and ‘Assessment Without Levels’

* English, Maths and Science remain at the heart of the primary curriculum. * They take up a substantial amount of the time that your child is learning in school. * Alongside these are the familiar foundation subjects of art, computing, music, PE, Design Technology, Foreign languages (7+), Geography, History and PE.

* Higher expectations * Content significantly more demanding than previously required. * For example far greater focus on the skills of arithmetic, mathematical reasoning and fractions. * In science a new focus on Evolution has been introduced in Year 6 which had previously been taught in secondary school. * English lessons have a far greater focus on Grammar, punctuation and spelling than previously as well as oracy.

If your child is doing well, rather than moving onto the following year group’s work schools are asked to develop more in-depth and investigative work to allow a greater mastery and understanding of concepts and ideas.

If your child finds it more difficult to reach the higher expectations of the new curriculum, we will focus on the key skills, knowledge and understanding that will enable them to access the curriculum at an ability appropriate level.

* Testing and assessment are part of our normal classroom routine and support teachers’ assessment. * At certain times during their time at school there are national tests and all children in state schools must take them. * We refer to them as SATs and they are statutory for children in Year 2 and 6. * Children in these year groups will undertake tests in reading, mathematics, grammar spelling and punctuation. The tests will be sent away for marking and will be reported to schools and parents at the end of the year.

Where previously, these tests and other teacher assessments were graded in levels, normally levels 1 – 6 in Primary School, from 2016 tests will be reported on a scaled score, with a score of 100 representing the expected level for each year group. It will be up to teachers and schools to decide how to measure progress in the intervening years. Schools will provide accompanying information to parents to explain how children are progressing.

* Schools are allowed to reorganise content within year groups as long as the material is covered by the end of the key Stage. * We have organised the curriculum into the year groups for our children using the Learning Challenge Approach. * There is quite prescriptive detail in Mathematics, Reading, Writing and Spoken Language as to what must be taught and when, less so with the foundation subjects.

* We have used the Challenges in Geography & History and also in Science to create the context for learning. * Maths and English topics, knowledge and understanding are contextualised within these.

Within each Year Group objectives are specified and children are expected to be confident to work independently, and to apply their knowledge, skills and understanding in different contexts.

EmergingExpectedExceeding 76 – 99% of objectives 100% of objectives – 75% of objectives 100% of objectives % of objectives100% of objectives 147

* Met / not met * % achieved * Detailing objectives not met * What would be the most helpful?