In Key Stage 4, students complete more formal written tests comprising of past paper comprehension questions based on the topic to be assessed. They also complete tests to prepare for speaking and writing tasks. Speaking and writing are formally assessed through controlled assessments in the Spring and Summer terms of Year 10 and the Autumn and Spring term of Year 11.

Key stage 4 students (Long Thin Option) take mock Listening and Reading exams at the end of Year 10 and in the Autumn term of Year 11. These are the most recent GCSE papers and through this we can track their current actual achievement at GCSE.

Attainment grades throughout KS4 (Long Thin Option) reflect the progress of students across the two year course. The grade a student is given each half-term is an indication of the grade they would achieve if they were to sit the exam at that time i.e. their current performance at GCSE level. It is reasonable to expect that a student’s performance should increase on average by a grade each academic year.

Students in the one year SF option are assessed with the same structure however the controlled assessments and mock examinations take place within one academic year.

The structure of assessment for students following the FCSE course follows the same format however the attainment levels follow the grading of Distinction, Merit and Pass.

Students studying a ‘Short Fat’ option take a GCSE qualification in 1 academic year in an intensive course with 5 timetabled hours a week.

The end of year target for short fat courses is always the same as their GCSE end of KS4 target grades.

As students should aim to be working at this target level as soon as possible we have not included a progress path graph.