Compare Schools and College Performance Data: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/105135/st-paul-s-academy/secondary

Assessment does not stand outside teaching and learning but stands in dynamic interaction with it.

Gipps, C.V. (1994) Beyond testing

Intent

Our strategic intent is to increase, systemise and evidence the impact of our students responding to feedback on their attainment and misconceptions, so that all students are frequently equipped to meet and exceed expectations. This intent prioritises the use of accurate assessment and the formative use of both formative and summative assessment to enable all students to know more, do more and remember more.

The model standard

In line with evidenced based research, our assessment and report process will ensure:

• An accurate assessment is available on what students know and have learnt;
• Success is compared to Key Stage 2 starting points (SATs where applicable);
• Assessments match/link to the curriculum end points; they represent what we teach and how much of that the students have learnt;
• Assessments inform how teaching needs to be modified both now and, in the future, to close the gaps in knowledge/skills.

Implementation

To ensure accurate and meaningful data on students’ standards and progress, we ensure that:

• Students’ performance is compared to the standard they are personally expected to achieve compared to their Year 6 attainment;
• Reporting on standards achieved by students and progress is the same across subjects from Year 7 – Year 11, allowing for comparability of students with similar starting points;
• Parents, teachers, leaders and students know how well they are performing compared to their starting point so that appropriate adaptions can be made to enhance learning.

The process in Key Stage 3

• In Key Stage 3, students in each year group are placed into a decile (group) from 1-10 based upon their Key Stage 2 data (SATs results). Decile 10 would equate to the students in the top 10% of the cohort whilst decile 1 would equate to the students in the bottom 10%.
• Students sit their summative assessments after each unit in each subject; staff mark the assessments and record a percentage mark. During data entry windows, percentage marks are entered into SIMS, our management information system.
• SIMS compares the students’ percentages to their decile. This comparison shows whether students are above, at or below the standard expected of them.
• Teachers and departments are provided with clear visuals showing where each student is and whether they are meeting the standards of work expected of them.

The process in Key Stage 4

Building upon the strategy of ensuring there is meaningful and reliable data on students’ standards of work in Key Stage 3, in Key Stage 4 GCSE grades are used to indicate attainment. Their attainment is then compared to their target grade.

  

Our intended impact

We believe that effective assessment should be accurate and used to inform teaching to both support and challenge students to improve. It is for this reason why we raise the profile of students’ starting points; compared their performance to the standards expected of them based upon their starting point; and adapt our teaching practice to support and challenge our students further.