The Assessment and Reporting systems in place at John Smeaton Academy are used at all secondary academies across The GORSE Academies Trust; as such, we benefit from being able to analyse the data we collect on a wider scale to identify strengths and areas for development to ultimately ensure our students make maximum progress.  In order to achieve this it is imperative that students understand their current position in each subject; students need to be clear about why they are performing at that grade, how this has been decided and what they need to do to progress to the next level. At John Smeaton Academy we believe that it is important for parents and carers to have a clear idea of their child’s current performance and what they need to do to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding further.  We are keen to engage in dialogue with students, parents and carers; we recognise the importance of working together as partners in learning in improving outcomes for our students.

Target Setting

Each student is set an end of year Minimum Expected Grade (MEG). Each target is based on the students’ KS2 data (e.g. SATs in reading and mathematics). For Years 8 to 11, targets are adjusted according to progress they have made since joining the academy. Additionally, in Years 10 and 11, students studying a vocational subject are set an end of KS4 Target for that subject. This target does not change for the remainder of their time at the academy.

Assessment

There are three Assessment Points for each year group during the course of the academic year. At each, teachers will use a range of evidence (classwork, homework and Iterative Tests) to decide upon a current working grade for each student – this is known as the Assessment Point grade (AP1, AP2 and AP3). Recent changes to the national landscape of assessment (removal of National Curriculum Levels in favour of scaled scores at KS2, and new, more challenging GCSE specifications at KS4) have influenced the grading system we now use in all year groups.

Students are awarded grade from 9 to 1 (with 9 being the highest grade possible at GCSE, equivalent to above an old grade A*) with added grades from a to d included to indicate students working towards a grade 1.

• A grade 7 is aligned to an old grade A.
• The government deems a grade 5 to be a “strong pass” at GCSE.
• A grade 4 is aligned to an old grade C. The government deems this to be a “standard pass” at GCSE.
• A grade 1 is aligned to an old grade G.
• The exceptions to this are Year 10 and 11 students following vocational courses, where grades Distinction*, Distinction, Merit and Pass are used. A Pass is equivalent to a grade 4.

Each grade is divided into three sub-grades: eg. 5-, 5 and 5+.

Reporting and Effort Grades

Parents and carers will receive information as above at different Assessment Points throughout the year. Along with the targets that are set and the students’ current working grade, each student will also be awarded an Attitude to Education Level (ATEL) and an Attitude to Education Focus (ATEF). The ATEL is the level which the student is currently working at, whereas the ATEF is set to support students in securing the next level up, unless they are an outstanding learner, in which case an ATEF from the outstanding descriptors should be set. Both teachers and form tutors should adopt a best-fit approach using the descriptors below.

Unsatisfactory Learner

An unsatisfactory learner demonstrates a poor attitude towards learning. Unsatisfactory learners:

U1. take little responsibility for their own learning and behaviour;
U2. leave work incomplete or do not complete it to an appropriate standard;
U3. frequently fail to meet homework/coursework deadlines;
U4. may be late to lessons or absent for unacceptable reasons;
U5. disrupt the learning of others;
U6. fail to bring appropriate equipment to lessons;
U7. fail to adequately consider different viewpoints or to demonstrate an understanding of Modern British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, respect and tolerance.