Ensuring that all The West Grantham Church of England Secondary Academy learners meet or exceed their potential is central to the academy’s day-to-day work. Our curriculum has been carefully designed to support all students to make progress from their individual starting points towards their personalised aspirational targets derived from their prior attainment. 

We assess and record evidence of learning and progress in a number of ways in order to paint a holistic view of each student. This enables staff to work in partnership with parents to track, monitor and reward successes; stretch and challenge; anticipate barriers to learning; as well as support and intervene where required. 

Attitudes to Learning (AtL) are recorded by teachers alongside progress data to describe each student’s approach to their own learning. Grade descriptors indicate the types of attitudes students display and are used in order to guide and support students in becoming better learners. The descriptors for these can be seen below. 

Attitudes to Learning Grade Descriptors  

Key Stage 3 assessment (years 7, 8 and 9) measures the progress made in each subject’s key topics which are derived from the knowledge, skills and understanding that need to be developed and mastered in preparation for starting Level 2 courses in Key Stage 4. Progress is tracked by teachers and feedback given in order to support students in moving forward. Progress data indicates if students are above, in-line or below their individualised flight paths which are set on a trajectory from their KS2 starting point to their end of Key Stage 4 targets. 

Key Stage 4 assessment (years 10 and 11) measures the progress made in each subject towards students’ individual target grades. Using ongoing teacher assessment of classwork and tested assessments, teachers record a projected grade which is the grade which the student is expected to achieve at the end of the course. A current ‘working at’ grade is also calculated using the academy’s tracking processes. 

To complement and validate our internal assessment, students sit online externally standardised tests which indicate their ability and potential performance, attainment and progress compared to their peers across the UK and also highlight potential barriers to learning. These tests are: 

  •  Cognitive Abilities Tests (CAT4) highlight pupils’ strengths and weaknesses in four areas: Verbal, Non-Verbal, Quantitative and Spatial Reasoning. 
  • New Group Reading Tests (NGRT) screen and monitor progress of students’ reading and comprehension. 
  • Progress Tests in English (PTE) provide year on year assessment of students’ attainment in core English skills including spelling, grammar, punctuation and comprehension (including phonics where necessary). 
  • Progress Tests in Maths (PTE) assess two dimensions of maths learning: mathematical content knowledge and understanding and applying mathematical processes. 
  • Progress Tests in Science (PTS) measure two dimensions of science learning: science content knowledge, and understanding and applying science skills. 
  • Pupils’ Attitudes to Self and School (PASS)This survey helps to anticipate, identify and understand attitudinal barriers to learning that may be affecting attainment.