1. Sir James Smith’s Community School
STEPS GRID handbook
A practical guide
Key Stage 3

2. STEPS and the STEP Grid Handbook
Monitoring and reporting attainment and progress
in Year-7 and Year-8.
Dear parent/ carer,
As someone with a son or daughter in Year 7/8 you may be aware that there have many changes to assessment in schools over the last few years. At the same time as the government’s announcement of a major shift in the way attainment and progress were to be reported at KS2 from September 2016, they also indicated the abolishment of ‘levels’ at KS3, but with a much earlier deadline of September However, unlike KS2, there was no prescribed alternative system put into place across the country and all secondary schools were invited to create their own model of assessment.
Over the past two years we have been working to create an assessment model that will work with our Key Stage 3 students. This year we have improved our model to create distinct STEPS grids. Each grid is comprised of 9 ’steps’ and a number of ’strands’. The grid contains descriptors for what a child needs to be able to do to complete a ‘step’.
Your son/ daughter will start with a baseline ‘step’, which will be derived from KS2 data and baseline assessments they will complete in their opening weeks of the Autumn-term. We will report the baseline step for each subject in the Q1 report in mid-November. It is expected that most students would move up each strand by at least 1 step each year (3 steps over the course of the key stage)*.
We feel very confident that what your son/ daughter experiences at Sir Jim’s is indeed a very comprehensive and professional package. This assessment model allows you as parents and carers the opportunity to be closely involved in their attainment, progress and target setting over the entire key stage.
Accompanying this letter you will find your own copy of the STEPS grids. Please keep this safe and use it to cross reference attainment on each report with content of the KS3 courses for each subject studied.
Finally, please feel free to contact me directly if you have a specific question about the system which needs further explanation.
Yours faithfully
Mr. E. McGuffie
Assistant Head Teacher – Curriculum
* In Science, progress is built implicitly into the scheme of work. Therefore students will be expected to stay on the same step or fluctuate above/ below this step as the content becomes more challenging throughout the year.

3. Introduction What is STEPS?
What is STEPS?
Strategic Targets for Educational Progress and Success (STEPS) is an assessment and progress monitoring, tracking and reporting programme for secondary schools.
How does it work?
Upon arrival in Year-7, every student is assessed via a broad range of information and results available to the school. Subject teachers then place students at a baseline Step in each Strand and this becomes the starting point for each subject. A Step Point Score is generated which is an overall score for a subject. Each student is expected to make at least one Step of progress in the Step Point Score per year, with the exception of Science where progress has been built implicitly into the scheme of work.
School reports
You will receive four reports per year showing your child’s attainment and progress in every Strand in every subject and it will also show you the overall Step Point Score. When used in conjunction with this handbook, it will give you both a detailed and quick method of reviewing attainment and progress so far. It will also allow you to discuss targets to progress to the next Step.
The STEPS grids
Each subject has its own grid, these form the rest of this handbook. Each grid is a basic summary of all the work that can be covered in each of the Key Stage 3 Programmes of Study. Each subject follows a similar approach.
Strands: these run along the top of the grid, they break a subject down into smaller topics or areas. There are between three and seven Strands per subject.
Steps: These break a subject down into progressive Steps. There are nine Steps per Strand per subject; 1 is the lowest Step and 9 is the highest.
Statements: Each Step has one or more statements. Students have to achieve all of these, and all of the ones in the Steps below, to be at that Step level.
The Step Point Score
Students will be given a Step score for each individual Strand in each subject. The Step Point Score combines these individual scores to give an overall score in a subject.
If 3.6 was the baseline at the start of year-7, then the students would be expected to reach:
4.6 by the end of Year-7
5.6 by the end of Year-8
6.6 by the end of Year-9.
This would be a minimum expectation and targets could be adjusted each year to maintain challenge for each individual.

5. Thinking Historically Source Skills and Exploring Interpretations
History
Step
Strand 1
Key Concepts
Thinking Historically
(Single weighting)
Strand 2
Source Skills and Exploring Interpretations
Strand 3
Knowledge
(Double weighting)
Strand 4
Essay structure 9
All of the below and…
can utilise valid criteria in order to evaluate arguments and reach a final judgement.
can produce a consistent argument throughout their answer.
can evaluate the source in more depth than at Step 8.
can challenge existing interpretations by weighing up the value of the evidence.
can form well-justified interpretations of their own.
can use factual information to construct complex arguments.
can make use of additional research in their work.
can produce a well-organised and coherent essay with a clear argument running throughout it.
can make a judgement that is well-substantiated by the arguments made throughout the essay. 8
can produce a consistently analytical essay which is fully focused on the historical problem.
can show the inter-relationship between different factors.
can justify and evaluate using their own knowledge of the historical context.
can show why interpretations differ taking into account the context of the time.
can form a judgement about the relative value of different interpretations.
can analyse a wide range of historical interpretations and judgements of historical significance.
can show an awareness of key themes throughout the period that would impact upon the topic studied.
can draw on extensive knowledge of the topics studied to support analysis.
can begin to incorporate their own knowledge into their work.
can begin to evaluate the strength of their arguments.
can produce a well-balanced answer. 7
All of the below:
can compare and contrast the diverse experiences, values and beliefs of people in the past.
can judge how far and what part of a past society has changed or stayed the same.
can explain how the causes of an event are connected to each other.
can select and support arguments which relate to diversity, change and cause.
can analyse sources in depth.
can explain how the nature, origin or purpose affects the sources’ value.
can show an awareness of the value of different interpretations and can take into consideration the context of the time.
can make a judgement about the reliability of interpretations.
can explain how other people have arrived at their own interpretations given the evidence they had available.
can explain why different people have had varying opinions about the same event or person.
can explain why an interpretation might be more significant than another.
can draw on the wider context.
can use and communicate a broad range of historical terminology confidently to show the complexity of their understanding.
can independently gather and critically evaluate a wide range of information to establish reasoned conclusions.
can independently define, refine and evaluate historical enquiries
can produce a well-focused essay.

6. Thinking Historically Source Skills and Exploring Interpretations
History
Step
Strand 1
Key Concepts
Thinking Historically
(Single weighting)
Strand 2
Source Skills and Exploring Interpretations
Strand 3
Knowledge
(Double weighting)
Strand 4
Essay structure 6
All of the below and…
can analyse and evaluate some of their arguments in relation to the historical problem.
can consider the importance of different factors.
can explore the links they have made between their arguments.
All of the below:
can consider the nature, origin or purpose of the source and consider how this affects the content.
can show an awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of different interpretations.
can suggest why different people have had varying opinions about the same person or event.
can use ideas to judge whether events, changes or individuals are significant.
can see how other people have arrived at their own interpretations given the evidence they had available.
can infer why one interpretation might be more significant than another.
can use their knowledge to show a good depth of understanding. Appropriately using their historical ideas depending on the audience and purpose.
can select specific and pertinent knowledge about the topic studied to support the arguments made.
can draw conclusions from information making evaluations based on the nature, origin and purpose.
can conduct an historical enquiry by defining and refining the enquiry questions and are able to evaluate them.
can make reference to the question throughout their essay.
can attempt to make a judgement based on the arguments included throughout their essay. 5
can identify several arguments to solve the historical problem and begin to offer some explanation.
can make simple links between their arguments and understand that some reasons for an event might be connected.
can explain what parts of a past society changed or have stayed the same.
can understand and explain the variety of experiences and values people and societies had in the past and across broader periods of History.
can consider the impact that the author has on the source and the strengths and weaknesses of their view.
can say why different people have had different opinions about the same event or person.
can say why some events, changes and individuals are sometimes seen as more significant than others.
can use correct historical terminology consistently.
can utilise further detail to construct a more in-depth narrative.
can explain why some information is more useful than another when answering a question.
can create my own hypothesis about the past and find information to test it.
can direct their answer at the question, but they may include some narrative or stray from focus. 4
can select relevant arguments to suit the question
can select the key reasons why something in the past happened.
can explain how far societies in the past changed or stayed the same.
can make supported inferences from a selection of sources.
can begin to explain why some sources are similar or different, but their arguments may not be justified.
can offer some simple arguments to explain the reasons for the opinions in the source.
can describe the different ways in which an event or person has been represented.
can provide a detailed narrative.
can test a hypothesis about the past by finding relevant information.
can begin to organise their essay into a logical order.

7. Thinking Historically Source Skills and Exploring Interpretations
History
Step
Strand 1
Key Concepts
Thinking Historically
(Single weighting)
Strand 2
Source Skills and Exploring Interpretations
Strand 3
Knowledge
(Double weighting)
Strand 4
Essay structure 3
All of the below:
can describe what societies in the past were like.
can identify what has changed and what remained the same with a past society.
can give reasons why something in the past happened.
can support basic inferences with details from the source.
can make basic comparisons between two or more sources.
can begin to consider why sources differ, but students will not be able to justify their reasons.
can show a basic chronological understanding of the period studied.
can recall more factual material than at Step 2.
can attempt to include historical terminology in their work, although not always accurately.
can use the relevant information to answer a question.
All of the below and…
can use developed statements to answer the question.
can begin to form their writing into paragraphs. 2
can give basic information of what societies were like in the past.
can show understanding of what has changed and what has remained the same with a past society.
can identify why something in the past has happened.
can make basic inferences from a source.
can begin to recognise where the source is expressing opinion rather than fact.
can identify basic details in a source that supports the opinion.
shows evidence of some factual detail alongside generalised comments.
can begin to include some of the vocabulary studied in class.
can make some attempt to make links between these statements.
there may be some focus on the question. 1
Can…
show a basic understanding of the key concepts.
identify one simple reason or argument to solve the historical problem.
make generalised points.
select information from a source.
recall very simple details about the topic studied.
make generalised comments about the topic studied.
answer the question using simple and generalised statements.

8. Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is STEPS? A. STEPS is an assessment-recording and progress-monitoring system for all subjects studied at Key Stage 3. Q. What are STEPS grids? A. The STEPS grids break a subject down into Strands of content and nine progressive Steps. Students are placed on the STEPS grid following a baseline assessment. The expected progress is at least one-Step per year or three-Steps over the key stage. Q. What is a Strand? A. A Strand is an area of study of a subject. Every subject is divided into between three and seven Strands. Q. What is a Step? A. Every Strand is broken down into nine progressive Steps. Nine is the highest Step and one is the lowest. Steps provide the pathway through the Programme of Study for each Strand. Q. Why does my child appear to have made more progress in one subject than another? A. All subjects are different and so are children! It is quite understandable for one student to have a different rate of progress to another. Learning is a cycle of improvement. Students improve and then plateau before making further improvement – the timescale for this improvement is very individual and varies between subjects. It is quite normal for rapid progress to be made when children are exposed for the first time to specialist teaching, when perhaps teachers with expert knowledge were not available in primary school. Q. My child seems to have made no progress at all in one subject. A. There could be circumstances which would mean that within the last assessment cycle this was the case. It could be a completely new subject, or one that has been studied for only a portion of the year. We are anticipating three Steps of progress over the key stage and that one Step is merely the average of this expected progress each year. Remember also that in Science, progress has been built implicitly into the schemes of work. Therefore your child will be expected to stay on the same step or fluctuate above/ below this step as the content becomes more challenging throughout the year. Progress will be numerically represented by a variation score (progress score) from your child’s start point. If your child’s score is positive or remains at 0 throughout the year this represents expected progress or above expected progress; if they receive a minus progress score then this indicates that they will need more support to maintain their progress in the upcoming units.