Can anyone explain APS scoring.....

[RollaCoasta]

......really really simply?

[primarymum]

Ok, levels are given a numerical score to make it easier to calculate averages ( eg if someone achieves a 3a, 3b and 2b for different subjects it is hard to work out their average!) Each level increase is worth 6 points, so a level 1 is 9 points, a level 2 is 15, 3 is 21 etc. The intermediary points are therefore worth 2 points each ( ie a 2b is 15 points, so a 2c is 13 and a 2a 17) Children are expected to make one level progress per two years, so 6 points over 6 (long) terms.
(Still with me!)
So in my original example, the child has achieved a 3a(24 points) a 3B (21) and a 2B(15) so has an average points score of 20 ( ie just below a level 3B)
Average points scores can also me calculated for different subjects across a class, for different classes, different schools, to show average progress etc. It's just that numbers are easier to work from than levels!

[RollaCoasta]

Nearly with you....!

Why is a level 1 9 points? (Presumably a 1b) I take it that it's nothing to do with a FS score of 9?

So:

Y2 2b 15 points
Y4 3b 21 points
Y6 4b 28 points

But what happens in KS1?
How do you calculate movement from the end of YR to the end of Y2?

Thank you for this!!!

[primarymum]

There is no real corrolation between FS scores and levels -although many schools and education authorities insist there is! ( Mrz is the expert on that, see if you can catch her eye!)There is a W score ( working towards level 1 which is worth 3 points, 1C is 6 and 1b, as you say, 9.

[RollaCoasta]

Oh right! I was desparately hoping that it had nothing at all to do with FS scores!! I had to analyse ours against our SATs results. I wonder how many county moderators would accept FS scores showing 89% 8-9 in writing. Ours did. Needless to say we didn't get 89% L3 writing this year in Y2

How do you decide on 1,2 or 3 in 'Working Towards'?

[RollaCoasta]

Sorry, noticed I got wrong end of stick!
So:
W 3 points
1c 6 points
1b 9 points
1a 11
2c 13
2b 15
2a 17
3c 19
3b 21, etc

So W/1c/1b have 3 point jumps and w-1b is the jump expected in Y1?
w-1b sounds a bit of a wishy-washy measure - w can vary so much!

[primarymum]

This is where it becomes a minefield! Some counties link a 9 on the Foundation scale with a 1C so a 7 is equal to 1 APS point, 8 is 2 and 9 is 3. Some counties would shoot anyone who did this Some counties seem to link a 9 with a 1B. But neither should actually be done as the National Assessment Authority says
Some LAs and commercial companies have produced materials that attempt to equate FSP
scale points to national curriculum (NC) sub-levels ??. Any equation of FSP scales or scale point scores to NC levels or invented sub-levels is a spurious and ultimately inaccurate exercise.
Implementation and moderation of foundation stage profile 2006
National Assessment Agency (NAA) Annual Monitoring Report 2006 (QCA/06/2959)

So you shouldn't be linking the two! ( I know, not very helpful when you have been told you must, I have the same arguement with our Head every year!

[RollaCoasta]

I think the problem is that Raise ONline links the two, and we're not showing great progress in KS1, having been stuffed with exaggerated (but moderated) scores in FS.

We have started to record NC levels for all Y1 children at the end of the Spring Term, and to convert lingering FS scores to pivats.

...aah.... I'm lost here!!
Can you tell me how you deal with YR-Y2 please? Presumably, they are expected to achieve 6 points over 3 terms in Y2?

[primarymum]

Technically, We start again at the beginning of yr 1 and assess children against NC levels ( again not strictly allowed as some are still working against FS but we have to start somewhere! So from Autumn yr 1 to end Yr 2 they are expected to make at least 12 points progress, twice as fast as any other period!
( Think that's right, I'm loosing the plot here!)
Note however I said "technically" I work for one of the counties that assumes a 9 score is a 1c so we start counting points from there. You are really stuffed if a 9FS is equated to a 1b or even higher!

[RollaCoasta]

Thanks primarymum! It's much clearer now

KS1 will obviously need a little more work!