1. Inter-school Training and Agreement Trialing using the P Scales
Check that I have copies of all documentation that will be referred to.
Introduce self and members from Inclusion and Achievement team and P scale moderation team.
Schools may sit where they wish for this session. They are told where to sit for the County moderation of P scales!
There are a few introductory slides giving information about P scales and the aim of the session. This has come about through feedback from the County moderation of P scales last year.

2. Objectives To prepare schools for the County moderation of P scales.
To provide opportunities for agreement trialling.
To ensure schools are confident in their understanding and assessments of P scales.
To ensure assessments of pupils are in line with national standards.
Talk through.
Schools will have the opportunity to moderate their own evidence and agreement trial evidence brought.

3. Reporting P Scales P scale subject Reportable levels English Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening
P1i, P1ii, P2i, P2ii, P3i, P3ii
P4, P5, P6, P7, P8
Mathematics
Number
Using and applying mathematics
Shape, space and measures
Science
P1i, P1ii, P2i, P2ii, P3i, P3ii P4, P5, P6, P7, P8
Reporting of the P scales is statutory. Schools will need to record the achievement of children with SEN using the P levels where they are working below level 1 of the national curriculum. P scales must be recorded in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science.
P scales give guidance on planning, teaching and assessing the national curriculum for children with learning difficulties, including a set of eight levels leading up to national curriculum level 1.
P scales are appropriate across key stage 1 and should be applied to children working towards national curriculum level 1 (ie level W) who have been identified as having special educational needs.
The performance descriptions for P1–P3 are common across all subjects. They outline the types and range of general performance that children with learning difficulties who are not working at levels P4–P8 might characteristically demonstrate. The P scale descriptions can be found at on the QCA website. Using the P scales DVD is available from reference QCA/05/1589, or by calling
This means that if a child is at P1i–P3ii level in English, then reading, writing, speaking or listening levels would not normally be appropriate. If a child is at an English level higher than P3ii, then the relevant separate levels P4–P8 in reading, writing, speaking or listening are appropriate, and an English level is not expected. The position is similar in respect of mathematics, number, using and applying mathematics and shape, space and measures. For science, a simple level from P1i–P8 is appropriate.
Exceptionally, however, there may be instances where a child is judged to be at P1i–P3ii in English and/or mathematics but at P4–P8 in a particular element of the subject. The school MIS software will allow these levels to be recorded and will transfer all levels as entered for key stage 1 children, following the supplier’s instructions as provided.
Read through Section 5.5 from KS1 ARA 2010 or 4.3 KS2 ARA 2010.

4. P scales: national information
End of Key Stage children working at Level W must be reported as P levels to refine assessments.
The DfES collects P scales’ data from schools – statutory.
P scales’ descriptors at:
Using the P scales – assessing pupil attainment in English, maths and science at Levels 4 to 8 from QCDA website.

5. Inter-school Training and Agreement trialling
All schools in all partnerships in January with two partnerships at each venue.
Evidence in writing, number and science.
Primary, infant, junior, middle, secondary and special schools.
Use P Scale Moderation Guide to understand how the process works.
Moderator is facilitator.
Is for all schools in all partnerships regardless of whether they have children working at P scales or not. There is an expectation that all schools will attend. This is in response to schools expecting training at the P scales moderation last year – they turned up with no evidence and moderated the work from other schools. Some schools commented that they needed experience in agreement trialling – hence the additional sessions. There is an expectation that schools who bring evidence to the agreement trialling, will have moderated it in school first. We will provide evidence for schools to agreement trial and will have a go at it ourselves today. If people have brought their own evidence today, we may be able to use that at the agreement trialling sessions as well.

6. The Process
Agreement trial first. Agree levels and next steps in children’s learning.
Then moderate evidence brought.
Moderating the work / activity NOT the child.
Work can exemplify an aspect of the level – not necessarily all criteria.
Look at elements of level above and below in order to reach a decision.
Information on context sheet is key.
Talk through.
Examples of one each of writing, number and science. Does not matter which order they are moderated. However we will take feedback on their decisions of the exemplars later in the session.

7. Context Sheets: guidance
Learning intention.
Level of support (eg: individual, independent, child initiated.)
Type of support (eg: equipment, modelling, support prompt.)
Evidence:
Level/extent of prompt
Duration
Reason/frequency of prompt
Supported by/method of response
Talk through. See page 4 of the P Scales Moderation Guide.
Context sheets for all P scales are in the large P Scale Moderation file.

8. County Moderation
Up to 2 teachers from each school with children working at P scales.
Bring 2-3 examples each in number, science and writing from P4 to P8.
Each piece of work should have the annotated Assessment Moderation Proforma from the “P scale Moderation Resource File” attached to it, indicating the context in which it was produced.
It is important that the samples of work brought to moderation have been moderated by the school first to show which levels have been agreed.
Moderation held at the beginning of March. Open to Primary, infant, junior, middle, secondary and special schools.
Same procedure as before.

9. Contacts Margo Barraclough, Assessment Adviser
Jackie Lawrence, Assessment PA
Advisory Service Kent
East Malling Research Centre
New Road
East Malling
Kent, ME19 6BJ.
Fax:
Last slide!
Details for reference.
Ask delegates to complete evaluation form before they leave.