Assessment

In 2016 the Government introduced new national curriculum tests (commonly called SATs) to reflect the revised national curriculum launched in 2014. Test results are no longer reported as levels. Scaled scores are used instead to help calculate the new progress measures for school.

What has changed?

The way we measure primary school performance at the end of key stage 2 (KS2) has changed. Instead of measuring progress for individual pupils, the new measures look at progress at a school level. Progress measures provide parents with information to help them understand how their school is performing and to inform school choices.

In order to calculate the school level progress measures, pupils’ results (at KS2) are compared to the achievements of other pupils across the country who had a similar starting point (prior attainment). Prior attainment is based on teacher assessment judgements at key stage 1 (KS1). Schools have progress measures published for 3 subjects: reading, writing and maths.

There are 2 main advantages to the new progress measures:

• They are fairer to schools because we can compare pupils with similar starting points to each other.
• They recognise the progress schools make with all their pupils, highlighting the best schools who pupils go furthest, whatever their starting point.

What progress measures mean: 

Most school will have progress scores between -5 and +5. 

If a school has a progress score of 0 this means that on average their pupils achieved similar results at the end of KS2 (end of Y6) to pupils in other schools with similar results at the end of KS1 (end of year 2).

If a school has a positive progress score this means that on average their pupils made more progress than pupils in other schools with similar results at the end of KS1.

For example: a score of +3 in reading would mean that on average pupils at the school got 3 scaled score points more in the KS2 English reading test, compared to other pupils nationally with similar results at the end of KS1. 

A negative score does not mean a school has failed or pupils have made no progress. It just means that on average their pupils have made less progress than pupils in other school with similar results at the end of KS1.

Reporting to parents. 

We will provide an annual report to parents in July of each academic year for all children across the school. We hold termly parent consultation meetings in November, March and July. At the start of each academic term we send home a parent forecast so that you know what your child will be covering in their learning. Further detailed information about the curriculum for your child can also be found on the website.  You are always welcome to contact the school to make an appointment time to see your child’s class teacher at any time.