THE LEASOWES HIGH SCHOOL’S RESPONSE TO “LIFE
WITHOUT LEVELS”.
GCSE CHANGES 2015/16 AND THE IMPACT ON
ASSESSMENT, MARKING AND REPORTING.
As you will perhaps be aware, in the last few years the education system has been
subjected to many abrupt changes which have often required immediate responses. In
March 2014, the coalition government embarked on a radical programme to improve the
assessment and examination systems across England with schools required to abandon
the use of levels in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3, without an alternative being proposed. GCSE
grades were also to change from A* - G judgements to a new 1-9 system.
At Leasowes we are not averse to change but recognise that these changes are farreaching and could be confusing for staff, students, governors and parents. The purpose
of this document is to give clarity and detail.
The impact of these changes on a wide range of school processes will be profound. We
are now required to change how teachers mark, assess and report for different year
groups in different ways as the changes filter through year by year. For our younger
students in years 7 and 8 it is simply a wholesale change to a number-based grading
system in every subject, but for years 9 and 10 in particular, final examination outcomes
will be expressed as a mixture of grades and numbers, according to the government’s
timetable for implementation. Current Year 10 and Year 11 students (as of June 2015)
are the last year groups to retain a grade-based system (A*-G) for all of their GCSE
results.
Radical change to public exams, school curricula and public accountability for exam
performance is taking place and I feel that it is important for parents and students to
understand exactly how this will affect them
Public Exams
What is proposed?
For pupils presently in Year 8 (at June 2015) the current eight point A*-G grading
system will be replaced with a new nine-point scale with 9 as the highest pass. These
students will take their final exams in May/June 2018. Nine will be the top grade
and one the lowest. The new grades have not been mapped directly onto the old ones
and we have yet to see exactly how a current grades will be measured on the new
system. Schools are taking advice on this but having to make the assumptions described
below.
Why? To provide more differentiation, particularly among high achievers, and for the
students who "bunch" in the middle grades
How? By raising the standard of the benchmark midpoint grade. The bottom of a
current grade C will be broadly equivalent to the bottom of the new grade 4. Grade 5 will
be positioned in the top third of the marks for a current Grade C and bottom third of the
marks for a current Grade B. A ‘good pass’, currently a C grade will become a grade 5
under the new scale. The new ‘good pass’ is comparable to a high C or low B under the
current system. Ministers say that this will bring England's exam benchmark up to the
level of students in the world's leading economies such as China, as measured in the
international Pisa education survey.
It is intended that the bottom of a new grade four will correspond to the bottom of a
current grade C. So, broadly the same proportion of candidates will achieve a grade four
or above as currently achieve a grade C or above. It will be important to note that under
the changes those candidates will be spread among six different grades (4 up to
9), and not four (C up to A*) as at present, helping to distinguish between middle and
top performers and giving pupils currently heading for grade C a higher goal to aim for.
At the top end of the grade scale, broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a
grade 7 and above as currently achieve an A and above. For each examination, the top
20% of those who get grade 7 or above will get a grade 9, the very highest performers.
The bottom of grade 1 will be aligned with the bottom of grade G. For weaker students
it is proposed that the proportion of students who achieve a grade 1 in the new GCSEs
will be about the same as those who currently achieve either a grade F or G. Although
applicable to a small minority, for these youngsters it can represent real progress.
New GCSEs in English Language, English Literature and Maths will be introduced
first. These will be marked under the new system, with more subjects beginning to teach
newly constructed courses in September 2016.
A new national reference test will also be introduced. This is designed to provide extra
information about a year group's performance and to ensure that any changes year-onyear are reflected in the grades awarded. This test will cover English and Maths, and be
applied to a representative sample of year 11s across the country shortly before they
take their GCSEs. If, overall, students' performance in the reference test is better than in
previous years, then the proportion of students in the national cohort achieving higher
grades in that year may be increased accordingly. Such evidence is not currently used
when exam boards make GCSE awards.
School Accountability Measures
For several years, schools (as well as parents and reporting media) have been used to
performance being judged via a variety of measures. These have included: a) five A* to
C grades with English and Maths b) Progress in both English and maths c) the English
Baccalaureate d) Points Scores (for GCSE and equivalent subjects) e) Value Added based
on a child’s starting point on entry in Year 7 and more recently the subsets for Special
Educational Needs (SEND) pupils, pupils who are “Ever 6” (in receipt of Free School
Meals) or just simply Boys/Girls.
Statistical nuances have been powerful influences on OFSTED-led judgements on the
quality of a school with Inspection Teams sometimes appearing to have decided on their
judgement before even setting foot in a school.
So, more change is on its way. 2014 examination results showed the impact of the Wolf
Review with greater focus upon GCSEs and fewer vocational subjects counted. After that,
more changes for league tables in 2016 are on their way with the introduction
of Attainment 8 and Progress 8 as headline accountability measures. I will try to
explain these new measures later.
Another change was the decision to only count first exam entries rather than the highest
entry for pupils who retake exams. This decision had a devastating effect on our English
results in 2014 which in turn impacted negatively on our 5 GCSE’s including English and
maths. It was the mid-course timing of the announcement along with the abandonment
of speaking and listening, worth 20% of the qualification,that damaged schools who
suddenly had to cram new approaches to learning into a brand new schedule, half way
through the course.
Statisticians applied “first entry” policy retrospectively to 2013 results and found some
remarkable changes. The headline national figure for five A* to Cs (including English and
Maths) dropped from 62% to 55%! When applied to some schools the change was even
more dramatic-in one case 62% to just 6%.
The new accountability changes will have a major impact on both attainment and entry.
Most schools will respond, as we have, by “going back” to a more “traditional” (GCSEbased) curriculum, symbolised by the Leasowes English Baccalaureate route but we also
see the value in a more vocationally focused route, which is also represented in our
options. Students at Leasowes High School have directed choices but no-one is debarred
from the English Baccalaureate route, if it is their choice. The government’s intention is
that pupils starting secondary school this September (Year 7) will all study the EBacc
throughout their school career, with all students taking exams in these demanding
subjects in 2020.
What is Progress 8?
From summer 2016 “Progress 8” (a value-added measure based on a measured score
for each child when they enter secondary school) will replace the present measure of five
A*-C including English and Maths as the main accountability measure. Effectively this
means that the CURRENT Year 10 will be affected first. The measure will be based on
students’ performance in eight subjects, divided into four groups: English, Mathematics,
EBacc qualifications and an ‘open’ group. The diagram below is a good way to visualise
this.
Why should we feel positive about Progress 8? There are different opinions but
there are four good reasons to believe that these changes are reasonable and even
helpful to students as well as schools and ultimately employers.

The measure is based on progress, not raw attainment.

The measure is based upon performance in a range of subjects, not just English
and Mathematics.

The measure is based on the performance and progress of all pupils of all
abilities, rather than focusing on just those on the “pass” borderline.

Vocational (BTEC) subjects can be included in the measure, making it possible to
recognise the achievements of students in a wide range of different contexts.
What, then, is Attainment 8? Attainment 8 will show pupils’ average attainment in
the group of subjects that make up the Progress 8 measure. Progress 8 is calculated
from a student’s Attainment 8 score in relation to prior attainment at Key Stage 2.
What other measures will there be? (notes using A* to C used for clarity; remember
this will change to a 1-9 scale for new GCSEs in 2017)

English and Maths: the percentage of pupils achieving a C grade (using the
current measures, a “5” or more on the new scales-see above) or better in both
GCSE English (either Language or Literature) and Maths. This measure is very
similar in practice to the current 5A*-C with English and Maths measure.

The EBacc: showing the percentage of pupils achieving A*-C in English, Maths,
two Sciences, a Humanities and a Language. To achieve the science element of
EBacc, students need to achieve A*-C in core and additional science or be
examined in three of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Computer Science and
achieve A*-C in two of these subjects. Computer Science has recently been added
to this list.
Can I see some examples of what may happen for individual children?
These examples use the all new GCSE qualifications receiving points on a 1-9 scale. KS2
–KS4 estimates only an approximation for purposes of illustration.
Jack - an able hard working pupil who started year 7 with an average KS2 Level of 5c
Qualification
Grade Points Included Doubled ?
Total Pts.
GCSE English
Yes because Jack was entered for English Literature
A
7
Yes
14
1 Language
also
2 GCSE Maths
A*
8
Yes
Maths is always doubled
16
GCSE Additional
B
6
Yes
No
6
3 Science
4 GCSE Core Science
B
6
Yes
No
6
5 GCSE History
A
7
Yes
No
7
GCSE English
A
7
Yes
No
7
6 Literature
GCSE Religious
A
7
Yes
No
7
7 Studies
8 GCSE Spanish
B
6
Yes
No
6
No. Eight
GCSE PE
C
5
counted
0
9
already
69 ÷ 10 =
Attainment 8 Score ÷ 10 =
Attainment 8 Score
6.9
Progress 8 score
A pupil's Progress 8 score is their Attainment 8 socre, minus their
estimated Attainment 8 score. The estimated Attainment 8 score is the
average Attainment 8 score of all pupils nationally with the same prior
attainment at key stage 2 (KS2).
69-62 =
+7
Jack's average KS2 score was 5c. The approx. National Average
Attainment 8 Score for pupils with a KS2 score of 5c is 62. Jack's Progress
8 Score is 69-62= +7
Ellie - an able but coasting pupil who started year 7 with an average KS2 Level of 5c
Qualification
Grade Points Included Doubled ?
GCSE English
Yes because Ellie was entered for English
B
6
Yes
1 Language
Literature also
2 GCSE Maths
B
6
Yes
Maths is always doubled
GCSE Additional
D
4
Yes
No
3 Science
4 GCSE Core Science
B
6
Yes
No
5 GCSE Geography
A
7
Yes
No
GCSE English
C
5
Yes
No
6 Literature
GCSE Religious
B
6
Yes
No
7 Studies
8 BTEC Sport Level 2 Pass
5
Yes
No
9 Ellie dropped an Option because she needed to focus on core subjects
Attainment 8 Score
Progress 8 score
Attainment 8 Score ÷ 10 =
A pupil's Progress 8 score is their Attainment 8 socre, minus their
estimated Attainment 8 score. The estimated Attainment 8 score is the
average Attainment 8 score of all pupils nationally with the same prior
attainment at key stage 2 (KS2).
Total Pts.
12
12
4
6
7
5
6
5
0
59 ÷ 10 =
5.9
59-62 =
-3
Ellie's average KS2 score was 5c. The approx. National Average
Attainment 8 Score for pupils with a KS2 score of 5c is 62. Ellie's
Progress 8 Score is 59-62= -3
Mohammed - a middle ability pupil who started year 7 with an average KS2 Level of 4a
Qualification
Grade Points Included Doubled ?
GCSE English
Yes because Mohammed was entered for English
1
A
7
Yes
Language
Literature also
2 GCSE Maths
B
6
Yes
Maths is always doubled
3 GCSE Spanish
C
5
Yes
No
4 GCSE Core Science
C
5
Yes
No
5 GCSE Geography
C
5
Yes
No
GCSE English
6
E
3
Yes
No
Literature
GCSE Religious
7
B
6
Yes
No
Studies
8 GCSE Art
C
5
Yes
No
9 GCSE Additional
Science
Attainment 8 Score
Progress 8 score
E
3
No. Eight counted already
Attainment 8 Score ÷ 10 =
A pupil's Progress 8 score is their Attainment 8 socre, minus their
estimated Attainment 8 score. The estimated Attainment 8 score is the
average Attainment 8 score of all pupils nationally with the same prior
attainment at key stage 2 (KS2).
Total Pts.
14
12
5
5
5
3
6
5
0
55 ÷ 10 =
5.5
55-55 =
0
Mohammed's average KS2 score was 4a. The approx. National Average
Attainment 8 Score for pupils with a KS2 score of 4a is 55. Mohammed's
Progress 8 Score is 55-55= 0
Holly - a low ability pupil who started year 7 with an average KS2 Level of 3a
Qualification
Grade Points Included Doubled ?
Total Pts.
Yes because Holly was entered for English Literature
GCSE English
D
4
Yes
8
also even though she had little chance of a high grade.
1 Language
2 GCSE Maths
E
3
Yes
Maths is always doubled
6
3 GCSE French
E
3
Yes
No
3
4 GCSE Core Science
C
5
Yes
No
5
5 GCSE Geography
E
3
Yes
No
3
BTEC Horticulture
Pass
2.5
Yes
No
2.5
6 Level 1
GCSE Religious
D
4
Yes
No
4
7 Studies
GCSE English
G
1
Yes
No
1
8 Literature
9 Key Skills
0
32.5 ÷ 10
Attainment 8 Score ÷ 10 =
Attainment 8 Score
= 3.25
A pupil's Progress 8 score is their Attainment 8 score, minus their estimated
Attainment 8 score. The estimated Attainment 8 score is the average
Attainment 8 score of all pupils nationally with the same prior attainment
32.5-35
at key stage 2 (KS2).
Progress 8 score
= -2.5
Holly's average KS2 score was 3a. The approx. National Average Attainment
8 Score for pupils with a KS2 score of 3a is 35. Holly's Progress 8 Score is 32.535= -2.5
For teachers the following may be of interest. The calculation of the School Progress 8
Score can be found using the 4 examples above:
Pupil Name VA Score
Jack
+7
Ellie
-3
Mohammed
0
Holly
Sum = 1.5
School VA = 1.5 ÷ 4 = 0.375
-2.5
School Curriculum
The planned changes to the National Curriculum are equally extensive.
The revised National Curriculum needed to be implemented by all maintained schools in
England from September 2014 (with the exception of core subjects in Year Groups 10 &
11).
Academies, university technical colleges (UTCs) and free schools are required to offer a
“broad and balanced” curriculum but are not required to follow the National Curriculum
programmes of study. However, revised GCSEs will be based on programmes of study
where these are defined by the DfE (such as, English, Maths, Sciences, Languages,
History and Geography). Subject content has already been published for English
Language, English Literature and Maths and it is clear that the content is greater than
that of the current GCSE’s; this will have implications for curriculum planning throughout
all school.
Current system of Levelling:
In the revised curriculum, the national system of formative assessment based on levels
disappears and will be replaced by a single attainment target for each subject at each
key stage that reads, “By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply
and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of
study”. There is no requirement to report at the end of Key Stage 3 assessment either to
the government or to parents.
What do we need to do? All schools will still be expected to have an assessment policy
and a process of internal assessment. However, we will have to devise our own system
for doing this. DfE guidance states that “Beyond the tests at KS2 and GCSEs at KS4, it
will be for schools to decide how they assess pupils’ progress.” Ofsted will be responsible
for monitoring the effectiveness of schools’ assessment policies and practices.
Is this a problem? Schools have successfully used National Curriculum Levels for a
long time now. These levels are accurately linked to assessment criteria and teachers
have used these criteria to devise the content of Key Stage 3 programmes of study (or
schemes of work). Now DfE are saying that no two schools will have the same system.
What is likely to happen? All schools are in the same position. Already schools are
creating schemes of work which link assessment criteria to the new 1-9 grading system
as explained above. All schools are required to provide information about their
curriculum and their assessment policy on the school website and these will be
scrutinised by Ofsted. At Leasowes High School it is our aim to have this ready by the
end of summer term 2015.
Naturally we are involving parents and governors in our decision-making process in
planning curriculum, qualification and assessment changes.
What principles should we hold on to? Good assessment processes have a number of
common characteristics:

Target setting and flightpaths based on ESTIMATES of future performance

Student progress is tracked against expectations

Students get the opportunity to demonstrate what they know, understand and
can do against learning objectives

Processes allow for a diagnosis of areas of strength & weakness; this supports
teacher planning

Feedback information and marking is clear and easily understood by and for
students and parents

Summative information for individual students is transferable to other schools

Summative information at cohort level provides accurate information for middle
and senior leaders and governors
Are we ready for this?
Yes! We have a very strong assessment team and they are supported by expert
Curriculum Leaders as well as Senior Leaders. The message from Sir Michael Wilshaw
(OFSTED) is clear:
“Good schools have always tracked their pupils’ progress and Ofsted will expect to see
this continue. We will not endorse any particular approach. But we do expect every
school to be able to show what their pupils know, understand and can do through
continuous assessment and summative tests...
“Inspectors will want to see how well the tests are linked to the curriculum and how the
results are being used to inform the school about the quality of teaching and the
progress of children.
“They will also want to see how well schools are responding to changes to the national
curriculum from September 2014. Every Headteacher should be asking themselves the
sort of questions that we will be asking when we inspect schools in the weeks and
months ahead:

Are staff ready for the significant changes to the curriculum?

How is the school’s assessment model linked to the programmes of study and
schemes of work in the new curriculum?

Is there an effective training programme in place?

Are your teachers geared up to teach for linear rather than modular
examinations?

Is the school timetable and school day flexible enough to accommodate the new
curriculum?
What Steps Are We Taking At Leasowes To Be Ready
For All Of This?
Curriculum planning:
The implications for preparing students in Years 7 & 8 for the new GSCEs are
that these students will also not have had the new Key Stage 2 curriculum that
we are told will better prepare children for the new exams.
Transitional Key Stage 3 curriculum model: Because of this last point we have
developed a transitional Key Stage 3 curriculum model for Year 7 & Year 8. The
transitional curriculum will aim to fill the gaps in knowledge and conceptual
understanding and prepare students for the new GCSEs in English and Maths. It is
therefore likely to be different for each of the year groups in Key Stage 3 from 2015.
Transitional Key Stage 3 assessment policy: From September 2014, the Secretary
of State decided that the current system of national curriculum levels would no longer be
a requirement. This does not mean that schools cannot continue to use levels.
Advice from DfE and the Local Authority informs us that it would be foolish to rush into
change our assessment policy until more is known but we have prepared for the changes
already. At present there is little clarity about either the information which will come
from the Key Stage 2 tests or the expected standards of the new GCSE grades.
Leasowes will continue to use its current process that is based on students being on,
above or below target until September 2015 where we will be using the new
arrangements to influence changes in each year group, as outlined below. Understanding
more about what the new Key Stage 2 scores and GCSE grades mean and what national
expectations are will affect the decisions we make.
In 2016, Key Stage 2 pupils will take a new set of tests. Until then Year 7’s will arrive in
secondary schools with Key Stage 2 test results expressed as levels. Decisions about
these new tests and their assessment have not yet been finalised so we are
implementing a range of tests and diagnostic assessments for all new Year 7 students,
prior to coming to Leasowes.
Target setting related to new GCSE grades will be a particular difficulty and for this
reason we will be using commercially available baseline testing packages which are
nationally benchmarked.
Summary of Points For Pupils In Each Current Year
Group (at June 2015)
I have a child in Year 11. How will this affect them? Your child takes their final
exams in 2015. They are unaffected by these changes and they will receive GCSE grades
A*-G or Btec merit, pass or distinction awards. There is already a higher scrutiny of
“SPAG” (Spelling, Punctuation & Grammar”) in subjects such as English & History.
Schools can opt into the Progress 8 measure if they wish but Leasowes has not opted in.
I have a child in Year 10. How will this affect them? Your child takes their final
exams in 2016. They are unaffected by these changes and they will receive GCSE grades
A*-G or Btec merit, pass or distinction awards. There is already a higher scrutiny of
“SPAG” (Spelling, Punctuation & Grammar”) in subjects such as English & History.
Progress 8 and Attainment 8 (using a 1-8 point scale for legacy GCSEs graded G-A*) will
become the most important accountability measures.
I have a child in Year 9. How will this affect them? Your child takes their final
exams in 2017. In English and maths new GCSE grades will be 1-9. In all other GCSE
subjects grades A*-G will be awarded and in the case of Btec courses students will
receive pass, merit or distinction awards. These students will be following the new, more
rigorous GSCE syllabi in English & Mathematics. The high scrutiny of “SPAG” (Spelling,
Punctuation & Grammar”) in subjects such as English & History will continue. Progress 8
and Attainment 8 (using a 1-8.5 point scale for legacy GCSEs graded G-A*) will be the
most important accountability measures.
I have a child in Year 8. How will this affect them? Having completed options your
child takes their final exams in 2018. These pupils will not have National Curriculum
Levels in Year 9 but will be assessed on the new 1-9 GCSE scale. The cohort will have
experienced some curriculum changes in terms of core subject contact time as well as
specific in depth teaching of e.g. writing skills. When these pupils begin their GSCE
courses in English & Mathematics they will be following the new syllabi. The higher
expectations in terms of pupils’ ability in spelling, punctuation, grammar, numeracy &
problem solving etc. will be clearly evidenced in assessment across all subjects. Revised
(tougher) curricula will be assessed in all other subjects.
I have a child in current Year 7. How will this affect them? Your child takes their
final exams in 2019. These pupils will have been assessed using National Curriculum
Levels in Year 7 but in Year 8 they will be assessed using the new 1-9 GCSE
assessments. The cohort will have experienced some curriculum changes in terms of
core subject contact time as well as specific in depth teaching of e.g. writing skills. The
higher expectations in terms of pupils’ ability in spelling, punctuation, grammar,
numeracy & problem solving etc. will be clearly evidenced in assessment across all
subjects. Revised (tougher) curricula will be assessed in all other subjects.
Clearly, this degree of change has required us to look again at our reporting system too.
As with the last report issued we have moved towards a traffic lights system which tells
parents very clearly whether their child is working above, on or below target. We are
currently looking carefully at how we incorporate the variety of numbers and grades
required to describe progress and are scheduling a parents’ information evening during
the last week of this term.
It is also worth noting that the movement away from coursework and towards 100%
linear exams will have a profound impact on the work of the school in preparation for a
new era of examination-based assessment. We have already introduced half-termly tests
for all year groups in all subjects along with annual examinations. In Year 11, three
externally marked mock examinations for core subjects also demonstrate our
determination to fully prepare our students for the future.
Concluding note: This will be a challenging time for all schools but we are very
confident that the steps we are taking will provide our students with the very best
chance of success. If any parent has a specific query about any of the above please do
not hesitate to get in touch with school.
Neil Shaw
Headteacher
Leasowes High School
June 2015