Assessing and Tracking Pupils’ Progress using Target Tracker
There has been a change to how schools assess children’s progress and attainment across Key Stages 1 and 2.
EYFS remains the same at present. The New Curriculum requires that schools no longer use the ‘Level’ system.
This report explains how we assess and track children’s learning to ensure good progress.
The previous system of levelling
In previous years, children were given a Level to represent their attainment. For example ‘3C’. The number
gave the level and the letter denoted steps within that level. So 3C would be a child just entering level 3, and
3A a child who was secure in the level and ready to move on to level 4. Because of the way old curriculum
worked the numbers did not represent the year group a child would be in.
The new system of levelling
The new National Curriculum has been written to give age related expectations for the end of each year.
As children move from Year 1 to Year 6, they will be tracked against the Age Related Expectations (A.R.E).
Formative assessments
Formative assessments are recorded for reading, writing and maths at
the end of each unit of work. The children are assessed against
statements taken directly from the National Curriculum. (These
statements are also linked to teachers planning). Teachers assess in
one of the following four ways:
 Not Begun [black]
 Working towards [red]
A child has been taught something, but is not yet ready to apply it
 Achieved [blue]
A child understands something and can apply it independently
 Mastered [gold]
A child can apply it in a different context
(The screen shot on the left shows the ‘Term 1.2’ assessments for a year 6 child.
It shows their ‘Band 5’ and ‘Band 6’ achievements. The bar at the top of each
column shows the proportion of black/red/blue/gold assessments).
Summative assessments
Each year group is assessed against its own year band. Year 1 = Band 1, Year 2 = Band 2 etc.
Each year band is broken down into 6 steps, which are as follows:
Step
Beginning
Beginning +
Within
Within +
Secure
Secure +
Abb
B
B+
W
W+
S
S+
Explanation
Beginning to work on the areas within this band.
Working Within this band – Around 40% - 70% of the statements are confidently achieved.
Secure within this band – The broad expectations have been met.
At the end of each half term, teachers make a judgement on each
child’s achievement. They use the statements achieved (blue) as a
guideline. So for example, the child above was assessed as a Band
5s+ at the end of Year 5 as she had about 80-90% of the statements
achieved.
Her current assessment for Term 1.2 is Band 6b+ as she has achieved
around 25% of the statements in Year 6.
(The screen shot on the left shows the end of half term assessments
for a group of year 6 children).
Tracking attainment and progress
Tracking Points are used to examine attainment and progress numerically. The Tracking Point scale starts at
Point 37, which is the first term in the first year in year 1. Expected progress is 1 point each half term, equating
to 6 points each year. (Points with a value of 1 to 36 are used for P scales and the early learning goals)
The table below shows the band, step within the band and points equivalent.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term 1.1
Band 1b 37
Band 2b 43
Band 3b 49
Band 4b 55
Band 5b 61
Band 6b 67
Term 1.2
Band 1b+ 38
Band 2b+ 44
Band 3b+ 50
Band 4b+ 56
Band 5b+ 62
Band 6b+ 68
Term 2.1
Band 1w 39
Band 2w 45
Band 3w 51
Band 4w 57
Band 5w 63
Band 6w 69
Term 2.2
Band 1w+ 40
Band 2w+ 46
Band 3w+ 52
Band 4w+ 58
Band 5w+ 64
Band 6w+ 70
Term 3.1
Band 1s 41
Band 2s 47
Band 3s 53
Band 4s 59
Band 5s 65
Band 6s 71
Term 3.2
Band 1s+ 42
Band 2s+ 48
Band 3s+ 54
Band 4s+ 60
Band 5s+ 66
Band 6s+ 72
These tables show individual assessments and an analysis for Year 6.
Target tracker offers a wide range of other analysis for teachers, including both
names and numerical scores.
Teachers can filter their data to provide key information about different groups
within their class and cohort.