SATs papers. These tests in English and maths will reflect the new national curriculum, and are intended to be more rigorous. There will also be a completely new marking scheme to replace the existing national curriculum levels. Caution! Something familiar: Writing judgements remain as Teacher Assessment for both Year 2 and Year 6 as the children will not sit a writing paper. Year 1 phonics screening remains (at the moment)!

The previous national curriculum levels have been scrapped, and instead children will be given scaled scores.  You will receive your child’s scaled score and whether they have reached the expected age related standard.  (The raw score needed to reach the expected age related scaled score has yet to be announced). The expected age related standard scaled score will be 100. 100 Expected Working at age related expectations Working below age related expectations Working above age related expectations All year groups will receive Teacher Assessment judgements

Key stage 1 tests The key stage 1 English grammar, punctuation and spelling test Paper 1: Spelling (15 minutes). Paper 2: Grammar, punctuation and vocabulary questions (20 minutes). The key stage 1 English grammar, punctuation and spelling test will be marked by teachers. The key stage 1 English reading test Paper 1: Integrated reading and answer booklet (30 minutes) Paper 2: Reading booklet with a separate answer booklet (40 minutes). The key stage 1 Mathematics test Paper 1: Arithmetic paper (20 minutes) Paper 2: A range of mathematical reasoning and problem solving questions (35 minutes) The tests are administered on paper. Teachers will need to use the provided conversion tables to translate pupils’ raw scores into scaled scores to see whether each pupil has met the national standard. Teachers will then use the scaled scores to inform their teacher assessment judgements.

At the end of Year 6, children will sit tests in: Spelling, punctuation and grammar Reading Maths The key stage 2 English grammar, punctuation and spelling test Paper 1: Written questions (45 minutes) Paper 2: Spelling paper (15 minutes) The key stage 2 English reading test Paper 1: Reading booklet and responding to questions in a separate answer booklet. (60 minutes). The key stage 2 mathematics test Paper 1: Arithmetic paper (assesses pupils’ confidence with the range of mathematical operations) (30 minutes) Paper 2 and 3: Mathematical reasoning papers (mathematical fluency, solving mathematical problems and mathematical reasoning). There are no significant differences in format between the two papers. (40 minutes per paper)