Page 8 - Seaford Year GCSE Options Booklet 2020 A5

How do we set the Challenge Grade?
The Challenge Grades have been assigned on the basis of nationally benchmarked data from a series of baseline assessments undertaken by significant numbers of students in the UK. Two main assessments are used, one from GL Assessments underpinned by models developed from the National Foundation for Educational Research and the other from Durham Universities CEM Centre; the Middle Year Information System (MidYIS) and the A Level Information System (ALIS) in the Sixth Form. Predictions about future performance are made on the basis of how similar students have performed in the past. Of course nationally, students of the same ability will achieve different outcomes dependent on a range of other factors, including the school students attend, their home situation and – most importantly – the determination and effort of each individual.
Alongside such benchmarking criteria, Heads of Department and subject teachers have an input in setting an ambitious but achievable Challenge Grade based on each student’s engagement with their learning and progress made.
Generally, Challenge Grades at Seaford are set above the benchmarked national expectations; they are intended to be motivating, ambitious and challenging – ultimately giving every student the best opportunity to secure academic personal bests. However, the Challenge Grade is not a prediction because of the variables mentioned above.
Challenge Grades in Year 10 & 11
By Year 10, we are able to utilise both CAT and MidYIS profiling data to provide a more accurate assessment of likely GCSE success by subject. We are also able to incorporate into this our understanding of each student, their progress to date, Year 9 Summer internal assessment results, how settled they are within the school, as well as any further relevant information. This allows for an appropriate Challenge Grade to be issued for each GCSE subject in September of Year 10.
Over the course of the year, on-going classroom assessment, and tracking of termly reports, feeds into a more formal assessment of each student’s challenge grades in March, immediately after their Year 10 internal assessments. We repeat a similar formal review of grades across Year 10 at the end of the Summer term.
In Year 11, mock examinations are sat in January and, immediately following this, results are published just prior to the Year 11 parents’ evening. We analyse mock examination results against Challenge Grades, and undertake a formal review again at this time, just prior to the February half-term report.
From this point onwards, we would not expect the Challenge Grade to change further running into the examinations.
Mr James Passam
6
Deputy Head - Academic