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Guidance

Curriculum andStandards

Headteachers,school strategymanagers and senior leadersStatus: Recommended

Date of issue: 05-2005

Ref:DfES 1545-2005FLR-EN

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© Crown copyright 2005 Secondary National StrategyDfES 1545-2005FLR-EN Tracking for success 1

Contents

About this guide 2

Introduction 3

Tracking pupils’ progress 4

Developing a whole-school tracking system 8

Curricular target setting 19


About this guide

Monitoring and tracking pupils’ progress is fundamental to school improvementand raising standards. This guide helps school leaders to develop and refine theirwhole-school pupil tracking procedures to ensure that pupils’ progress issystematically monitored and reviewed and findings acted upon, thus raisingstandards. The examples provided may be used as a checklist to review currentpractice and identify any areas for further development. This guide:

• sets out some underlying principles and describes the whole-school trackingprocess;

• sets out the responsibilities of senior leaders, middle leaders and teachers and gives examples of some elements of a whole-school tracking system;

• provides guidance on curricular target setting.

Secondary National Strategy © Crown copyright 2005Tracking for success DfES 1545-2005FLR-EN2


Introduction

Setting appropriately challenging targets through the analysis of pupil performancedata and establishing rigorous monitoring and tracking systems are the first criticalsteps towards ensuring that the learning needs of all pupils are met.

It should be stated from the outset that monitoring and tracking that does not initiatespecific actions by teachers and pupils will not help to raise standards. Consequently,within the title Tracking for success the assumption is made that taking the necessaryaction to address the identified learning needs of pupils and bring about improvementsis an integral part of the tracking process.

Schools can ensure that they set appropriately challenging targets by analysing pupils’performance against national benchmarks of attainment and progress. Thesenumerical targets must be turned into curricular targets, which in turn inform learningobjectives and learning outcomes. Diagnostic analysis can identify the strengths andweaknesses in performance of individual pupils and groups to inform lesson planningand the use of intervention programmes.

Principles

• Pupils’ progress is monitored and tracked across time and across subjects usinga range of performance measures including teacher assessments and test results.All staff work collaboratively to gather, share and use information about pupils’progress. Identification of pupils’ underperformance is early, rapid and accurate.

• Data is collected and shared with the pupils and all staff involved in teaching thepupils. Pupils’ achievements are benchmarked against local and national data.

• Pupils have regular opportunities to discuss their progress. Teachers actively involvepupils in setting their own targets, and annual and key stage targets are shared withall staff involved in teaching the pupils.

• Teaching programmes, intervention programmes and revision programmesare informed by regular monitoring of progress and adjusted in the light ofpupils’ needs.

• Parents and carers are informed and involved in order to support pupils’achievements.

• Performance data is managed through a school-wide system, teachers have readyaccess to data they need, and new data can be entered and processed easily.



Tracking pupils’ progress

Effective tracking of pupils’ progress is essential in promoting the achievement of highstandards. It ensures that pupils make good progress throughout their school careerand, where progress slows or stalls, difficulties can be picked up quickly andappropriate action taken.

Pupils’ progress should be tracked regularly and systematically through a whole-schoolsystem which involves all staff. It is essentially a cyclical process of data gathering andanalysis which informs target setting, the reviewing of teaching programmes and theuse of intervention, booster and revision programmes.

Pupils’ progress should be reviewed regularly, for example, twice yearly in the springand summer terms. Assessment data to inform these reviews should be gatheredsystematically. Ongoing assessment should be the basis of tracking, supplemented by discrete assessment tasks and tests as appropriate.

The analysis of assessment data should be used to inform discussions with pupils toreview their performance and progress towards their targets. It can be used in settingor revising pupils’ National Curriculum level or GCSE grade targets and their curriculartargets. Curricular targets are the link between pupils’ long-term targets (e.g. end-of-key stage National Curriculum levels or end-of-course GCSE grades) and the nextsteps in their learning, described in lesson learning objectives. Teaching programmesmay be adjusted in response to the curricular targets set, and intervention programmesmay be considered for use either as part of a lesson or as a specific programme. Theanalysis will also determine the nature of booster programmes in Year 9 and revisionprogrammes in Year 11.

Regular internal reporting will enable middle leaders and senior leaders to monitorprogress of groups and cohorts of pupils towards targets. Reports to parents andcarers will be provided annually with statutory reporting at the end of Year 9 and Year 11.

Making tracking manageable

When subject departments are developing or refining their approaches to trackingpupils’ progress, some useful guiding principles can be applied.

• The subject leader has a key strategic role in establishing a manageable yet robustapproach to teacher assessment.

• The tracking process needs to be closely integrated with everyday teachingand learning.

• It is not possible to assess every objective that is taught – instead it is necessaryto identify the ones that are the key indicators of pupils’ progress.

• The key indicators can be related to crucial level borderlines, for example,between levels 3 and 4.

• Ongoing assessment should be the basis of the tracking, with use made of specificactivities or probing questions to refine judgements.



• Where appropriate, the focus can be on the pupils whose attainment is difficultto determine with confidence.

• Recording systems can be very simple, keeping note of only the informationwhich is necessary.

• It is vital that the information is used formatively and that any necessarymodifications are made to the teaching programme.

• It is important to involve pupils in the process – this helps secure the learningand pupils can see for themselves that they are making progress.

An English department has been involved in the piloting of the Monitoring PupilProgress Project, a project jointly managed and developed by QCA and the KeyStage 3 National Strategy.

Towards the end of each term the teachers involved in the pilot use their pupils’ongoing work in reading and writing to make judgements against the associatedassessment focuses. After considering performance across a range of theassessment focuses, the teachers make an overall level judgement for readingand writing for each pupil. Alongside this process the teachers select one task forreading and one for writing, chosen from a bank of standardised tasks, and usethem as part of the normal teaching and learning process to provide additionalevidence of each pupil’s attainment. Evidence from these two different sources,ongoing and task, is then used to provide an overall judgement on pupil attainment.

The department is continuing to develop this approach and has extended it fromthe two teachers involved in the pilot to all the English teachers in the department.In addition, teachers are experimenting with the use of the tasks as ‘tie breakers’,using them only when the evidence from the ongoing work is inconclusive.

In a mathematics department the teachers established a set of key indicatorsassociated with levels 3–7 and highlighted where these key indicators werefeatured in their Key Stage 3 scheme of work. They then selected the bestopportunities for focusing on the key indicators, choosing specific lessons fromtheir normal teaching programme.

When assessing a key indicator, the teachers reflect on what they already knowabout the whole group of pupils and then identify those pupils they are unsureabout. They then use an agreed set of probing questions within the main part of thelesson to start a dialogue with the targeted pupils. Teachers use a class recordsheet to note those pupils who do not satisfy the requirements of the key indicator.

Teachers use the identified areas of weakness to form curricular targets forindividual pupils and groups of pupils. They also review their future planningto address the targets and use teaching assistants to provide individual andgroup support.



A science department uses the five key scientific ideas and scientific enquiry as a framework for organising the Key Stage 3 programme of study:

• Cells

• Interdependence

• Particles

• Forces

• Energy

• Scientific enquiry

Expectations of pupils’ attainment in each of the key ideas and scientific enquiryduring the three years of the key stage were mapped out using the yearly teachingobjectives from the Framework for teaching science: Years 7, 8 and 9 (DfES0136/2002). Assessment opportunities were then identified, together with specificactivities or questions. Wherever possible the assessment of scientific enquiry waslinked with that of one of the five key scientific ideas.

Having done this, the department decided to replace some of its end-of-unit testswith tasks which required an extended response from the pupils, sometimes inwritten form but also involving the production of a poster, diagram or cartoon stripor a drama activity. For each of these unit tasks the department now produces a‘levelness’ guide, to which they match pupil responses. The department does notsee the levelness guide as a checklist to be slavishly followed. Indeed, teachers areencouraged to take into account what they already know about each pupil fromtheir everyday teaching when making their overall judgements on pupil attainmentin the unit.

As well as providing an effective and efficient way of tracking pupils’ progress, theapproach provides a rich source of evidence of an individual’s understanding andmisconceptions, and informs the way subsequent teaching needs to be shaped.



Following the introduction of statutory assessment in citizenship, the school has been developing a whole-school approach to monitoring and assessingcitizenship. While citizenship is taught in discrete lessons, it is also recognised that there are opportunities across the curriculum to promote developmentin citizenship and this evidence of pupil progress also needs to be gatheredand monitored.

Subject leaders in the school undertook a mapping exercise whereby keyopportunities to assess citizenship were identified. For example, in geography,issues of fair trade gave opportunities to examine some of the key citizenshipconcepts about becoming informed citizens. Skills of enquiry and communicationare assessed in English lessons through investigations of the media and thereporting of topical issues. Most subject areas are committed to assessingand recording pupil achievement in citizenship at least once annually, and theinformation is collated centrally through the school’s assessment systems. Thecitizenship teachers have worked with other departments to organise moderationmeetings to develop understanding of standards and progression in the subjectand they have produced some exemplification to support non-specialist teachers in making judgements.

In the discrete citizenship lessons, half-termly structured assessmentopportunities are built in to schemes of work and the achievement of the pupilsis recorded. The assessment tasks ensure variety and balance as well asprogression through the programme of study. Each pupil has a portfolio, and self-assessment is used regularly to augment assessment information from othersources. All of this, in addition to the ongoing assessment information gained fromdiscussion, questioning, written work and other class activities, informs overallteacher judgements and ensures meaningful assessments.

The information is collated by the subject leader and used to monitor and trackprogress in citizenship; the data contributes to end-of-year reports and end-of-keystage assessments, and is used to refine the schemes of work appropriately.



Developing a whole-schooltracking system

Senior leaders will need to:

• ensure a continuous school-wide focus on pupils’ achievements usingbenchmark and comparative data, e.g. data from PAT and Fischer Family Trustdata, to monitor the progress of every pupil;

• put in place a whole-school tracking system to gather pupil performance dataregularly and systematically;

• draw up a timetable for the regular reviewing of pupils’ performance and attendanceto identify pupils who are exceeding expectations and those who are falling behindand those whose attendance is a cause for concern;

• establish a system to ensure that the outcomes of reviews are acted on quickly and provision is adjusted as necessary.

Table 1 – Tracking pupils’ progress sets out a number of questions and tasksfor senior leaders, middle leaders and teachers.

Table 2 – A whole-school tracking system gives an example of how such a system could be organised over the three years of Key Stage 3 and the two years of Key Stage 4.

Table 3 – The role of year leaders and tutors in tracking pupils’ progressshows how year leaders and tutors can work together with subject leaders tosupport pupils’ progress.

Table 4 – A pupil’s perspective provides some insights into the whole process.




Table 1 – Tracking pupils’ progress

Questions Tasks

• Is pupils’ achievement across allsubjects in line with expectations?

• Are pupils making good progresstowards their targets?

• What is the variation in attainmentand attendance between subjectsand what are the possible explanations?What is being done to address in-school variation?

• Who are the pupils or groups of pupilswho are exceeding expectations? Whatare the factors that are contributing tothis success and are we sharing thegood practice across the school?

• Which pupils or groups of pupils areachieving in line with expectationswithin each subject?

• Are there pupils or groups of pupilswho are achieving below expectations?What are we doing to address this?What intervention strategies are beingused to offer support to these pupils?

• Have behaviour and attendanceissues been considered in relationto pupils’ ability and confidence tolearn and achieve?

• Have we built in opportunities to reviewindividual pupil progress acrosssubjects? How is information gatheredand shared?

• Work with subject leaders to ensurethat teachers understand the nature ofprogression across the levels and thatthey plan accordingly, setting curriculartargets for pupils.

• Work with subject leaders to review andreport on pupils’ progress towards theirtargets. Provide challenge for middleleaders and teachers as necessary.

• Work with subject leaders to monitorand support adjustments to teachingprogrammes in response to reviewfindings.

• Work with year leaders to ensurethat pupils’ effort and progress aresystematically reviewed and thatfindings are acted on.

• Work with middle leaders to ensurethat special booster and interventionprogrammes are set up and thatindividual pupils receive appropriate and coherent support and are notoverwhelmed by too many interventionprogrammes.

• Ensure that all staff work together to share and use information effectively.

Senior leaders


Questions Tasks


• Is attainment and attendance in yoursubject in line with expectations andwith other subjects in this school?

• In comparison with other subject areasin the school, are there individual pupilsor groups of pupils who are achievingless well in your subject?

• What range of evidence is being usedto monitor pupils’ progress?

• What does the analysis of assessmentinformation tell you about pupil learningin this subject? Are any strengths orweaknesses revealed?

• Do teaching programmes giveopportunities to address all the areasof weakness identified? If not, how willyour department address this?

• Do reviews highlight particularindividuals or groups of pupils who areachieving above or below expectations?What actions are being taken to supportand challenge these pupils?

• What intervention strategies arebeing used to support pupils who areachieving below expectations?

• Where there are strengths, have youidentified good practice and providedopportunities to share that goodpractice?

• Can weaknesses be addressedthrough cross-curricular links withother subjects?

• Do your department meetings/yearmeetings allow time for discussionof the ways in which data on pupils’progress can be used to improveteaching and learning and ensurepupil progress?

• How are pupils’ effort and progressreviewed across all subjects?

• Work with teachers to ensurethat they understand the nature ofprogression across the levels in thesubject and that this is reflected inteaching programmes.

• Work with colleagues to developa shared understanding of NationalCurriculum levels and GCSE gradecriteria.

• Monitor pupils’ progress towardstargets regularly. Identify pupils whoare exceeding expectations and thosewho are falling behind. Use comparativedata, e.g. Fischer Family Trust data.

• Use the review findings to identifyweaker aspects of teaching andlearning and adjust teachingprogrammes as necessary. Providesupport and training for teacherswhere necessary.

• Work with teachers to provideintervention, booster or revisionprogrammes where pupils arefalling behind.

• Work with senior leaders to provideintervention, booster or revisionprogrammes where pupils’ needscannot be met within normal lessons.

• Train and deploy mentors and teachingassistants to support pupils.

• Liaise with other subject leadersand year leaders to share and useinformation.

• Work with tutor teams to review pupils’progress. Identify pupils making goodprogress as well as targeting pupils inneed of additional support.

• Provide regular opportunities for pupilsto discuss their overall progress withtheir tutor.

Middleleaders



Questions Tasks

• Set and review curricular targets withpupils which focus on specific aspectsof knowledge, understanding or skillsin the subject to secure progression.

• Involve pupils in regular discussionsof their progress and use NationalCurriculum level descriptions or GCSEgrade criteria to demonstrate whatthey need to do to improve and attainhigher standards.

• Share learning objectives with pupilsso that they are aware of what theyneed to learn and why.

• Provide high-quality oral and writtenfeedback on pupils’ work andopportunities for pupils to engagein self-evaluation and peer review.

• Use review outcomes to adjustteaching plans as necessary andto inform the choice of boosterand intervention programmesused in lessons.

• Liaise with middle and senior leadersto ensure pupils who need it haveaccess to additional intervention,booster or revision programmes.

• What is the range of attainment andattendance within each class thatyou teach?

• Are you aware of the prior attainmentof each pupil that you teach, not onlyin your own subject area, but also inothers? How do you make use of thisinformation?

• Do you set and review curriculartargets with your pupils?

• Do you use the outcomes ofmonitoring to adjust your teachingplans as necessary?

• What specific intervention strategies doyou use to support pupils who are fallingbehind? Are these used as part of thelessons or as a special programme?

• Do you identify the small steps thatrepresent progression in your subjectand share this with pupils so that theyknow what they have to do to makeprogress?

• As a tutor, how do you maintain anoverview of pupils’ progress, discusstheir progress and identify those inneed of additional support?

Teachers



Table 2 – A whole-school tracking system

Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11

• Gather KS2 pupil-level data toinform targetsetting and pupilgrouping.

• Review KS2attendance dataand take action as necessary.

• Set KS3targets usingcomparative data,e.g. PAT data,Fischer FamilyTrust data.Use English,mathematics andscience results asproxy measuresfor other subjects.(Expect pupilsentering at L4 toreach at least L5and a substantialproportion of L3pupils to reachL5 also.)

• Set Y7 targets.(Expect everypupil to add 2sub-levels.)

• Set curriculartargets insubjects andattendancetargets for groupsof pupils and/orindividual pupilsas necessary.

• Adjust teachingprogrammes anduse specificinterventionprogrammesas necessary.

• Organise a mid-term review ofpupils’ effort andprogress acrossall subjects.

• Track trends andpatterns inbehaviour andattendance.

• Use informationon pupils’progress in Y7to set Y8 targets.(Expect everypupil to add2 sub-levels.)

• Set statutoryKS3 targets usingcomparative data,e.g. PAT data,Fischer FamilyTrust data.


• Identify pupils notmaking sufficientprogress or at riskof not reachingtheir targets.Review targetsas necessary.


• Deploy additionalsupport, e.g.mentors, asnecessary.



• Use informationon pupils’progress in Y8to set Y9 targets.(Expect everypupil to add2 sub-levels.)



• Adjust teachingprogrammes anduse specificinterventionprogrammesand boosterprogrammesas necessary.



• Use informationon pupils’progress in KS3to set KS4 targets.






• Use informationon pupils’progress in Y10 toidentify pupils notmaking sufficientprogress or at riskof not reachingtheir targets.Review targetsas necessary.





Autumnterm





• Subject leadersreview and reporton progresstowards Y7targets. Use theoutcomes toreview pupils’performance,review targets,adjust teachingprogrammesand use specificinterventionprogrammes,as necessary.



• Subject leadersreview and reporton progresstowards Y8targets. Use theoutcomes toreview pupils’performance,review targets,adjust teachingprogrammes anduse specificinterventionprogrammes,as necessary.


• Use mock NCtests to checkpupils’ progress.

• Year leaderorganises a mid-term review ofpupils’ effort andprogress.

• Subject leadersreview and reporton progresstowards Y9targets. Use theoutcomes toreview pupils’performance,review targets,adjust teachingprogrammesand use specificinterventionprogrammes andboosterprogrammes,as necessary.



• Subject leadersreview and reporton progresstowards KS4targets. Use theoutcomes toreview pupils’performance,review targets,adjust teachingprogrammesand use boosterprogrammes,as necessary.



• Use GCSE mockexaminations tocheck pupils’progress.

• Subject leadersreview and reporton progresstowards KS4targets. Use theoutcomes toreview pupils’performance,review targets,adjust teachingprogrammesand use revisionprogrammes,as necessary.


Springterm



Summerterm

• Use Y8 optionaltests in Englishand mathematicsto check pupils’progress.

• Subject leadersreview theprogress of pupilswho receivedspecificinterventionprogrammes.

• Subject leadersreview and reporton progresstowards curriculartargets withinsubjects.

• Subject leadersreview and reporton progresstowards Y8targets.

• Organise an end-of-year review ofpupils’ effort andprogress acrossall subjects.

• Report pupils’progress to theirparents/carers.



• Subject leadersreview and reporton progresstowards KS4targets.




• Use Y7 optionalor progress testsin English andmathematics tocheck pupils’progress.

• Subject leadersreview theprogress of pupilswho receivedspecificinterventionprogrammes.


• Subject leadersreview and reporton progresstowards Y7targets.




• Subject leadersmonitor pupils’progress, adjustteachingprogrammes and use specificinterventionprogrammes and boosterprogrammes,as necessary.

• Attendance leaderreviews currentpattern ofattendance andplans strategiesto promoteattendanceat tests.

• KS3 Nationaltests.

• Continue touse specificinterventionprogrammes withpupils who havefallen behind.



• Use diagnosticinformation fromthe KS3 tests toreview the KS3curriculum.


• Subject leadersmonitor pupils’progress andcontinue touse revisionprogrammesas necessary.

• Attendance leaderreviews currentpattern ofattendance andplans strategiesto promoteattendanceat examinations.

• GCSEexaminationsand other formsof accreditation.







A mid-termreview of effortand progressto targets isundertaken forall year groups.

Subject teachersuse a ✓, o, ✗notation for botheffort andprogress.(Behaviourissues aresignalledthrough theeffort grades and attendanceissues throughthe progressgrade.)

Outcomes areshared withparents/carers.

Year leaders identify pupils in the followingcategories of concern:

• effort/behaviour;• progress, including those with uneven

performance across their subjects andthose with poor attendance.

This list of target pupils is refined bydiscussion with tutors.

A schedule of learning conversationsbetween the tutor and his/her target pupilsis agreed, together with times for the tutorsto provide feedback on the outcomes ofconversations with the pupils.

Release time from tutoring/registrationduties is agreed (cover provided by yearleader or deputies) where a class tutor hasa particularly large target group of pupils.

The year leader receives feedback from theclass tutors and reports any general issuesto the SLT. The mentoring programme isreviewed to incorporate any pupils whowould benefit from this support.

Each tutor, in conjunctionwith the year leader, identifiesa group of target pupils intheir class.

Tutorial time is allocated to hold learning conversations withthese pupils, usually in smallgroups of 3 or 4 but occasionallyon an individual basis. Pupils areencouraged to bring along theirwork in a range of subjects,including some subjects wherethey are making progress andothers where they are not. Theyshow the tutor and the othersin the group examples of theirwork and discuss the curriculartargets they have been set andthe obstacles to progress theyare facing.

The tutor provides feedbackto subject teachers, asappropriate, and to the yearleader on any general issues.

Autumnterm

Table 3 – The role of year leaders and tutors

in tracking pupils’ progress

Whole-schoolprocedure

Response by year leader Response by tutor



A mid-termreview of effortand progressto targets isundertaken forall year groups.

Subject teachersreport an effortgrade and anattainmentgrade, usingNationalCurriculumlevels and sub-levels/GCSEgrades. Pupilsare identifiedusing a trafficlight system todenote for eachsubject whetherthey are aheadof their expectedprogresstowards theirend-of-yeartarget, on targetor showingprogress belowthat expected.

Outcomes areshared withparents/carers.

Year leaders use the mid-term reports toidentify:

• pupils with good effort grades acrossa range of subjects;

• pupils who are making particularly good progress in a range of subjects;

• pupils whose effort/behaviour isa cause for concern;

• pupils who are showing slowerprogress to their targets than expectedacross a range of subjects (a particularcheck is also made against attendancepatterns).

A list of pupils worthy of a schoolcommendation is produced and circulatedto the SLT and subject leaders. The list isconfirmed and arrangements made for theaward of the commendations.

A list of pupils causing concern is refinedby discussion with tutors.

A schedule of learning conversationsbetween the class tutor and his/her targetpupils is agreed, together with times forthe tutors to provide feedback on theconversations with the pupils.


The year leader receives feedback fromthe class tutors and reports any generalissues to the SLT. The mentoringprogramme is reviewed to incorporate anypupils who would benefit from this support.

Each tutor, in conjunction withthe year leader, identifies thosepupils worthy of acommendation in terms of effortand/or progress, as well asa group of target pupils in theclass who are causing concern.

Tutorial time is allocated to holdlearning conversations with thetarget pupils, usually in smallgroups of 3 or 4 but occasionallyon an individual basis. Pupils areencouraged to bring along theirwork in a range of subjects,including some subjects wherethey are making progress andothers where they are not. Theyshow the tutor and the othersin the group examples of theirwork and discuss the curriculartargets they have been set andthe obstacles to progress theyare facing.

The tutor provides feedback tosubject teachers as appropriate,and to the year leader on anygeneral issues.

Springterm







An end-of-yearreview of effortand progresstowards targetsis undertaken forall year groups.

Subject teachersreport an effortgrade and anattainmentgrade, usingNationalCurriculumlevels and sub-levels.

Pupils areidentified using a traffic lightsystem to denotefor each subjectwhether theyhave exceededtheir end-of-yeartarget, met thetarget or havefailed to achievetheir target.

Outcomes arereported toparents andcarers.

Year leaders use the end-of-year reviewto identify:

• pupils with good effort grades acrossa range of subjects;

• pupils who are making particularly goodprogress in a range of subjects;

• pupils whose effort/behaviour is a cause for concern;

• pupils who have missed their targets ina range of subjects (a particular checkis made against attendance patterns).

A list of pupils worthy of a schoolcommendation is produced and circulatedto the SLT and subject leaders. The list isconfirmed and arrangements made for theaward of the commendations.

A list of pupils causing concern is refinedby discussion with tutors.

A schedule of learning conversationsbetween the class tutor and his/her targetpupils is agreed, together with times forthe tutors to provide feedback on theconversations with the pupils.


The year leader receives feedback from theclass tutors and reports any general issuesto the SLT.A brief transition report isprepared for the year leader who will takeresponsibility for the pupils in the nextacademic year, includingrecommendations for inclusion in thefollowing year’s mentoring programme.

In the light of the end-of-yearreview each tutor, in conjunctionwith the year leader, identifiesthose pupils worthy ofa commendation in terms ofeffort and/or progress, as wellas a group of target pupils inthe class who are a causefor concern.

Tutorial time is allocated to holdlearning conversations with thetarget pupils, usually in smallgroups of 3 or 4 but occasionallyon an individual basis. Pupils areencouraged to bring along theirwork in a range of subjects,including some subjects wherethey are making progress andothers where they are not. Theyshow the tutor and the others inthe group examples of theirwork and discuss the curriculartargets they have been set andthe obstacles to progress theyare facing. Priorities for the nextyear are agreed with the pupils.

The tutor provides feedback tosubject teachers as appropriate,and to the year leader on anygeneral issues that haveemerged.A brief transitionreport is prepared for the yearleader, highlighting prioritiesagreed with the target pupils forthe following year.

Summerterm


Table 4 – A pupil’s perspective


Autumnterm

Springterm

Summerterm

In geography today I talked to my teacher and showed my work on population.We agreed I hadmet my target and need to set a new one when we

start the next topic on Monday.

In maths I got a new curricular target to help me

with my algebra.

After the half-term review I amreally pleased that my teachersthink I am working hard. I got

8 ticks and 2 o’s.

Of the targets I had at the beginning of term there are only

two I haven’t had signed off. I nowhave some new ones.

I really struggled with my target in English so

I have been given achance to get some extra

help for writing.

The revision lessons helped me prepare well. Goingover the work again helped me to see how it all fitted

together and I understand it better.

My English teacher wants me to continue to work at mywriting target next year. He

thinks I’m almost there.

I have just met my tutor for next year. She knew about the progress I was

making in all my subjects – is that scary or what?

Dad thought my report this year was brilliant! I am really getting the

hang of learning step by step. Talking to my teachers and tutor has

really helped me.

When I look at my targets for the year I am really proud of how

much progress I have made.

I got a commendation for reaching all my

curricular targets so far.I come to school and I have worked a lot

harder since I startedhitting my targets.

The half-term review mademe realise I had eased off in a couple of subjects. My newtargets are helping me to get

going again!

We did some mock SATs inscience. Some of my answers

were too short and I reallyneed to remember to check

my work next time.

With the feedbackI’m getting I feel I amdoing really well in

maths.

My tutor talks to me regularlyabout how I am

getting on. It is goodto have someone to

talk to.


Curricular target setting

Curricular targets are the link between pupils’ long-term National Curriculumnumerical targets and the next steps in their learning, described in lesson learningobjectives. Guidance on curricular target setting is included in the Key Stage 3Strategy’s Assessment for Learning materials (DfES 0043-2004 G). Unit 6 helpsschools to establish a target-setting framework. The unit shows how to get beyondnumerical targets to specific targets for learning. A summary of the key messagesof the unit is given below.

• A curricular target expresses in words, not numbers, a specific aspect of thecurriculum as a focus for improvement. It can be for a whole class, a group orindividual pupil and can relate to the long term (e.g. a term or year), mediumterm (e.g. a few weeks) or short term (e.g. a few lessons).

• A curricular target should relate to specific cohorts, classes, groups or individualpupils who need more effective provision, intervention, support or monitoring inorder to make better progress.

• Curricular targets provide a focus for teaching. Teaching objectives in medium-term plans or schemes of work need to directly address the curricular targets.These will be further refined in learning objectives for lessons to ensure that thetarget is being addressed. A target may be revisited several times in a unit, in ayear and across the key stage to ensure that there is progression andachievement towards the target.

• Curricular targets are established through an analysis of available informationabout what has and has not been learned. An appropriate target ensures thatpupils’ prior attainment and achievements are built on throughout the key stage.It should focus teaching on areas of underperformance and so supportimproved learning outcomes for pupils.



Layering of targets

The key to manageability is ‘layering’ the targets in order to provide a clear routefrom the numerical target to the curricular target for a group or an individual pupil.An example is shown below.


Numerical targetWhole Key Stage

Curricular targetWhole Key Stage

Curricular targetYear 7

Curricular targetUnit of work(e.g. half a term’s

work)

Curricular targetGroup/pupil target

Longterm

Performance of pupils in scientific enquiry improves from65% to 75% at level 5 through theimprovement of investigative skillsby July 2007.

Mediumterm

Shortterm

The full range of enquiry skillsof all pupils are improved.

Pupils can plan their owninvestigations.

I will focus on planning my owninvestigation, saying what I thinkwill happen, what will change andwhat I will measure.

In an investigation pupils are ableto identify the key variable thatthey can and cannot control.


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Ref: DfES 1545-2005FLR-EN

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