eastsussex.gov.uk
Children’s Services
Standards and Learning Effectiveness Service
Governor Services
Assessment Without Levels – supplementary briefing for governors
We are issuing this supplementary briefing in response to questions raised at the recent
Governor Services conference. This briefing builds upon messages communicated to all
schools via the Virtual School Bag (VSB) in May 2014 (139/2014), October 2014 (271/2014)
and January 2015 (012/2015), as well as through Headteacher briefings in summer and
autumn 2014. The Standards and Learning Effectiveness Service will provide another VSB
during March 2015 which governors will have access to. In the meantime, governing bodies
should find the information below of use when supporting and challenging the strategic
direction of their schools in relation to assessment without levels.
Summary timeline for implementation of Assessment Without Levels (AWL)
June 2013
March 2014
May 2014
June 2014
July 2014
August
2014
September
2014
October
2014
April 2015
Department for Education (DfE) announce that National Curriculum levels will be
removed and no prescription for a single approach to assessment would be given.
This would not fit with the curriculum freedoms the DfE are giving schools.
Publication: “Reforming assessment and accountability for primary schools”.
At this point the DfE set a challenging aspiration that at least 85% of pupils should
achieve the new expected standard by the end of Year 6.
 Assessment Innovation Fund schools publish their suggestions for how schools
could assess without levels (TES website).
 National Curriculum: Tim Oates on assessment (video clip)
East Sussex Local Authority (LA) begin working on a project in partnership with St.
Mark’s and Newick teaching schools. The aim is to produce a robust and efficient
assessment system as an option for all schools in the area. N.B. clear message
given that it is not the LA’s role to prescribe an assessment system for all.
 Publication: “Note for inspectors” (Ofsted).
 NAHT Assessment Framework materials available.
Publication: “National curriculum and assessment from September 2014:
information for schools” (DfE).
 Children in years 2 and 6 continue to follow the old National Curriculum
including assessment against the ‘old’ levels.
 National Curriculum levels removed for years 1, 3, 4 and 5 who are all following
the new National Curriculum.
 Some schools designing and implementing their own approaches, or
purchasing commercial products. Many schools still using levels to assess
across the school, whilst researching an effective new system for assessment
without levels. Both approaches are in line with recommendations from the LA.
 Publication: Beyond levels: “Alternative assessment approaches developed by
teaching schools” and “National curriculum assessment outcomes and impact”
(DfE).
East Sussex Assessment Without Levels conference (Mon 13 Oct) delivers key
national and local messages with respect to assessment without levels. East
Sussex project plans also communicated.
 East Sussex LA, in partnership with St. Mark’s and Newick teaching schools, to
deliver the outcomes of the joint project during a conference on Mon 27 April.
 At this point, schools who have not yet adopted a new assessment system
should be making final decisions to do so.
 Governor briefings on AWL to take place.
East Sussex Governor Services – Assessment without levels
Date modified: March 2015
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June 2015
July 2015
September
2015
May 2016
English and mathematics subject leader meetings continue to focus on developing
approaches to the new National Curriculum and AWL.
Schools moderate standards in years 1 and 5 across Education Improvement
Partnerships.
All schools are assessing all pupils against the new curriculum, without levels.
Pupils in years 2 and 6 sit the first new National Curriculum tests.
Key messages

The new National Curriculum is based on a Mastery model (deepening
understanding at the age related expectations). This is fundamentally different to
previous models where pupils were ‘moved up through the levels’.

The success of assessment without levels will hinge upon the quality of teachers’
day-to-day formative assessment practice in the classroom.

Governors and other school staff are advised to watch “National Curriculum: Tim
Oates on assessment” (video clip) www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q5vrBXFpm0

Some schools; nationally and locally, have already been developing and
implementing their own approaches to assessment without levels.

Pupils will be assessed by external tests in Reception (baseline), Year 2 and Year 6.
Outcomes will be reported as a scaled score centred around 100. The National
Standard will be roughly equivalent to the old Level 4B standard and there will be
challenging new floor standards for schools to meet.

Most schools will choose to assess pupils in each year against a sub-set of
‘performance descriptors’ that describe the key ideas that pupils need to learn and
master, rather than on the entire curriculum.

The way progress is articulated and measured will be completely different. Tracking
for AWL will hinge upon how pupils do with respect to attainment i.e. working towards
the National Standard, being at the National Standard or achieving a Mastery
Standard. Progress will be measured by how pupils are attaining compared to how
they were attaining at previous data capture points (rather than moving up through
the levels).

At the conference on Monday 27 April 2015, the following materials will be provided:
- the East Sussex Performance Descriptors;
- exemplification files for years 1 and 5, as well as a model for producing these;
- examples of whole school tracking systems, including in SIMS.

Schools due to be inspected in the autumn of 2015 may wish to bring forward
implementation of AWL, so that they can show school standards are consistent or
improving, (it will be difficult to show this across two different assessment
approaches).

Education Improvement Partnerships will need to look at assessment across their
schools e.g. production of exemplification materials and undertaking moderation
activity.
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Questions that governing bodies could be asking headteachers and assessment
coordinators

How have we ensured that our new curriculum:
- meets statutory requirements?
- is based on the principles of a mastery model, rather than one based on ‘moving
up through the levels’?
- will secure the new floor standards of at least 85% of all pupils reaching the
national standard in Reading, Writing and Mathematics (combined)?

What are we doing to ensure that teachers are supported in developing the strongest
possible formative assessment practice? Are we engaged in EIP, Local Authority or
other training or network activity, to ensure we are as prepared as possible?

What documents would you expect our governing body to be familiar with?

What different assessment systems and/or approaches has the school been
researching? (This may include exploring the balance between efficiency and cost, if
commercial systems are being considered. Is the cost worthwhile?)

Have we used the design checklist (pages 9 and 10) to aid any evaluation of a
proposed system? Report of the NAHT Commission on assessment (Feb 2014)
www.naht.org.uk/welcome/news-and-media/key-topics/assessment/profession-takes-lead-onassessment-after-the-end-of-levels/

Has a decision been made on what assessment system the school will adopt? If not,
when will a decision be taken and when will the new system be in operation?

Have we decided what will be assessed and when? Why?

How will we track how well our pupils are doing, across the school and for all pupil
groups? How will we articulate progress within the school and to those that
externally scrutinise the school? What changes will be needed in our existing data
systems?

How will new assessment procedures ensure that teachers can plan appropriate
support and challenge for each pupil?

Will we be ready to show Ofsted how good our standards are when they next inspect
the school?

What is the best way for the school to regularly update governors on the progress
and challenges in this area?
Briefings for governors
We are holding three briefings following the April conference.
Governors will:
 be briefed on the changes to statutory assessment in primary schools;
 have considered some of the strategic implications for schools;
 have considered the challenges and opportunities for assessing without levels.
 have considered how to effectively challenge the school.
The sessions will be led by Bill Roddick and Fiona Large, SLES Managers.
We are currently finalising the details and will email dates and venues when available.
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