Year 7 KS3 Curriculum and Assessment Information 2017/2018 Rugby High School Year 7
Introduction This booklet is designed to give you some additional information about the curriculum at RHS throughout KS3, and the way in which we track students performance. The curriculum Key Stage 3 Students will follow the National Curriculum Key Stage 3 over a three year period with the exception that Design Technology has been replaced by Textiles. In addition to the prescribed subjects Latin, a second Modern Foreign Language and a Language Awareness course are taught. Key Stage 3 is delivered over three years. Enrichment and extension will be used to create appropriate challenge for able learners. The curriculum frame for Year 7 is as follows: Subject No. of Lessons Subject No. of Lessons English 4 French OR Spanish 3 Mathematics 5 Latin 1 Science 3 PSHE/Food/Textiles 2* Geography 2 Drama 1 PRS 1 Music 1 PE 3 Art 1 *Taught on rotation The curriculum framework for Years 8-9 is the same as Year 7. Curriculum pages for a particular subject More detailed information about the curriculum content and the topics studies in a particular subject can be found in the Departments section on the website. For example, for information about English click on Learning at Rugby High, then Departments, then English. These pages also contain valuable information on how you can support your daughter s learning. Reading, Spelling and Writing Tests It is school practice for all Year 7 students to be screened with reading, spelling, writing and maths tests during their first term at Rugby High School. At Rugby High School, during year 7, students are screened with separate reading, spelling and writing tests. The Edinburgh Reading Test 4 is an interactive standardised reading assessment purpose designed for on screen use and is taken by computer. Those girls with results within the low average/average range (below a standard score of 100) are eligible for extra reading and spelling support. The interventions take place on a weekly basis and are delivered by our teaching assistant or 6 th form mentors. Progress will be reviewed and students re-tested towards the end of the school year. Assessment and measurement of progress at Rugby High School 2
In September 2014 the Department for Education removed the current system of levels. Secondary schools are now free to devise their own assessment system provided it shows clear progression from Year 7 to Year 11. At RHS we have decided to align our assessment scheme to the new GCSE numbering system so that it shows progression from KS2 to KS4. For all subjects your daughter will study in Year 7 their baseline levels will be based on baseline assessment administered by their teachers before October half term. We anticipate that in most subjects students will have a RHS starting level of between 1C and 2C. In subjects that your daughter has not studied before (such as Food Technology or Latin for example) she may have a starting level of emerging. Target setting In each subject your daughter s RHS baseline level, together with a target setting package used by many schools (FFT20) will be used to determine their targets at the end of Year 11 (end of Key Stage 4). These targets will be shared with you at the first attainment check (see later). Please note that a target is the end of key stage or course grade/level that your daughter should be attempting to reach or exceed. As RHS is a grammar school we expect your daughter to be working towards a level 7, 8 or 9 at the end of their GCSEs Progress Check At RHS your daughter s progress is formally monitored in every subject at three assessment points throughout the year. These are called progress checks and are shared with parents, students and the Senior Leadership Team. This enables progress to be tracked and intervention plans put in place if a student is not making secure progress. Your daughter will receive her baseline level, and a target grade for the end of KS4. At each progress check your daughter will know whether she is developing, secure or exceeding her progress. The first progress check for Year 7 is due for completion by: 6 December, 2017 In addition to the termly progress checks your daughter will receive an annual report. For Year 7 students this will be 26 March, 2018 So that no student falls behind in between the formal progress checks we also have a cause for concern list every half term. During this process staff are asked to identify any students in Years 7-11 that they feel are making insufficient progress for a variety of reasons. Unless you are contacted in between the formal progress checks you can assume that your daughter is working to the best of her ability and we have no real concerns about her progress. Progress can look very different in different subjects. It is entirely possible that your daughter might have a 1A in English and a 2B in Maths, but be secure in both. 3
Example of an progress check at KS3 Year 7 Progress Check Name: Intervention may be required, as developing suggests that the student is not making secure progress The three causes for concern, of revision, Homework and Organisation might suggest a session with the learning mentor to support the student in developing independent study skills The information contained in this progress sheet has been entered by each of teachers in order to provide you with a picture of her progress from her baseline level. This information will enable you to consider her approach to learning and to discuss her progress with and her teachers. Subject Baseline Year 7 Autumn Cause for concern English 1B Secure Secure Maths 2C Developing Secure Revision Science 1C Secure Secure Art EM Secure Secure Textiles EM Secure Developing Drama 1C Secure Secure French EM Developing Developing Hwk Geography 1B Secure Developing ORG History 1C Secure Secure Food 1C Exceeding Secure Technology ICT EM Secure Secure Latin EM Developing Secure Music 1C Secure Exceeding Philosophy & RS 1B Secure Exceeding Physical 1C Secure Secure Education Spanish 2C Exceeding Exceeding Year 7 Spring Cause for concern Year 7 Summer Cause for concern This is a new subject, so it is entirely likely that the student might be emerging
Progress Check Definitions Developing A student who is not making as much progress as one would expect for this point in the year. Secure A student who is making progress in line with expectations. Exceeding A student who is operating and regularly producing work above expectations for their progress. Cause for concern This may be used by teaching staff to flag up concerns about your daughter s work ethic, behaviour in class, organisation, contribution in class etc. Intervention If, as a result of an attainment check, your daughter is identified as being significantly behind her targets she will receive some kind of intervention to help her improve. Intervention may include: subject specific support from the department concerned small group tuition or one to one support a talk with the Pastoral Manager or Mrs Grogan mentoring by an older student or member of staff referral to the main school Learning Mentor (Mrs Laight) Parents Evening These take place once a year over two evenings and for Year 7 students these will happen on: 7R & 7H 26 June, 2018 7S & 7G 5 July, 2018 We strongly encourage all parents to use this opportunity to discuss their daughter s performance in all subjects with their teacher. End of Year Examinations (Year 7) Your daughter will sit end of year internal examinations week beginning 21 May, 2018 Timetables will be issued nearer the time and all students in Year 7 are taken off their normal lessons for three days to complete these.
Sources of Help If you have any further queries in the following areas please contact: Curriculum and Student Progress KS3/4 and Pastoral Care Mrs Y Grogan, Assistant Headteacher: grogany@rugbyhighschool.co.uk Pastoral Issues Ms N Bell: n.bell@rugbyhighschool.co.uk Special Educational Needs Ms J Deas: j.deas@rugbyhighschool.co.uk 6