2. Today
• Why AWL?
• Our proposed ‘Growth & Thresholds’ model
• Using the assessment innovation fund to
build collaborative subject networks
3. Why scrap levels?
Group Director of Assessment Research and
Development, Cambridge Assessment
You Tube: National Curriculum: Tim Oates on
assessment
4. Why scrap levels?
1. Never meant to be a label – meant to
support progress.
2. Undue pace – focus on getting through levels
quickly, rather than embedding deep
understanding of key concepts.
3. Levels mean different things – marks on a
test, APP work best matched a descriptor or
‘just in….’
4. Successful nations don’t use them – children
capable of anything because of effort put
in…not because they are level 4, 5 etc.
5. “Study fewer things in greater
depth, so a deeper understanding
of central concepts and ideas can be
developed.
Assessment should focus on that.”
Tim Oates
6. “I don’t think schools should
continue to use levels. The
government have said they are a
‘discredited currency’ and this line
will be followed by OFSTED.”
Bill Watkin, SSAT
7. “I’ve had a look through and we’re
definitely on the same page with
the approach.”
Dylan Wiliam (in response to looking at our
model)
8.
9.
10.
11. Growth & Threshold Model
• What are the ‘big ideas’ in each subject?
• What do students need to master in order
to be successful in KS4?
• What does excellence look like?
• Use this to set the bar of expectation.
• Focus assessment on what counts - in terms
of learning and progress.
12.
13. June July July July July
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Y7
Y8
Y9
Y10
Y11
14. June July July July July
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Y7
Y8
Y9
Y10
Y11
Knowledge &
Skills
15. June July July July July
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Y7
Y8
Y9
Y10
Y11
Knowledge &
Skills
Plan
backwards
29. Each unit of work starts with ‘Threshold
Assessment Table’
•Don’t assess everything.
•Select the key knowledge & skills in that unit of work,
that students need to be successful at the end of KS4.
•That becomes the focus of the assessment & feedback
for that unit of work.
30. What could the thresholds look like?
Level of
Learning
SOLO
Taxonomy
What it means?
Excellence
Deep
Extended
Abstract
Can extend and apply
ideas.
Extended thinking.
Secure Relational Can link and relate
ideas. Strategies for
thinking & reasoning.
Developing
Surface
Multistructural Many ideas.
Basic skills & concepts.
Foundation Unistructural Single idea.
Recall &
reproduction.
36. Assessment Innovators
• Humanities – Ben Crockett
• Art & Design – Emma Wade
• PE & Performing Arts – Jack Corbett
• English – Jo Grimwood
• Maths - Sam Down & Emma McCann
• Science - Simona Trignano
• Computing – Chloe Gardner
• MFL – Pam Graham
37. Subject Networks
• Network meetings
• Share ideas and resources
• Develop units of work together
• Cross school moderation of work
38. Making links to previous topics explicit to encourage recapping
(interleaving)
39. FOUNDATION
• SKILLS
• APPLICATION OF
SKILLS LINKED WITH
OTHER TOPICS
HIGHER
• SKILLS
• APPLICATION OF
SKILLS LINKED WITH
OTHER TOPICS
Working backwards from Year 11
40. Departments have interpreted the
threshold table in different ways
to best suit their subject.
Maths: Combined the knowledge
and skills.
Different threshold tables for the 4
strands (number, algebra, shape
and data)
Geography : Knowledge and skills
are easily separated.
Different threshold tables for each
case study.
