In our centre all students are tracked throughout their 2 year course, through internal assessments and Praising Stars.
During each half term all students will be assessed on the topics covered. This may mean only work covered during that half term or it may be an assessment on all topics covered up to that point of the academic year. The results of these internal assessments provide staff with a full overview of the knowledge, skills and understanding of the subject that the students have gained. This also allows staff to put in student specific intervention to help ensure students achieve their potential.
A report of progress is issued each half term to students in the form of a Praising Stars report. This report includes an effort grade and predicted grade for each subject. This provides students and their parents/carers with an understanding of progress made against their target grade. The target grade is a grade awarded on entry taking into account student achievement at GCSE. This target grade is the aspirational grade students will work towards achieving at the end of their 2 year course.
More formal internal assessments take place in Year 12 and Year 13. These assessments mirror a normal exam season, with students receiving an examination timetable and sitting their assessment in normal exam conditions, with invigilators in the main hall.
The Year 12 end of year examinations take place in the Spring/Summer term. Students will receive a timetable, examinations will be in the main hall and there will be a formal review process with each student. If a student fails to achieve a pass grade in a particular subject, they are given the opportunity to resit the examination with a view to achieving a grade. Any student who fails an examination will have a formal meeting to ensure relevant intervention is put in place to provide the student with extra support to help them meet / exceed their target grade and therefore achieve their potential.
Year 13 students will sit their formal internal assessments at the beginning of the spring term in Year 13. They will sit their end of course formal examinations in the summer term of the second year of their studies. These are exam board set and externally marked assessments with a formal grade being awarded and issued during August.
Examination access arrangements awarded to students will always be recognised and taken into account, whether it is a formal assessment or a praising stars assessment.