Curriculum

KS3 Assessment – Challenge Stalham!

In September 2023, we launched a fresh new approach to KS3 assessment.

We believe that the purpose of KS3 education is for students learn a vast range of knowledge which develops them as learners, intellectuals and citizens. This knowledge will go on to be the foundation of KS4 study and beyond. As such, the content and implementation must be carefully considered.

We recognise that KS3 learners are at an exciting point in their cognitive development. Knowledge should be cultivated, revisited, and tested, so that students become resilient and confident in their application of facts, processes, and procedures.

Our method of assessment at KS3 is simple.

• We test knowledge throughout the academic year, ensuring that assessments conducted in the Spring and Summer terms revisit knowledge from earlier points in the year.

• Students are given their raw mark following each assessment, and an accompanying percentage. These are recorded in assessment trackers in exercise books.

• Written feedback is given in the form of ‘strength’ and ‘do now’. Students are given time to respond to their ‘do now’ tasks to ensure understanding of feedback given.

• We do not issue data-driven targets to our KS3 students. We simply encourage all students to challenge themselves to master the curriculum content taught and delivered.

• Their target therefore, is to achieve 100%!

Regular school reports provide parents/carers with an overview of their child’s performance each term. Expressed as a termly average percentage, this information helps all members of the Stalham High community to support students in their acquisition of knowledge and to progress through high school.

Percentages are easy to understand. They show the proportion of subject material mastered by students and help teaching staff to plan specific interventions and support.

We provide supporting statistics in our termly reports to help parents/carers to understand the context of the percentages. This information leads to productive conversations with teaching staff about a student’s progress through the curriculum content.

In KS3, we are focussed on developing students as learners, building foundational knowledge, and encouraging a positive and resilient attitude toward learning and growth. This prepares students for study in KS4 where GCSE grades are used to assess progress.

Our departments set assessments for KS4 students which are rigorous in nature and designed to reflect the demands of GCSE and alternative KS4 qualifications. These assessments are delivered at key points in the academic year and, along with class work, practical work and homework, they inform our termly KS4 progress reporting.

The recent reform of GCSE qualifications and introduction of the 9-1 grading system have challenged schools to adapt the content and format of curriculum and assessment models in order to best prepare students for these examinations and life beyond school. At Stalham High our departments have established success criteria and a programme of regular and rigorous assessments which are marked against these criteria. 

Target grades/Progress bands

Students in Year 9 are issued with Progress Bands*. These provide broad targets which indicate which final grades students should aim to achieve by the end of Year 11 and relate to the GCSE grades 9-1 (where 9 is the highest possible grade and 1 is the lowest, with grade 4 being referred to as a standard pass and grade 5 a strong pass).

Progress Bands in Year 9 span 2 grades and will often be the same for each subject a student studies. These bands are based on prior attainment data from KS2 and KS3 and provide a minimum point which students should be aiming for. For example, a student may be allocated a Progress Band of 4-5, 6-7 etc. The Progress Band is by no means a ‘ceiling’ and we would never seek to limit a child’s potential. Indeed, with hard work and support, many of our students have exceeded their targets in the past.

After the first year of the GCSE course each student will be issued with a single grade as a minimum target for each GCSE subject or alternative qualification he/she studies*.  At this point, the grade may be different for each subject. This target will usually remain the same throughout Years 10 and 11 but may be adjusted if we feel a student needs a different level of challenge.

Reports to parents will include a comment for each subject as follows:

Making expected progress / Making above expected progress / Working towards expectations. This comment will be generated using assessments of your child’s current standards of work and will reflect whether your child is on track to achieve grades within the progress band or in line with his/her target grade. In Years 10 and 11, reports will include the student's EFG (Estimated Final Grade) for each subject; this represents the teacher's prediction for the most likely final outcome, given current standards of work.

Assessment data is compiled in our electronic markbooks which allow departments to track student progress and stage intervention when necessary.

Key Stage 4

In Years  9,10 & 11, students follow a common core curriculum, which is enhanced by option GCSE or vocational subjects chosen towards the end of Year 8.

Core Course for all students: 

Society & Ethics, Physical Education and Personal Social & Health Education and Careers.

Core subjects for all students: 

English (Double GCSE), Maths (GCSE) and Science (‘Combined’/Double/ Triple Award GCSE).

Option subjects:

All students in Pathway 1 will be expected to take a modern language, an humanity and two other subjects.  All courses offered are at GCSE or equivalent unless otherwise stated.

All students in Pathway 2 will be expected to take an humanity and three other subjects. All courses offered are at GCSE or equivalent unless otherwise stated.

We endeavour to meet all subject first or second choices, but this cannot be guaranteed due to high demand in some subjects. Please note: where there is insufficient demand for a particular option subject, the course will not run.