The reality of “life after levels” will kick in this September. Among the schools we work with at SSAT, there appears to be excitement, confusion, optimism and anxiety in equal measures.
It is understandable that Michael Gove’s announcement in March – that levels of achievement would not be continued – has not been universally popular. For over two decades now, assessment in schools has been driven by the eight level structure that was proposed by the Task Group on Assessment and Testing in 1987. For the majority of teachers, levels are all they have ever known.
There are some that maintain that national curriculum levels, despite some faults, are generally understood by teachers, students and parents. In a recent SSAT survey, three-quarters of respondents felt that levels at least “somewhat accurately” measured students’ progress and achievement. Then there are those who can’t wait to throw Assessing Pupils’ Progress grids and curriculum level descriptors into the recycling. And there are those who sit back and declare (smugly, but fairly) that, as academies, they haven’t been using curriculum levels for years.
Register now, read forever
Thank you for visiting SecEd and reading some of our content for professionals in secondary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.
What's included:
-
Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcast
-
New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday and Thursday
Already have an account? Sign in here