11 Plus Exams Forum

Can anyone tell me how teachers arrive at a student's assessment grades at the end of KS3 in non-core subjects? Are they based purely on end of year tests or are they a mixture of test and work over the year?

My son's end of year 8 report is, as expected, a bit of a curate's egg. It set me wondering how, in those subjects where he's not done particularly well in his end of year tests, he can be expected to get the target levels he's been set for the end of KS3 (his school does KS3 tests at the end of year 9). Are they expecting him to actually do some revision next year (god forbid!) or will they look at how he performs throughout the year (in some subjects much better than in tests!)

I give teacher assessed levels on classwork - with a 'factoring in' of test scores if I'm swaying between one level and the next. I don't use homework because you never know who has completed it!

Hi Guest55, long time no speak. I'm a bit confused, number 1 son has just completed year 7 and has had a great time, we have just had his end of term target card and he seems to have met some and achieved higher in most which is great, but exactly what is the expected level at the end of year 7? Maths teacher says he didn't do as well in end of term tests as he could have done (lack of revision I'm ashamed to say) and he seems to have lost interest a little lately, so has been set in a lower group for year 8 which is fine, hopefully his confidence will come back, teacher says he should aim for 6C, but his target says he achieved 6B in end of term assessment, what exactly should he be on?

Thanks

Worried Mum

Hi Worried Mum,

If he got a 'solid' level 5 I would expect a level 6 at the end of Y7, roughly level 7 at the end of Y8 and level 8 at the end of Y9. A bright child in a GS will make two levels progress in MAths and many, as above , make three.

If his target was 6C and he got 6B he's above his target .... so looking good so far.

Thanks for that, I thought 6B was OK too, but teacher obviously thinks he should have done better....maybe he could have but he doesn't enjoy maths, he finds it boring and has lost the interest he had in primary school, but hey, you can't like everything can you??!! He's happy with everything else and got a few 6A's too.