Barnwell School is committed to ensuring that every student fulfils his/her potential. To realise this aim, it is essential that the school operates effective strategies to assess student progress regularly and report on progress to the students, parents/carers, the SLT and Governing Body. Alongside this, the school will identify students at risk of underachieving and subsequently implement effective intervention strategies to address the underachievement.

Target Setting

Target grades for the end of year 11 are set at the start of year 7 and reviewed at the start of year 10. Year 13 target grades are set at the start of year 12. These are based on prior attainment and baseline data.

Assessment

Assessment is a continuous process, which is planned and developed as part of the schemes of work in every subject within the school. It is based upon both subjective and objective measures.

Reporting

Assessments and behaviour are monitored regularly and Data Track progress reports are issued for every student to parents/carers each term. At Key Stage 3 the progress reports include current attainment and character scores. At Key Stages 4 and 5 the progress reports include estimated grades for the end of the key stage.

In addition, information is also included about current attendance.

The purpose of the data track progress check is to enable staff, parents and students to review current progress, identify targets for improvement, identify students at risk of underachievement and develop intervention strategies to address underperformance. The information also forms the basis of on-going mentoring discussions between students and their form tutor, head of year and mentors. They also inform the discussions between teachers, students and parents/carers at parents’ evenings.

Guide to Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 Data Tracks

Click here for Key Stage 3 Data Track Guide

Click here for Key Stage 4 Data Track Guide

Parent/Carer Guide to Character Scores for Data Tracks

Please click here to download our guide to character scores for Data Tracks.

Set changes and college changes

Changing classes, forms and colleges is common practice in many secondary schools. However, at Barnwell School, we realise randomly changing classes at any given point does cause concern amongst parents and students, and therefore we only make changes when essential where learning or progress are being affected. Decisions about set, form and college changes are non-negotiable, to maintain the smooth running of the school and we ask that parents/carers support the decision making process.

Parents' Evenings

All parents will have the opportunity to discuss the progress of their child with individual subject teachers during specific Year group parents’ evenings. Although these evenings are placed at strategic points in the year and extremely valuable, we actively encourage parents to keep in regular contact with subject teachers throughout the year, via email, phone calls or face-to-face meetings.

'Pupils and parents are positive about the teaching in the school. They described how teachers are committed to the progress of pupils and how they ‘go above and beyond to support them' Ofsted January 2018