KS3

Each KS3 student has a JRCS life after level statement as a target grade. This is derived from KS2 prior attainment. The KS3 life after levels target for each student will not change over the course of their time at secondary school. At each assessment the knowledge, skills and understanding required to achieve each ability statement becomes are more challenging, therefore making the statements harder to achieve. Students complete summative assessments at the end of each term and their JRCS life after levels statement is reported home to parents. In addition to this, parents also receive information about their child’s effort, behaviour and homework for each subject.

Formative assessment takes place in every lesson at JRCS. Teachers use a range of strategies to check the knowledge and understanding of students regularly. These strategies survey the entire class and provide the teacher with tangible evidence about what students do, and do not know. When misconceptions are identified, teachers use this information to inform their next steps.

At KS3 students are assessed using the JRCS “KS3 Assessment Policy”. You can view this on our policies and reports page. Click this link to visit our policies and reports page.

KS4

In KS4 students complete mock examinations to provide useful information about learning gaps, as well as giving students the opportunity to practise applying their knowledge in a formal examination setting. These examinations comprise of previous examination questions or papers and are marked with exam board specific mark schemes. Following mock examination periods, teachers will spend lesson time looking back over the paper to provide students we key feedback about successes and areas for development, along with opportunities to practise again with similar questions.

The following information is reported back to parents following mock examination periods:  

• Effort 
• Behaviour
• Homework 
• Attainment grade
• Predicted grade

KS5

Sixth Form Students are assessed regularly through the Milestone Assessment system. These are also called VIMAs. At set times of the school year all students are set work to do in exam conditions which replicates real exam questions. These are marked using the exam markschemes. As we move into the late spring and summer term the assessments become whole exam papers if possible.

Students are given detailed feedback and support for improving their answers.

Four grades are generated from the VIMA:

• The actual grade gained in the assessment or test
• A learning framework grade, measuring the study skills that the student displays in each subject
• A comparison of the actual grade with the minimum expected grade that the student should be achieving
• A prediction by the teacher of the grade the student will achieve at the end of the year