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Our Ref: SC/ep Please ask for: Sue Cosson Adviser (Assessment)

Direct Dialling: (01603) 433276 Ext.138

4^th January, 2000

To: Headteachers of Norfolk LEA Maintained First, First & Middle, Infant, Primary and Special Schools to be audited by visit in 2000

Dear Headteacher,

Re: Key Stage 1 Audit 2000

Thank you very much for returning the pink form giving information about Year 2 pupils

and staff. The purpose of this letter is to give you further information about the audit arrangements for 2000, and to bring to your attention some administrative points.

A. Audit visit arrangements

Knowing that you have now received the 2000 Key Stage 1 Assessment and Reporting Booklet from QCA, giving details of statutory requirements for assessment and the Key Stage 1 audit. I am now able to tell you that your school is to be audited as part of the visit programme, because your Year 2 teacher is inexperienced in carrying out the end of Key Stage 1 assessments.

The arrangements for the visit audit are as follows:

1. A visit from the audit moderator in the late spring term to:

clarify requirements for the administration and marking of the Key Stage 1 assessments in 2000

discuss the planning for the assessments, clarify any concerns and what will be required for the audit moderation visit in June. This process is particularly intended to support teachers who are teaching in Year 2 for the first time.

A visit in the summer term to verify the assessments (probably the week beginning 5^th June 2000)

___________ will be the moderator for your school.

Your audit moderator will contact you by 11^th February 2000 to arrange a date for the first visit. The date of the second visit will be agreed during the first visit.

B. Headteacher’s Declaration

As in 1999, QCA will be supplying a proforma for headteachers to sign to confirm that the assessments have been carried out according to the handbook instructions. The proforma will be included with the test materials. It must be sent to the LEA with the OMR forms.

There are no centrally held funds for supply cover for these meetings. A specific standards fund grant for Key Stage 1 assessment was devolved to all schools in 1999/2000 and it is anticipated that this will be the case again in 2000/2001.

This process has been planned to meet the DfEE and QCA requirements on LEAs for audit moderation. These requirements are detailed in the 2000 Assessment and Reporting Arrangements Booklet.

C. Issues arising from 1999 assessments

While in the great majority of schools the assessments were carried out properly and marked accurately, I would like to draw your attention to the following issues arising from the 1999 assessments and ask you to assure yourself that all is in order:

Teachers were sometimes unclear about requirements for entry for the tasks and tests in reading and spelling.
Levels awarded in the writing task were sometimes inaccurate.
Teachers who had not attended any training were sometimes unaware of changes to requirements.
In some cases the administration of the tests was inappropriate, with not enough attention given to the guidance in the teachers’ handbooks
In some schools there were considerable clerical errors in marking.
The marking of non-literal answers in the reading comprehension tests was not always accurate.

If you or your Year 2 teachers have any queries about the interpretation of the instructions given in the Teachers’ Handbook, please do not hesitate to contact me for clarification.

The blue copy of this letter is for your Year 2 teacher(s).

If you have any queries, please contact Sue Cosson via Elizabeth Philpot on (01603) 433276 or (01603) 701020 (Assessment/Audit Moderation Helpline).

Yours sincerely,

Sue Cosson

Adviser, Assessment

Enc.