Raising the bar: assessment in KS3 geography RGS CGeog conference 1st October 2010 GG: Welcome to the session.

Expectations We will: agree on notions of progression in KS3 geography identify the characteristics of high attainment in KS3 geography and some means of getting pupils there identify features of an effective system of assessment Share the expectations for the session and invite additional requests STARTER Pairs to look at a piece of work. Human continuum to show the work, from the highest attainment to the lowest.

“The learner at the heart of assessment” Good assessment: helps develop successful learners recognises strengths and areas for development and clearly identifies ways for the learner to progress reflects the learner’s needs and brings about attainment and progress encourages learners to take a central role in their own assessment Distribute the GNC AT Give 5 mins to identify some aspects of progression within it. Discuss.

Elements of progression The CONTEXT in which the pupil works becomes more demanding The thinking skills demanded become ‘higher order’ The degree of independence increases Wider breadth of knowledge, understanding and skills More ‘depth’, detail and precision Links between different areas increase Distribute the AK paper ‘Aspects of progression in the GNC’ Compare this with the A level mark grid? Do we have a problem in geography? Some of the language of KS3 is very ambitious! But hopefully the context of the work makes it appropriate? Refer also to David Lambert’s Think piece on ‘Progression’

Distribute also the ‘locations’ framework to illustrate that progression happens on a short time scale as well as a longer one Short term advice – not explicitly drawn from the level descriptors

Assessing Pupil Progress Refer to the full document Emphasise this is the first official ‘rewriting’ of the AT to make elements of progression explicit Show ‘What is geography?’ by Alistair Bonnett and explain how the framework was created. http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/assessment/exemplification/index.aspx

Refer to the pupil A work collection Task - identify what the pupil has achieved (APP) and how might they improve? Note: the second golden rule about assessment – it should be comparable.

What about raising the bar? how do we progress students to higher levels? how do we know when they get there?

We need to: Consider this work at Level 7 Identify its ‘7ness’ Talk through the types of output that we gather from pupils (‘Real and creative outcomes’ Emphasise that process work can tell us as much as completed work Identify the types of activities that might lead to these outcomes Sharpen up our articulation of success criteria Identify the advice we would give to the pupil

http://curriculum. qcda. gov http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/assessment/exemplification/standards-files/geography/geography-level7.aspx

Hitting the high notes analyse physical and human characteristics of places analyse complex interactions within and between physical and human processes independently sequence enquiries and investigations Mention an example e.g. an essay plan followed by an evaluation

Look through the level 8 materials

Making it manageable Close up Standing back Public view Day-to-day Periodic Standing back Note that the first ‘golden rule’ of assessment is to be clear about purpose. Use the findings of the Assessment Reform Group on too-frequent assessment of learning. Transitional Public view

Striking a balance – making it manageable. Delegates to use the planning grid to identify some assessment opportunities What would the success criteria be for these?

Assessment – the golden rules ?