1. New 9-1 GCSEs and Progress 8 Measure

2. What subjects are affected?
This year only Maths and English will be graded using the 9-1 grading.
All other subjects will be in A*-G
BTECs will remain as Dist*- Pass
Next year (current Yr 10) all students will have qualifications graded 9-1.

3. How does 9-1 compare to A*-G?

4. But I already have a Maths grade?
This A*-G entry is important as it is a grade that the students will always have.
However this year they will sit the new specification as it will be what employers/colleges and universities are now looking for.
It also gave them practice of an external Maths exam ready for the new specification exam this summer.
It helps teachers provide accurate predictions for their Yr 11 year in Maths.

5. But I already have a Science Grade?
Core Science has not been reformed yet, therefore it does count this year (A*-G).
However a number of students are re-sitting it as they are trying to get an even better grade.
The highest grade will always count.

6. 9-5 is the new A*-C
Students this year will need to achieve a grade 4 in Maths and English to avoid having to resit post 16.
In following years students will need to achieve a grade 5, as this will be the new expectation from employers/colleges/universities.

7. How are they different from the old GCSEs?
Maths: More content, more literacy based questions, 3 papers instead of 2 (1 non-calculator and 2 calculator)
English: Removal of CW element of the course (used to be worth 30%), now all externally examined assessment (there is a speaking skills element but it does not count towards the grade).

8. Progress 8 Measure

9. Progress 8

10. What does this mean for my child?
Students study subjects that mean they fulfil all the baskets in the progress 8 measure.
We will be sharing students’ progress 8 scores with them throughout the year.
Example: If a student has a progress 8 predicted score of +0.5 then teachers are predicting that they will achieve ½ a grade higher than other students nationally with the same start point (SAT scores).

11. How else can I use this data?
You can go online and compare the performance of local schools
Please bear in mind that all data on there is ‘First Entry’ and our school publish ‘Best Entry’ results.