Assessment & Target Setting Overview
KS3 Assessment
The Academy introduced a new assessment system for Key Stage 3 in 2021. Students’ knowledge and understanding are formatively assessed regularly through lesson activities such as questioning, presentation, completion of tasks etc. Teachers use this adjust future learning to ensure that students do not have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. Summative assessments, which are more formal ‘tests’, are scheduled each term. These provide more detailed information which teachers’ use to provide bespoke feedback to students. Further details on assessment and grading at KS3 can be found below.
2021_Parents Guide Key Stage 3 Assessment
KS4 / 5 Assessment
Students in KS4 and KS5 will be formatively assessed regularly through lesson activities and home learning tasks. This ongoing assessment ensures that student do not have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. Essays, past exam questions and longer pieces of work are common forms of assessment at KS4 and KS5. In addition, some subjects have ongoing formal assessments in the form of Non Examined Assessments (coursework). Students and parents /carers should familiarise themselves with the schedule of assessment in each subject are so they know deadline and submission dates. Mock examinations take place in April / May for Year 10 and 12 each year. Year 11 have two sets of mock examinations (November and January) whilst Year 13 have one set on mock examinations in November. These provide vital practice in the process of revision and examination as well as giving students and parents / carers an indication of progress and expected exam performance.
Assessment Grids for Each Subject
Target setting
Previously the school used Fischer Family Trust Aspire (FFT) to generate target and aspirational GCSE / A level grades at Key Stage 4 / Key Stage 5. All targets are end of Key Stage 4 / Key Stage 5 targets. FFT is the nationally recognised system for generating target grades for students. Students in KS4 and KS5 in 2024/25 do not have any generated targets due to missing SATs tests in 2020/21 and also due to the changing grading systems during 2020 – 2023.
- FFT 50 is used for our students’ target grades.
- FFT 20 is used for our students’ aspirational grade.
- FFT 50 is considered average difficulty, when compared to national outcomes.
- FFT 20 is considered high, when compared to national outcomes.
