A Guide to Understanding the New National Curriculum 2014 and the Round Hill Tracking Scheme - FAQs

Transcription

1 A Guide to Understanding the New National Curriculum 2014 and the Round Hill Tracking Scheme - FAQs This Help Card contains a range of Frequently Asked Questions about the new curriculum. This Help Card is organised in the following Sections to help you find the answers you need: Section 1: Life without Level Codes Round Hill Tracking Scheme Section 2: Progress, Attainment and Tracking Points Section 3: Golden Codes and the National Curriculum Section 4: The structure of the new National Curriculum Section 5: Able children, deeper learning and SEN Section 6: Levels in Year 2 and Year 6 Section 7: EYFS Page 1 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015

2 Section 1: Life Without Levels Codes Round Hill Tracking Scheme 1.1. How are we tracking children since levels have been removed? Over the last few years we have shared detailed information with parents of Year 1 to Year 6 children regarding their child s attainment, progress and end of year targets. Now that levels have been removed (September 2014) we are using a tracking scheme to support us in tracking children with transparency and rigour. Round Hill Primary School have established a partnership with other schools in the spring of 2014 and out of this, we have formed a group called the Joint Assessment Work Team with John Clifford Primary and Nursery school. We plan to meet regularly and our aims are: 1. To develop collaboration between Round Hill and John Clifford and other schools in approaching the challenge of how the new National Curriculum is assessed. 2. To explore ways in which schools can share practice about current and future assessment without levels. 3. To share the use of School Pupil Tracker to assist in the assessment process. 4. To consider joint continued professional development for school leaders and teachers What is a tracking scheme? A tracking scheme is a choice of how you will record attainment and progress over time. When using Levels, the codes used were Level-based, such as expecting a child should reach 2B within Year 2. Using Levels is a type of tracking scheme. Another tracking scheme would be to use year group-based codes - such as expecting a child should reach Y2 High at the end of Year 2 and Y4 High at the end of Year What are Golden Codes? Golden Codes are the new codes our teachers will use and enter when making judgements about pupil attainment and progress. They replace Level-based codes and may be (for example) Y2 High or Y2A Will Golden Codes will be used to report to parents? Yes. You can access these on line in the usual way, but we will also give parents information such as whether a child has achieved as 'Expected' for their age, or 'Above Expected' or 'Well-above Expected' (for example). Page 2 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015

3 1.5. Does a Golden Code such as Y6 High refer to an able child who is working in Year 6? No - Y6 High is a Golden Code that represents a child that has met all the curriculum expected of them by the end of Year 6 but no higher. Y7 Low is one step of learning above Y6 High, showing that a child can demonstrate they 'know' everything expected of them by the end of Year 6 and some of the Year 7 curriculum too. Page 3 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015

4 Section 2: Progress, attainment, Tracking Points 2.1 What are Tracking Points? Tracking Points [TP] are used to examine progress and attainment numerically and as an average. There are three Tracking Points per year. The Tracking Point scale counts up through Nursery across the whole school at a rate of three points per year. This counts up to expectations of Tracking Point 15 (the end of Year 2) and Tracking Point 27 (the end of Year 6). 2.2 What is the minimum expected progress? What is good progress? The minimum expected progress is 3.0 Tracking Points, which equates to 12 months of progress. This is the minimum progress a child needs to make in order to continue to learn at the 'average rate' and not fall behind. An average progress of above 3.0 demonstrates that pupils are making above minimum expected progress. Ofsted and the DFE have not currently defined what 'good progress' is, but 'good progress' will certainly mean a group of pupils make on average more than 3.0 Tracking Points of progress over time. Page 4 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015

5 Section 3: Golden Codes and the National Curriculum 3.1 Does the new National Curriculum have raised expectations? Yes - it is very obvious from our exploration of the new curriculum, its objectives and initial studies with data, that the new National Curriculum has increased rigour. Many objectives have been shifted to lower year groups. This means that the expectation of a child at the end of Y2 or Y6 (for example) will be more rigorous than before. A child who previous attained a 4B may not attain a Y6 High (the Golden Code expected at the end of Y6). 3.2 Is there a correlation or link between old Levels and new Golden Codes? The old and new curricular both have different content. Many objectives in the old curriculum have been shifted to lower year groups in the new curriculum. A child currently attaining 4B will not have been taught the new content or explored the methods in which they can apply their knowledge in the ways expected by the new National Curriculum. This means it is not possible to have an exact correlation between a level that is the outcome of old National Curriculum assessment and the re-assessment of a child to judge a Golden Code in the new National Curriculum. As a consequence, pupil attainment will appear to dip due to this increased expectation of the new curriculum. 3.3 Why has my child s attainment taken a dip after we have re-assessed the children using Golden Codes? It is to be expected that many pupils will see a dip in attainment and progress as your teachers re-assess children against the new, more rigorous National Curriculum. This is to be expected as they are now being assessed against a wholly new framework; one for which they have not been taught the previous years' objectives and content, and so there will be a time of transition between the old and the new sets of data. Ofsted is aware that schools will be going through this transition as they "recognise that schools are still working towards full implementation of their preferred approach". Page 5 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015

6 Section 4: The structure of the new National Curriculum 4.1 How is National Curriculum 2014 structured? The National Curriculum 2014 is structured differently for each subject. For example, there is clear guidance in mathematics about what a child should be taught and achieve in each year group; however, the objectives in reading are set out in year groups in KS1 and then grouped across Y3, 4 and Y5,6 in KS How do we judge attainment and expectations National Curriculum 2014? We track and judge attainment and progress of your child by linking their learning directly to the National Curriculum. The DFE and Ofsted have stated that teaching, learning and assessment should be based on the National Curriculum. The DFE has stated that the National Curriculum should be used as the expectations for children - if a child that has achieved all the objectives set out for Year 2 (and no further), they would be said to be working at the end of Year 2 expectation. Other examples: A child who has achieved all the mathematics objectives for Year 3 would be classed as working at the end of Year 3 expectation. A child achieving half or so of the mathematics objectives for Year 6 would be classed as working at the mid-year 6 expectation. A child achieving half or so of the writing objectives which are set out across Upper Key Stage 2 (Year 5 and Year 6) would be classed as working at the end of Year 5 expectation, as they are working at a point half-way through years 5 and 6. A child achieving only a few reading objectives for Year 1 would be classed as working at the beginning of Year 1 expectation. A child achieving all of the writing objectives which are set out across Lower Key Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4) would be classed as working at end of Year 4 expectation, as they have achieved all the objectives expected of them by the end of Year Has the new National Curriculum have raised expectations? Yes - it is very obvious from our exploration of the new curriculum, its objectives and initial studies with data, that the new National Curriculum has increased rigour. Many objectives have been shifted to lower year groups. This means that the expectation of a child at the end of Y2 or Y6 (for example) will be more rigorous than before. A child who previous attained a 4B may not attain a Y6 High (the Golden Code expected at the end of Y6). Page 6 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015

7 4.4 Why might a 4B child not attain a Y6 High in the new curriculum? The old and new curricular both have different content. Many objectives in the old curriculum have been shifted to lower year groups in the new curriculum. A child currently attaining 4B will not have been taught the new content or explored the methods in which they can apply their knowledge in the ways expected by the new National Curriculum. This means it is not possible to have an exact correlation between a level that is the outcome of old National Curriculum assessment and the re-assessment of a child to judge a Golden Code in the new National Curriculum. As a consequence, pupil attainment will appear to dip due to this increased expectation of the new curriculum. Page 7 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015

8 Section 5: Able children, deeper learning and SEN 5.1 How do we track the depth of a child's learning and application? Our school uses Mastery Ratings (see below) to add a depth of understanding and application. 5.2 The DFE has advised to deepen an able child's knowledge and understanding rather than just moving on to the next year's objectives - how do we track this? We use Mastery Ratings to add a depth of understanding and application. 5.3 What are Mastery Ratings? The depth and application of a child's learning is an important marker of their achievement and progress. School PUPIL TRACKER will take a child's depth and application of learning into account to award a modified Tracking Point when we enter assessments about a child. (Click here to see a detail parents guide to mastery ratings) Our school records the depth, creativity and complexity to which a child can apply their understanding into other contexts. The Standards and Testing Agency has classed this as the Cognitive aspect of a child's learning. The Cognitive aspect is included in the design and marking schemes of the End of Key Stage 1 and 2 National Curriculum tests and assessments from 2016, and is an important second measure of the abilities of a child. 5.4 Does Y6 High refer to an able child who is working in Year 6? No - Y6 High is a Golden Code that represents a child has met all the curriculum expected of them by the end of Year 6 but no higher. Y7 Low is one step of learning above Y6 High, showing that a child can demonstrate they 'know' everything expected of them by the end of Year 6 and some of the Year 7 curriculum too. 5.5 Do we teach the KS3 curriculum to children who are working beyond Year 6? If the child is ready to learn the KS3 curriculum as they already have a very deep application of the learning in Key Stage 2, the common sense answer to this is probably yes, but we will be working with other schools and the Local Authority and/or waiting for DFE guidance. 5.6 If a child is working in Year 4, will school use the Golden Code Y2 High to show the child is working at a point expected of a child at the end of Year 2? Yes we can use any of the Golden Codes in any year group. They are used in the same manner as Levels - they are a judgement of where in the curriculum learning journey a child has reached. If a child in Year 4 is working at the level expected at the end of Year 2 in the Page 8 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015

9 old National Curriculum, you would judge them to be a Level 2B or perhaps 2A; now you would judge them to be a Y2 High - which means they understand and have met the criteria expected by the end of Year 2, but they have little or no understanding of objectives above the Year 2 curriculum. 5.7 Is school still using P-Scales The DFE has stated that you should continue to track SEN children using P-Scales. Section 6 : Levels in Year 2 and Year Can we continue to track Y2 and Y6 children using Levels? Because of the phased introduction of the New national Curriculum children in Year 2 and 6 (in 2015) will still be using old national curriculum levels. 6.2 Where can find a copy of the old National Curriculum Levels? See the table on the next page Page 9 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015

10 This is a copy of the old Tracking system still used by Year 2 and 6 until September 2015

11 Section 7:EYFS 7.1 How will we track EYFS children? We continue to track pupil's attainment in the EYFS curriculum using Development Bands - for example, entering High or Mid. This will change as from September How Are Progress And Attainment Measured In Early Years Foundation Stage? When children begin our reception class they are assessed as to where their starting point is across the seven areas of the curriculum (Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development, Communication and Language, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding of the World and Expressive Art and Design). They will be assessed as to which developmental stage they are at within these seven areas i.e months, months or the Early Learning Goals. The national expectation is that your child will achieve the expected level within the Early Learning Goal (see table). Throughout your child s time in reception their progress is continually assessed against the Development Stage they are working at. In the summer term of the reception year, teachers complete an attainment assessment against the Early Learning Goals, which is known as the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Profile. It is statutory that teachers report to parents if their child is meeting expected levels of development for their age. If a child is achieving more than expected levels they are at the exceeding level or if they have not yet reached the expected standard, a child is at the emerging level of development. This assessment is carried out by the foundation teachers and is based on what they, and other staff caring for your child, have observed over a period of time. Another important part of the EYFS Profile is your knowledge about your child s learning and development, so do let your child s class teacher know about what your child does with you. Page 11 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015

12 All of the information collected is used to judge how your child is doing in the 7 areas of learning and development and the amount of progress they have made from their starting point in the autumn term. It is expected that all children will make 3 development stages of progress during reception. E.g. if your child s starting point is at the secure stage of months and they make three stages of development progress they will end the year at the expected level of the Early Learning Goal. Children who begin below the secure stage of months will still be expected to make at least 3 developmental stages progress during Reception. (At Round Hill we set the challenge for these children make more than expected progress, i.e. 4 or 5 stages of development and thus catch up with their peers) Please do not be concerned if your child is below this stage as the Reception year can be a hugely developmental time for your child. The staff will help you to help your child to achieve the Early Learning Goals and keep you informed of their progress. Page 12 This Help Card was last updated: 28/05/2015