Assessment

Key Stage 3 Assessment and Reporting

We have moved to a five-stage system for assessing students’ progress towards the Age-Related Expectations (ARE). This system provides a clear picture of how each student is progressing in relation to the curriculum. Stages get progressively more challenging as a student moves through Key Stage 3. The five stages are:
 

● Beginning

● Working Towards

● Expected

● Working Above

● Greater Depth
 

The data report parents receive for their child shows the stage they have achieved in their most recent topic. This gives an indication of their current level of knowledge, understanding, and skills within that subject area. Over the course of the year, parents will receive three data reports which provide a snapshot of a student's ‘working at’ stage. Please note that a student's rate of progress may vary over time and may differ between topics.

Parents can cross-reference a child’s stage with the subject specific ARE Frameworks which can be found on the drop-down menus below, along with a video, which we hope will explain the report and the updates we have made to the KS3 ARE Framework.

Also found below are our descriptors for both Behaviour for Learning and Independent Learning. These provide clear explanations—written in language accessible to students—of what each descriptor looks like in practice, helping students understand how they can continue to develop their learning skills and behaviours.

Alongside the snapshot, at the end of the academic year, parents and carers will receive an overall stage for each subject, showing the level at which their child has ended the year. This will be a teacher's judgement, based on all of the evidence gathered throughout the year, including classwork, assessments, and verbal contributions to learning.
 

Assessment Framework

Pupil Premium Strategy 2025-2026

Year 7 Autumn Data Report

Year 8 Autumn Data Report

Year 9 Autumn Data Report

Understanding the revised ARE framework at KS3 (MP4 file)