National Curriculum and Assessment Information Evening January 2014

 The National Curriculum is divided into four Key Stages that children are taken through during their school life. For example, Key Stage 1 is taught during Years 1 and 2 of primary school. Targets defined in the National Curriculum are assessed at the end of each Key Stage.  The four Key Stages Key Stage 1Ages 5-7Years 1 and 2 Key Stage 2Ages 7-11Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 Key Stage 3Ages 11-14Years 7, 8 and 9 Key Stage 4Ages 14-16Years 10 and 11

State schools in England must teach a range of subjects according to targets set by the National Curriculum. This was established in 1989 to ensure the same standards of teaching and learning across the nation. The National Curriculum covers learning for all children aged 5-16 in state schools, and sets out:  which subjects should be taught  the knowledge, skills and understanding your child should achieve in each subject (according to your child’s age)  targets - so teachers can measure how well your child is doing in each subject  how information on your child’s progress should be passed on to you

 At primary school your child will learn about a wide range of subjects as well as Literacy and Maths, which are currently compulsory.  Other subjects include:  Science  Design and technology (ICT)  History  Geography  Art and design  Music  Physical Education  Religious education (parents have the right to withdraw children from these lessons if they choose)

 PSHE (personal, social and health education)  Citizenship  One modern foreign language (from September 2014, a modern foreign language will become compulsory for Key Stage 2 children - Years 3 to 6)  Sex education - every primary school must have a written policy on this available to parents and pupils (and parents can withdraw their children from sex education classes if they choose)

 Programmes of study set out what teachers should cover in every subject during each Key Stage.

Learning to read, write and spell, together with general speaking and listening skills, are called Literacy at primary school. Learning about numbers is called Maths or Numeracy. Both subjects are very important for your child’s future, and will be taken throughout their school life to GCSE level.

 Since 1998, most primary school teachers have taught Literacy and Maths (or Numeracy) according to a framework laid down by central government. This requires the equivalent of an hour of Literacy teaching and an hour of Maths teaching each day.  In June 2009 the government announced that from 2011 this framework would no longer apply, giving schools more freedom to decide how to teach Literacy and Maths.  However, the ideas underpinning the Literacy and Maths frameworks are still used in most schools.

 Of all the help you can give your child, the most important job you’ll probably do is helping with reading. That’s because learning to read is best taught on a one-to-one basis, so giving your child a bit of shared reading time every day will make a big difference.  Reading should be fun – that way it will be more effective. Here are some tips:  Talk about the story and the characters as you go along.  Let your child take over reading gradually – don’t push them into reading before they’re ready.  Visit the library and borrow books you enjoy reading together.  Choose subjects your child prefers - factual books or stories.  Look for words in everyday life, not just books. Read newspaper headlines, shop signs or menus in cafes

 As with Literacy, talk about Maths as much as possible at home. Try to find examples in everyday life – such as using small change or measuring ingredients when cooking – to make Maths relevant and fun.  There’s a lot of focus on developing Mental Maths skills during Key Stages 1 and 2. You can help by practising times tables and asking for the answers to simple sums. You could also try to:  talk about pocket money and what your child could buy with it  get your child to weigh the fruit and vegetables at the shops  measure your child’s height over time, and ask them to record how much they’ve grown

 As young children do not tend to segregate the world into components, we try where possible to link aspects of different subjects together.  Year 5 linked narrative poetry and Victorian history last term; Year 3 linked a study of Italy with The Romans and mosaic/venetian masks in art.

Key stage 1Key stage 2Key stage 3Key stage 4 Age5 – 77 – 1111 – 1414 – 16 Year groups1 – 23 – 67 – 910 – 11 Core subjects English  Mathematics  Science  Foundation subjects Art and design  Citizenship  Computing  Design and technology  Languages  Geography  History  Music  Physical education 

The Early Years Foundation Stage is a framework for children up to the age of five, setting out six key areas of learning around which activities should be based.  Revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage sets out the standards which govern all early years provision in England.   Statutory from Sept 12.   Balance of child-initiated play and focussed learning.   EYFS works on 4 themes and principles – A Unique Child, Positive Relationships, Enabling Environments, Learning and Development.   6 areas of learning have become:   3 prime areas  Communication and Language  Personal, Social and Emotional Development  Physical Development   Research shows above are closely linked to one another and are central to all other areas of learning and development.   4 specific areas  Literacy  Numeracy  Expressive Arts and Design  Mathematics

 Each child is tracked against Development Matters/Early Learning Goals.  Assessment is on-going in the EYFS.  Learning Journeys, observations, topic work are used as evidence.  Assessment at the end of the EYFS:  In the final term of Reception, the EYFS profile must be completed for each child.  Children’s progress is assessed against the Early Learning Goals for each area. Does the child meet expected levels of development, exceed the expected level or are emerging (not yet meeting expected levels)?  Development matters tracking will be shared at Parents Evening in the Spring Term.

Levels 1-3 in Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2, ages 4-7) Most pupils are at Level 2 by the end of Key Stage 1 Levels 2-5 in Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6, ages 7-11) Most pupils are at Level 4 by the end of Key Stage 2 Levels 3-7 in Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9, ages 11-14) Most pupils are at Level 5/6 by the end of Key Stage 3 Ho ing Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 (Years 1-9 ) each subject has a series of eight levels. These are used to measure your child’s progress compared with other pupils of the same age across the country. The levels are:

 To help schools measure and monitor progress more accurately and frequently, the levels are split into three sub-levels, a, b, c  Eg 2a – nearly a level 3  2b – a secure level 2  2c – just into level 2

 As a school we track children’s progress through their target cards  Cards are used in Reading, Writing and Maths (separated into number and the other aspects of maths)  Stickers or ticks show when a child has mastered a particular skill INDEPENDENTLY and REGULARLY  Target cards also show the children’s next learning goals

 Pstracker is an online skill tracker for foundation subjects and science  Teachers assess children’s attainment/progress at the end of a topic and update the assessment grids  We hope to develop these to provide national curriculum levels on school reports

 These are meetings held 4 times a year with the class teacher and headteacher  September, January, April, July  Discuss progress of children towards end of year levels  Where progress is slower than expected, discuss strategies to support the child’s learning

 More focus from teacher/teaching assistant  Increased monitoring of progress  Agree support with/from parents  Intervention programmes – reading recovery, dyslexia, better reading partnerships, maths recovery  One-to-one support  Booster groups (usually older children and usually after school)  Use of our “floating” teacher

Children are formally assessed at the end of Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 (these tests are sometimes called SATs - Standard Assessment Tasks). At the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2, aged 7) they’ll be assessed by their teacher, with the help of informal tests, in literacy, maths and science. At the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6, aged 11) they’ll be assessed through national tests in some aspects of English and maths. They’ll also be assessed by their teacher in the other aspects of these subjects and science. You’ll be sent their test and assessment results. At the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9, aged 14), your child will be assessed by their teachers in all subjects. In Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11, ages 14 to 16) teachers assess pupils’ work to predict how well they might do in GCSE exams. The final measure of their attainment in Key Stage 4 is their actual GCSE results, published after they finish Year 11.

Year 1 phonics screening check  The check will take place in June when your child will read 40 words out loud to a teacher. You’ll find out how your child did, and their teacher will assess whether he or she needs extra help with reading. If your child doesn’t do well enough in the check they’ll have to do it again in Year 2. Key Stage 1 Key Stage 1 tasks and tests cover:  reading  writing  speaking and listening  maths  The tasks and tests are taken when the school chooses.  Your child’s teacher will use the child’s work (including spoken work and homework to work out what level your child is at in each area. Key Stage 2 Key Stage 2 tests cover:  English reading  English grammar, punctuation and spelling  maths (including mental arithmetic)  The tests are taken in mid-May and last under 5.5 hours in total. You’ll get the results in July. If your child is demonstrating higher achievement then the headteacher may put them in for extra tests.  When your child reaches the end of Key Stage 2 the teacher will also give reports on your child’s progress in English, maths and science.

 You’ll receive a report once a year from your child’s school. This won’t necessarily be at the end of the school year.  The report will cover the results of any tests your child has taken, if they’re at an appropriate Key Stage, and teacher assessment levels for their attainment.  At the end of each Key Stage, you’ll also receive the results for all children in your child’s age group in the school, and the national results for the previous year.