Year 10: Assessment and Curriculum Guide for Parents

2019-2020

Introduction

This document has been devised to help you to understand assessment practices used at the school and how

to support your child’s learning and progress. The content has been informed by feedback from parental

forums; I hope that you find it useful. If you have any further queries, please contact individual teachers or

the school’s Administration Manager Alison Rothwell (alison.rothwell@lvc.org).

Why is assessment important?

Assessment plays a fundamental role in learning: it helps students and teachers to identify what has been

learnt, the skills that have been mastered and what needs to improve further. Most importantly, it guides and

supports students with the next steps in their learning. High-quality assessment can have a very positive

impact on students’ learning and progress.

What kinds of assessment are there?

There are two main forms of assessment, summative and formative.

Summative assessment provides a judgement about how students have achieved in a particular test or

assignment. Assessment outcomes are awarded a grade and usually take place at the end of a unit of study.

Formative assessment involves teachers using a variety of methods to diagnose specific areas to improve, and

support students in doing so. Formative dialogue is comment-based and occurs throughout the learning cycle.

The style and type of feedback used will depend on its purpose and the nature of the subject. In practical

subjects, the majority of the feedback will be verbal, with teachers providing students with instant, live

feedback through coaching and conversation. In other more essay-based subjects, feedback will take the form

of regular written comments. Peer and self-assessment will also be used to help students become familiar with

success criteria and be able to evaluate and recognise accurate and effective learning outcomes.

How and when will my child be assessed?

Each department has their own key assessed pieces of work in their schemes of learning for each year group.

These are outlined in section 2 of this document. Key summative outcomes are marked with a grade. In

subjects where students have four or more lessons a fortnight, there will be at least one key assessment

outcome per half term. For subjects taught less frequently, there will be at least one key assessment a term.

The results of summative assessment pieces are recorded on subject mark books in Go4Schools.

Alongside these assessed pieces of work, teachers will carry out ongoing assessments and give students

regular formative feedback to help them to improve. This will usually be shared using the WWW/EBI stamp

(‘What Went Well’ and ‘Even Better If’). Teachers will also provide students with timely feedback in lessons

and through the use of specific praise.

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How will my child be graded?

The majority of subjects are using 9-1 grading (Business Studies and Health and Social Care are the only exceptions). What do the 9-1 GCSE grades mean?

An indication of how these new grades will match with the old A*-G

standard is shown in the table. The proportion of students achieving each

grade will be fixed by the QCA (Qualification and Curriculum Authority) as

indicated.

What level / grade should I expect my child to be achieving?

Students working at age related expectations at the end of Year 6 should

be ‘achieving’ against the subject-specific assessment criteria throughout

Year 7 and Year 8. In Year 10 a student who was ‘achieving’ in Year 7/ 8

should be working at a grade 4 or 5 using the 9-1 grading. The diagram

below gives an overview of how a student might progress through school

years 7-11. It must be noted however, that learning is not always a linear

process and performance may vary depending on the topics students are

studying.

What is Go4Schools?

Go4Schools is an online electronic mark book that enables teachers to record assessment outcomes centrally

and share them with colleagues, students and parents. Go4Schools is also used for school reports and

recording praise, behaviour and intervention. You should have login details and a password to access your

child’s progress data on Go4Schools. If you have not logged on before or have forgotten your password, you

can register on the parent home page for a password update.

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What can I see on Go4Schools?

You are able to see an overview of your child’s assessment data which includes their agreed target, and an

overview of their assessments in each subject (see snapshots of a Year 10 student below). You will also be

able to view details of individual assessments by clicking onto subject data and looking at marks, levels or

grades held in subject mark books. Please see an explanation of the different grade types below. The quantity

of assessment recorded on Go4Schools will increase during the academic year – the first half term will have

limited information in place.

You can click on individual subject assessments to find out specific assessment details.

How do I make sense of the data on Go4Schools?

The most important way of understanding your child’s progress is to discuss it with them. While we have

endeavoured to set out Go4Schools mark books in a straightforward way to make them accessible for parents,

their primary purpose is to support teachers with their recording and monitoring of assessment. We hope that

engaging in assessment data online in this way will be helpful. However, it is important to recognise that

students’ exercise books and the conversations that you have with them and their teachers can provide a far

richer understanding of their learning and progress.

Susan Gelder

Assistant Principal

September 2019

Agreed Target

This is the target set by class teachers in the first term of the year in consultation with the student and should anticipate students making at least the same progress as those pupils nationally with the same KS2 attainment.

Current Grade

This is a weighted average of the assessments your child has completed in the academic year.

Estimated Grade

This is the grade that your child’s teacher believes that they are most likely to achieve by the end of the GCSE course.

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Section 2

Curriculum and Assessment

Guides by Subject

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Contents

Art and Design

Business Studies

Computing

Dance

Drama

Engineering

English

Food & Nutrition

French

Geography

Health & Social Care

History

Mathematics

Music

Physical Education

Product Design

Religious Studies

Science

Spanish

Statistics

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Art

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1, A*-G, or NC levels (delete as appropriate)

Name of GCSE course and code: e.g. AQA Physics: 8463

Link to specification: e.g. http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/physics-8463

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Business Studies

Year 10

Grading scheme used: Level 1 Pass, Level 2 Pass, Merit, Distinction, Distinction*

Name of course and code: Cambridge Nationals Certificate in Enterprise and Marketing Level 1/2 - J819

Link to specification: https://ocr.org.uk/Images/338513-specification.pdf

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Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: AQA

Link to specification: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/computer-science-and-it/gcse/computer-science-8520

Computing

Year 10

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Dance (GCSE Develop)

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: AQA GCSE Dance (8236)

Link to specification: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/dance/gcse/dance-8236

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Drama Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: OCR Drama GCSE J316

Link to specification: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-drama-j316-from-2016/

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Engineering

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: AQA GCSE Engineering (8852)

Link to specification: http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/engineering/specifications/AQA-8852-SP-2017.PDF

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English Language and Literature

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE courses and code: WJEC Eduqas English Language C700QS and WJEC Eduqas English Literature C720QS

Link to specification: http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/english-language/gcse/wjec-eduqas-gcse-english-lang-spec.pdf http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/english-literature/gcse/eduqas-gcse-english-literature-spec-from-2015.pdf

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Food Preparations and Nutrition

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: OCR Food, Preparation and Nutrition J309

Link to specification: http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/234806-specification-accredited-gcse-food-preparation-and-nutrition-j309.pdf

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French

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: AQA French: 8658

Link to specification: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658

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Geography

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: Geography B for enquiring minds J384

Link to specification: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-geography-b-geography-for-enquiring-minds-j384-from-2016/

Year 10

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Health and Social Care (Page 1 0f 2)

Year 10

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Health and Social Care (Page 2 0f 2)

Year 10

Grading scheme used: Level 1/2 Pass, Merit, Distinction, Distinction*

Name of GCSE course and code: BTEC Tech Award Health and Social Care (120 GLH)

Link to specification: Pearson/Edexcel Health and Social Care

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History

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: Edexcel 9-1 History

Link to specification: http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/history-2016.html

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Mathematics

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: Edexcel Mathematics 1MA1

Link to specification: http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/mathematics-2015.html

Year 10

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Music Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: OCR Music: J356

Link to specification: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-music-j536-from-2016/

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GCSE Physical Education

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: OCR GCSE PE J587

Link to specification: Theory: http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/234822-specification-accredited-gcse-physical- education-j587.pdf Practical: http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/234827-guide-to-non-exam-assessment.pdf

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OCR Cambridge National in Sports Science Year 10

Grading scheme used: Distinction* at Level 2, Distinction at Level 2, Merit at Level 2, Pass at Level 2, Distinction at Level 1, Merit at Level 1, Pass at Level 1

Name of GCSE course and code: OCR Cambridge National Certificate in Sports Science

Link to specification: https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/cambridge-nationals/sport-science-level-1-2-j802-j812/

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Core Physical Education

Year 10

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Year 10 Product Design

Grading scheme used: 9-1 Name of GCSE course and code: AQA GCSE Design & Technology (8552) Link to specification: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/design-and-technology/gcse/design-and-technology-8552

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Religious Studies

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: OCR Religious Studies J125

Link to specification: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-religious-studies-j625-j125-from-2016/

Short course

Please note that this is a half GCSE

that is completed at the end

of this year.

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Religious Studies

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: OCR Religious Studies J625

Link to specification: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-religious-studies-j625-j125-from-2016/

Full course

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GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: AQA Combined Science Trilogy 8464

Link to specification: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/combined-science-trilogy-8464

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Spanish Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: AQA Spanish: 8698

Link to specification: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/spanish-8698

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Statistics

Year 10

Grading scheme used: 9-1

Name of GCSE course and code: Edexcel Statistics 1ST0

Link to specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/statistics-2017.html