Assessing,moderating andreporting pupilattainment atlevels P1 to P8

Using the P scales

Contents

An introduction to these materials 2

An introduction to the P scales 4

Using the P scales for assessment 8

Collecting evidence 14

Making best-fit judgements 19

Moderation 23

Wider uses of the P scales 31

Resources 41

This version published in 2009

© Qualifications and Curriculum Authority 2009

ISBN: 978-1-84721-918-3

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The structure of the materials

This pack of materials contains this guidance booklet and a DVD.

The DVD, which should be used in close association with thisguidance, contains a number of video presentations: ‘Whatare the P scales?’, ‘Contexts for learning’, ‘Getting ready tolearn’, ‘Evidence of progress’, ‘Working with evidence’,‘Working together for moderation’, and a series of casestudies of individual pupils. When the DVD is used in acomputer it contains, in PDF format:

n examples of pupils’ performance in English, mathematicsand science at levels P4 to P8

n the P scales.

The materials on the DVD illustrate many of the points madein the guidance. This guidance links to specific sections ofthe DVD at key points in the text and provides references toother useful materials and sources.

How to use the materials

These materials are for staff working in a variety of posts,including teachers, teaching assistants, special educationalneeds coordinators, subject coordinators, assessmentcoordinators and school managers.

Individual members of staff or, more effectively, staff workingin groups can use these materials as a sound basis forprofessional development within and between schools.

You do not have to read the materials from start to finish.Staff can refer to the sections that are most relevant to theirparticular purposes.

An intro

ductio

n to these m

aterials

3An introduction to thesematerials

The purpose of the materials

This guidance is designed to help staff in mainstream andspecial schools to:

n use the P scales to make and share professionaljudgements about pupils’ attainments below level 1 of thenational curriculum

n carry out the internal and external moderation ofjudgements made in relation to the P scales

n report judgements that are sound and consistent

n improve the teaching and learning of pupils with learningdifficulties by using aggregated assessment data.

Staff in schools need to have a common understanding ofthe P scales. You can use this pack of materials to helpdevelop a common understanding and, in particular, to:

n promote greater and more effective use of the P scales inmainstream and special schools, across clusters of schools,and within and between local authorities

n help schools with experience of using the P scales to shareeffective practice and provide outreach support toneighbouring schools

n support wider initiatives in using the P scales.

2

Using

the P scales

The P scales, like the programmes of study they relate to,should be used with pupils from 5 to 16 years of age. Theyare particularly relevant to pupils with learning difficulties,whose attainments may not register on the nationalcurriculum level descriptions.

Uses of the P scales

Staff can use the P scales in the same way as the nationalcurriculum level descriptions. This means that the P scaleshave a number of functions in both mainstream and specialschools. Staff can use the P scales to:

n support summative assessment, enabling staff to makeand record judgements about pupils’ attainment at theend of a year or key stage

n track individual pupils’ linear progress towards subject-specific attainment at national curriculum level 1and beyond

n identify and record individual pupils’ lateral progress byhelping staff to look for related skills at similar levelsacross subjects

n look for patterns in the attainments of pupils

n provide information for school managers setting targetsfor whole-school improvement.

Later sections of this guidance deal with these functions inmore detail.

An intro

ductio

n to the P

scales

5An introduction to the P scales

What are the P scales?

The P scales are differentiated performance criteria. Theyoutline attainment for pupils working below level 1 of thenational curriculum and describe some of the importantskills, knowledge and understanding that pupils may gainfrom the programmes of study of the national curriculum.The P scales assess only selected parts of the programmes ofstudy. Teachers will wish to give equal importance to theskills that these pupils can develop through the wholecurriculum. These include:

n communication and interaction

n personal and social development

n social inclusion

n preparation for adult life.

There are P scales for each subject in the national curriculum(including personal, social and health education) and forreligious education. The P scales use eight performancelevels to illustrate the learning that leads to nationalcurriculum level 1.

n Levels P1 to P3 show the earliest levels of generalattainment with subject-focused examples.

n Levels P4 to P8 show subject-related attainment.

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Using

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attainments at these levels. When pupils have additionaldisabilities teachers should note the following guidance:

n In any subject, staff should adapt and reinterpret elementsof the performance descriptions that are unavailable topupils with sensory impairments (such as making ‘eyecontact’ for pupils with visual impairments or ‘listening’ forpupils with hearing impairments). Pupils with sensoryimpairments in addition to learning difficulties may learnto focus, attend and communicate using alternativestrategies and staff should regard different but equivalentresponses as valid evidence of progress.

n In English, staff should ignore criteria that applyexclusively to handwriting when assessing pupils withphysical disabilities. Pupils may attain a level in writing byproducing or contributing letters, marks or symbols with acomputer keyboard rather than handwriting. In reading,pupils may gain level P4 by scrolling through material on acomputer screen using a switch rather than holding thebook the right way up and turning the pages.

n In science it may be inappropriate to expect pupils with significant hearing impairments to imitate or copysounds. Pupils with physical disabilities may ‘show’,‘demonstrate’ or ‘try out’ activities by directing the actions of other participants rather than performing theactions themselves.

n Pupils may solve problems in mathematics using computersimulations rather than real objects.

There is further guidance in ‘Making best-fit judgements’.

An intro

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n to the P

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7The P scales are not designed to be used:

n as a crude performance indicator for making staff orschools accountable for effectiveness

n for detailed formative assessment

n to define curriculum content or as a detailed step-by-stepcurriculum

n to assess progress outside the 5 to 16 age range

n as labels to describe pupils

n for diagnosing or identifying pupils’ special educational needs

n as targets for individual pupils. The broad, subject-focusednature of the P scale level descriptors means that they donot make good short-term targets for addressing theindividual needs of particular pupils.

Staff working with pupils who use English as an additionallanguage (and whose performance is at or below level 1 ofthe national curriculum in English) should refer to the EALperformance indicators (A language in common,www.qca.org.uk/qca_5739.aspx). Unless these pupils haveadditional special educational needs, staff should use theEAL indicators in preference to the P scales.

Staff should remember that all pupils working at these levelsare likely to need some form of prompting with the task.Elements of the performance descriptions at P1 to P3 inparticular acknowledge that responses at these levels may be‘fully prompted’, ‘co-active’, ‘shared’ or ‘supported’. Theseand equivalent forms of support do not invalidate pupils’

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Using

the P scales

Teachers can use the P scales on their own or in associationwith these more finely graded materials. The P scales can,however, provide a means of summarising, aggregating andreporting assessments based on these tools.

School example

One school calibrates the assessment opportunitiesagainst the P scales in its schemes of work. This helps staffmake summative judgements at the end of the year. Thefollowing is from the school’s key stage 1 science schemeof work on physical processes.

Pupils may respond to these activities by:

n reacting to sensory outcomes, for example flashinglights, buzzing sounds or movements – P1

n attending to sensory outcomes in a focused way, forexample looking, listening or tracking – P2

n participating in controlling events, for example by co-actively operating switches – P3

n anticipating outcomes, for example by respondingbefore, during and after sensory events – P4

n initiating sensory events, for example turning on lightsor buzzers – P5

n actively joining in with circuit making, for examplejoining components – P6

n recording their circuits, for example sequencing photos – P7

n responding to questions, for example ‘Was that louderor quieter?’ – P8.

Using

the P scales fo

r assessment

9Using the P scales forassessment

Assessing pupils using the P scales

The P scales do not meet all assessment needs. Staff will continue to need other tools for identifying pupils’individual difficulties and special educational needs and for carrying out detailed and comprehensive assessmentsacross the whole curriculum.

The P scales support summative assessment of the national curriculum. They summarise attainment at the end of a year or key stage. The descriptions given in the P scales do not provide a full account of all that pupils mightachieve, even within a subject or strand. They do, however,provide a framework onto which teachers can map theprogress of pupils. Staff may also wish to use other materials,for example:

n detailed records of pupils’ responses in class

n systems for measuring the progress that pupils makewithin and across the whole curriculum

n the school’s own assessment materials, often incorporatedinto schemes of work

n commercially available assessment schemes, for examplethose designed to identify early indications ofcommunicative behaviour or small increments of progressin relation to subject studies.

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For many pupils with learning difficulties, progress within oracross the levels is as important as progress through theframework. Lateral progress, where pupils begin togeneralise their learning in new contexts and develop a moreeven profile of responses, can be highly significant for somepupils with learning difficulties. It may be important, forexample, for staff to ensure, in their planning, that pupilshave opportunities to apply emerging skills in a wide rangeof contexts and to generalise their learning.

School example

Maleeha communicates preferences consistently usingactions and gestures. She is beginning to use a smallrange of signs but her teachers assess her as workinglargely at level P2, with some P3 responses, in terms ofcommunication. However, Maleeha sorts coloursconsistently (P5 in mathematics) and she operates simplecomputer programs using a mouse (P5 in information andcommunication technology). Given this evidence of hercognitive strengths, staff are working to bring Maleeha’sattainments in English into line with her progress in otherareas of the curriculum.

Fraser has started to make more controlled responseswhen listening and responding using a resonance board.When the teacher taps three times and says ‘Give methree’, he responds by making three bangs on the board.Fraser needs to learn to identify and reproduce thispattern in other circumstances, for example responding tohand claps or drumbeats.

Using

the P scales fo

r assessment

11The P scales and pupil progress

The levels in the P scales operate independently ofchronological age. A 7-year-old child may attain level P8while some 16-year-olds work at levels P1 to P3. Teachersshould not expect pupils to reach any given level at aparticular age or to progress through the levels at apredetermined rate. However, the P scales level descriptorsare designed to identify the kinds of progress a pupil maymake over a year or key stage.

Expectations of progress will vary depending on a pupil’s agewhen they attain a given level. The prospects for a pupilattaining level P3 at the age of 5 may be very different fromthose for a pupil working at P3 at the age of 14. It istherefore inappropriate to:

n expect the P scales to predict how far or how fastindividual pupils or groups of pupils should progress

n hold staff to account for the fact that pupils with learningdifficulties do not make progress in accordance with anysupposed national norms or expectations of progress.

Linear and lateral progress

Pupil responses echoing the subject-focused examples givenalongside the descriptions of general attainment at P1 to P3can indicate early progress within a subject. The subject-related attainments of P4 to P8 lead smoothly into thenational curriculum level descriptions. Many schools havefound the P scales useful for tracking progress towards level 1 for individual pupils in particular subjects.

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School example

In structured settings, for example when working in hischair during mathematics lessons, Elijah often engages inself-absorbed behaviour or withdraws from activity. Whenhe is sitting in a circle with his peers during musicsessions, Elijah is focused, attentive, engaged and happyto join in.

In ‘Number’ in mathematics Nadim uses counting wordsto 100, forwards and backwards, but in ‘Using andapplying mathematics’ he is unable to respond to arequest to give five items.

In ‘Writing’ in English Helena makes scribbled marks inattempts to represent her name without using letters. In‘Expressive communication’ she is able to relateinformation about the past, present or future usingsymbols.

These differences in response might result from individualdifficulties or indicate aptitudes in, or preferences for,particular subjects. They could also be related topreferences for particular people, environments, items ofequipment or activities. The examples of pupilperformance on the DVD accompanying this guidanceaddress these and other issues relevant to assessment.

Using

the P scales fo

r assessment

13School example

In the classroom, Khaled can follow a three-partinstruction using symbols in his picture-exchangecommunication book. He now needs to learn to do this inthe hall, where there is a much higher level ofenvironmental stimulus for him to overcome. The nextstage will be to follow three-part instructions in even morecomplex circumstances outside school.

Individual profiles of learning

The nature of individual pupils’ learning difficulties and othercircumstances will affect teachers’ expectations of theirprogress. The combination of difficulties may be unique, andpupils may demonstrate progress in unusual ways. Moreguidance on recognising progress is given in the Generalguidance in the 'Planning, teaching and assessing thecurriculum for pupils with learning difficulties' series(www.qca.org.uk/ld).

Many pupils with learning difficulties tend to develop unevenor spiky profiles of development across subjects, in differentaspects of subjects or in different contexts.

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n set up separate assessment tasks or activities, use tests orset up arbitrary rules, criteria or conditions when makingassessments – teachers can use observations andmaterials collected as an integral part of teaching andlearning as an evidence base.

Notes based on observation and professional knowledge are often the most vital forms of evidence. Where staff collectother forms of evidence, comments and annotations make a crucial contribution to the assessment process.Inadequately explained samples of work or photographsmake poor pieces of evidence.

Contributions from the whole classroom team are valuable.Staff will often share their thoughts about the emergingattainments they see in pupils’ everyday work. Sometimesthe discussions highlight the need to collect a particularpiece of work or to make a note of a particular response in apupil’s record.

Dates on pieces of work can reveal trends and rates ofprogress, but good annotation is more than merely datingwork. Providing staff with annotation sheets in an agreedformat will make the annotation process more efficient andmore useful. Some approaches involve various members ofstaff simply writing their comments onto samples of work.Where pupils are working at earlier P levels, staff mayappend a dated set of notes onto a photograph of a pupilresponding in a new and significant way. Other examplesinvolve schools and local authorities providing formats thatencourage staff to provide more consistent annotations.

Collecting

evidence

15Collecting evidence

Working with evidence

Assessments and judgements about attainment shouldalways be supported by evidence, but that evidence can takea number of different forms. Evidence for makingjudgements in relation to the P scales can include:

n staff records based on observations

n witness statements from other people, for exampleparents or professionals from other services

n pupils’ written work

n comments or commentaries from pupils

n artwork and artefacts created by pupils

n photographs, video and audio tapes.

Collecting evidence should be manageable and avoidduplication and bureaucracy. When using the P scales, thereis no need to:

n collect all these forms of evidence to support eachjudgement – staff records and witness statements canstand alone as evidence

n collect evidence from every lesson or illustrate everyincrement of progress – staff should focus on collectingclear evidence and making brief, telling annotations in relation to significant attainments or landmarks inpupils’ learning

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School example

One school uses a system of coding samples of work withcoloured stickers according to the support received. Thesymbols on the stickers indicate whether the work wasdone with no help, gestural prompting, signed or spokensupport or physical support.

Supporting school improvement: emotional andbehavioural development (www.qca.org.uk/qca_8401.aspx)offers further guidance on observation. Evaluations ofwork and notes of observations should acknowledge thecontextual factors (see ‘Making best-fit judgements’) thatmay have influenced the work produced.

Video and photographs

Staff do not need to create large collections of photographicor video evidence to substantiate best-fit judgements. A comment based on observation is often more efficient.However, video and photographic evidence is particularlyuseful:

n to reveal new reactions and progress made when pupilsare working at the earliest levels of response

n when reviewing progress with pupils and parents

n for moderation training, where these materials can bringdiscussion to life

n to provide exemplars for quality control, for examplewithin the school portfolio.

Collecting

evidence

17For some pupils, evidence of learning may build slowly overtime and depend upon records gathered in a range ofcontexts. Evidence may not be consistent and staff may needto be alert to emerging patterns and clusters of responses.Classroom files can be used to store evidence in the shortterm. Teachers can use these working collections of materialsto provide samples for:

n end of year or key stage assessment and reporting

n developing progress files

n review processes

n moderation.

Observations

Observations play an important part in the process ofcollecting evidence. Different forms of observation include:

n informal observations of pupils made during everydaywhole-class activities

n observations of pupils working in structured groups

n observations made during individual work

n impressions recorded by staff after a communicationsession or a period of intensive interaction

n observations of responses to specific demands

n observations of pupils in play and social activities.

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Making best-fit judgements

Assessing the overall performance of a pupil

Staff should use their professional judgement to decidewhich P level descriptor offers the best fit for a pupil’sperformance according to the evidence gathered. Staffshould remember that pupils may attain different levels indifferent subjects. Staff will need to work together to reviewtheir perspectives and decide whether a pupil’s performancein a given subject, taken as a whole over a year or key stage,has been ‘more P5 than P4 or P6’. Considering pupils’ workagainst elements of the levels above and below a proposedlevel is an effective way of clarifying a best-fit judgement.Discussion between members of staff can often confirm thesignificance, in terms of attainment, of pupils’ responses asobserved over time and in a range of contexts.

Staff should make best-fit judgements on the basis ofnormal, everyday teaching and learning processes. There isno need for testing or setting up special assessment tasks or activities.

Flexibility in using the P scales

Best-fit judgements are based on:

n the teacher’s knowledge of the learner

n an awareness of the contexts in which learning takes place

n consideration of a variety of different forms of evidencegathered over time.

Making

best-fit jud

gem

ents

19Video and photographic evidence demands goodannotation. Often the annotations rather than the imagesthemselves provide the actual evidence upon which anyjudgements are based.

‘Working with evidence’ and ‘Working together formoderation’ on the DVD show staff using the annotationsattached to photographic evidence to help them agree a level.

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are different from those listed in the performancedescriptions, for example when pupils have sensoryimpairments.

Influences on pupils’ learning

Learning in relation to the P scales will often be interactiveand this should be acknowledged when judgements are made.

School example

‘What are the P scales?’ on the DVD shows Kevin, a 15-year-old student from a special school, attending a linksession at his local mainstream secondary school. Thevideo was taken on the third week of this link arrangementand shows staff from both schools discussing the P scales.Kevin’s teacher wants to assess his progress incommunication by observing him interacting and‘communicating with peers of his own age’. She discussesthis target with students from the mainstream school (whoare working for an ASDAN award). The interactionbecomes an integral part of Kevin’s communication targetand of the link activity. It also forms a natural part ofKevin’s assessment.

Staff development activities can help staff to gain theexperience they need to balance contextual factors whenmaking best-fit judgements.

Making

best-fit jud

gem

ents

21Staff should not make judgements about levels on the basisof a single piece of work or any single item of evidence.However, pupils do not need to repeat responses that areregarded by staff as secure (by performing a given skill fivetimes over, for example).

A pupil does not necessarily have to demonstrate everyelement in a level descriptor or demonstrate an element acertain number of times in order to be awarded a given level.Pupils do not need to demonstrate mastery of a certainpercentage of the elements in a level descriptor. There is no need to create further sublevels or subdivisions withineach P level.

For some learners, it may be appropriate to ignore elementsof a descriptor to acknowledge the impact of particularimpairments. When making best-fit judgements, staff willneed to take account of:

n pupils’ ages and prior attainments

n the levels of support, modelling or prompting pupils receive

n other contextual issues that might influence learning and response

n the effects of the barriers to learning experienced by pupils.

The examples of activities and responses in the P scales areillustrative rather than prescriptive. Staff can be confidentthat it is acceptable to look for alternative but equivalentlearning. The commentaries on the DVD show members ofstaff acknowledging, as evidence of progress, responses that

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Moderation

Cycles of moderation activity

Moderation is a process that enables staff and others toreview and confirm assessment judgements. Its key purposeis to help schools ensure that assessments are sound andconsistent. This section provides guidance on moderationprocesses operating at three levels:

n in class teams and in teaching groups within a school

n across a whole school

n between schools in clusters, local authorities and regionalor national groupings.

Good practice can be supported through regular moderationactivities at each level. A cycle of moderation activities canbe very effective. This could start with staff working withcolleagues in their own teaching teams, then developingskills and confidence through whole-school activities, andfinally becoming involved in cross-school, local authority orregional initiatives.

Moderation within a class or teaching group

Moderation between staff in class teams and in teachinggroups within a school will:

n tend to be informal

n focus on the attainments of pupils

n be used to achieve agreement about the level to beawarded to a pupil through summative assessment at theend of a year or key stage.

Moderatio

n

23Considering the following factors can help staff arrive atbest-fit judgements about levels of attainment:

n context and environment

n involvement of peers and staff

n aids and adaptations

n physical and cognitive support.

The key task in each category is to decide whether thecontextual factors changed the nature (and perhaps the level)of the pupils’ responses, or merely enabled the pupils toparticipate.

School example

Phoebe has recently been assessed as having a significanthearing loss and has been provided with hearing aids.Phoebe is now able to participate more effectively ingroup activities and to enjoy interactions with her peers.Now that this barrier to learning has been addressed, staffare able to acknowledge new responses that indicatehigher attainment for Phoebe.

Dylan’s physical and sensory disabilities mean that many ofhis responses have to be fully prompted. Until Dylan hasdeveloped more consistent patterns of communicativebehaviour, it will be difficult for staff to evaluate thesignificance of these co-active explorations for Dylan interms of learning.

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annotate samples of work that go forward for more formalmoderation so that other people can appreciate contextualinfluences on the performance. Staff need time to discuss,select and annotate samples of evidence to be put forwardfor moderation in this way.

Whole-school moderation

Moderation between staff working in teams across a wholeschool will:

n tend to be more formal

n focus on the evidence collected and selected by staff tosupport their judgements

n be used explicitly for staff development and to assure thequality of the summative assessments made by staff, theassessment process and the teaching and learningexperiences offered by the school.

Schools may decide to carry out different kinds ofmoderation activities depending on the priorities establishedin school improvement plans. Staff teaching pupils in thesame age group can come together to review assessmentjudgements in a range of subjects, for example for pupilsworking in a given key stage. Phase-specific moderationmeetings can help staff:

n develop age-appropriate activities and resources that arerelevant to the needs and interests of pupils in a certainage group but that will also enable pupils to respond at arange of levels

n manage consistency in levels and continuity in theapplication of skills across subjects.

Moderatio

n

25Individual members of staff can confirm their best-fitassessments through discussion and review with teachers,teaching assistants and other professionals (see ‘Makingbest-fit judgements’).

Discussion with family members and pupils themselves canenhance moderation processes. Staff will recognise that:

n discussing work with pupils and sharing the developmentof their files of work can provide fresh insights intolearning and attainment (see ‘Wider uses of the P scales’)

n discussing progress with people who know the pupil in awide range of settings can help to resolve uncertaintiesover best-fit judgements.

School example

Elijah’s parents provide regular reports about their son’sresponses at home, allowing school staff to acknowledgethat Elijah has consolidated many of his skills and can usethem in a range of settings. This information helps toconfirm the best-fit judgements made by staff.

Staff working with Phoebe, who has a profound visualimpairment, maintain a tactile record of her daily activitiesin a ‘big book’ format. This record allows Phoebe toreview her experiences, after the event, with a member ofstaff. Her reactions to events recalled in this way help staffto confirm their judgements about her attainments.

Informal moderation within a class team or teaching groupcan also provide an important foundation for otherdevelopments, including enhanced awareness of assessmentand moderation processes for all staff. Staff should carefully

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n the portfolio becomes a reference resource and reducesthe need for staff to collect large amounts of evidence tosubstantiate individual assessments.

School example

One school introduced moderation initially throughclassroom observations. Members of staff from differentclasses paired up and each would observe in the other’sclassroom. They then compared notes about the pupiloutcomes they saw, first with their partner and then withother colleagues. This process led to better understandingof the P scales because staff had to relate the leveljudgements to contexts such as each pupil’s individualneeds, the learning environment and different approachesto teaching.

The school then introduced a planned programme ofmoderation meetings. These meetings involveddiscussions looking at a wide range of evidence. Thecoordinator of these meetings felt that the experiences ofthe paired observation sessions had played an essentialrole in preparing staff for the moderation meetings.Pairing colleagues for discussions of observations can givestaff confidence and time for reflection before working inwhole-school or cross-school groups.

Moderatio

n

27Staff can also meet to agree assessment judgements withinsubjects for pupils across age groups. Cross-phase, subject-focused moderation meetings can help staff to decide how:

n different activities and responses can be awarded thesame level in different age groups

n the delivery of the curriculum and contexts of learningshould differ in different phases.

Such discussions can promote the development ofprogression as an aspect of curriculum planning,improvements in schemes of work and age-appropriatecurriculum delivery.

School example

As one headteacher featured in ‘Working together formoderation’ on the DVD says, whole-school moderationactivities are extremely beneficial. Involving teachers,teaching assistants and subject coordinators in themoderation process ‘draws on the skills and knowledge ofa range of staff and ensures that there is continuity and awhole-school approach’.

After moderation, samples of evidence, comments andannotations from staff and pupils and the associatedassessment judgements can be included in a whole-schoolportfolio. Developing a whole-school portfolio can be usefulbecause:

n the process of creating the portfolio moves the schooltowards agreed interpretations of levels

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work and responses. Cross-school moderation of the work ofpupils with learning difficulties is particularly productive whenmainstream and special schools work together.

School example

In some areas, advanced-skills teachers from specialschools have worked with staff from local authoritysupport services to provide initial P scales trainingsessions for staff from mainstream schools. Building on thesamples of work shared at these initial sessions,colleagues in mainstream and special schools have goneon to develop portfolios of evidence drawn from all theschools in a cluster. The portfolio is under ongoing reviewthrough regular moderation meetings involving staff fromall the schools in the cluster.

‘Working together for moderation’ on the DVD suggests thatthere is great scope for developing regional groupings ofspecial and mainstream schools to extend moderationactivities out from local clusters. Regional groupings candevelop packs of moderation materials that can be used forquality assurance purposes in all the schools involved. Oneheadteacher says that ‘the professional developmentopportunities created for our subject coordinators were justtremendous’.

Moderatio

n

29Moderation between schools

Moderation between schools working in clusters, within localauthorities or regionally, will:

n be formal

n focus on the evidence selected and maintained byschools, local authorities and others in order to supportthe assessment process and the reporting of data

n be used to assure the quality of the assessment,moderation and reporting processes used across anumber of schools.

Moderation activities between schools can be organised inways that mirror whole-school moderation, scrutinising, forexample:

n attainments at a range of levels through a given subject

n attainments across a range of subjects in a given age group.

An ongoing cycle of moderation meetings can therefore beorganised to meet the needs of staff working in similar rolesin different schools, for example:

n coordinators for particular subjects

n team leaders or managers for pupils working in particularkey stages

n assessment coordinators.

Whatever the key purpose of cross-school moderationactivity, it is helpful to involve members of staff with differentareas of responsibility in presenting and discussing pupils’

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Wider uses of the P scales

Reviewing progress with learners

The P scales can be used as a focus for dialogue with pupils about the progress they are making. Knowing how to recognise attainment can help pupils to move theirlearning forward.

School example

One school’s assessment policy emphasises theimportance of involving pupils in reviewing their ownwork. The headteacher suggests that discussing theirprogress, for example by using some of the statementsfrom the P level descriptors, ‘helps the children toappreciate what is expected of them’. Staff do not focuson the P level numbers with the pupils.

The same headteacher also argues that the process ofdiscussing work with pupils helps staff to ‘refine theirthoughts about pupils’ levels’. Pupils’ own perspectivescan reveal ‘what they found easy, the extent to which theyneed to consolidate skills or work on lateral progress’, andeven ‘if they are close to the attainment of a higher level’.

Staff can use sound recordings, photographs, video clips,object prompts and tactile cues to help pupils to recalland review their learning. Parents will also appreciateparticipating in these sessions, for example as an elementin formal review and reporting processes.

Wider uses o

f the P scales

31The key purpose of moderation activities between schoolsmay be to ratify the quality of teachers’ assessments forreporting. However, when well managed, moderationbetween schools also fulfils a number of other valuablepurposes, for example:

n contributing to staff development

n supporting the development of common understandingsabout performance

n helping to secure and maintain the quality of thejudgements made about pupil attainment and progress

n monitoring and reviewing the role of assessment,moderation and reporting materials provided bycommercial organisations, local authorities and/or regional groupings.

Many local authorities and regional consortia have promoted and supported moderation conferences and other development activities related to the P scales. Somehave produced their own guidance booklets, videos andweb-based resources to promote and support staffdevelopment and moderation activities. Activities thatencompass more than just allocating levels to written workare most valuable. Video clips and photographs with goodannotations are useful for moderation training, especiallywhere pupils are working at the earliest levels of response,for example at P1 to P3, because they present vivid, real-lifescenarios for discussion. The interplay between theannotations and the context seen in the video orphotographs can be very instructive.

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Many schools now involve pupils in planning and reviewmeetings. Where pupils maintain records of their experiencesand achievements in a suitable format, they can present theirown accounts of the progress they are making. Video, CD-ROM, PowerPoint and websites have all been used to greateffect to generate progress files that pupils can share withprofessionals and family members at such meetings. Pupilswith the most profound disabilities can get involved in thesepresentations. Digital technology makes pupil-centredplanning, recording and review a reality for all.

Communicating with other professionals

Staff will wish to exchange information about pupils’attainments and the progress they have made at points oftransition, for example when they move class, key stage oreven school. Where pupils have learning difficulties, schoolsare likely to amass significant amounts of detailed and highlyindividualised information. Assessments of attainment andprogress using the P scales can form a useful part of thismaterial. Information about prior attainments set out againstthe P scales can:

n provide a baseline from which to measure further progress

n identify gaps in learning or dips in a profile that maysuggest matters to be worked on in a new setting

n help a new teacher to set work at an appropriate level for a pupil.

In ‘Working together for moderation’ on the DVD a teacherand a teaching assistant discuss the pupils in their class witha teacher who is due to return to school after maternity

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33Pupils should be involved in self-assessment and self-review,but it is the job of staff to map assessments onto the P scales. Pupils will usually wish to discuss progress andachievement in real terms without referring to levels or thetext of level descriptors. Staff should celebrate theimportance of all aspects of progress, both in relation to the national curriculum and in terms of pupils’ widerexperiences and achievements. Pupils are likely to want toreview their most recent achievements in areas where theyregard learning as being highly relevant and important, forexample their individual targets. However, members of staffshould discuss progress related to the P scales whereappropriate because:

n involving pupils in self-review may help them to reflectupon the processes of learning and therefore help thembecome better learners

n review sessions can give staff insights into the stability ofrecently acquired learning and how the pupils interpret itor connect it to other aspects of their knowledge

n inviting pupils to review their learning can encouragethem to repeat and consolidate important skills, responsesor behaviours

n involving pupils in the development of their own progressfiles can motivate them to learn.

Photographs or video clips can be very effective in involvingpupils actively in reviewing their own learning (see ‘Collectingevidence’). Visual images can sometimes prompt responseswhere spoken language does not.

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When the school needs to report to parents, staff can reviewthe evidence collected for each pupil and decide which ofthe level descriptors offers the best overall fit for the pupils’attainments. When allocating a level using the P scales, it isimportant to:

n take account of the range of a pupil’s work in a subject

n consider pupil progress in the light of a range of pieces ofevidence gathered over time.

Schools should report on the diversity of what they provide inorder to meet the complex needs of pupils with learningdifficulties. The P scales offer a measure of progress relatingto the national curriculum programmes of study, but theyshould be presented to parents as one part of a rich learningcontext that meets pupils’ wider needs.

n A report, in words, of the progress made by pupils will bemore meaningful than the number attached to any leveldescriptor.

n Small increments of progress within a level representimportant achievements for some pupils. Staff can makesure that progress within a level is recorded and reportedpositively so that pupils receive credit for it.

n Reports can acknowledge the lateral progress pupils makewhen they extend their range of experiences, makeequivalent responses in a range of subject settings or usepre-existing skills in new contexts.

n Reports to parents can reflect not only pupils’ attainments(established learning measured against set criteria) butalso their wider achievements (which may includeimportant gains in confidence or fluency or be in terms of

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35leave. Referring to the P scales enables these colleagues toshare basic information about pupils’ attainments (and thestarting points for further progress) swiftly and using acommon language. The meeting also allows them to developdetailed and productive insights about individual pupils andtheir preferences in learning.

Good transfer of information using the P scales can also helpwhen pupils transfer from class to class or into a new school.As one headteacher says, it helps to maintain ‘joined-upthinking’ when staff can relate directly to the assessmentinformation they receive. This promotes continuity for pupils,helps teachers in the new class and saves pupils from beingreassessed all the time.

The P scales also have a role at key points of transition, forexample from early years into key stage 1 or from key stage 4into post-16 or further education. The P scales are notdesigned to be used in early years nor beyond the age of 16.

Reporting to parents

The government requires schools to report to parents:

n annually on the progress made by pupils over the year

n at the end of each key stage on the pupils’ attainments inthe national curriculum.

Where pupils are working below level 1, the P scales canprovide a useful medium for such reporting. Staff may wish touse the level descriptors in the P scales, like the nationalcurriculum level descriptors, to reflect upon and summarisethe subject-focused learning a pupil may demonstrate over akey stage.

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these features belong, for example, eyes on a face orleaves on a tree. He can match objects with photographs.Alan closely observes the changes that occur, for examplewhen materials are heated, cooled or mixed. He isbeginning to make generalisations, connections andpredictions from experience, for example expecting thatice cream will melt or that wheeled toys will move fasterdown a slope.

‘Alan has worked hard this year and has shown interestand enthusiasm in his science lessons. He particularlyenjoyed the unit of work on light and shadows, exploringand investigating light sources and making and identifyingshadows. Alan often requires prompting and individualattention to encourage him to participate but, when hechooses, he can work independently and with minimalguidance. When Alan focuses, he produces some lovelywork. A good year – well done, Alan.’

The report then records Alan’s attainment at P6, althoughit emphasises that he is already beginning to achievesome aspects of P7.

Whole-school improvement

School managers may wish to use the P scales as one ofseveral useful mechanisms for setting targets for whole-school improvement. Aggregating data for a class, phase,key stage, department or whole school may help staff toidentify and focus upon priorities for development.

In the video case studies on the DVD, staff often suggest thatpupils are ‘working towards’ or ‘working on elements of’ the

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37wider experiences that do not register on the leveldescriptors). Taking account of the significant difficulties in learning experienced by some pupils, theseachievements may be considerable even when theyregister as progress within a level or across levels ratherthan from one level to another.

n Some pupils experience regressive conditions. In thesecircumstances, the school may report its intention tosupport the maintenance of prior skills, the introduction offresh experiences and sustained quality of life. Supportingrealistic expectations with positive attitudes is ofparamount importance.

School example

One school states that its ambition for pupils withdegenerative conditions is to ensure that each day isfocused on learning – personally, socially and in terms ofthe curriculum – and development from the baseline thatthe individual pupil presents on that occasion. The schoolis therefore able to conceptualise a slowing or reducedrate of regression, in its reports to parents, as a form ofprogress.

Another school prepares annual reports for parents byproviding a brief, standardised summary, based on thewording of the relevant P level, of the experiences pupilshave had in each subject. Staff then prepare individualwritten reports of pupils’ learning over the year. Thefollowing extract gives Alan’s science report:

‘Alan has shown that he recognises the features of livingthings in their environments and that he knows where

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39School example

Aggregates of assessments using the P scales suggested tosenior staff in one school that pupils were not progressingas well in ‘Using and applying mathematics’ as in the otherstrands of mathematics. The staff therefore agreed awhole-school target to try to improve attainment in thatarea. When development activities focused on how staffwere teaching mathematics, they realised that their lessons were isolated from real applications and that pupilsneeded more opportunities to emphasise practicalactivities and the cross-curricular uses of mathematics.Using data originating from the P scales helped the schoolto focus on important issues of teaching and learning in akey subject area.

The data in another school suggested that pupils were notdoing as well in information and communicationtechnology as in English and mathematics. The schoolcommitted funding to the area and set targets forimprovement in the school development plan. As theheadteacher says, ‘We redefined our policies and thecurriculum. We did some staff development. We employedconsultants to help us look at resources and buy some newequipment. And when we looked at the data the next year,we found there had been real improvements. So it hasbeen of great value.’

Schools may also benefit from processes of voluntary andinformal data exchange with schools that make provision forcomparable groups of pupils. These processes can be

level above their actual attainment. It may be useful to sharethese insights when reporting to parents or discussingprogress with other members of staff or with the pupilsthemselves, but it is the best-fit level of attainment, given ineach of the case studies, that should be reported.

Pupils can experience a wide range of learning difficulties.Any evaluations of progress therefore need to appreciatethat:

n the P scales relate to progress in the subjects of thenational curriculum only and are part of a complex matrixof other valuable aspects of development

n it is important to be wary of making comparisons betweensmall samples. The composition of small samples can besubject to random and wide variations in age, priorattainment levels and the nature of individual pupils’learning difficulties

n because of the individual and unusual combinations oflearning difficulties experienced by some pupils, theinformation gathered using the P scales may be unique tothe group or school from which it is taken.

Data collected from the analysis of progress through the Pscales is insufficient for making comparative judgementsabout teacher or school performance. However, schools willbe able to use P scales data to compare the performances ofdifferent cohorts of pupils, year on year, and to measure theprogress that groups of pupils make as they move throughthe key stages against a developing national database.Senior managers will be able to pinpoint areas where rates ofprogress and achievements give cause for concern and helpstaff to focus on appropriate remedial action.

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facilitated within local clusters of schools or across localauthorities or regions. Sharing data based on the P scalesmay help schools to have purposeful dialogues focused onschool effectiveness and improvement.

Data gathered and analysed in respect of the P scales,literacy and numeracy and the national curriculum canrepresent only part of the work that schools do. Schoolcommunities will wish to find more focused and individualways of recognising their effectiveness and driving forwardimprovements. Where pupils have learning difficulties, otherindicators of effectiveness are likely to be important,including:

n levels of pupil participation

n support for advocacy

n the work of the school council

n partnership with parents and families

n measures of social inclusion.

Schools are encouraged to explore these possibilities inparallel with their use of the P scales when setting targets forschool improvement. More detailed guidance on whole-school target setting can be found atwww.standards.dfes.gov.uk.

Resources

The P scales

The P scales are available as a downloadable PDF on the DVDaccompanying this booklet: Using the P scales (QCA/09/4060).

The P scales are also available as part of the Planning,teaching and assessing the curriculum for pupils with learningdifficulties series, now revised and republished by QCA andon the QCA website at www.qca.org.uk/ld.

Curriculum materials

Planning, teaching and assessing the curriculum for pupilswith learning difficulties. Updated February 2009.Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. (www.qca.org.uk/ld).

Practice guidance for the early years foundation stage(DCSF00266-2008BKT-EN). London: Department for Children,Schools and Families, 2008.(www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/eyfs/resources/downloads/practice-guidance).

Designing a learner-centred curriculum for 16- to 24-year-oldswith learning difficulties. Updated July 2007. Qualificationsand Curriculum Authority. (www.qca.org.uk/qca_8372.aspx).

The early years foundation stage profile. Updated December2007. Department for Children, Schools and Families.(www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/eyfs). Path: EYFS profile.

Early years foundation stage (EYFS) profile. Revised January2009. Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.(www.qca.org.uk/eyfsp).

Key stage 4 for students with learning difficulties. London:Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 2004.(www.qca.org.uk/qca_8402.aspx).

Related materials

A language in common: assessing English as an additionallanguage (QCA/00/584). London: Qualifications andCurriculum Authority, 2000. (www.qca.org.uk/qca_5739.aspx).

Adult pre-entry curriculum framework. Updated February2009. Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills.(www.dcsf.gov.uk/curriculum_preentry).

Supporting school improvement: emotional and behaviouraldevelopment (QCA/01/717). London: Qualifications andCurriculum Authority, 2001. (www.qca.org.uk/qca_8401.aspx).

For guidance on target setting, data collection and the PupilAchievement Tracker, see www.standards.dfes.gov.uk.

For support with the analysis of school and pupilperformance data, see www.raiseonline.org.

For more advice about assessing pupils’ progress using the Pscales, visit the National Strategies website atnationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk.

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About this booklet

Who is it for? Teachers in mainstream schools, specialprimary and secondary schools, specialisedunits and independent schools; specialeducational needs coordinators; assessmentcoordinators; headteachers

What it is about? This document introduces the P scales andoutlines ways of using them

What is it for? It supports teachers in making judgementsabout pupils' attainment below level 1 of thenational curriculum

Related materials See the ‘Resources’ section of this booklet

For more information: www.qca.org.uk/ld

For more copies: QCA Orderline, PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GNTel: 08700 60 60 15; Fax: 08700 60 60 17 Email: orderline@qca.org.uk

ISBN: 978-1-84721-918-3

Order ref: QCA/09/4060