1. Sir James Smith’s Community School
STEPS GRID handbook
A practical guide
Key Stage 3

2. STEPS and the STEP Grid Handbook
Monitoring and reporting attainment and progress
in Year-7 and Year-8.
Dear parent/ carer,
As someone with a son or daughter in Year 7/8 you may be aware that there have many changes to assessment in schools over the last few years. At the same time as the government’s announcement of a major shift in the way attainment and progress were to be reported at KS2 from September 2016, they also indicated the abolishment of ‘levels’ at KS3, but with a much earlier deadline of September However, unlike KS2, there was no prescribed alternative system put into place across the country and all secondary schools were invited to create their own model of assessment.
Over the past two years we have been working to create an assessment model that will work with our Key Stage 3 students. This year we have improved our model to create distinct STEPS grids. Each grid is comprised of 9 ’steps’ and a number of ’strands’. The grid contains descriptors for what a child needs to be able to do to complete a ‘step’.
Your son/ daughter will start with a baseline ‘step’, which will be derived from KS2 data and baseline assessments they will complete in their opening weeks of the Autumn-term. We will report the baseline step for each subject in the Q1 report in mid-November. It is expected that most students would move up each strand by at least 1 step each year (3 steps over the course of the key stage)*.
We feel very confident that what your son/ daughter experiences at Sir Jim’s is indeed a very comprehensive and professional package. This assessment model allows you as parents and carers the opportunity to be closely involved in their attainment, progress and target setting over the entire key stage.
Accompanying this letter you will find your own copy of the STEPS grids. Please keep this safe and use it to cross reference attainment on each report with content of the KS3 courses for each subject studied.
Finally, please feel free to contact me directly if you have a specific question about the system which needs further explanation.
Yours faithfully
Mr. E. McGuffie
Assistant Head Teacher – Curriculum
* In Science, progress is built implicitly into the scheme of work. Therefore students will be expected to stay on the same step or fluctuate above/ below this step as the content becomes more challenging throughout the year.

3. Introduction What is STEPS?
What is STEPS?
Strategic Targets for Educational Progress and Success (STEPS) is an assessment and progress monitoring, tracking and reporting programme for secondary schools.
How does it work?
Upon arrival in Year-7, every student is assessed via a broad range of information and results available to the school. Subject teachers then place students at a baseline Step in each Strand and this becomes the starting point for each subject. A Step Point Score is generated which is an overall score for a subject. Each student is expected to make at least one Step of progress in the Step Point Score per year, with the exception of Science where progress has been built implicitly into the scheme of work.
School reports
You will receive four reports per year showing your child’s attainment and progress in every Strand in every subject and it will also show you the overall Step Point Score. When used in conjunction with this handbook, it will give you both a detailed and quick method of reviewing attainment and progress so far. It will also allow you to discuss targets to progress to the next Step.
The STEPS grids
Each subject has its own grid, these form the rest of this handbook. Each grid is a basic summary of all the work that can be covered in each of the Key Stage 3 Programmes of Study. Each subject follows a similar approach.
Strands: these run along the top of the grid, they break a subject down into smaller topics or areas. There are between three and seven Strands per subject.
Steps: These break a subject down into progressive Steps. There are nine Steps per Strand per subject; 1 is the lowest Step and 9 is the highest.
Statements: Each Step has one or more statements. Students have to achieve all of these, and all of the ones in the Steps below, to be at that Step level.
The Step Point Score
Students will be given a Step score for each individual Strand in each subject. The Step Point Score combines these individual scores to give an overall score in a subject.
If 3.6 was the baseline at the start of year-7, then the students would be expected to reach:
4.6 by the end of Year-7
5.6 by the end of Year-8
6.6 by the end of Year-9.
This would be a minimum expectation and targets could be adjusted each year to maintain challenge for each individual.

5. Probability and statistics
Maths
Step
Strand 1
Number
(Equal weighting)
Strand 2
Algebra
Strand 3
Ratio and proportion
Strand 4
Geometry and measure
Strand 5
Probability and statistics 9
All of the below and…
can solve multi-step complex problems.
develops an understanding of exponential growth.
can use reciprocal and exponential graphs.
can simplify algebraic fractions.
can manipulate complex formulae.
can solve problems using exponential relationships.
can solve more complex geometrical problems, including proof, showing a step-by-step deduction.
can interpret complex distributions and make inferences regarding the probability of events occurring. 8
knows and can use index laws with a combination of fractional and negative powers.
understands and can use upper and lower bounds in context.
can solve quadratic equations using a variety of methods.
can solve simultaneous equations with one linear and one quadratic.
understands and can use direct and inverse proportion; solve problems involving inverse proportion (including inverse squares and so on) using algebraic methods.
can use trigonometric relationships in non-right-angled triangles to solve problems.
can compare two or more distributions and make inferences, using the shape of the distributions and measures of average and spread, including median and quartiles. 7
knows and can use the index laws with fractional and negative powers.
can solve linear simultaneous equations graphically and algebraically.
can factorise quadratic expressions.
understands and can use direct and indirect proportion problems using algebraic methods.
can solve problems involving right-angle triangles, using Pythagoras’ Theorem, trigonometric relationships (also including bearings).
can compare distributions of grouped, discrete or continuous data by calculating mean, mode, median and range. 6
knows and can use the index laws for multiplication and division of integer powers.
can expand two or more brackets.
can construct graphs (linear and quadratic).
can solve problems involving direct and inverse proportion including graphical and algebraic methods.
understands and can use formulae for the volume of prisms, including cylinders to solve problems.
understands and can use Pythagoras’ Theorem to find the hypotenuse of right-angled triangles.
can compare and analyse distributions of ungrouped and grouped discrete and continuous data by constructing appropriate graphs and charts.

6. Probability and statistics
Maths
Step
Strand 1
Number
(Equal weighting)
Strand 2
Algebra
Strand 3
Ratio and proportion
Strand 4
Geometry and measure
Strand 5
Probability and statistics 5
All of the below and…
can use rounding to make estimates and to give solutions to problems to an appropriate degree of accuracy.
can convert numbers between ordinary and standard form (positive and negative indices).
can solve problems involving percentages including reverse percentages.
can construct and solve linear equations with integer coefficients and unknowns on both sides.
can manipulate formulae to change the subject.
can find the equation of a straight line by working out the gradient and y-intercept.
can work out the nth term of a linear sequence.
understands and can use proportionality and calculate the result of any proportional change using multiplicative methods.
can use side and angle properties of triangles to solve geometrical problems.
can construct angle and line bisectors and perpendiculars to given lines.
can solve problems involving circles and arcs.
can calculate the surface area of prisms including cylinders.
can calculate the probability of independent combined events using sample space diagrams or tree diagrams.
can draw and interpret scatter graphs by drawing a line of best fit to make predictions. 4
can multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals by 0.1, 0.01.
can use a formal method to divide a 3-digit by a 2-digit whole number.
can find and use the prime factor decomposition of a number.
can solve problems involving percentage change.
can factorise algebraic expressions.
can solve linear equations with integer coefficients and unknowns on both sides.
can plot and interpret graphs for simple real-life situations.
can use scale factors, scale diagrams and maps.
can visualise 3D shapes from nets and use simple plans and elevations.
can calculate angles in regular polygons.
knows and can use the formulae for the area of a parallelogram and trapezium.
knows and can use the formula for the circumference of a circle.
can calculate perimeters of composite shapes.
can calculate probabilities for combined experiments by constructing sample space diagrams.
can use tables, grids and Venn diagrams to solve problems.
can estimate the mean for grouped data. 3
can use a formal method to multiply a 3-digit by a 2-digit whole number.
can multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals by 10, 100 and 1000 and explain the effect.
can perform the four rules of number on both positive and negative integers.
can simplify algebraic expressions (including those with single brackets) by collecting like terms.
can construct and solve simple linear equations, such as 2x – 7 = 11
can substitute integers into expressions and formulae.
can generate terms of a linear sequence.
can convert between metric units, and simple metric to imperial units.
can solve problems involving ratio and direct proportion.
can transform and describe 2D shapes by rotating about a given point, enlarging on a coordinate grid.
can construct triangles accurately given three sides or two sides and an angle.
knows and can use formula for the area of a triangle.
can explain the results of an experiment using probability.
identify the modal class for grouped data.
construct and interpret graphs and diagrams to represent ungrouped discrete data including bar graphs, pie charts and frequency tables.

7. Probability and statistics
Maths
Step
Strand 1
Number
(Equal weighting)
Strand 2
Algebra
Strand 3
Ratio and proportion
Strand 4
Geometry and measure
Strand 5
Probability and statistics 2
All of the below and…
can multiply whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1000.
can multiply a simple decimal by a single digit.
understands algebraic notation, such as ab, 2a.
can use formulae expressed in words.
can continue and describe sequences from patterns or practical contexts.
can write a smaller whole number as a fraction of a larger one.
can transform 2D shapes by reflecting in a given line including diagonal.
can enlarge a shape on a given grid.
can measure and draw acute and obtuse angles.
can find the perimeter and area of rectangles and composite shapes made of rectangles.
can understand and use the probability scale from 0 to 1.
can find the mean, median, mode and range for small sets of discrete data.
can construct and interpret simple tables, graphs and diagrams. 1
Can…
perform simple calculations mentally.
use decimal notation in everyday contexts, such as money.
plot and write coordinates in the first quadrant.
describe and continue simple linear sequences.
calculate simple unit fractions of an amount.
classify basic 2D shapes.
identify and estimate the size of acute, obtuse and reflex angles.
find perimeters and areas of shapes by counting squares.
describe the chance of an event occurring by using words such as: impossible, likely, equally likely, fair, unfair, certain.
use information in simple tables and graphs.

8. Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is STEPS? A. STEPS is an assessment-recording and progress-monitoring system for all subjects studied at Key Stage 3. Q. What are STEPS grids? A. The STEPS grids break a subject down into Strands of content and nine progressive Steps. Students are placed on the STEPS grid following a baseline assessment. The expected progress is at least one-Step per year or three-Steps over the key stage. Q. What is a Strand? A. A Strand is an area of study of a subject. Every subject is divided into between three and seven Strands. Q. What is a Step? A. Every Strand is broken down into nine progressive Steps. Nine is the highest Step and one is the lowest. Steps provide the pathway through the Programme of Study for each Strand. Q. Why does my child appear to have made more progress in one subject than another? A. All subjects are different and so are children! It is quite understandable for one student to have a different rate of progress to another. Learning is a cycle of improvement. Students improve and then plateau before making further improvement – the timescale for this improvement is very individual and varies between subjects. It is quite normal for rapid progress to be made when children are exposed for the first time to specialist teaching, when perhaps teachers with expert knowledge were not available in primary school. Q. My child seems to have made no progress at all in one subject. A. There could be circumstances which would mean that within the last assessment cycle this was the case. It could be a completely new subject, or one that has been studied for only a portion of the year. We are anticipating three Steps of progress over the key stage and that one Step is merely the average of this expected progress each year. Remember also that in Science, progress has been built implicitly into the schemes of work. Therefore your child will be expected to stay on the same step or fluctuate above/ below this step as the content becomes more challenging throughout the year. Progress will be numerically represented by a variation score (progress score) from your child’s start point. If your child’s score is positive or remains at 0 throughout the year this represents expected progress or above expected progress; if they receive a minus progress score then this indicates that they will need more support to maintain their progress in the upcoming units.