Acle Assessment
Introduction
Attainment targets and levels have been used in Key Stage 3 (KS3) assessment since the introduction of the national curriculum in 1988. It has become evident that using these levels as a method of assessment had a negative impact on the quality of teaching. Areas of the curriculum where students’ knowledge and understanding needed to improve were not being clearly identified. Therefore, the use of national curriculum levels as a form of progress assessment has ceased.
For further details, please see the Commission on Assessment Without Levels report September 2015.
Why is assessment important?
Assessment plays a fundamental role in learning. It helps students and teachers identify what has been learnt, the skills that have been mastered and what needs to improve. Most importantly, it guides and supports students through the next steps of their learning. High-quality assessment can have a very positive impact on students’ learning and progress.
How will students be assessed?
At Acle Academy, teaching schemes have been developed based on an analysis of the national curriculum content and the identification of GCSE knowledge and understanding. Each department are using assessment grids that have been designed to ensure that students have the key knowledge and understanding to be successful at KS4.
What do the new number grades mean?
From 2015, the grade descriptors for GCSE changed from A* - G to 9 - 1. To show how each of the new numerical grades compare to the old letter grades please see the table below.
Prior to 2015, a ‘C’ was considered a ‘good’ pass, however from 2015 this has changed so that a ‘5’ becomes the new measure for a good pass.
What is a student's starting point?
The academy uses KS2 prior attainment as the starting point for each student. This is based on how each student performed in English and maths at KS2 and forms the starting point for progress at Acle Academy. Regardless of a student’s starting point it is expected that every student makes then same rate of progress which is 4 grades of progress from the end of KS2 to the end of KS4. This can be illustrated using a flight-path, which can be found here.