Lostock Gralam CE Primary School Parent Information Meeting January 2016

History Why the changes? What do the changes mean for schools?

A shift in expectations: Many new objectives have been included for all year groups and some objectives have been moved to lower year groups or to a lower key stage. 3 phases: EYFS Key Stage 1Key Stage 2 Reception Year 1 and 2Year 3 and 4 – lower KS2 Year 5 and 6 – upper KS2

Age-related expectations “Age-related expectations” replace levels as the measure by which pupil achievement and progress will be assessed Levels: it was expected pupils in KS1 would achieve 2B+ at end of year 2 (up from 2C+) Levels: it was expected pupils in KS2 would achieve 4B+ at end of year 6 (up from 4C+) New expectation for pupils age 7 and 11 is raised

Year 3 mathematics

Year 4 mathematics

Year 5 mathematics

assessment: out with the old The traditional National Curriculum levels ranged from 1 to 5 for primary children, and in more recent years schools have been encouraged to challenge higher attaining pupils to reach Level 6 which is usually a level achieved well into secondary school.

age-related expectations 2c / 4c Low average 2b / 4b Average 3b,3a / 4a,5 The new age-related expectation for pupils in primary school lie here High Average

National curriculum tests A new national curriculum was introduced in As a result, the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) is changing the tests so that they assess the new curriculum. Pupils will take the new tests for the first time in May As part of the national curriculum review, levels have been abolished. This is in part in response to concerns about the validity and reliability of levels and sub- levels. We are changing the way the tests are reported. From 2016, we will use scaled scores to report national curriculum test outcomes. Within key stages, schools and teachers will have the freedom to assess what pupils understand and can do in a way that best suits the needs of their school.

On our scale 100 will always represent the ‘national standard’. Scaled scores We can’t give full information about what the scale will look like yet. We need to wait until pupils have taken the tests and the tests have been marked before we can set the national standard and the rest of the scale. We do know the scale will have a lower end point below 100 and an upper end point above 100. Interpreting scaled scores A pupil’s scaled score will be based on their raw score. The raw score is the total number of marks a pupil receives in a test, based on the number of questions they answered correctly. The pupil’s raw score will be translated into a scaled score using a conversion table. A pupil who achieves the national standard will have demonstrated sufficient knowledge in the areas assessed by the tests. This will mean that they are well placed to succeed in the next phase of their education. The old national curriculum levels are not relevant to the new national curriculum.

Working below/towards age related standard Working within the expected standard Working at the expected standard - secure Working at a greater depth within the expected standard - mastered There is no longer a ‘working above’ or ‘exceeding’ judgement. When teaching the children we must teach them the curriculum for their year group only. So if a child achieves all objectives, they must be given opportunities to demonstrate an ability to use and apply their skills at a deeper level while working independently. At the end of each key stage pupils will be judged against the national expected standard. They will either have met or not met this standard.

it is assessment which helps us to distinguish between teaching and learning

We all agree that assessing children to make sure they are working at an ‘age appropriate level’ makes sense, rather than giving them a number. Additionally, we think it is sensible to assess the children against the learning objectives they have achieved in a year and as the year progresses the children will, hopefully, become more secure within their age expected range. In theory the children should all begin the year working towards their expected age related curriculum. By the end of spring they should have achieved most of their objectives and be more secure and by the end of summer they should have achieved all of their objectives across the year and be secure in their knowledge, understanding and skills. Some pupils will be secure and be judged to have a deeper level of understanding.

What if my child is above or below age-related expectatons? Depth and immersion – within ARE Moving onto next year group’s objectives - exceptional Working within National Curriculum but on a lower year group’s objectives – not visible to child

Most things haven’t changed Teachers mark children’s work thoroughly and give them reflection time to revisit their work and get help from an adult should it be required Teachers ensure that all pupils make good progress within lessons Teachers plan next steps from children’s current attainment Senior leaders and subject leaders check books, observe children in lessons and talk to children about their work

School Pupil Tracker Staff at Lostock assess your child and track their progress using this online tracking system which allows them to make immediate judgements about your child to support future planning linked to the statutory objectives set out in the National Curriculum. This system builds up an accurate picture of individuals and supports your child’s class teacher in building on their current knowledge and filling in any gaps.

Year 1 Phonics Screening Check June 2016 – the pass mark for the last 3 years has been 32 out of 40 This screening check tests your child’s ability to decode familiar and unfamiliar words….. But remember this is just one aspect of your child’s reading Please support your child in completing their phonic homework. A revision programme will be introduced after Easter.

End of Key Stage 1 Tests (Statutory) These unseen tests will be taken by all Year 2 children nationally within May and June. There is flexibility for schools to decide when to administer the tests. Tests are teacher marked to support teacher assessment.

The Tests: Mathematics Paper 1 – Arithmetic - 25 marks – 20 minutes Paper 2- Reasoning – 35 marks – 35 minutes English Reading – Reading Booklet containing a selection of texts words. Answer booklets - 20 marks – 30/40 minutes (including reading time). Lower and higher demand Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary – 20 marks – 20 minutes Spelling Test – 20 target words in context – 20 marks – 15 minutes

End of Key Stage 2 Tests (Statutory) These tests will be taken by all year 6 children nationally from Monday 9 th May 2016 to Friday 13 th May 2016

The Tests: Mathematics Paper 1 – Arithmetic - 40 marks – 30 minutes Paper 2- Reasoning – 40 marks – 40 minutes Paper 3- Reasoning – 40 marks – 40 minutes English Reading – Reading Booklet containing a selection of texts words. Answer booklet - 50 marks – 60 minutes (including reading time). Grammar and Punctuation – 50 marks – 45 minutes Spelling Test – 20 target words in context – 20 marks – 15 minutes

What can you do to support your child at home? Keep reading with them, even when they are in Key Stage 2! Keep helping children with their maths challenges and times tables – those basic skills are key to making good progress. Support children with their spelling activities. They have to do more than just get them right for a test, they have to be able to use them consistently in their independent writing or they won’t get that all important ‘achieved’ judgement. Come in and ask if you’re unsure of anything – we really do want to help!

Any Questions?