Assessment

The aim of assessment at Southam College is to provide teachers, students and parents with an understanding of the progress a student is making towards achieving their potential.   

Types of Assessment 

Formative assessment is an ongoing practice that informs both the teacher and the student of areas of strength and areas for development.  Formative assessment usually comprises of verbal or written feedback from the teacher to the student on a regular basis.  Teachers use the FAR approach: providing Feedback on what the student’s strengths and areas for development, an Action that allows students to immediately improve upon the standard of their work, and a required Response from the student to this action to show they have understood how to make further progress. 

Summative assessments take place at scheduled points throughout the year in all subjects.  These provide information on a students’ progress towards their target grade and inform the progress reports that students and parents receive throughout the year. 

Students will sit at least 3 internal summative assessments in each subject across an academic year.  One of these assessments may be sat as an internal examination.  These internal summative assessments are designed by departments to reflect key subject-specific concepts and skills that are assessed in external assessments (i.e. GCSEs).  Internal summative assessments will provide accurate and robust information about a students’ progress towards their target grade.  Department moderation of internal summative assessments will be conducted as appropriate. 

 

Assessment Grades 

GCSE number grades 9-1 will be used to set target grades and grade summative assessments for all students in Y7-Y11. 

Students’ KS2 SATs results will be converted to a Y7 starting point.  From this starting point an end of year target grade is set to reflect 2 sub-levels of progress.   

At scheduled points in the year teachers will provide information on either students’ current working at grade (Y7/8/9) or the forecasted end of KS4 grade (Y10/11).  Teachers will report a whole grade and a sub-level: a, b or c. 

In Y7, 8 & 9, teachers will report on students’ current working at grade using grades 1 – 4 and a sub-level: a, b or c.  For example, 1a is a student who is at the top of a Grade 1, nearly achieving a grade 2. 1b is a student working in the mid-range of a Grade 1 and 1c indicates a student working at the bottom end of a Grade 1.  Students in Y7 and 8 working beyond a grade 4 will be reported as working at a 4+. Students working below a grade 1 are assessed as currently working at a grade W (working towards grade 1). 

In Y10 & 11, teachers report students’ forecasted grade for the end of KS4 using GCSE grades and a sub-level: a, b or c.  For example, 5a is a student who is forecasted to achieve a grade 5 at the end of KS4 and is close to achieving a grade 6.  5b is a student who is forecasted a secure grade 5.  5c indicates that a student is forecast to achieve a grade 5 but it is not secure and the student could achieve a grade 4 at the end of KS4.