Assessment

To complement the curriculum, subject teams have developed models of assessment and progression clearly indicating the yearly expectations of progress for students with different prior attainment or ability. This approach enables judgements about attainment and progress to be made throughout KS3 and identifies next steps. 

In the EBacc subjects, a comprehensive suite of assessments is undertaken in year 7 to establish a baseline in each subject and set aspirational subject targets. We use this data to place students on an Expected Attainment Pathway in the form of four bands: 

• Excelling – work shows a deep understanding of the material covered and well-developed disciplinary knowledge. This band is indicative of a student who could go on to get GCSE grade 7-9, if they continue to progress as expected. 
• Secure – work reflects a good understanding of the material covered and associated disciplinary knowledge needed for a subject. This band is indicative of a student who could go on to secure GCSE grade 5 to 6, if they continue to progress as expected. 

• Developing – work reflects a reasonable understanding of the material covered and some of the disciplinary knowledge needed for a subject. This band is indicative of a student who could go on to secure GCSE grade 3 to 4, if they continue to progress as expected. 
• Emerging – work reflects a basic understanding of the material covered and the associated disciplinary knowledge needed for a subject. This band is indicative of a student who could go on to secure GCSE grade 1 to 2, if they continue to progress as expected. 

A range of formal assessments are used to place students into the best fit banding at each monitoring point. Remaining on the same pathway indicates a student is making expected progress through the curriculum. 

The descriptors for each band reflect an increase in demand, in line with the progression we would expect throughout Key Stage 3 for students accessing our curriculum. These descriptors are presented in the form of subject assessment and progression grids to support students, parents, and carers in identifying the next steps to maintain or improve current attainment and progress. 

This is based upon the assessments used by exam boards to award the final GCSE or vocational award qualifications. Throughout Year 10 and Year 11, students will sit regular assessments and trial examinations to provide a realistic experience of the final GCSE assessment. 

Assessments will be cumulative with the aim of assessing the full breadth of knowledge as students' progress through the curriculum. As such, we report current working grades and only begin reporting GCSE predicted grades once students sit full past papers that cover significant curriculum content. This is because GCSE grades are intended to be used to judge a student’s understanding of a full specification. This shift in scope usually happens at the end of Year 10.  

All assessments at Key Stage 4, will be subject to internal and external moderation. Subject staff routinely participate in Red Kite Alliance standardisation and moderation activities to assure and validate assessments.