Brought to you by Briony de-Wit, Post 16 Lead Practitioner
6 school weeks left with our lovely Year 11s, 5 years of nurture, sweat and tears (mainly yours!) comes down to the examination period this summer. However, have you considered what your Year 11 students are aiming to do after the exams? What grades are needed for them to succeed, to have the choices they want in life? How can we use data to ensure they are on the right pathway as they reach a cross-road in their academic lives?
Intent
The process of using KS2 data to hold schools to account through progress measures is one that is familiar to most. 62% of secondary schools use this data to set challenging KS4 targets for individuals. Our next step at Kingsthorpe College is to replicate this for Post 16 options choices when students are joining us by using FFT (Fischer Family Trust) bench-marking.
The balance between getting students through the door and having them sitting in the right classroom is a close call to make. Using FFT bench-marking will show the challenging estimates that could be achieved by our students, within our educational setting to help advise option choices will raise the standards and quality of education by reducing dropout rates and the need for major intervention later on.
The estimate provides no limits to our students – as ever we only want to show them what they are capable of, it is merely a minimum expectation. GCSE results show students the outcome of their hard work and input at that stage and using this data to help inform choices only outlines what they are capable of with the same level of input.
Implementation
Data. Progress. Two words that can fill teachers with fear at certain times of the year. But when data is used coherently it can provide opportunities for schools and individuals to grow and be challenged, becoming a powerful tool to ensure that all students achieve. Utilising data to improve the quality of education raises the bar for students and schools. Kingsthorpe College are rightly prioritising opportunities for pedagogical discussions and celebrations on a regular basis – a combination that is providing a platform to identify student and subject knowledge support to give our students the best possible experiences with us.
This year sees a robust set of subject based expectations and minimum GCSE grades needed to gain entry at Post 16, and whilst this sets the minimum requirements it doesn’t give an insight into what chances that individual pupil has of achieving different outcomes in subject areas, within the context of our school setting.
Flight paths are commonly used up until KS4, by 68% of secondary schools in fact, but as with first wave SEND, quality of education, expectations and all other areas of school life, Post 16 needs to be part of that journey. As we are acutely aware the motivation and required teacher input doesn’t decrease once they have hit the golden hour of GCSE exams – our students need sustained, and even increased support as they navigate the jump into Post 16 expectations. A holistic approach which considers outcomes as well as knowledge of students’ career aspirations needs to be fostered through analytical subject choices. Bench-marking allows our students the recognition and support that they deserve to help them understand their readiness for the next level of challenge.
Impact
This time of year provides us with the perfect opportunity to have conversations with our students about their dreams and ambitions; knowing individuals and being able to motivate them with the knowledge that their GCSE outcomes are only the start of where they will be ending up is a privileged position to be in – dream big!
By providing students with data driven choices we are allowing them to have the best opportunities to succeed. It enables teachers to be more secure (barring the expected outside influences of life) in the ability of the students sat in their classrooms to access the challenging material that they are presenting students with. Ultimately, we aim to give our students the best life chances and opportunities to flourish. Having well supported, successful students is the nature of our beast.
Kingsthorpe College 