Throughout the school year, pupils receive a lot of feedback from their teachers. However, for parents, you can feel that you do not know how your child is getting on. At Abbot’s Hill, we have a few points of contact that act as summative assessment points for parents and pupils. This document summarises what to expect from these feedback points and helps you contextualise the reports.
When?
How
At AHS, your child’s teachers will use various methods to assess, track and monitor progress. These will include verbal interactions, classwork and homework over time, enabling teachers to understand your child’s academic needs well. In addition, AHS also conduct formative assessments, such as end-of-topic/term tests and national baseline tests.
Written Reports
Year 7 receive two written reports during the academic year; one in the Autumn Term and one at the end of the Summer Term.
Teachers will always try to be positive in reports; it is a good confidence boost for pupils to hear what they have done well. In addition, if your child is struggling, the report will help them identify what they can do to improve.
For pupils to focus on the comments, we exclude test and examination data from the written reports. Instead, assessment data is given to you in a separate Assessment Card at relevant points in the year.
Reports will indicate your child’s approach to learning and provide an attainment level. For both of these measures, teachers use the best-fit model. They are given a comprehensive set of criteria for the typical behaviours and achievements that we expect to see for each level. Teachers will give the grade that best fits a child even if they have yet to meet every criterion.
Attendance
We value good attendance, and whilst we understand that from time-to-time absence is inevitable, we will monitor this closely. The attendance in your child’s report represents the number of sessions (am or pm) that your child has missed to date.
Reviewing the Report With Your Child
Your child will have read their report at school before it reaches you. It is beneficial for you to discuss them together. Taking the time to reflect on their achievements and setting improvement goals can help children become more resilient learners. This resource from TooledUp may help support discussions. https://www.tooledupeducation.com/resource/reflecting-on-my-school-report/
Assessment Cards
You will receive two Assessment Cards during the academic year. The first is in October, when we share their baseline assessments and CAT information. The second is at the end of the year, including results from the End of Year Examinations.
To gain a detailed understanding of how to read and understand these scores, please read ‘A Guide to Reports – Senior 2022-23‘ located on My School Portal.
Cognitive Ability Tests (CATs)
CATs are Cognitive Ability Tests. A diagnostic assessment tool which assesses Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Spatial and Quantitative Reasoning. Scores are standardised by age, and
the average score is 100. Your child will sit these assessments at the end of the Autumn term. Before the Parent Progress Meeting and also the deadline for choosing options, you will receive the results of CATs, which will include a GCSE predictor and potential grade for each subject. A letter will be sent to you with these results explaining how they can help you and their limitations.
Parent Progress Meetings
We aim to keep a dialogue with parents about their child’s progress. With this in mind, we encourage you to contact Form Tutors and Heads of Years should you have any questions or concerns. In addition, we will proactively contact you should we need to initiate a dialogue.
Each year you will be invited to meet with your child’s teachers. This will allow you to talk about your child’s progress, work and targets and obtain a clearer picture of their strengths and weaknesses. We encourage your child to attend these meetings so that they can be part of the academic journey, hearing directly about their progress.
The Progress Meetings will be held in the Sports Hall and each 5-minute appointment will be bookable in advance via My School Portal.
