Assessments

We have high expectations of all of our students and believe that they make most progress when they have specific feedback on their learning from their teachers in each of their subjects. In contrast, we have found that GCSE targets for students in Year 7, 8 and 9 do not impact progress and are not meaningful for students and as such, we do not set them.

Year 10 and 11 students are given targets for each of their GCSE subjects in order to clarify expectations, focus and progress. Oasis Academy Silvertown Targets are ambitious, reflecting our high expectations for all students. Our targets reflect our expectation that students will make more progress at our academy than other students across the country make on average.

Our targets are created by looking at each student’s Year 6 results, then looking at what students with those year 6 results usually achieve at GCSE, and then ensuring our targets are aspirational by extending the target further. Class teachers consider each student individually before making a final decision about what their target should be in each subject. As with predictions, a target does not guarantee any result or limit what any child can achieve.

This table gives three examples of typical Silvertown Targets.

Year 6                                             Average GCSE Result                          Silvertown Target

Expected standard                          5                                                             6/7

                               

Below expected standard               3                                                             4/5

                                                                               

Greater depth                                  6/7                                                          8/9                        

 

We used to grade year 7, 8 and 9 assessments by assigning GCSE 1-9 grades to represent each child’s progress. In order to help our students and parents to focus on the most important aspects of learning and progress, we now simply mark each assessment with a % and compare this to a class average. Along with many other schools and academies, we decided that GCSE grades in Year 7, 8 and 9 can be misleading and unhelpful for students before they have actually started their GCSE courses.

As well as receiving an assessment % and a class average, KS3 reports will include a 1-5 effort mark and a ‘concern’ description for any students who the class teachers considers to be underperforming.

We used to grade assessments by assigning GCSE 1-9 grades to represent each child’s progress. In order to help our students and parents to focus on the most important aspects of learning and progress, we now simply mark each assessment with a % and compare this to a class average for the first two assessments in Year 10. Along with many other schools and academies, we decided that GCSE grades in early in Year 10 can be misleading and unhelpful for students before they have covered enough of the course for teachers to make a judgement about which grade they have achieved. For the final assessment in Year 10, students will receive a 1-9 grade.

As well as receiving an assessment % and a class average, Year 10 reports will include a predicted grade (1-9). This represents the approximate grade that each student’s teacher thinks that they will achieve at the end of Year 11. This prediction is not a guaranteed grade or a limit on what any child could achieve.

GCSEs are graded 1-9, with 1 being the lowest grade and 9 the highest. Please refer to the diagram here to see the equivalent A*-G grades from the previous grading system.

Finally, Year 10s reports will include a 1-5 effort mark and a ‘concern’ description for any student who the class teacher considers to be underperforming.

Year 11 complete mock exams in November and in February before their formal examinations in May and June. Following these mock examinations, Year 11 reports will be shared at parents’ evenings. Reports will include:

1. The grade which each student achieved in their November mock examinations. This grade only represents the student’s performance in the papers that they sat, not the full GCSE. GCSEs are graded 1-9, with 1 being the lowest grade and 9 the highest. Please refer to the diagram here to see the equivalent A*-G grades from the previous grading system.

Teachers use ‘-‘ and ‘+’ to represent where the student achieved marks within the grade boundary.

-     Towards the bottom of the grade boundary

+    At the top of the grade boundary

2. A predicted grade (1-9). This represents the approximate grade that each student’s teacher thinks that they will achieve at the end of Year 11. This prediction is not a guaranteed grade or a limit on what each student could achieve.
3. 1-5 effort mark
4. Concern description for any student who the class teacher considers to be underperforming

 

Teachers at Oasis Academy Silvertown mark work following a new policy that focuses on students taking ownership of their own learning.  This approach is very different from more traditional marking and you might notice some changes in your child’s book.

How do teachers mark?

• Teachers set specific pieces of independent work which students know they will receive feedback on
• Teachers read every book
• Teachers take notes on presentation, best examples of student work, literacy and spelling errors and areas of learning which need more work.
• Teachers feed back to the class in the next lesson, sharing best examples on the board and reteaching areas of learning which need more work.
• Students correct their spelling and literacy mistakes and choose a ‘praise point’ (PP) and ‘action step’ (AS) which are appropriate for them.
• Students complete a new piece of work which helps them to improve in an area that they need more work on.

What will I see in my child’s book?

• Green pen corrections where your child has edited, improved or corrected their work.
• A red and white sticker containing a PP and AS specific for your child.
• Improved work below the sticker and in green pen.
• You will not see any writing from the teacher!

Why is this marking style good for my child?

Research has repeatedly found that when students have to find and correct their own mistakes, they work harder and learn better. Not only does this approach mean that students improve faster, but it also motivates them to take more ownership of their learning.  When students take ownership of their learning, think more carefully and deeply for themselves they also develop in the five Bes, particularly in being independent, professional and resilient, essential qualities for success later in life.