To Headteachers of all Norfolk LEA High Schools and special schools with Key Stage 3 Pupils

 

Dear Headteacher

 

You will probably have begun to consider end of Key Stage 3 Assessment Arrangements for 2004.  Details of pupils who are to sit the tests will be collected from PLASC (old Form 7) details submitted in January but QCA will need to be contacted if any pupils who are to sit the tests in 2004 leave/arrive after that date.

 

The purpose of this letter is to bring the requirements for any special arrangements to your attention.  Full details concerning special arrangements can be found in the following publication sent to schools in October 2003:

 

2004 Key Stage 3 Assessment and reporting arrangements (reference QCA/03/1085)

QCA Publications, PO Box 99, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2SN 

Tel: 01789 884444   Fax: 01787 312950.

 

Key Stage 3 Special Arrangements – No Permission Required

As in previous years, some of the special arrangements are at the school’s discretion but others require special permission from Norfolk LEA.  The details of the arrangements which are at the school’s discretion are set out on pages 49-56 of the 2004 Key Stage 3 booklet and for the mental mathematics test on pages 55-65.

 

These include:

§         Additional time of up to 25% extra for any pupils with a statement, or who is undergoing statutory assessment (previously stages 4 and 5) p.48.

§         Additional time of up to 100% extra for any pupil using MLP or braille version of the tests p.48

§         Use of rest breaks p.49

§         Use of readers, communicators, signers and amanuenses p.50-53 and p.57

§         Transcripts p.54

§         Prompters p.55

§         Taped versions of the tests p.55

 

 

2004 Key Stage 3 Special Arrangements

 

 

 

§         Use of aids such as coloured paper, overlays, diagrams or reduction/enlargements p.55-56

§         Apparatus, electronic and technological aids and word processors p.56-57

§         Dictionaries, word lists and electronic spell checkers p.40

§         Test venue p.58

§         Injuries p.58

 

Key Stage 3 Assessment – Special Arrangements Requiring Permission

There are two special arrangements that require permission for each pupil, namely:

§         Early opening – that is more than one hour in advance of the administration of any given test for any pupil.

§         Additional time in a written test, for any pupil including those on School Action/School Action Plus of the SEN Code of Practice – unless large print or braille papers are used, in which case 100% extra time may be given at the school’s discretion.

 

Early Opening of paper p.47 and p.76-77.   Unless permission is given schools may not open tests more than one hour before administration.  With permission, tests may be opened a maximum of one day before the scheduled start of the test.  Models for use with large print or braille papers in maths and science may be assembled up to two days before the test for which they are required. 

 

Early opening should be considered:

§         For preparation of braille or large print papers

§         Where a pupil’s visual impairment requires a particular font size

§         Where normal classroom practice requires apparatus or adaptations, e.g. taping or photocopying

§         To give signers and communicators time to prepare.

 

The forms to be completed for a request for early opening are to be found on p.78-79. 

One form should be completed for each pupil.  Details of its completion are to be found

on p.76-77.

 

Such support should be consistent with normal classroom practice and should not provide a pupil with any unfair advantage in the test.

 

Additional Time – p.48 and p.80-89

Additional time will be approved, for example, where a pupil:

§         Has a physical, sensory or learning difficulty that significantly affects the speed of his/her reading and/or writing

§         For whom English is an additional language, and who may have very limited fluency in English.

 

 

 

 

2004 Key Stage 3 Special Arrangements

 

 

 

Additional time would be considered for:

§         A pupil at School Action or School Action Plus

§         A pupil who receives additional time, on a regular basis, to allow access to working in class

§         A pupil who has a physical or motor disability, or named medical condition and the school possesses explicit recommendation for additional time made by a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or qualified specialist member of staff

§         A pupil who will be using a communicator, signer, amanuensis or laptop as part of normal classroom practice

§         A pupil where there is a significant disparity between the child’s reading and chronological age.  As a general guide, is a reading age of 9 or below

§         A pupil who speaks English as an additional language and has limited fluency in English.  As a general guide, level 1, threshold 1 on the scale of assessment provided in “A language in common”.

 

The forms to be completed for requests for additional time are to be found on p.84-85.  One form should be completed for each pupil (details of its completion are to be found on p.81-82) but only one cover page per school (p.83) is required.

 

Your attention is drawn to the need to supply empirical test data to support your application, and the other evidence you may supply.  A full list is to be found on p.81-82.

Such support should be consistent with normal classroom practice and should not provide the pupil with an unfair advantage in the test.

 

Key Dates

The deadline for applications to be received by the LEA is 1st March 2004.  Schools will be notified by 16th April 2004 as to whether such requests have been approved. 

Please Note:  Any requests received after 1st March 2004 will not be approved unless the pupil arrived at your school after 1st February 2004.

 

Key Stage 3 Disapplication - p.10-16

Pupils assessed as working at level 2 or below in maths and science, and level 3 or below in English, should not be entered for the tests, as teacher assessment is the sole requirement in these circumstances.  Such pupils should be marked as B on the marksheets.  Pupils for whom the tests have been disapplied will be indicated as T on the marksheets.

 

The phrase ‘disapplication’ is to be phased out – when referring to pupils disapplied from the tests, but will remain in use in relation to pupils’ ability to access the national curriculum and teacher assessment.  Pages 13-15 give examples of typical situations and appropriate action.  If circumstances arise that are not covered by the examples, or you are unsure as to the appropriate action, please contact Dave Elliott on 01603 433276.  If you have a pupil who is working at the level of the tests, but unable to access the tests (formerly disapplication) use code T on the marksheet and write a report outlining the circumstances,

 

 

2004 KS3 Special Arrangements

 

 

 

sending a copy to the pupil’s parents, the chair of the governing body and to Dave Elliott at the Professional Development Centre, Woodside Road, Norwich NR7 9QL.

A form is available, if required, on line at www.qca.org.uk/ca/tests/ara named “child not entering the tests”.

 

Pupils in non-chronological NC year group

If you have pupils in Year 9 who are (a) younger/older than NC year 9, or (b) not moving on to KS4 in September 2004, please contact Dave Elliott on 01603 433276.

 

For your convenience, a copy of the cover sheet (p.83) and application forms (p.78 and

84-85) are attached.

 

If you have any queries about the arrangements for 2004, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Dave Elliott

Primary Adviser