Assessment and Reporting

How We Assess Learning

Assessment is an ongoing part of teaching and learning at our school. It is not just about tests or marking work—it is about helping students understand what they are doing well and what they need to do next to improve.

Teachers regularly check students’ understanding through a variety of methods, including:

Classroom questioning
One-to-one discussions
Verbal feedback
Written feedback
Review of classwork and homework
Quizzes, tests and online learning platforms

This allows teachers to identify strengths, address any misconceptions, and adapt their teaching to meet students’ needs.

How We Report Progress

We monitor and track every student’s progress throughout their time at the school.

Students are given a GCSE target pathway from Year 7 onwards. These targets are based on prior attainment data and national benchmarks and help us measure progress towards success at Key Stage 4.

Parents and carers receive formal progress reports three times each year:

End of Term 2
End of Term 4
End of Term 6

Alongside these reports, students receive regular feedback in lessons, and parents have opportunities to discuss progress and next steps during consultation evenings.

Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9)

Students complete assessments throughout the year to help us measure their progress towards their future GCSE targets.

Progress is reported using the following indicators:

Progress Indicator	What It Means
Exceeding	Progress is above expected levels.
On Track	Progress is in line with expectations.
On Track –	Progress is approaching expected levels.
Not On Track	Progress is currently below expected levels and additional support may be needed.

Attitude to Learning (ATL)

In addition to academic progress, every subject teacher provides an Attitude to Learning (ATL) grade. This reflects a student's:

Engagement in lessons
Focus and concentration
Organisation and preparation
Contribution to learning
Ability to work independently and collaboratively

ATL Grade	Description
Excellent	Highly motivated, consistently engaged and takes pride in all aspects of learning.
Good	Positive attitude, works hard and achieves outcomes in line with their potential.
Requires Improvement	Meets minimum expectations but does not always work to their full potential.
Concerning	Regularly demonstrates attitudes or behaviours that are affecting learning and progress.

Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11)

Students are assessed using the grading systems associated with their qualifications.

GCSE Qualifications

GCSE subjects are graded from 9–1, with 9 being the highest grade.

Vocational Qualifications

Vocational courses, such as BTEC and NCFE qualifications, are graded using:

Pass
Merit
Distinction
Distinction*

Qualification Grade Equivalencies

GCSE Grade	Vocational Grade
9	Distinction 2* (D2*)
8–7	Distinction 2 (D2)
6	Merit 2 (M2)
5–4	Pass 2 (P2)
3	Distinction 1 (D1)
2	Merit 1 (M1)
1	Pass 1 (P1)
U	U (Unclassified)

Working Together

We believe that regular communication between school, students and families is essential for success. Our reporting process is designed to provide clear information about progress, celebrate achievements, and identify the support needed to help every student reach their full potential.