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Secondary education

Assessment Grades Year 8

7 replies

ItsDecisionTime · 09/10/2013 00:24

My DDs school have decided to change the way they assess pupil performance. Achievement is to be assessed by how well one pupil performs against other members of their class. For example, those who are in the top 5% of performers will be given the highest grade and those in the bottom 20% will be given the lowest grade with two grades of Good and Average performance in the middle. My question is that if the whole group is performing at a low level for what's expected of a particular set, how will this be identified? How will the school know if a teacher isn't performing particularly well if some of the students are achieving high grades but, in comparison to say the national expected level, are actually performing poorly? There is a separate grade for effort which ranges from 1 - 4. Any pupil who is achieving a combined grade of AV (average) - 3 (effort) is considered to be doing ok as this is the baseline that's been set for expected performance. Doesn't seem right to me. Any thoughts anyone?

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noblegiraffe · 09/10/2013 10:32

Within their class? Not within their year group even? So if they are in the top maths set, but at the bottom, they'd get the same grade as someone who is at the bottom of the bottom maths set? Confused

That sounds utterly bonkers. I know some people (Gove) would like to see all pupils ranked so they know exactly where they are in the year as some sort of motivation to improve (more likely completely demotivate those at the bottom), however, you are right that they need to know the actual standard of their work. When it comes to GCSE they won't be graded against the rest of their class and they need to have some objective idea of what they are working towards.

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ItsDecisionTime · 10/10/2013 14:11

Yes, within their class. DD is in top set for maths and it's always been her favourite subject. She got the third top mark in her year in the end of term exam and was awarded silver in the International Maths challenge - not a boast, just trying to articulate that she really does have a flair for it. However, on her report, she got a BA - 3 which equates to below average for motivation, contribution and participation and an average for effort. She isn't motivated this term because according to her, the maths teacher isn't particularly inspiring and is just sitting it out until he retires at half-term. She's trying to manoeuvre herself to be dropped down a set so she is with the teacher who inspired her so much last year. She says she would rather be the top of the next set down than the bottom of the set she's in. It all seems extremely unmotivational (I'm sure that's not even a word!)

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curlew · 10/10/2013 14:13

Are they not being assessed against National Curriculum criteria? No levels?

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ItsDecisionTime · 10/10/2013 14:29

In all the time she's been at the school, I've never heard any reference to NC levels even though they do seem to be the yardstick by which you can measure your own child's attainment against those in other sets or even other schools. My worry is that the new assessment grades are too subjective and left to teacher opinion rather than factual evidence.

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pointythings · 10/10/2013 17:14

That's grading on a curve, which is completely stupid, especially in maths where theoretically everyone could score 100% on a test - and then what do you do?

DD1's school assesses against NC levels based on how well they have mastered the skills they are testing in that particular test and they get a marks out of total score. Much more informative.

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noblegiraffe · 10/10/2013 18:18

Is this an English state school? Ofsted would not be impressed. Every child should be able to say what level they are currently working at and what their target is. A position on the latest test tells you nothing. Someone who gets demoted goes from a rubbish grade to a good one just from going from the bottom of one set to near the top of the one below. Useless.

I'd complain, and ask how the teachers measure progress, and also how the children are supposed to know they are progressing.

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ItsDecisionTime · 11/10/2013 00:42

noble It's an independent school and I think the new deputy head is trying to put her mark on things. I agree it's not informative at all and you're right, my DD would probably be at the very top of the next set down, targeted to still achieve an A grade in maths but more motivated because she's receiving a higher report grade. I understand we are going to be given an opportunity to provide feedback on the new process which I'll be doing.

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