Assessing pupils’ progress (with and without levels)

National Curriculum Levels – Before September 2014 At Key Stages 1 (Year 1 and Year 2), 2 (Year 3 -6) and 3 the National Curriculum was accompanied by a series of eight levels. These were used to measure your child’s progress compared to pupils of the same age across the country. There were eight National Curriculum levels, covering ages 5-14 years. The lowest was Level 1, which described the achievements of children at around the age of five. The highest was Level 8, which was attained by the most able pupils at the age of 14. What this means for your children? It is expected that the majority of 11 year old children would achieve Level 4 by the end of Year 6. This is the level the government consider the minimum required for children to be able to access the high school curriculum.

Ferndale S.A.T. Results Year 6 Sandwell National Curriculum Level Summer 2014 Ferndale Achievement (cohort of 58) No.%% ReadingL L GPSL L Writing (TA)L L MathsL L Reading, Writing and MathsL L How well did we do?

National Curriculum Levels expected in each Primary School Year Group (Sept July 2014) End of Reception Age 5 End of Year 1 Age 6 End of Year 2 Age 7 End of Year 3 Age 8 End of Year 4 Age 9 End of Year 5 Age 10 End of Year 6 Age 11 Level 6 Exceptional ‘Exceeding +’ Exceptional ‘Exceeding +’ Level 5a Exceptional ‘Exceeding +’ Beyond Expectations ‘Exceeding’ Level 5b Exceptional ‘Exceeding +’ Beyond Expectations ‘Exceeding’ Level 5c Level 4a Level 4b Level 4c Exceptional ‘Exceeding +’ Beyond Expectations ‘Exceeding’ At Level ‘Expected’ Beyond Expectations ‘Exceeding’ At Level ‘Expected’ Below Expectations ‘Emerging’ Level 3a Level 3b Level 3c Beyond Expectations ‘Exceeding’ At Level ‘Expected’ Below Expectations ‘Emerging’ At Level ‘Expected’ Below Expectations ‘Emerging’ Level 2a Level 2b Level 2c At Level ‘Expected’ ‘Exceeding’ Below Expectations ‘Emerging’ Below Expectations ‘Emerging’ Level 1a Level 1b Level 1c ‘Expected’ ‘Emerging’ 3 ‘Exceeding’ 2 ‘Expected’ 1 ‘Emerging’

 At Ferndale, we are continuing to assess Year 2 and Year 6 using National Curriculum Levels, as these children will be involved in the Maths and English SATs at the end of this year.  At Parents evening your child’s class teachers will be able to inform you whether your child is currently on track to achieve the expected level, below the expected level- emerging, or above the expected level - exceeding.  They will be able to give specific levels. E.g. 4c

 We are continuing to assess the children in Nursery and Reception using the Early Learning Goals.  At Parents evening your child’s class teachers will be able to inform you whether your child is currently on track to achieve at the expected level, below the expected level- emerging, or above the expected level - exceeding.

 In these Year groups, we are teaching and therefore assessing the progress of pupils using the New National Curriculum (Sept 2014), without levels (1c - 6)  At Parents evening your child’s class teachers will also be able to inform you whether your child is currently achieving at the expected level, below the expected level- emerging, or above the expected level - exceeding. These 3 terms will be used, instead of specific numbered levels.

 In order to determine whether your child is currently achieving at the expected level, below the expected level- emerging, or above the expected level – exceeding, we track your child’s progress against the new National Curriculum objectives - using both formative and summative assessment.  As your child moves through school they work towards achieving the curriculum objectives within Milestones.

 Milestone 1 (Year 1) eventually Year 2  Milestone 2 (Year 3 and 4)  Milestone 3 (Year 5) eventually Year 6 Tracking your child’s progress within a milestone? Progression is not simply a matter of ticking off what your child can do. Instead we are concerned with how well they can do things, their fluency and their depth of understanding. Therefore we track two things: a) the breadth of learning (i.e. how many examples of learning we can see) b) the depth of learning (i.e. how well they apply knowledge and skills and their depth of understanding) (Chris Quigley Education Ltd)

Exceeding There is independent and fluent counting in multiples of 2 to 9, 25, 50, 100 and more or less than a given number, including negative numbers, can be found. There is fluent counting backwards through zero to negative numbers. Using a variety of different representations, numbers are identified, estimated and represented. Independently, Roman numerals are read up to 100 (C) and years written in Roman form are deciphered. Numbers beyond 1000 can be ordered and compared independently and the place value in numbers beyond 1000 is understood. Place value can be used to make approximations. Generally, the place value of each digit in a four- digit whole number and in decimal numbers is recognised, e.g. in the number , the value of the number 7 is understood as 7/10ths. Independently, any number is rounded to the nearest 10, 100, 1000 and rounding to the nearest 10,000 or 100,000 is generally accurate. Systematically and in an organised manner, number and practical problems (with increasingly large positive number) can be solved independently. Discussion is used to break into a problem. Work is checked and corrections are made independently during problem solving. The operation needed in order to solve problems is identified independently. Without support, inverse relationships are used to find missing numbers in a number sentence and to check answers to a calculation. Independently, number problems, including missing number problems and balancing equations, are solved using more complex addition and subtraction. Two-step problems in contexts, involving addition and subtraction, are systematically solved. The most appropriate method and operations are chosen and used to solve two-step addition and subtraction problems independently. Independently, the columnar addition and subtraction methods are used to add and subtract numbers with up to four-digits correctly. Three-digit numbers and ones, three-digit numbers and tens and three-digit numbers and hundreds are added and subtracted mentally and quickly. Generally, four-digit numbers and ones, tens or hundreds are added and subtracted mentally. Expected There is counting in multiples of 2, 3, 4, 5, 25, 50, 100 and Generally, there is counting in multiples of 2 to 9. Generally, 1000 more or less than a given number is found. With support if necessary, there is counting backwards to zero and through zero and negative numbers are recognised. With reminders, Roman numerals to 100 (I to C) are read. With reminders, the place value in numbers beyond 1000 is understood and these numbers can be ordered and compared. The place value of each digit in a four-digit whole number is recognised. Generally, any number is rounded accurately to the nearest 10, 100 or With occasional prompts, number and practical problems with large positive numbers are solved. Generally, during problem solving, work is checked and corrections are made. Patterns in results are looked for when problem solving. Generally, there is a secure awareness of what operation to use when solving problems. Generally, inverse relationships are used to find missing numbers in a number sentence and to check answers to a calculation. Generally, number problems, including missing number problems, are tackled and solved using number facts, place value and addition and subtraction. Two-step problems, involving addition and subtraction, are solved in different contexts. When reminders are given, the most appropriate operations and methods are chosen and used to solve problems. Generally, the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction are used to add and subtract numbers up to four-digits. Three-digit numbers and ones and three-digit numbers and tens are added and subtracted mentally. Reminders may be needed to address mistakes. With prompts, three-digit number and hundreds are added and subtracted mentally. Emerging With concrete objects, there is counting in multiples of 2, 5, 100, There is a process of counting backwards to zero but prompts may be needed. With support, Roman numerals on a clock can be read. With the support of a teacher, place value in numbers up to 1000 is understood and these numbers can be ordered. The place value of each digit in a two-digit whole number is recognised. With reminders, the place value of each digit in a three-digit number is recognised. When models or frameworks are provided, any number is rounded to the nearest 10 or 100. With concrete objects, apparatus and guidance, number problems can be solved. Equipment is beginning to be chosen to help solve problems. When help or structure is provided, the inverse operations are used to check answers to a calculation. There is an awareness of how to solve one step problems using number facts and place value. With the support of a teacher, simple missing number problems can be solved using number facts and place value. With the support of a teacher and practical apparatus, one-step addition and subtraction problems are solved. With the support of a teacher, the correct written methods are used to add and subtract numbers up to three-digits, including the number line method. With prompts, three-digit numbers and ones are added and subtracted mentally. CountingRepresentingComparingPlace ValueSolving ProblemsCheckingUsing Number FactsComplexityMethods To know and use numbersTo add and subtract Milestone 2 Number (Part 1) – Year 3 and 4

Exceeding There is independent and fluent counting in multiples of 2 to 9, 25, 50, 100 and Using a variety of different representations, numbers are identified, estimated and represented. Independently, Roman numerals are read up to 100 (C) and years written in Roman form are deciphered. Expected There is counting in multiples of 2, 3, 4, 5, 25, 50, 100 and With reminders, Roman numerals to 100 (I to C) are read. Emerging With concrete objects, there is counting in multiples of 2, 5, 100, With support, Roman numerals on a clock can be read. CountingRepresenting Milestone 2 (Number) – Year 3 and 4 – Example extract

 All Milestone Grids (Chris Quigley Essentials Education) for reading, writing and maths will soon be available to view on the school website.  We look forward to seeing you at Parents Evening.