English Level Descriptors
Reading
read a range of texts fluently and
Level Pupils
ac c ur ate ly . T he y r e ad ind e p e nd e ntly ,
3
us ing s tr ateg ie s ap pro pr iate ly to
es tab lis h me aning. In responding to
fiction and non-fiction in a range of
m o d e s the y s ho w und e r s tand ing o f the
m ain p o ints and e x p r e s s p r e fe r enc e s .
T he y us e the ir k no w le d g e of the
alp habet and of se arch techniq ues to
locate sources and find information.
Level
4
I n r e s p o nd i ng to a r a n g e o f te x ts ,
p u p i ls s h o w u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f
s i g n i f i c a n t i d e a s , t he m e s , e v e nt s a n d
characters, beginning to use
i n f e r e n c e a n d d e d u c t i o n. T he y
understand that texts reflect the
t i m e a n d c u l t u r e i n w h ic h t h e y w e r e
w r i t t e n . T he y r e fe r to t he te x t w he n
e x p l a in i ng the ir v ie w s and are able to
locate and use ideas and information.
Level
5
P up ils s ho w und e r s t and in g o f a
r ang e o f texts, selecting essential
points and using inference a n d
deduction where appropriate. In
t h e i r responses, they identify ke y
features, themes a n d c h a r a c t e r s a n d
s e le c t s e n t e n c e s , p h r a s e s and
relevant information to support their
views. They understand that texts fit
into historical and literary traditions.
They retrieve and collate information
from a r ange of sources.
Level
6
I n r e a d i n g a nd d is c us s i n g a r an g e o f
te x ts , p up il s id e n ti fy d i ffe r e n t l ay e r s
o f m e a n in g a n d comment on their
significance and effect. They give
p e r s o nal r e s p o ns es to lite r ar y te x ts ,
r e fe r r ing to a s p e c t s o f l a n g u a g e ,
structure and themes in justifying
t h e i r v ie w s , a n d m a k i n g c o n n e c t i o n s
between texts from different times and
cultures and their own experienc es.
They summ arise a r ange o f infor matio n
from different sources.
Level
7
Pupils show understanding of the
ways in which meaning and
information are conveyed in a range
of texts. They articulate personal and
critical res po nses to poe ms, play s
and no ve ls, s ho w ing awareness of
their thematic, structural and linguistic
features. They understand why
some texts are p ar ticular ly v alue d
and influential. They select,
s y nthe s is e and c o m p ar e
info r m atio n fr o m a v ar ie ty of
sources.
Level
8
Pupils’ responses s how their
appreciation of, and ability to
comment on, a range of texts,
and they evaluate how authors achieve
their effects thro ugh the use of
ling uis tic, s truc tur al and
presentational devices. They sele ct
and analyse inform atio n and ideas,
and comment on how these are
conveyed in d ifferent texts . T hey
explore some of the ways in which
texts from different times and cultures
have influenced literature and
society.
Writing
Speaking & Listening
Pupils’ writing is of ten organised,
imaginative and clear. The main features of
different fo rms o f tex ts are use d
app ro pr iate ly, b eg inning to be adap ted to
different re aders. Seq uences of s entences
extend ide as log ically and words are chosen for
variety and interest. The basic gr ammatic al
struc ture of sente nces is usually correct.
Spelling is usually acc urate, inc luding that o f
common, polysyllabic words. Punctuatio n to
mark sentences – full stops, c apital letters and
q ue s tio n m ar k s – is us e d ac c ur a te ly .
Hand w r i ting is joined and legible .
P up ils ’ w riting in a r ang e o f for ms is live ly
a nd t ho ug h t f ul. I d e as a r e o f te n s us ta i ne d
a nd developed in interesting w ay s, with
organis ation g e n e r a l l y a p p r o p r i a t e f o r
p u r p o s e o f t h e r e a d e r . V o c a b u l a r y c ho ic e s
ar e o f te n a d v e nt u r o u s a nd w o r d s ar e us e d
for effect. Pupils are beginning to use
grammatically c o m p le x se nte nc e s, e x te nd ing
m e aning . Sp e lling , including that of
polysyllabic words that conform to re g ular
p atte r ns , is g e ne r ally ac c ur a te . Full s to p s ,
capital letters and question marks are used
correctly, and p up ils are be ginning to use
p unc tuatio n w ithin sentences. H and writing
style is fluent, joined
and le g ib le .
Pupils’ writing is varied and interesting,
conveying meaning clearly in a range of
forms for different readers, using a m ore
formal style where a p p r o p r i a t e . V o c a b u l a r y
c h o i c e s a r e i m a g i n a t i v e and words are used
precisely. Sentences, including comp lex o ne s,
and p ar ag r ap hs are co her e nt, clear and w e ll
d e v e lo pe d . Wo r d s w ith c o m p lex r e g ular
patterns are usually spelt correctly. A range
of p u nc t u at io n, in c l ud i ng c o m m as ,
ap o s t r o p he s and inverted commas, is usually
used accurately. Handwriting is joined, clear
and fluent and, where appropr iate, is ad ap ted
to a r ange of tasks.
Pupils’ writing is fluent and often engages
and sus tains the reader’s interest, showing
some adap tatio n of s tyle and re g ister to
different forms, including us ing an
impersonal sty le where a p p r o p r i a t e . P u p i l s
u s e a r a n g e o f s e n t e n c e structures and
varied vocabulary to create effects. S p e l l i n g ,
including that of irregular words, is
generally acc urate. H and writing is neat and
legible. A r ange o f p unc tuation is usually
used correctly to clarify meaning, and ideas
are organised into p aragraphs.
Pupils talk and listen confidently in different
c o nte x ts , ex p lo r ing and c o m m unic ating
id e as . I n d i s c u s s i o n, t h e y s h o w
u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e m a i n p o ints .
T hr o ug h r e le v ant c o m m e nts and
q ue s tio ns , they show they have listened
carefully. They begin to adapt what they
say to the needs of the listener, varying the
use of vocabulary and the level of detail.
They are beginning to be aware of standard
English and when it is used.
Pupils’ writing is confident and shows
ap p r o p r iate and im ag in ativ e c ho ic e s o f s ty le
in a r ange of forms. Charac ters and settings
are developed in their narrative writing. Their
nonfiction writing is coherent and gives clear
points of view, taking account of different
perspectives. Grammatic al feature s and
vocabulary are used accurately and effectively.
Spelling is correct, including that of complex
irregular words. Work is le g ib le a n d
attr ac tiv e ly p r e s e nte d . P ar ag r ap hing and
correct punc tuation are used to make the
s e q u e nc e o f e v e n t s o r i d e a s c o h e r e n t a n d
c l e a r to the reader.
Pupils show creativity in the way they select
s p e c i f ic fe a t ur e s o r e x p r e s s io ns to c o nv e y
e f fe c t s and to inter es t the re ad e r. T heir
nar r ative wr iting s ho w s c o n tr o l o f c h ar ac te r s ,
e v e n ts a n d s e t t in g s , and shows variety in
structure. In non-fiction, they e x p r e s s co m p le x
id e as c le ar ly and p r e s e nt the m c oherently,
anticip ating and ad dressing a range of
different v iewpoints. T heir use of vocabulary
and g r am m ar e nab le s fine d is ti n c tio ns to b e
m ad e o r e m p h a s i s a c h i e v e d . T h e i r w r i t i n g
s h o w s a c l e a r g r as p o f the use of p unc tuatio n
and p ar ag r ap hing.
Pupils are confident in matching their
talk t o t h e d e m a n d s o f d i f f e r e n t
c o n t e x t s , i n c l u d i n g those that are
unfamiliar. They use vocabulary in
p r e c is e and c r e ativ e w ay s and o r g anis e
the ir talk to communicate clear ly . They
make sig nific ant c o n t r i b u t i o n s to
d i s c u s s io n s , e v a l u a t i n g o t h e r s ’ ideas
and varying how and when they
participate. They use standard English
confidently in situations that require it.
Pupils talk and listen with confidence in an
incr e as ing r ange o f co ntex ts. T heir talk
is ad ap te d to the p ur p o s e : d e v e lo p ing
id e as tho ug h tful ly , d e s c r i b i n g e v e n t s
a n d c o n v e y i n g t h e i r o p i n io n s clearly.
They listen carefully in discussions,
making c o n t r i b u t i o n s a n d a s k i n g
q u e s t i o n s t h a t a r e respo nsive to others’
ideas and views. T hey adap t the ir
spo ke n lang uag e ap pro pr iate ly and use
some of the features of standard Englis h
vocabulary
and gr ammar.
Pupils talk and listen with confidence in an
inc r e as ing r ang e o f c o nte x ts . T he ir talk
is ad ap te d to the p ur p o s e : d e ve lo p ing
id e as tho ug h tful ly , d e s c r i b i n g e v e n t s
a n d c o n v e y i n g t h e i r o p i n i o n s clearly.
They begin to vary their expression and
v o c a b u l a r y . T he y l i s te n c a r e f u l l y i n
d i s c u s s io n s , making contributions and
asking questions that are r e s p o n s i v e t o
o t h e r s ’ i d e a s a n d v i e w s . T h e y u s e some
of the features of standard English
vocabulary and gramm ar.
Pupils adapt their talk to the de mands of
different co ntexts, p urposes and aud iences
with i n c r e a s i n g c o n f i d e n c e . T h e i r t a l k
e n g a g e s t h e i n t e r e s t o f t h e l i s te n e r
t h r o u g h t h e v a r ie t y a n d liv eline ss o f bo th
voc ab ulary and e xp res sio n. P up ils t ak e an
ac tiv e p ar t i n d is c us s io ns , tak in g d iffe r e nt
r o le s a n d s h o w i n g u n d e r s t a n d i ng o f
ideas and sensitivity to others. They
d e m o n s t r a t e t h e i r knowledge of language
variety and usage effectively and use
standard English fluently in formal
situations.
Pupils maintain and develop the ir talk
p ur pose fully in a r ange o f co nte xts. T hey
str uc tur e what they say clearly, using apt
vocabulary and ap pro pr iate into natio n and
emp hasis. T he y m ake a range of
contributions that show they have listened
perceptively and are sensitive to the
d e v e l o p m e n t of discussions. T hey use
stand ard Englis h confide ntly in a range of
situations, adapting as necessary.