Due to changes in the GCSE curriculum, students will now be assessed using a 1-9 instead of grades A* - G.

There have also been significant changes to the assessments students will take for their GCSE’s.

All courses will now be linear – meaning there will be no coursework for the majority of subjects and all exams will be taken at the end of Year 11.

The current benchmark for a good GCSE pass is a Grade C.

Using the new 1 – 9 system this will be higher at a Grade 5 – between a Grade C and a Grade B.

Each Grade (1-9) has been split into three fine grades:

◦ D = Developing

◦ S = Secure

◦ M = Mastered

For Example, a Grade 4D means they have mastered the skills required at Grade 3, and are developing their skills at Grade 4.

Grades from primary schools have been converted to the new 1-9 grading system using this conversion:

80-82 2c EntryD

83-84 2b EntryS

85-86 2a EntryM

87-88 3c 1D

89-90 3b 1S

91-94 3a 1M

95-98 4c 2D

99-102 4b 2S

103-106 4a 2M

107-110 5c 3D

111-112 5b 3S

113-114 5a 3M

115-116 6c 4D

KS2

Points

Score

Old KS2 Level Conversion

Students’ Key Stage 2 scores determine their Minimum Expected Target Grade at the end of Year 11.

Individual progress targets are set in order to achieve this Grade.

Progress targets increase every 4 new terms (2 old terms). AUT1, AUT2, SPR1, SPR2, SUM, SUM2, AUT1, AUT2

If pupils regularly exceed their targets, their Minimum Expected Target Grade will increase.

Their progress is monitored termly and this is reported to you as parents/carers.

To give fairer and more realistic targets for all students in all year groups.

To allow students to make the expected progress from KS2 in a more realistic time frame.

To ensure targets are in line with the new curriculum.

There are two types of targets which will appear on your daughters report:

1. Minimum Expected Target Grades – these represent the minimum grade your daughter needs to achieve at each stage on their education in order to make her expected progress in Year 11.

2. Aspirational Target Grades – these represent an aspirational grade your daughter could achieve at the end of Year 11.

To allow for students to gain a greater understanding of their subjects, Minimum Expected Target Grades will only be set every four short terms.

Students will be judged against their progress towards this target based on the following criteria

Making Above Expected Progress (Blue) – they have exceeded their target grade

Making Expected Progress (Green) – they met their target grade or are 1 fine grade below their target grade

Making Below Expected Progress (Red) – they are more than 1 fine grade below their target grade.

Year 7 SPR2 Year 8 AUT2 Year 8 SUM2 Year 9 SPR2 Year 10 AUT2 Year 10 SUM2 Year 11 SPR2 Year 11 SUM1

80-82 2c EntryD EntryS EntryM 1D 1S 1M 2D 2S 2S

83-84 2b EntryS EntryM 1D 1S 1M 2D 2S 2M 2M

85-86 2a EntryM 1D 1S 1M 2D 2S 2M 3D 3D

87-88 3c 1D 1S 1M 2D 2S 2M 3D 3S 3S

89-90 3b 1S 1M 2D 2S 2M 3D 3S 3M 3M

91-94 3a 1M 2D 2S 2M 3D 3S 3M 4D 4D

95-98 4c 2D 2S 2M 3D 3S 3M 4D 4S 4M

99-102 4b 2S 2M 3D 3S 3M 4D 4S 4M 5D

103-106 4a 2M 3D 3S 3M 4D 4S 4M 5D 5S

107-110 5c 3D 3S 3M 4D 4S 4M 5D 5S 5M

111-112 5b 3S 3M 4D 4S 4M 5D 5S 5M 6D

113-114 5a 3M 4D 4S 4M 5D 5S 5M 6D 6S

115-116 6c 4D 4S 4M 5D 5S 5M 6D 6S 6M

KS2

Points

Score

KS2 Level

Year 7 & 8 Mininmum Expected

ProgressYear 9 - 11 Minimum Expected Progress

Conversion

Year 7 SPR2 Year 8 AUT2 Year 8 SUM2 Year 9 SPR2 Year 10 AUT2 Year 10 SUM2 Year 11 SPR2 Year 11 SUM1

80-82 2c EntryD EntryS EntryM 1D 1S 1M 2D 2S 2S

83-84 2b EntryS EntryM 1D 1S 1M 2D 2S 2M 2M

85-86 2a EntryM 1D 1S 1M 2D 2S 2M 3D 3D

87-88 3c 1D 1S 1M 2D 2S 2M 3D 3S 3S

89-90 3b 1S 1M 2D 2S 2M 3D 3S 3M 3M

91-94 3a 1M 2D 2S 2M 3D 3S 3M 4D 4D

95-98 4c 2D 2S 2M 3D 3S 3M 4D 4S 4M

99-102 4b 2S 2M 3D 3S 3M 4D 4S 4M 5D

103-106 4a 2M 3D 3S 3M 4D 4S 4M 5D 5S

107-110 5c 3D 3S 3M 4D 4S 4M 5D 5S 5M

111-112 5b 3S 3M 4D 4S 4M 5D 5S 5M 6D

113-114 5a 3M 4D 4S 4M 5D 5S 5M 6D 6S

115-116 6c 4D 4S 4M 5D 5S 5M 6D 6S 6M

KS2

Points

Score

KS2 Level

Year 7 & 8 Mininmum Expected

ProgressYear 9 - 11 Minimum Expected Progress

Conversion

Samantha is a student in year 8, she has achieved KS2 Levels of:

4c for Maths (now equivalent to a 1D)

5c for English (now equivalent to a 3D)

Her average KS2 Level is a 4b (this is equivalent to a 2S)

This would mean she would need to meet the following target for Yr8 AUT2:

Maths – 1M

English – 3M

Science – 3D

All Other Subjects – 3D

Samantha will still receive a termly report, but her Minimum Expected Target Grades would remain at the same levels until AUT2.

After AUT2 her targets will increase by 1 fine grade (e.g. 3D will increase to 3S) for every subject. These will then remain constant until SUM2 in year 8.

Samantha’s report for SPR2 might look something like this:

Ellie is a student in year 9, she has achieved KS2 Levels of:

5a for Maths (now equivalent to a 3M)

5c for English (now equivalent to a 3D)

Her average KS2 Level is a 5c (this is equivalent to a 3D)

This would mean she would need to meet the following target for Yr9 SPR2:

Maths – 5D

English – 4S

Science – 4S

All Other Subjects – 4S

Ellie will still receive a termly report, but her Minimum Expected Target Grades would remain at the same levels until AUT2.

After AUT2 her targets will increase by 1 fine grade (e.g. 3D will increase to 3S) for every subject. These will then remain constant until SUM2 in year 8.

Ellie’s report for SPR2 might look something like this:

As well as their Minimum Expected Target Grade, Aspirational Target Grade & Attainment Grade, your daughter’s report will also contain an Attitude to Learning Score and a Homework Score.

These are both graded on a scale of 1 – 5 using the following criteria:

Attitude to learning/Homework score Description

1 Excellent effort

2 Good Effort

3 Satisfactory effort

4 At risk of underachieving

5 Serious concern

If students consistently exceed their targets, they will be reviewed and increased for individual subjects at the key points in each year (every 4 new terms).

If students do not reach their Minimum Expected Target Grade, they will be invited to catch-up sessions, or given extra support to achieve their Target Grade in that subject.

You should contact class teachers for ways you can support your daughter at home for subjects causing concern.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Mr S Christopher

steve.christopher@dstc.kent.sch.uk

Mrs K Cooper

kaye.cooper@dstc.kent.sch.uk