Assessment

At Comberton Village College we consistently aim to ensure that pupils attain standards of achievement that are the highest of which they are capable, by providing teaching of the best possible standard. The progress our pupils make is well above that which is made on average by pupils nationally.

We believe that effective assessment is central to the teaching and learning process and a key element in achieving this goal. Assessment takes many forms and includes both the on-going analysis of progress which teaches make in every classroom every day and the summative tests which pupils take at key points to show what they remember from their learning in previous modules, terms and years.   

The Recording of Pupil Progress at Key Stage 3

Our system of recording progress provides us with an excellent opportunity to develop a clear and succinct reporting system that focuses on progress. This is visible in real time via pupil / parent log in on Go4Schools, our Management Information System. Our reporting system allows us to focus on the fundamental information a pupil wants to know at the end of each term: “What progress am I making?”.

Pathways

We use a pathway system that starts with the ability of each pupil in each subject. We place pupils into an ‘Estimated Pathway’ using data from:

• Key Stage 2 tests

• Internal Year 7 baseline scores upon entry to Comberton Village College
• Past internal assessment scores (Years 8 and 9 only)
• The highest statistical predictions of likely GCSE attainment from the Fischer Family Trust (FFT5)

The pathway a pupil is currently following can be viewed under the heading ‘Current Pathway’. If a pupil makes good progress, the estimated and current pathways are the same. Pupils who achieve greater levels of progress through their efforts, move into the above pathway. They can therefore see that increased effort usually increases the chance of gaining higher outcomes.

The table below shows the pathway names and the final GCSE grade we expect a pupil making good progress in each pathway to achieve.

Pathways	Aspirational GCSE Grade
Advanced Plus	8-9
Advanced	6-7
Secure	4-6
Core Plus	3-4
Core	1-3

 Effort Scores

Pupils’ efforts with classwork. organisation, homework and behaviour are also recorded. These effort scores are on a 5-point scale, as outlined below.

Effort	Description
Excellent	The pupil is putting in excellent effort to understand deeply what they have been taught. They look for additional opportunities to develop their learning. They are highly organised and are fully engaged in lessons.
Good	The pupil is making a good effort to understand well what they have been taught. They are well organised and are engaged in lessons.
Moderate	The pupil is putting in a reasonable amount of effort to understand what they have been taught. They may need some support with organisation or gentle reminders to engage with learning.
Limited	The pupil is not putting in enough effort; they may need much prompting to complete their work, add detail, or to be timely. They may require a lot of support to organise their learning.
Cause for concern	The pupil is not putting in the effort required to understand what they have been taught. They do not take ownership of their learning and require much individual assistance.

Where there is a ‘Cause for Concern’, our staff contact parents / carers to discuss the issue. Intervention measures are put in place to support the pupil so that they can improve.

Transition grades

When pupils transition to the next Key Stage, a grade is given to show how successfully the pupil is meeting the new demands, be it from year 9 to 10 or into year 12. An explanation of the transition grades is outlined below.

Transition Grade	Explanation
Exceeding Expectations	The pupil has made a very positive transition. They are demonstrating the attitude and determination necessary to achieve highly. They are arriving punctually to lessons, with all the correct equipment, and meeting all homework deadlines.
Meeting Expectations	The pupil has made a positive transition. They are arriving punctually to lessons, completing all homework tasks by the deadline and displaying a positive attitude. Their notes are organised, and they arrive at lessons with the correct equipment.
Falling Below Expectations	There are some concerns about the transition this pupil has made that may result in slower progress.
Failing to Meet Expectations	There are major concerns about the transition this pupil has made.

Reporting to Parents and Carers

Reports will be emailed to parents and carers twice a year. These state the progress pathways a pupil is in for each subject and the effort score for each of the 4 areas.

There will also be the chance for parents to discuss progress with staff once a year at parents evening.

Parents and carers should contact Mrs Lawrence on rlawrence@combertonvc.org with any questions regarding our assessment of pupil progress.