Understanding Your Child's Report
How will my child know if they are on track to make good progress?
Regular reports home will provide individual grades for behaviour, effort and home learning in each subject. They will also include your child’s current progress in each subject. We will also include attendance and punctuality to school data.
At Hathershaw College, Key Stage 3 includes Years 7, 8 and 9, while Key Stage 4 includes Years 10 and 11. However, our students are on a five-year learning journey spanning across Year 7 to Year 11.
We have allocated each student a KS3 starting pathway based on their progress at primary school and have also given an estimated grade range, that as a minimum, they should be aiming to achieve by the end of Year 11 as shown in the table below:
Pathway Name |
Estimated GCSE Grade Range |
|
Ambition |
7-9 |
|
Courage |
5-6 |
|
Endurance |
3-4 |
|
Resilience |
1-2 |
The name of the pathway your child has been placed on and the estimated GCSE grade range by the end of Year 11, is indicated at the top-right of their KS3 report.
Progress
At KS3Teachers have compared the quality of your child’s classwork, home learning and other assessments, against your child’s starting pathway and where they should be at the end of Year 11. They have provided a comment on the level of progress made by your child using the following criteria:
| Progress | Assessment Criteria |
| Above Expected | Current knowledge and understanding of the curriculum exceeds the expected standard for their estimated grade range. Currently making excellent progress on their pathway. If this continues, they could achieve higher than their estimated grade range by the end of Year 11. |
| Expected | Current knowledge and understanding of the curriculum matches the expected standard for their estimated grade range. Currently making expected progress on their pathway. If this continues, they are likely to achieve their estimated grade range by the end of Year 11. |
| Below Expected | Current knowledge and understanding of the curriculum is one grade below the expected standard for their estimated grade range. Currently underachieving and not fully meeting the expected standard. If this continues they are likely to achieve below their estimated grade range by the end of Year 11. |
| Cause for concern | Current knowledge and understanding of the curriculum is more than one grade below the expected standard for their estimated grade range. Significantly below the expected standard. If this continues, they are likely to achieve below their estimated grade range by the end of Year 11. |
At KS4
A student’s progress is measured by giving a target grade and a predicted grade.
A target grade is based on your child’s progress at primary school. They have been given a target grade for each subject which, as a minimum, they should be aiming to achieve by the end of Year 11.
A predicted grade is the grade your son/daughter is most likely to achieve by the end of the Year 11 based on their current performance. Teachers have made this decision based on any mock exam results alongside classwork, home learning and other assessments. For GCSE subjects the grading scale runs from 9 to 1, with 9 being the highest grade. The grading system for vocational qualifications is below:
* Distinction star
D Distinction
P Pass
M Merit
The number stated is the level of the qualification, which is either Level 1 or Level 2.
Examples: M1 = Level 1 Merit, *2 = Level 2 Distinction star.
Behaviour, effort and home learning
At both Key Stages students have been given an individual grade for behaviour, effort and home learning in each subject. We believe that great learning happens when students challenge themselves to work hard and aim high. The following chart contains the grade descriptors that we have used and defines the high standard we want all students to aim for.
|
Attitude to Learning |
Excellent |
Good |
Requires improvement |
Poor |
| Behaviour in lesson | Behaviour is excellent. Always very well behaved and ready to learn. | Behaviour is good. Consistently well behaved and ready to learn. | Behaviour in lessons is variable. Sometimes needs reminders of the behaviour expectations of the school. | Behaviour is a concern and is stopping progress. Needs constant reminders of the behaviour expectations of the school. |
| Effort in lesson | Always gets the most out of their learning opportunities. Excellent class contributions and organisation. Always takes responsibility for own learning in an attempt to make outstanding progress. | Responsible and hardworking and always tries their best. Makes a good contribution in class and takes responsibility for own learning in an attempt to make good progress. | Needs to push themselves more to make the most of their learning. They don't always actively engage in learning. | Poor effort in written work and/or very little contribution in class. |
| Home learning | Completes all homework on time, frequently producing work of an exceptional standard and prepares thoroughly for assessments. |
Completes homework on time and to a good standard and prepares well for assessments. |
Does not always complete homework on time. The quality varies. Only partially prepares for assessments. May not be as organised as they could be and forgets to bring homework in for checking. | Does not complete homework on time nor to the expected standard. Does not prepare for assessments. May not be organised and forgets to bring homework in for checking. |
Changes to Assessment and GCSE Grading
The GCSEs in England have changed to make them more demanding. These new GCSEs are better at equipping young people with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in 21st century Britain, and match the best performing education systems in the world.
The new qualifications are the result of a long and careful process of reform, which involved extensive consultation with schools, universities and employers.
GCSEs have changed gradually over the past few years:
- In the summer of 2017, the first reformed GCSEs were introduced in English language, English literature and maths.
- In 2018, a further 20 new GCSE subjects were introduced. These included sciences, history and geography, and some modern foreign languages.
- In 2019, a further 25 new GCSEs were examined for the first time.
- By 2020, all GCSEs in England are now graded using numbers instead of letters.
How has the grading scale changed?
The grading scale now runs from 9 to 1 instead of A* to G, with 9 the highest grade.
The new scale recognises more clearly the achievements of high-attaining students, as the additional grades allow for greater differentiation.
The new GCSE grading scale is not directly equivalent to the old A* to G one. However, there are some comparable points between the old grades and the new ones:
- The bottom of grade 7 is aligned with the bottom of grade A
- The bottom of grade 4 is aligned with the bottom of grade C
- The bottom of grade 1 is aligned with the bottom of grade G
What is a “standard” or “strong” pass?
- A Grade 4 is the “standard pass”, in all subjects. A grade 4 or above marks a similar achievement to the old grade C or above.
- Students who do not attain a grade 4 or above in English and/or maths must continue to study these subjects as part of their post-16 education. This requirement does not apply to other subjects.
- A grade 5 or above in English or maths is known as a “strong pass” for the purposes of school accountability only. It is part of the way in which we monitor school performance, helping us to raise standards in English and maths.
Secondary School Accountability – The Progress 8 measure
Historically, all students and schools were measured on attainment by how many GCSEs they achieve at A*-C including English and Mathematics. From September 2016 all students are measured on how much progress they make from when they start in Year 7 to when they complete their exams at the end of Year 11. This is known as Progress 8.
This measure is based on students’ progress measured across eight subjects. For each student the 8 subjects must be a combination from the diagram, below.
More information on Progress 8 can be found here.
...and finally
We care deeply about the personal development of each of our students. From the moment a child enters the College we want them to feel a sense of happiness and belonging, and be challenged to do their very best.
Our assessment system aims to set the highest aspirations and encourage all students to achieve their full potential.
