KS2-3 English Moderation: Guidance on Exemplar Profiles 2011
On the CD you will find copies of 4 exemplar profiles from the 2010 WJEC KS2-3
ENGLISH External Moderation Pilot along with commentary from the Chief Moderator.
Please use this guidance to place the exemplar pilot profiles in context.
NB – Following the pilot the administration guidance has been reviewed. Whilst these
profiles demonstrate some of the best practice from the pilot, clusters are encouraged to
check their profiles against the revised guidance for the national external moderation
process published on the WJEC website.
PROFILE A: KS2 Level 4 Profile
Chief Moderator’s Comments:
Moderators fully agreed with the cluster’s best-fit judgement and sufficient evidence was
submitted. This provides a useful exemplar profile for clusters of a learner profile at the
lower end of Level 4.
The nature of the profile:
This profile, along with the others from the cluster was submitted in hard copy for the KS2-3
External Moderation Pilot.
Sufficient evidence: Cluster Commentary
Cluster commentary is included as a grid for each attainment target. Reference to adjacent
levels is included and it is clear how the cluster has reached its best-fit decision for each of
the three attainment targets and through that process, for the best-fit overall subject level.
This is a clear and concise format for demonstrating the cluster’s judgements in a practical
way.
Sufficient evidence: resource/stimulus materials and contextual information
Task information is included along with the cluster commentary for each task on the
commentary grid. Resources are referenced e.g. the class novel ‘The Railway Children’ and
the electronic sources for the research task on Victorian children. See also moderator
comments below.
Sufficient evidence: Learners’ work
This is a concise learner profile that demonstrates a workable model for the cluster and for
sharing more widely. Sufficient evidence for each of the attainment targets has been
included. This comprises of three tasks for each attainment target demonstrating sufficient
aspects of the range for Oracy, Reading and Writing according to the pilot guidance.
In responding to this learner profile moderators reported:
Moderators fully agree with the cluster’s best-fit judgement. An appropriate range of
evidence is included for all three attainment targets and the cluster commentary includes
clear information about the contexts in which the tasks were undertaken. However to
strengthen the cluster evidence for further moderation the cluster should include the stimulus
material for the poetry writing task.
The cluster commentary shows clearly why the best-fit judgement has been made. It
includes appropriate consideration of adjacent levels.
Evidence reflects the 2008 national curriculum Skills and Range for English in Oracy,
Reading and Writing providing the cluster with useful reference materials.
PROFILE B: KS2 Level 5 Profile
Chief Moderator’s Comments:
Moderators fully agreed with the cluster’s best-fit judgement and sufficient evidence was
submitted. This provides a useful exemplar profile for clusters at the top end of Level 5.
The nature of the profile:
This profile, along with the others from the cluster was submitted in hard copy for the KS2-3
External Moderation Pilot.
Sufficient evidence: Cluster Commentary
The cluster used the pilot’s optional cluster commentary form to summarise their judgements
for each attainment target. In addition cluster commentary for each attainment target is
provided in prose at the beginning of each attainment target. This provides the cluster and
external moderators with a clear understanding of how the cluster reached their best-fit
judgement for each attainment target and for the best-fit overall subject level.
In addition, for both Reading and Writing tasks the cluster demonstrates how the cluster was
involved in the moderation process through including commentary by individual teachers
against individual tasks.
The cluster has also included highlighted copies of the level descriptions. However, with
sufficient cluster commentary already included in their good practice, this is probably an
unnecessary addition.
Sufficient evidence: resource/stimulus materials and contextual information
In addition the cluster has ensured that stimulus material is included where relevant. This
included the full chapter used for the reading task on the novel ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’. This
has been omitted for the purpose of this exemplification. Task information is included along
with the cluster commentary for each task.
Sufficient evidence: Learners’ work
Two Oracy tasks are included including an individual and group activity. Evidence for
Reading includes a literary response to the opening of ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’; and a response
to a non-literary text (as exemplified in the National Curriculum Guidance document for
English). Evidence for Writing includes a literary/narrative task, ‘a story entitled The Giants
who Came’, and a formal letter as evidence of non-literary writing. This provides the cluster
with sufficient evidence of the learner’s work for each attainment target.
In responding to this learner profile moderators reported:
Moderators agree fully with the cluster’s best-fit judgement for this level.
The cluster’s commentary shows clearly why the best-fit judgement has been made and
includes appropriate consideration of adjacent levels.
The learner profile reflects the 2008 national curriculum Skills and Range for English over all
three attainment targets. Both literary and non-literary Reading and Writing evidence are
included for example a diary entry, a persuasive argument, a narrative and a formal letter.
Context and task-setting information is clear and concise and will provide a useful reference
source for future school and cluster moderation processes.
Resource materials are included where appropriate and clearly labelled to relate to task.
PROFILE C: KS3 Level 5 Profile
Chief Moderator’s Comments:
Moderators fully agreed with the cluster’s best-fit judgement and sufficient evidence
was submitted.
This provides a useful exemplar profile for clusters of a profile at the top end of Level
5.
The nature of the profile:
This profile, along with the others from the cluster, was submitted electronically on a
memory stick for the pilot.
Sufficient evidence: Cluster Commentary
The cluster has chosen to scan the learners’ work for each of the three attainment
targets and to support this with cluster commentary combined with highlighted level
characteristics for each task. The commentary is concise and demonstrates the
cluster’s understanding of the characteristics of the levels demonstrated – Levels 5
and 6. A best-fit judgement at the top of Level 5 is reached and supported through
commentary and a summative grid hyperlinked to the learner evidence.
Sufficient evidence: resource/stimulus materials and contextual information
In addition the cluster has ensured that stimulus material is included where relevant.
This is provided in a separate electronic resource file. Task information is included
along with the cluster commentary for each task.
Sufficient evidence: Learners’ work
Three tasks are included as evidence for both Oracy and Reading. For Writing the
cluster has decided that 5 tasks are sufficient to demonstrate the characteristics of
Level 5 across a range of tasks. Some of these tasks demonstrate extended writing,
others demonstrate extracts from tasks. Together these provide sufficient evidence
to support the cluster’s judgements in each of the attainment targets and the overall
best-fit level.
In responding to this learner profile moderators reported:
Moderators agree fully with the cluster’s best-fit judgement. The cluster commentary
accurately reflects judgements at top end of the level. Appropriate references to
adjacent levels are made.
The learner profile reflects the 2008 national curriculum Skills and Range for English
over all three attainment targets. A range of literary and non-literary tasks are
included for Reading and Writing. Secondary evidence for Oracy includes evidence
from an appropriate range of tasks.
Context and task-setting is clear and concise. Resource material is included where
appropriate, for example ‘Strange Fruit’ lyrics and an extract from Peter Kay’s
autobiography.
This learner profile provides a useful reference source for teachers within the cluster.
Exemplar Profile: J – What happened after the Pilot Moderator Report? One
Cluster’s example
PROFILE J: KS2 Level 4 Profile – Adapted for cluster use following
pilot feedback
Chief Moderator’s Comments:
This profile has been included to exemplify how one cluster responded to the
feedback from the pilot.
During the pilot moderators were able to agree with the profile but identified
issues – this resulted in an A(i) code on the moderator report.
The issues moderators noted were that:
 the profile was securely within Level 4 profile rather than top end of Level 4 as
originally judged by the cluster; and
 resource material for Oracy and Writing would have made the evidence
clearer for the cluster and moderators.
As a result the cluster:
 adjusted their assessment identifying the profile as securely within Level 4
and refining their judgements as a result. This included reviewing their
assessment of the writing profile and noting the Level 3 and 4 characteristics
there resulting in a best-fit judgement at the lower end of Level 4 for this
attainment target. They also reviewed their assessment of the oracy profile
noting the Level 4 and 5 characteristics there resulting in a best-fit judgement
at the top end of Level 4 for this attainment target; and
 included resource materials for the oracy and writing tasks based on ‘The Iron
Man’ by Ted Hughes.
In addition the cluster:
 agreed to scan the profile to share electronically as a cluster exemplar profile
securely within Level 4;
 to use this as a model for future profiles for school, cluster and national
moderation;
 added a summary of their cluster work in relation to the profile; and
 identified that although reading evidence included literary and non-literary
evidence further tasks would make future learner profiles more effective.
They now believe 2 tasks to be insufficient to fully demonstrate a learner’s
reading profile.
Their other profiles were amended, shared and used in a similar way as part of their
ongoing end of KS2 and KS3 cluster moderation.
NB - This profile is included as an example of ongoing cluster moderation and
development work.