We will monitor your son’s/daughter’s work carefully to ensure they are making academic progress as well as enjoying their studies.

Year 7 students take formal end of year examinations in English, Maths and Science, and undertake very regular, formal in-class assessments throughout the year in all subjects. We track students’ progress against their expected grades at GCSE, and work hard with students if they temporarily slip behind.

Your child’s tutor regularly receives reports from subject teachers. Each student’s progress is charted and those who are advancing quickly and those who are having difficulties are referred to the Head of House and the Senior Leadership Team for appropriate rewards or interventions.

The school uses an online reporting system – Go 4 Schools.

While progress reports are formally published (online) 3 times a year, attendance, progress and achievement information is available on a live basis via Class Charts.

Progress

We have high expectations for students in Year 7. We look at how they have done in the past - including in their Year 6 SATs exams - to work out what they are capable of in every subject. Towards the end of Terms 2, 4 & 6, assessments will be set in each subject that are marked against ‘Age-Related GCSE Grades’. These grades refer to a student’s position in the performance distribution for their age group and indicate the grade that they are likely to achieve in Year 11 if they continue at their current level of effort and progress. These grades do not tell you what a student would get if they took a GCSE at that moment in time.

Assessments get harder from term to term and year to year, so that a grade 6 in Year 8 represents a higher standard than a grade 6 in Year 7. Staying at the same age-related grade as a student moves through Year 7 into Year 8 is making progress.

 

Approach to Learning

We want students to focus well in school and at home. We award the following approach to learning descriptions:

Outstanding: Displays an excellent attitude, ambition, sustained learning and demonstrates integrity. They are highly motivated, show endurance and are versatile and happy in their approach to learning, making a full contribution.

Good: Consistent approach that enables good progress. They are motivated, make a positive contribution and demonstrate a high level of integrity. They show endurance and are versatile and happy in their approach to learning.

Requires Improvement: Does not always show ambition. Their approach can lead to disruption, lack of consideration and lack endurance in their learning. They struggle to work collaboratively and to try new approaches. Their work fails to meet expectations.

Cause for Concern: Consistently displays an approach that lacks ambition. They show a lack of integrity which leads to disruption and a lack of consideration. They do not demonstrate versatility or endurance and need prompting to engage and to work collaboratively. Their work rarely meets expectations.

There is also a Parents’ Evening for each year group so that you may meet your child’s teachers and discuss his or her academic progress and personal development.