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

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

Direct Dialling: (01603) 433276 Ext. 138

4^th January, 2000

Dear Headteacher,

Re: Key Stage 1 Assessment 2000 and support for schools not being audited

As you already know, your school will not be included in the Key Stage 1 Statutory Audit in 2000. The purpose of this letter is to give you further information about Random Audit Visits, available support and some of the issues arising from the 1999 assessments.

A. Random Audit Visits

The LEA is required to make visits to carry out random checks, during the assessment period, in a small number of schools which are not being audited in full. These visits may consist of one or more of the following:

discussion about the progress/problems with the tasks and tests;
observation of the administration of a task or test;
a discussion of a small sample of marking of a task or test;
a follow up from specific issues arising from the full audits being carried out in 25% of schools;
a confirmation that schools have followed the entry requirements for each task and test appropriately.

If such a visit is to be made to your school, you will be notified about a week in advance. (Please see page 26 of the 2000 Assessment and Reporting Arrangements booklet).

B. Support through Optional Audit Meetings

For the past four years, schools have been very positive about the benefits to be gained by meeting with colleagues from other schools to discuss issues arising from the end of Key Stage 1 requirements and to have their judgements confirmed, particularly in the area of children’s writing. The LEA is keen to continue to provide this support. This year, as indicated in my letter of 13^th September 1999, there are to be opportunities for schools, who wish it, to participate in optional audit arrangements. These are:

1. Cluster Meetings

These will be led by a trained LEA audit moderator. In addition to the benefits gained from meeting with colleagues from other schools to discuss issues arising from the end of Key Stage 1 tasks and tests, schools will be able to be confident that their assessment judgements have been confirmed. The purpose will be to verify the assessments and thus the agenda will be the same as that for schools being statutorily audited.

These meetings will be organised in the cluster and will need to be funded by the schools - from an advice and support package or contract. (i.e. a half day’s cost shared among participating schools).

If you are interested in this option, please complete and return the attached proforma to us by the end of February.

2. "Drop-in" Meetings

There may be some schools who would like assessment judgements confirmed (perhaps of one or two pieces of writing at the borderline of a level), but whose cluster is not interested in buying into an audit meeting. To support these schools there will be some twilight "drop-in" meetings for teachers to bring samples of work for discussion with an audit moderator. There will be no cost to schools for this. If you are interested, you DO NOT need to do anything at present. A reminder about these meetings will be sent to schools nearer the time.

C. Headteacher’s Declaration

This year 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 sent with the test packs. It must be sent to the LEA with the OMR forms.

D. 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 teats 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