Understanding the Key Stage 3
(Years 7 to 9) Reports
28th November and 1st December
KS3 Report Structure
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Term 1 and Term 2:
• For each subject the student will be given:
• Effort grade (excellent – good – satisfactory – needs
improvement)
• Attainment Level (National Curriculum Level)
KS3 Report Structure
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Term 3:
• A comment from their tutor
• For each subject the student will be given:
• Written comment
• Effort grade (excellent – good – satisfactory – needs
improvement)
• Attainment grade (National Curriculum Level)
Where does an Attainment level come from?
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All assessment in Key Stage Three is done using National
Curriculum Levels
Throughout the term each class will undertake a number
of assessments that are used to decide teach Term’s level.
The amount type and structure of the assessments is
based on an Assessment Outline for that subject and that
Year
This is recorded by staff in their Marks Books and key
assessment points are standardised across classes for
consistency
How do Levels Work?
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They will range from level 1 to 8 and each level is
broken into three sub-levels of a, b and c.
Each level is a statement of knowledge, skills and
understanding that indicate what a student can do at
that level.
The letters represent whether the student is
beginning (c), developing (b) or secure (a) at that
level
The level on the end of Term report will reflect the
best fit level from these assessments.
The National Curriculum Descriptors
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File
Making the Descriptors Accessable
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MFL Example
Student Reflection using the Level Descriptors
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Art & Design
Why Best Fit?
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Unlike grades, National Curriculum levels are based
on a series of descriptors.
Students may not exhibit all the aspects of that level
descriptor in all assessments
Students may show different aspects of a level in
different assessments
Professional judgement will be used by the teacher
based on the assessment evidence collected to decide
on the attainment level
What Progress are students expected to make?
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Students should generally make two sub levels of
progress a year.
So a student who enters Year 7 as a level 5b should
target a 7b at the end of Key Stage Three
However, it is not automatic that students make this
progress in this way.
What Progress is my child expected to make?
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Each student is different, they are not robots and so
they learn differently and at different paces.
Some factors which may influence expectations are:
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How long has your child been taught in English?
How long have they been at DCS?
Are they EAL?
What is progress like in other areas of the curriculum?
What system have they come from?
Look for two sub-levels per year ~ One year you
might get one sub-level and the next three sub levels
What Progress is my child expected to make?
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Students will be set Target Levels in all their subjects
this year
These will be based on:
– the previous year’s attainment
– CEM data
Student progress will be evaluated against these
targets
Staff will monitor student progress in light of these
targets to ensure the student’s remain on track
Where do we start?
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Different subjects will also show different rates of
progress depending on the experience students have
had of the subject before coming to DCS
For example, in Modern Foreign Languages students
have no leveled assessment before joining and start at
the beginning of level 1, while in other subjects
students may already be at level 5 on entry.
Please do not be alarmed if the Modern Foreign
Language or other non-core subject’s levels seem
low. By the end of the Key Stage students will be able
to access the highest levels in languages, as with all
other subjects.
UK National Targets versus DCS Targets
- Core Subjects
Year Group
UK National targets DCS targets
6
4b
5b
7
5c
6c
8
5a
6a
9
6b
7b
These levels of progression are for the Core subjects of English, Maths
and Science
Progression to the I/GCSE
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The table shows a
standard expected
progression from levels
at the end of Key Stage
Three to the I/GCSE in
most subjects
Remember these are a
very broad general guide
to progression.
Every Child is different
and for every rule there
are exceptions
Level at end of
KS3
I/GCSE Grade
4
D
5
C
6
B
7
A
8
A*
This table shows the I/GCSE grade
that the majority of students who
attain a certain level often receive at
the I/GCSE
Isn’t the National Curriculum Changing in the UK?
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A new revised National Curriculum has been
released that is being implemented
Schools no longer have to use National Curriculum
Levels for their assessment
Schools can choose their Assessment Method
How Will The Changes Affect DCS?
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We already modify the National Curriculum we use
to suit our students and we will continue to do this
We will continue to use the National Curriculum
Levels as the basis for our assessment
Why Use NC levels?
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Criterion based
Clear, tried and tested
Significant experience of NC levels within the school
Significant tools and documents within the
departments to support NC levels
Standardisation across Dulwich Colleges
Questions