Newcastle School for Boys Parent Handbook 2009 / 2010 |
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The Senior School - Reporting and Grades |
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| Reporting | Grades | Programme for Reporting and Grades 2008/2009 | |
| Effort Grades – Advice and Guidance for Boys | |||
REPORTS
Formal reporting provides regular and frequent feedback to boys and their parents. It should be motivating for boys and informing and involving for their parents.
The annual pattern of formal reporting is as follows:
A full academic report is written on each boy every term. This includes grades.
Each year group has at least one Parents' Evening during the academic year.
Grades are issued approximately every three to four weeks.
Grades are issued ahead of Parents' Evenings in order to inform discussion.
Boys in Year 9 and above are invited to attend Parents; Evenings.
School exams take place twice a year in late November and early June for boys in Years 6 to 10 inclusive.
GCSE mock exams for Year 11 take place late January.
If an issue of serious concern (or some really good news!) arises between formal reporting session we will write to you separately to keep you informed; if you are concerned about any aspect of your son’s progress at any time please feel free to get in touch and ask to speak to his tutor.
| Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 12 | Grades x 4 Parents' Evening |
Grades x 3 AS Exams Parents' Evening Report |
Grades x 3 AS Exams.
|
| Year 11* | Grades x 4 Report |
Grades x 3 Mock Exams Parents' Evening
|
Grades x 2 GCSE Exams. Report |
| Year 10* | Grades x 3 Parents' Evening
|
Grades x 3 School Exams. Report |
Grades x 2 GCSE exams. Report |
| Year 9 | Grades x 3 School Exams. Report |
Grades x 2 Parents' Evening
|
Grades x 3 School Exams. Report |
| Year 8 | Grades x 3 Parents' Evening Schools Exams. Short Exam. Report |
Grades x 3
Report |
Grades x 3 School Exams. Report |
| Year 7 | Grades x 3 School Exams. Report |
Grades x 3 Report |
Grades x 3 Parents' Evening Schools Exams. Short EWxam. Report |
| Year 6 | Grades x 3 Parents' Evening Schools Exams. Short Exam. Report |
Grades x 3 Report |
Grades x 3 School Exams. Report |
* In addition to the main School and GCSE Exams., boys in Years, 10,11 and 12 will sit GCSE/AS modules during the year. Dates and details of these are always published well in advance.
Our reporting and assessment procedures include grades for effort and achievement. Grades are awarded on four point scales: A to D for attainment and 1 to 4 for effort. Individual boys' average effort scores are calculated and also reported along with relative group rank order position, e.g., 17/40.
Effort
Grade |
Criteria |
1 |
Outstanding effort in all respects – all work completed to the very best of the boy’s ability; excellent contribution in class; courteous, conscientious and punctual. |
2 |
Good effort – homework regularly completed to the best of the boy’s ability; good contribution in class; courteous and punctual. |
3 |
Unsatisfactory effort – homework sometimes inadequate; moderate contribution in class; usually courteous and punctual. |
4 |
Very poor effort – homework often incomplete and/or rushed; books/equipment forgotten; poor contribution in class; lack of courtesy; often unpunctual. |
1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 grades may be awarded.
Attainment
Grade |
Criteria |
A |
Outstanding work in all respects demonstrating a high level of learning. |
B |
Good work demonstrating a significant amount of learning. |
C |
Unsatisfactory work showing limited learning. |
D |
Very poor work demonstrating little or no learning. |
These grades will be linked to GCSE/As grades for attainment in Year 10, 11 and 12.
PSHE does not award an attainment grade. Shown as n/a
Effort Grades – Advice and Guidance for Boys
The Headmaster and your teachers want you to get 2s and better in each subject.
in order to get an effort grade of 2, you need to match consistently the grade descriptor over the grading period, usually about 3 to 4 weeks. The criteria for Effort Grade 2 states:
Good effort – homework regularly completed to the best of the boy’s ability; good contribution in class; courteous and punctual.
What this means in more detail is that you should meet the following standards throughout the grading period:
- Always arrive on time (or with a polite apology if very occasionally unavoidably delayed by a few moments)
- All books and equipment brought to every lesson (as requested by each teacher)
- Homework completed fully, to the best of your ability and handed in on time in the correct format
- Always polite – no talking out of turn, interrupting or disturbing the learning others
- Attentive in class – looking at the teacher or correct focus of attention; putting hands up when asking or answering questions; asking relevant questions only; working safely where appropriate; concentrating
- Engaged and involved in classroom discussion or activities
- Work organised properly (in exercise book and/or folder as appropriate)
- Correctly dressed in School Uniform
- No chewing or eating sweets; no mobile phones visible or heard
Should you have special educational needs, these will be taken into account when awarding the grade for effort in each subject and by each teacher. However, you also need to take your own needs into account. For example, if you know that some homework may take you longer to complete, then you should plan to set aside more time whenever this is possible.
If you consistently do better than this and make greater efforts on a regular basis, then you should expect a grade 1 for effort.
Failure to meet the above criteria consistently will mean that your Effort Grade will be 2.5 or lower and this issue will be taken up by your tutor and/or a senior member of staff.
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