National Curriculum 2014 - Frequently Asked Questions This Help Card contains a range of Frequently Asked Questions about the new curriculum. What help is there to support my school in introducing the new National Curriculum? You should read through the following guidance: Help Card on setting up SPTO: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_setup.pdf Development plan: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_sdp.docx Help Card on entering data: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_enteringdata.pdf This Help Card is organised in the following Sections to help you find the answers you need: Section 1: Life without Level codes - setting up a tracking scheme Section 2: Guidance on the options your school has to track using School PUPIL TRACKER Section 3: Progress, attainment, APS, Tracking Points Section 4: Advice on beginning to use your new Golden Codes and tracking scheme Section 5: Advice on the new National Curriculum Section 6: Curriculum planning and support Section 7: Can we continue using Level codes? Section 8: Historic data, using APP, Auto-fill Section 9: Able children, deeper learning and SEN Section 10: Year 2 and Year 6 Section 11: EYFS Section 12: Can I make changes to the settings? Page 1 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 1: Life without levels - setting up a tracking scheme 1.1. How do we track children once levels have been removed? We have created a range of tracking schemes to support you in tracking children with transparency and rigour. Please see the Help Cards below for full support. Help Card on setting up SPTO: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_setup.pdf Development plan: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_sdp.docx Help Card on entering data: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_enteringdata.pdf Guidance on Ofsted: www.spto.co.uk/documents/ofsted_spto_guidance.pdf 1.2. 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 4. 1.3. What are Golden Codes? Golden Codes are the new codes your 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. 1.4. Why have you already chosen a tracking scheme for my school - I want to change it? We have already chosen a scheme to support you in making choices about how to track - starting with no scheme might appear more daunting. Instead, we have chosen the scheme we feel is the easiest to learn and understand and you will be able to modify or change this scheme based on your own preferences. Help Card on changing a tracking scheme: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_setup.pdf Page 2 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
1.5. Why have you given us choices with different tracking schemes? We are giving schools a choice of schemes as different schools have different requirements and want their tracking scheme to be appropriate to them and their own use. 1.6. Can I change my choice of tracking scheme later? Yes - you can make changes now and in the future as many times as you wish. Each time you change your scheme, we will display your pupil assessment data in the new scheme, but please tell your teachers you have changed your scheme so they know what new Golden Codes to enter. We will not alter your historic Level codes. 1.7. What are ARE Codes and how can we use them? Your school may decide to track pupils using a much broader approach - just making judgements whether a child is working at the ARE for their age, or above ARE etc. Using the ARE Codes allows your school to do this if you wish. You may also use ARE Codes to complete on-entry judgements for pupils, so when a child arrives in Reception, you may enter ARE for children who are meeting the expectation at the beginning of Reception, or ARE+3 if they are working above that expected. Help Card on entering data: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_enteringdata.pdf 1.8. I want to change the way we track our pupils - what sort of support is there to tailor tracking to what I need? We realise schools wish to have the ability to innovate and develop their own ideas to track pupils, which is why we have designed our system with the ability to track a huge range of different assessment schemes and codes. Please see Section 2 for further ideas and guidance on how you may use SPTO to develop your assessment structures in your school. When you log in, click on and then click on for a visual guide. Please also see the Help Card below on which codes you may enter- Help Card on entering data: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_enteringdata.pdf Page 3 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
1.9. I don't want to report Golden Codes to parents - what can I report to them? You may choose to report the Golden Codes to parents if you wish, or it may be more appropriate to give parents information such as whether a child has achieved as 'Expected' for their age, or 'Above Expected' or 'Well-above Expected' (for example). The Annual Report Writer and Online Report will be updated to give you these options. 1.10. Our Local Authority has designed their own scheme - can we use their codes? Our system is very flexible - we can offer advice on matching Local Authority schemes - but you must send us the detailed guidance you have received from your Local Authority and we may have to charge a fee to if you ask us to add specific codes or options we cannot currently support. 1.11. Our Academy has designed its own scheme - can we use our own codes? Our system is very flexible - we can offer advice on matching your scheme - but you must send us details of your scheme and we may have to charge a fee to if you ask us to add specific codes or options we cannot currently support. 1.12. 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 - they have achieved a high number of Year 6 objectives. An able Y6 child would be 'stretched' by deepening their understanding and application of Year 6 learning - please see Section 9. 1.13. If a child is working in Year 4, can we 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 - you may use any of the Golden Codes in any year group. They should be 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 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. Page 4 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 2: Guidance on the options your school has to track using School PUPIL TRACKER 2.1. Based on DFE guidance and School PUPIL TRACKER abilities, what are our tracking options? Your school has two options when thinking about how you will track pupils: 1. Detailed Tracking Option This approach best fits the DFE guidance on the new National Curriculum, whereby a greater focus on Formative Assessment takes place. Teachers use the new National Curriculum 2014 records built into School PUPIL TRACKER and School PUPIL TRACKER judges a child's attainment automatically and consistently (creating an Estimated Band such as Y2 High) which can be used to Auto-fill the SHORT TERM grid. Your school will need to choose a tracking scheme in the SET UP HELPER in order to track these pupils. Expected progress and ARE comparison percentages are calculated automatically. We call this option a Detailed Tracking option as it involves teachers making detailed records about pupil attainment against the NC2014 Objectives. See the NC2104 and EYFS Help Cards for details of entering NC2014 and EYFS judgements: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014booklet.pdf www.spto.co.uk/documents/fsbooklet.pdf Build up judgements in SPTO NC2014 Records* Auto-fill SHORT TERM Explore data *You must use this option (or set curriculum targets in SPTO and recording them as Achieved) to create auto-comments in your annual report. No other option will provide auto-comments. Page 5 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
2. Broad Tracking Option This approach is a more summative manner of tracking. Either a teacher makes a professional judgement of a child's attainment or a child takes a test and the outcome is used to benchmark the child against the required standards. Teachers use the National Curriculum documents themselves to judge a child's current attainment and enter the new tracking scheme codes (such as Y2 High) into the SHORT TERM grid. Your school will need to choose a tracking scheme in the SET UP HELPER in order to track these pupils and know what codes to use. Alternatively, teachers use a test which results in a Standardised Score or Scaled Score (for example). This benchmarks the child against the required standard. These scores are entered into the SHORT TERM grid to track a child's attainment and progress. Expected progress and ARE comparison percentages are calculated automatically. We call this option a Broad Tracking option as teachers make only broad judgements about a child's attainment - they do not keep detailed records about every objective. See the Entering Data Help Card for details of entering and saving Golden Codes: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_enteringdata.pdf Teachers make own judgement about child's attainment Teacher fills in the SHORT TERM grid with Golden Codes Explore data Test provides Standardised Score for each child Teacher fills in the SHORT TERM grid with Standardised Score Explore data Page 6 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
You can change your mind and use different options over time; although we would recommend trying to stick to choices that are as straightforward as possible for your school to apply and understand. All these options will provide the required analysis and tracking data you will be used to working with in School PUPIL TRACKER. To support you further, when you log in, click on and then click on for a visual guide. 2.2. Which options provide auto-comments in annual reports? You must use the Detailed Tracking option if you wish to create auto-comments for your annual reports. The only other way of creating auto-comments if you are using a broad tracking option is to set targets using Target Bank. Help Card on setting targets: www.spto.co.uk/documents/targetbank.pdf Page 7 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 3: Progress, attainment, APS, Tracking Points 3.1. How will we see NCP / APS for groups, or see NCP / APS progress of children over time? Choosing a tracking scheme will provide very similar averages and progress measures that you have used before, replacing APS with Tracking Points. 3.2. Each tracking scheme uses Tracking Points - what are Tracking Points? Tracking Points [TP] are very similar to APS, and so can be used to examine progress and attainment numerically and as an average. In a similar way to APS, 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). The Tracking Point numbers used are very similar to the APS system used in the previous National Curriculum and as a consequence, this may mean teachers at your school already have a good understanding of Tracking Points. It is important to note, however, that not all APS points are equivalent to Tracking Points - see the grid below and you will notice that there is a difference between APS and Tracking Points up to mid Year 2 due to the expectation of 4 NCP/APS progress in Years 1 and 2 in Levels. By converting all different types of assessments to a standardised scale (Tracking Points), SPTO is able to calculate progress and ARE Comparisons for you consistently and transparently. Please note that your school may choose to show progress and ARE Comparisons in months and not use Tracking Points. 3.3. Does School PUPIL TRACKER calculate who is above ARE or who is making good progress? Yes - these percentages are available in the SHOW ANALYSIS area of the SHORT TERM and LONG TERM grids, as well as in a range of reports in the School Menu. Page 8 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
3.4. Why didn't SPTO just continue to use APS? APS was linked directly to the old curriculum and had a number of faults and inconsistencies. Instead Levels and all Golden Codes will use Tracking Points, which enable you to: see, judge and measure progress consistently across every child (whether Nursery, EYFS or Y1-6) and every year group. This is not possible with APS. calculate progress across different curricular (e.g. EYFS and National Curriculum). This is not possible with APS. use tests with outcomes measured in standardised scores as an integrated and linked mechanism of tracking. This is not possible with APS. use tests that result in Age Scores (such as 7Y-10m). This is not possible with APS. more thoroughly and simply explore and understand your data. APS has always been a flawed system as it expects some children to make 4 APS per year and others 3 APS per year. We have simplified this by standardising APS to become Tracking Points - where everyone is expected to make 3 Tracking Points per year. Tracking Points have standardised all KS1 APS into 3 points per year instead of 4 APS per year - this means you will see decimal Tracking Point progress when looking at level progress below 2B to allow for all pupils to be compared with a standardised 3 Tracking Points per year expectation. 3.5. Why is some Tracking Point progress shown as decimal? APS has always been a flawed system as it expects some children to make 4 APS per year and others 3 APS per year. We have simplified this by standardising APS to become Tracking Points - where everyone is expected to make 3 Tracking Points per year. Tracking Points have standardised all KS1 APS into 3 points per year instead of 4 APS per year - this means you will see decimal Tracking Point progress when looking at level progress below 2B to allow for all pupils to be compared with a standardised 3 Tracking Points per year expectation. Page 9 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
3.6. Why is progress in KS1 now a minimum of 3 Tracking Points and not 4 APS? As you may be aware, there were different expectations of progress for a child depending on their year group when using levels and the attached APS system. As we have been able to design our own scale of attainment and progress, this has meant we can link judgements across all the current curriculum systems to a simpler three-steps-per-year Tracking Point system. We could have chosen to use a 4, 5 or 6 steps-per-year Tracking Point system, but we chose three-stepsper-year as schools were already familiar expecting a minimum of 3 units of progress per year. An expectation of 4 APS progress in KS1 is no longer relevant as your new tracking scheme does not measure progress or ARE Comparisons in APS, instead we measure these in Tracking Points, which is a simpler and equally measured system across all year groups. APS was an unequally measured numerical scale used when working on levels; with the removal of levels and APS, we have been able to provide a more meaningful and simpler scale - Tracking Points. You will find working in Tracking Points much easier and productive. 3.7. 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. 3.8. What are the numbers next to each assessment in the SHORT TERM grid? The numbers next to each assessment in the SHORT TERM grid for example: here shown as 12 are the approximate Tracking Points value of the assessment. When using levels below 2B, P Scales, Standardised Scores or Age Scores the Tracking Point value may be a decimal amount and we show the approximate Tracking Point next to each assessment for guidance and simple comparison. Page 10 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 4: Advice on beginning to use your new Golden Codes and tracking scheme 4.1. When can we begin using Golden Codes? You may begin using Golden Codes, ARE Codes, Standardised Scores and Age Scores across the system once the summer update has been completed near the end of August 2014. 4.2. How can a teacher see the Golden Codes or tracking scheme we have put in place? Please ask your teachers to click on and read this Help Card: Help Card on entering data: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_enteringdata.pdf 4.3. 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). 4.4. 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. 4.5. When should we begin using Golden Codes? Our recommendation for new schools is to begin using Golden Codes in BASELINE column of the SHORT TERM grid. This will create accurate baselines to calculate progress for each academic year and result in more fluent and easier to understand data. Page 11 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
4.6. Can different teachers or year groups start using Golden Codes at different times? We do not recommend this - it will result in a complex set of data for your school which will be exceptionally difficult for your school to judge. All your Y1, 3, 4 and 5 pupils should have their Golden Code assessments begin at the same assessment point, which we recommend as the BASELINE column in the SHORT TERM grid. 4.7. Can we begin using Golden Codes mid-way through the year? We do not recommend beginning to enter Golden Codes mid-way through an academic year. When you begin using Golden Codes, our studies suggest it will most likely result in a dip of progress for each child as you re-assess your pupils on the more challenging new National Curriculum. If you choose to begin using Golden Codes mid-way through the academic year, there will be an attainment dip in the middle of the year. As progress will continue to be measured from the Baseline column (which will be recorded in levels from the previous National Curriculum), progress for each of your children will also appear to dip or reverse. We would advise re-assessing pupils through the beginning of the autumn term and then changing the Baseline level in place on the SHORT TERM. This will create a more accurate Baseline from which progress will then be measured for the rest of the year. 4.8. Why has my pupil 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 12 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
4.9. Can we transfer some of our data into Golden Codes to help us get started? We will not change, alter or convert any other historic level data except the level currently recorded for each child into a Golden Code. We cannot convert your levels in to Golden Codes - please see 4.4 above. 4.10. What is SPTO's advice on what a school should do? Our recommendation for new schools is to begin using Golden Codes in the BASELINE column of the SHORT TERM gird. This will create accurate baselines to calculate progress for each academic year and result in more fluent and easier to understand data. Page 13 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 5: Advice on the new National Curriculum 5.1. 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 KS2. In the cases where objectives are not specified into year groups, each school will need to decide where / how these objectives will be taught. This does not impact on record keeping in School PUPIL TRACKER, as objectives can be recorded in any order or year group. 5.2. How do we judge attainment and expectations in National Curriculum 2014? If you use Option 1 in Section 2 (Detailed Tracking), SPTO will automatically track and judge attainment and progress of your pupils 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 Year 5 would be classed as working at the middle of Year 5 expectation. 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 Year 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 4. Page 14 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
5.3. Will you be adding the DFE End of Key Stage Performance Descriptors? The DRAFT Performance Descriptors were published in October 2014. The DFE has decided (February 2015) not to use their DRAFT descriptor structure and we have removed the DRAFT descriptors from SPTO to ensure there is no confusion when using SPTO. The DFE has stated it will publish new, official, statutory Key Stage Performance Descriptors by September 2015. Once these have been published, we will work quickly to add these new official criteria to SPTO. 5.4. 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). 5.5. 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. 5.6. Can we add or amend objectives to the NC2014 Records? The DFE has stated that schools should benchmark pupils only against the National Curriculum objectives. This is what SPTO does. Our system allows the detailed judgement-by-judgement recording of all the aspects that we know will be tested by the DFE and are part of the National Curriculum standards and expectations. We do not allow schools to alter these core objectives as they are the core standards against which all children are benchmarked. School may adjust and use whatever Key Objectives they wish within the National Curriculum and SPTO allows schools to set up the exact Key Objectives you require learning to be most appropriately focused and benchmarked against. Page 15 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 6: Curriculum planning and support 6.1. We are using a specific curriculum which includes planning for us - can I still use the detailed NC2014 Record to complete Detailed Tracking? Yes - you may still use the detailed records to record which pupils have achieved objectives across the NC2014 curriculum, as these NC2014 objectives are the objectives that are included in your purchased curriculum. Ofsted has stated that schools should link assessment directly to the National Curriculum, so it is important to ensure your assessment focuses on the objectives within the new curriculum. 6.2. How do we use SPTO in the new curriculum? To support you further, when you log in, click on and then click on for a visual guide. 6.3. What resources have you put in place to support the new curriculum? We have designed and put in place a range of new tools and resources to help teachers and practitioners to explore, plan and understand the new curriculum. Our new resources include: Curriculum mapping for EYFS and NC2014 Planning tools for EYFS, NC2014 and APP Learning Walls for EYFS and NC2014 Pupil Target Walls across all subjects Observation Grids for EYFS and NC2014 New Class Menus to support teachers and practitioners in entering and exploring assessments Objective Analysis Tool [OAT] for formative assessment analysis. To access these tools click on or and then use the range of tab buttons for each curricular: Page 16 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 7: Can we continue using Level codes? 7.1. Can we continue to track in Levels? Yes - but we do not recommend the use of Level codes for tracking pupils in the new National Curriculum. If you use level-codes to decide pupil attainment in the new National Curriculum, this would mean your school would very quickly need to devise new level descriptors for each level that connect with and match the new National Curriculum. We would recommend instead that schools think about transferring their understanding to a tracking scheme and Golden Codes. All Golden Codes and the tracking schemes we have devised fulfil all the criteria and expectations of Ofsted and the DFE, whereas the use of level codes to describe attainment within the new National Curriculum does not. 7.2. We wish to continue using Level-codes - which tracking scheme should we choose? If you choose to continue using Level-codes, you do not need to make any changes or choices in the system set up - School PUPIL TRACKER will continue to function for you, with the exception that you would use Tracking Points instead of APS. 7.3. How do you track progress without APS? We have introduced Tracking Points - which are very similar to APS and can be used to see average attainment and progress. There is an expectation that every child across school (even KS1 children) now make 3 Tracking Points of progress each year. 7.4. Why are Tracking Points better than APS? Tracking Points allow you to compare pupils across the school (no matter what year group) and any type of data (for example EYFS data, Reading Ages, Standardised Scores etc.) simply and effectively. APS did not allow you to do this - you could not compare progress across EYFS to levels, for example. Page 17 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
7.5. We want to use Levels - can we use APS instead of Tracking Points? Unfortunately, APS is no longer a valid mechanism of tracking after September 2014 and you will not be able to use APS by default. This is because APS was linked directly to the old curriculum and had a number of faults and inconsistencies. Instead Levels and all Golden Codes will use Tracking Points, which enable you to: see, judge and measure progress consistently across every child (whether Nursery, EYFS or Y1-6) and every year group. This is not possible with APS. calculate progress across different curricular (e.g. EYFS and National Curriculum). This is not possible with APS. use tests with outcomes measured in standardised scores as an integrated and linked mechanism of tracking. This is not possible with APS. use tests that result in Age Scores (such as 7Y-10m). This is not possible with APS. Using Tracking Points enables you and your school to more thoroughly and simply explore and understand your data. 7.6. I still need to see data in APS - how do I do this? When viewing data, click on this button on the screen: or look for an option that allows you to choose an outcome in APS. We have provided the ability to continue to view data in APS for the vast majority of the grids and graphs. Only one or two areas of the system cannot show APS as they rely on data specifically made for the new National Curriculum, which is incompatible with APS. 7.7. How will I know if a child has made expected progress? When using Tracking Points, if a child has made 3 Tracking Points progress, then you know that the child is making expected minimum progress. This is the same for every child across your school. You do not need to think - is this a Y2 child? Is it 4 or 3 APS that is expected? Page 18 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
7.8. What was wrong with APS? APS was based solely on the old National Curriculum and could not be used to compare progress of EYFS children or other data (such as Standardised Scores). APS expectations also varied depending on which year group you were in, but this was inaccurate and led to statistical and expectation anomalies across school. For example, a Y2 child who made 3APS progress moving from 2C to 2B+ has not made enough progress; however a Y4 child who made 3APS moving from 2C to 2B+ (the exact same progress) had made enough progress. This is a flaw in the way APS was provided and linked to levels. This became even more complex when looking at the assessment data of a group of children that were a mixture of KS1 and KS2 children, each of whom would have different expectations. We have removed these flaws by using Tracking Points. 7.9. Why is some Tracking Point progress from one level to another level shown as decimal? APS has always been a flawed system as it expects some children to make 4 APS per year and others 3 APS per year. We have simplified this by standardising APS to become Tracking Points - where everyone is expected to make 3 Tracking Points per year. Tracking Points have standardised all KS1 APS into 3 points per year instead of 4 APS per year - this means you will see decimal Tracking Point progress when looking at level progress below 2B to allow for all pupils to be compared with a standardised 3 Tracking Points per year expectation. Page 19 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
7.10. How can I use Tracking Points instead of APS when using Levels? When looking at Tracking Points instead of APS, remember that: For children making progress through levels above Level 2B, there will be no difference. The only difference in Tracking Points from APS is for levels below 2B, where pupils were expected to make 4 APS per year. For children making progress below Level 2B, a child who made 4 APS (expected) progress would now make 3 Tracking Points progress. This grid may help you to see how APS for KS1 levels has been condensed or standardised into 3 Tracking Points per year: Previous KS1 progress Tracking Point Progress 0 APS Progress 0 TP Progress 1 APS Progress 0.75 TP Progress 2 APS Progress 1.5 TP Progress 3 APS Progress 2.25 TP Progress 4 APS Progress (Expected) 3 TP Progress (Expected) 5 APS Progress 3.75 TP Progress 6 APS Progress 4.5 TP Progress By making this change to Tracking Points, you can very easily compare progress data for all children, including mixed groups across your school. 7.11. How are APS converted to Tracking Points for levels? Please see the exact Tracking Point values below. Below Year 1 [across 5 APS] Year 2 [across 4 APS] Level 1C- 1C 1C+ 1B 1B+ 1A 2C- 2C 2C+ 2B TP 9.0 9.5 10.3 10.8 11.3 12.0 12.8 13.5 14.3 15.0 APS 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 Tracking Points have standardised all KS1 APS into 3 points per year instead of 4 APS per year in Year 2 and 5 APS in Year 1. This is based on exit from EYFS with a very low achievement of Level 1 attainment (1C-) and an exit in Year 2 of 2B. Page 20 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 8: Historic data, using APP, Auto-flll 8.1. We used the APP records for our children - what do we do now? You should use the NC2014 Record to 'tick off' children's attainment - click here for a Help Card. Using this new record will provide an Estimated Band for each child to Auto-fill in the SHORT TERM grid. 8.2. Will the APP records for each child be transferred to the new National Curriculum? Unfortunately, it is not appropriate or accurate to simply transfer judgements from the old National Curriculum to the new National Curriculum - as objectives do not map or link and the DFE has not published a correlation guide between the two curricular. Teachers will be expected to begin entering assessments about children - this is also an important mechanism of 'getting to know' the new curriculum. 8.3. Can we continue to use APP? You may still access and use the APP record by going to the NC2014 CLASS MENU and then clicking on 8.4. Will the new NC2014 record create an estimated level or Golden Code? Yes - the NC2014 record can be used to create a Golden Code in a similar manner that APP records created estimated level judgements. Help Card on NC2014 Estimated Bands: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_estimatedbands.pdf 8.5. Can I Auto-fill data into the SHORT TERM grid? Yes - if you use the NC2014 APP-style grids in School PUPIL TRACKER, each child will be given an Estimated Band and this can be automatically filled into the SHORT TERM grid using the AF buttons at the top of each assessment column or the new Auto-fill tool that will fill in all the core subjects or all the Aspects in the EYFS curriculum in one go. Page 21 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 9: Able children, deeper learning and SEN 9.1. 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? You may use Depth of Learning Ratings to add a depth of understanding and application. 9.2. What are Depth of Learning 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 you enter assessments about a child. Your school may wish to record 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. Help Card on Depth of Learning: www.spto.co.uk/documents/depthoflearning.pdf Information published by the DFE on testing schemes and Cognitive aspects: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum-assessments-test-frameworks Page 22 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
9.3. 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 - they have achieved a high number of Year 6 objectives. 9.4. Do I need to 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 would recommend speaking to your Local Authority or waiting for DFE guidance at present. 9.5. How do I record children working at expectations above Year 6? You may enter (for example) Y7 High to show children are working as expected by the end of Year 7. 9.6. If a child is working in Year 4, can we 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 - you may use any of the Golden Codes in any year group. They are a benchmark 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 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. 9.7. When do I use P-Scales or EAL Steps? The DFE has stated that you should continue to track SEN children using P-Scales. We can find no information at present on whether this also means EAL Steps continue to be used for EAL children too. Help Card on entering data: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_enteringdata.pdf 9.8. Can we use Level codes, P-Scales, Golden Codes, EYFS Bands and other codes on the same grid? Yes - our system will calculate progress and ARE Comparisons automatically, comparing all the different types of data seamlessly for you. Help Card on entering data: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_enteringdata.pdf Page 23 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 10: Year 2 and Year 6 Support for the academic year 2014-2015 only. 10.1. Can we continue to track Y2 and Y6 children using Levels? Yes - simply continue to enter your assessments as levels in the SHORT TERM grid. 10.2. Can we continue to use APP for our Y2 and Y6 children? You may still access and use the APP record by clicking on 10.3. Can we see APS for our Y2 and Y6 children? Yes - go to the SHORT TERM grid and click on APS. to view Tracking Points converted to 10.4. Can we track our Y2 and Y6 children using Golden Codes? Yes - simply enter your assessments as Golden Codes in the SHORT TERM grid. Page 24 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 11: EYFS 11.1. How will we track EYFS children? You may continue to track pupil's attainment in the EYFS curriculum using Development Bands - for example, entering 40-60 High or 30-50 Mid. These can be entered directly into the SHORT TERM grid or you may continue to use the EYFS records to make individual judgements in each Aspect and use the new Auto-fill feature to transfer your Estimated Bands automatically. For more information, click on and then click on Help Card on EYFS: www.spto.co.uk/documents/fsbooklet.pdf 11.2. Why do we now see progress and ARE Comparisons in Tracking Points for EYFS? Prior to September 2014, progress and ARE Comparisons were shown in months for EYFS children. In order to be able to provide consistent data analysis and comparison, we have aligned EYFS progress and ARE Comparisons to show Tracking Points. Many Local Authority and schools have also asked for this option to see greater transparency across year groups too. We could not do this with APS, but we have designed Tracking Points to enable schools to more easily track and explore assessments across all types of assessments. 11.3. Can we use Level codes, P-Scales, Golden Codes, EYFS Bands and other codes on the same grid? Yes - our system will calculate progress and ARE Comparisons automatically, comparing all the different types of data seamlessly for you. Help Card on entering data: www.spto.co.uk/documents/nc2014_enteringdata.pdf Page 25 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015
Section 12: Can I make changes to the settings? 12.1. Can I change the minimum expected progress to something I require? Yes - you can do this in the SET UP HELPER. Click on the large NC2014 Settings button and then click on the Expectation and progress button. 12.2. Are there any other settings I can amend to suit my school? Yes - you may choose how progress is displayed (for example in Tracking Points or Months instead); you can now enter data for all subjects up to ten times each year (instead of six); you may use a wider range of P-Scales; you can choose higher rates of expected progress; and you can choose the expected Bands at the end of EYFS. Page 26 This Help Card was last updated: 29/12/2015