Assessment at Bredon Hill Academy

In order to ascertain the impact of our curriculum and support the progress of all learners, pupils at BHA are formatively and summatively assessed at appropriate intervals, with timely feedback given to facilitate the next steps along pupils’ learning journeys.  Each subject has its own form of assessment to suit the needs of the curriculum being delivered.

GL Progress Tests in core subjects are used at the start of year 6 to baseline our pupils on entry to the school. They are also repeated at the start of year 7 and end of year 8 to support KS3 baseline data and exit data respectively. The assessments check pupils’ knowledge, understanding and application in the core subjects, track progress at individual and cohort level and indicate possible gaps in learning. As they are standardised on over 100,000 students, with benchmarks verified each year based on analysis of over half a million pupils, they are a robust tool to help us assess the impact of our curriculum. 

For example. The table below demonstrates the progress pupils leaving us in year 8 in 2024 made compared to their baseline test data in year 6. The data links to the Standard Age Score (SAS) where a score of 100 is the expected score of an ‘average’ pupil in that year group at a national level, as based on GL assessment data overviews.  This is the fairest way of comparing the performance of students within or across a year group and/or different schools. 

BHA Pupils Exit Data 2023-24  (entered school in 2021-22)	English	Maths
All Pupils - Baseline in Year 6	101.8	91.5
All Pupils – Exit Data in Year 8	107.2	108.8
Boys – Baseline Data in Year 6	99.7	93.9
Boys – Exit Data in Year 8	104.4	110.0
Girls – Baseline Data in Year 6	104.2	88.5
Girls – Exit Data in Year 8	110.6	107.4
FSM Pupils – Baseline in Year 6	95.6	88.8
FSM Pupils – Exit Data in Year 8	100.0	99.5
SEN Pupils – Baseline in Year 6	92.7	76.9
SEN Pupils – Exit Data in Year 8	96.1	91.3
EAL Pupils – Baseline in Year 6	110.0	103.2
EAL Pupils – Exit Data in Year 8	111.6	113.4

 

The data shows that pupils make strong progress in their three years at BHA, often from lower than average starting points. 

Using the Baseline GL Assessment data in year 6, pupils are given one of four target grades for an academic year for each subject: 

• Working Towards 
• Working At 
• Exceeding 
• Exceptional Standard  

which are measured against our Curriculum-Related Expectations.  

Pupils are assessed at termly intervals against each subject’s Curriculum-Related Expectations. These are challenging content and/or skills descriptors linked to the National Curriculum strands for each subject area.  Using these descriptors allows all stakeholders to understand strengths and areas for development across each area of our curriculum.  They are written as ‘I can…’ statements to allow pupils to understand the steps needed to improve their learning.  Details of our Curriculum-Related Expectations can be found here.  

• Curriculum Related Expectations - Year 6
• Curriculum Related Expectations - Year 7
• Curriculum Related Expectations - Year 8

 

Parents/Carers are updated on progress against the Curriculum-Related Expectations through termly reporting cycles shared virtually through the My Child At School platform and an annual parents’ evening.  Moderation of standards is supported by Pyramid Meetings within the local area, where expertise is shared and by each subject’s own internal procedures. The outcomes (Attainment 8 and Progress 8) at KS4 of our pupils, including the EBacc, strongly suggest that our KS3 curriculum for Years 7 and 8 is highly effective. 

At BHA, we also focus on the importance of developing pupils as ‘whole learners’ - not just young people who can perform well in tests, but resilient, well-rounded individuals who are thoroughly prepared for their next steps in education and life. We actively encourage pupils to reflect on how they can use our school’s values of Belief, Honesty and Aspiration to improve their everyday learning about the world in which they live and themselves.  To support this, each subject area reports termly on individual pupils’ attitude to learning, based on five descriptors: 

• Outstanding Learner 
• Active Learner 
• Compliant Learner 
• Passive Learner 
• Reluctant Learner 

Descriptors for each type of learner can be found here. Pupils are rewarded for consistently demonstrating positive learning behaviours, with appropriate interventions made for individuals who require specific support for certain elements of their attitude to learning.  

Last Updated: September 2024