It is important to build on students’ prior learning.  To do this effectively we need to understand what students already know and what they need to do to develop their knowledge and understanding even further, we do this through assessment.

We realise the importance of communicating frequently and clearly with families; you will receive a progress report or attend a progress meeting each term.

Key Stage 3 (KS3)

Our assessment system at KS3 is centred around our progressive curriculum, with teachers assessing how well students are meeting the expectations of the curriculum. Using KS2 SATs, Cognitive Abilities Tests (CATs) and National Group Reading Tests (NGRTs), we allocate ‘Expected Progress’ grades for each student. These ‘Expected Progress’ grades remain the same because the curriculum demands increase as students move through KS3. The NGRT is repeated at the end of Year 7 and end of Year 8.

At KS3, frequent, low stakes assessment and feedback take place in the classroom with interactions between staff and students, with feedback on work or through questioning.   This provides important and regular feedback to our students to help them understand how to improve and what they have done well. You will see students’ responses to feedback in their books in purple pen.

Alongside Current Progress grades, we communicate how well students are engaging with our school values of Kindness, Ambition and Respect.

Key Stage 4 (KS4)

At KS4, we identify Minimum Expected Outcomes (MEOs) for each student and subject so that we can all work to help them achieve the best possible GCSE results.

Assessment of students’ progress at KS4 is frequent and varied in class and feedback is provided to students through a variety of means.  We recognise that at Key Stage 4 students need to be prepared for the expectations and conditions of formal examinations and so we run ’Mock Exams’ in both Years 10 and 11.t These more formal examinations also allow teachers to make more informed predictions about students’ Most Likely Outcomes (MLOs) by the end of Year 11.

Reports at KS4 continue to include grades showing how well students are engaging with our school values of Kindness, Ambition and Respect. These grades are taken into consideration when planning for interventions for those students who need additional support to achieve their Minimum Expected Outcomes (MEOs).

Some subjects also have Non-Exam Assessment components, which are any assessed components that are not a written examination and take the form of portfolios, coursework, controlled assessments or speaking and listening exams. Please see NEAs for details of expectations and deadlines. Most Likely Outcomes (MLOs) take achievement or likely achievement of NEAs into consideration too.

Key Stage 5 (KS5 – Wren Six)

When students join Wren Six, we use students’ GCSEs (or equivalents) to set aspirational targets which we continue to call Minimum Expected Outcomes (MEOs) at KS5. For International students we use the UCAS International qualifications document to set MEOs.

At KS4, we continue to use a varied range of assessment and feedback strategies to ensure students are able to improve and achieve their potential. We also run mock series in both Year 12 and Year 13. As shown in the table below, we regularly report progress home and, alike at KS4, we continue to use classwork, independent work, and mock exams to predict students’ Most Likely Outcomes (MLOs).

Reports at KS5 continue to include grades showing how well students are engaging with our school values of Kindness, Ambition and Respect. These grades are taken into consideration when planning for interventions for students  who need additional support to achieve their Minimum Expected Outcomes (MEOs).

Some A-levels and BTECs also have Non-Exam Assessment components, which are any assessed components that are not a written examination and take the form of portfolios, coursework, controlled assessments or speaking and listening exams. Please see NEAs for details of expectations and deadlines. Most Likely Outcomes (MLOs) take achievement or likely achievement of NEAs into consideration too.

The National Group Reading Test (NGRT)

•   NGRT is the reading test all students at The Wren take three times at the beginning of Key Stage 3; at the beginning of Year 7, end of Year 7 and end of Year 8.
• The test is not timed but takes around 30 minutes on average.
• Students complete the teston a computer in silent, calm conditions.
• The test is adaptive, responding to a student’s ability as they complete it ensuring all students are challenged.
• The test provides us with a Standard Age Score (SAS), a reading age, Key Stage 2 or GCSE indicators, and progress measures.
• Results are standardised on over 11,700 pupils with its national benchmarks verified each year based on data from half a million students.
• These results are widely used in Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) reading intervention projects.

What is the benefit of adaptive testing?

Adaptive testing means that NGRT can be used for students of all abilities. The digital test presents questions based on previous answers, to respond to each child’s reading ability, so that more able students can be stretched, without making the process intimidating for those who might struggle with higher demand questions. Customised implications for teaching and learning in each individual report offer practical help with next steps in the classroom.

Which results are shared with families?

The test provides teachers with a Standardised Age Score (SAS); the SAS is based on the student’s raw score which has been adjusted for both age and the difficulty of the test taken and placed on a scale that makes a comparison with a nationally representative sample of students of the same age across the UK. The average score is 100.

We share the National Percentile Rank (NPR) with families on students’ progress reports.  The NPR relates to the SAS and indicates the percentage of students obtaining any particular score. NPR of 50 is average. NPR of 5 means that the student’s score is within the lowest 5% of the national sample; NPR of 95 means that the student’s score is within the highest 5% of the national sample.

What happens when the tests show that students weaker reading scores?

English teachers take all students to the library during a regular timetabled slot; during this time students are assisted to select and read books that are suitable for their reading proficiency. Teachers will read one-to-one or in small groups with those students whose reading scores require improvement.

For students who have very low reading scores, additional reading interventions are put into place and more frequent testing allows us to monitor the progress a student is making. Interventions are varied but include things like paired reading with an older student and one to one phonics work with a specialised teacher.

The Cognitive Abilities Test Fourth Edition (CAT4) is an assessment which identifies how well a student can think about tasks and solve problems using a range of different questions. Some tasks involve thinking about shapes and patterns (Non-verbal Reasoning), some with words (Verbal Reasoning) or numbers (Quantitative Reasoning) and, finally, some questions are answered by thinking about shape and space together and imagining a shape being changed and moving (Spatial Ability).

CAT4, unlike an English or Maths test, is not a test of what the student has learnt. It tests how an individual can think in areas that are known to make a difference to learning and achievement.

What do the different scores mean?

We use the SAS (Standardised Age Score). This gives a score to compare the results of students who were born in the same year and calendar month. Students who score exactly as expected for their age group would be given a score of 100 (scores between 89 – 111 are considered to be within the “average” bracket).

There are four tests:

Verbal reasoning – “thinking with words.” This is linked to concepts framed in words: it may involve working out how words in a group are related or the relationships between words. This result is often used as a baseline of a child’s potential in essay-writing subjects like English and History.

Non-verbal reasoning – “thinking with shapes”. This does not involve reading but measures a child’s ability to solve problems using shapes or patterns and is most similar to a typical IQ test.

Quantitative reasoning – “thinking with numbers”. This is the numerical equivalent of verbal reasoning and involves working out the relationship between numbers in a sequence. This result is helpful when considering progress in Maths.

Spatial ability – “thinking with shapes and space”. This involves the manipulation of shapes to demonstrate an understanding of the spatial relationship between images and is often linked to ability in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects.

2024 Exam Timetables

2024 GCSE Timetable

2024 A Level Timetable

JCQ Information for Candidates

JCQ Exam room warning to candidates

JCQ Unauthorised items warning

JCQ Information for Candidates – Coursework

JCQ Information for Candidates – On Screen tests

JCQ-Information for Candidates – Social Media

JCQ Information for Candidates Non Examination Assessments

JCQ Information for Candidates – Privacy Notice

Reviews of marking – centre assessed marks (GCE coursework, GCE and GCSE non-examination assessments, Project qualifications) 2023-24

The Wren School is committed to ensuring that whenever its staff mark candidates’ work this is done fairly, consistently and in accordance with the awarding body’s specification and subject-specific associated documents.

Candidates’ work will be marked by staff who have appropriate knowledge, understanding and skill, and who have been trained in this activity. The Wren School is committed to ensuring that work produced by candidates is authenticated in line with the requirements of the awarding body. Where more than one subject teacher/tutor is involved in marking candidates’ work, internal moderation and standardisation will ensure consistency of marking.

Students will be informed of centre assessed marks following internal moderation. At this point they may request a review of these marks and to access materials to assist them in reviewing the centre’s marking of their assessment. These materials may be original worked to be viewed under supervision or copies of original material and will normally be provided to the student within two working days.

At this point, students will have five working days to review these materials and submit a request of the centre’s marking to the Examinations Officer using the form attached. Requests will not be accepted after this deadline.

The dates for release of marks and appeals are detailed below. Click here to access the Appeal Request Form.

KS4/5 External Non-Exam Assessment Deadlines 23/24

For any queries regarding examinations please contact our Examinations Officer: [email protected]

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