Teaching and Learning Resources p.1
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Evidence based on responses to
'The Highwayman' by Alfred Noyes
Task 2
This task requires pupils to describe the highwayman from Noyes’ poem.
Assessment commentary
This piece simply describes some of the content of the poem. Ideas are clearly
signalled (AF2) to the reader by the simple sequencing device (AF3) of beginning
each sentence with a reference to a point in the poem. These act as topic sentences,
but there is no elaboration of them (AF4). A limited range of sentence forms is used
(AF5). These are usually accurately demarcated (AF6), although towards the end of
the piece the use of simple connectives to create an extended sentence is
undermined by the inappropriate insertion of full stops (AF6). Much of the vocabulary
derives from the poem, but there is only one spelling error within this limited range.
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Teaching and Learning Resources p.2
tlr.nationalstrategies.dcsf.gov.uk
This brief and limited piece of writing is clear in meaning and fluently expressed. It
fulfils the level 3 criteria for most assessment focuses.
Task 3
This task requires pupils to write a letter in the role of Tim the ostler (from the The
Highwayman).
Assessment commentary
In this response, the pupil adopts the main conventions of the letter form (AF1). The
ideas covered derive from the poem and there is some explanation of the relationship
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Teaching and Learning Resources p.3
tlr.nationalstrategies.dcsf.gov.uk
between Bess and the highwayman and an attempted justification for killing him. An
attempt is also made to provide some elaboration in description to engage the reader
– ‘on a farm at the stable inn'; ‘madly in love’ – but there is little detailed
development. The writer's viewpoint and purpose are plainly stated (AF2) in a way
that also provides an appropriate opening to the letter (AF3) and this perspective is
maintained, although the ending is not consistent with it. Paragraphs are used to
signal developments in dialogue and also to organise material (AF4). There is some
use of connectives to extend sentence structures (AF5), with these usually correctly
demarcated (AF6). Vocabulary is rarely chosen for effect (AF7), but there are few
errors in spelling in the limited range of words used (AF8).
Although at text level some of the level 4 criteria are beginning to be met, at word/
sentence level the range of expression is still quite limited.
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