At Hurstmere, we have high aspirations for all our pupils, and our broad and balanced curriculum is tailored to foster a love of learning. We deliver a curriculum which is coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge for skills to give our pupils the foundations to fulfil their ambitions.
Our pupils are equipped to access further and higher education, and employment through our provision of a broad range of qualifications and wider learning opportunities, aimed to make all pupils feel like their particular strengths are catered for, which illustrates our high academic and technical ambition for all.
We have high expectations of each pupil, with appropriate levels of support and challenge put in place. This helps to make our pupils confident, curious, independent learners, who can adapt to achieve their goals. Both in lessons and through extra-curricular offerings, our pupils’ moral, social, spiritual and cultural development is central to our ethos. As such, we encourage and teach our pupils how to be polite, tolerant and empathetic, so that they can contribute positively to the local, national and global community. Ultimately, our curriculum aims to nurture our pupils, allowing them to be good role models and well-rounded individuals in all aspects of their lives.
Key Stage 3 at Hurstmere
Hurstmere places a great importance on both the academic and pastoral transition that students make from primary school. Schemes of Work and lessons are planned to build directly upon the learning that has taken place in earlier key stages and, to that end, Key Stage 2 assessment information is an important resource. On Year 6 to 7 Induction days in July, incoming students undertake Cognitive assessment Tests which provide further diagnostic information to support teachers’ planning and subsequent assessment.
In each half-term students’ progress is assessed by close consideration of their work in ‘Key Pieces’ in every subject. Key Pieces are assessment activities that relate directly to the topic being covered, from which it is possible to assess how well a pupil has developed knowledge, skill or conceptual understanding and its application. Results from Key Pieces are used to inform individual students’ termly Tracking reports.
Students take formal examinations in each academic year – Years 7 & 8 in April, Year 9 in January.
In English and Mathematics, Hurstmere KS3 curricula are aligned with the programmes of study published by the AQA Examining board, in order to ensure continuity upon subsequent transition to GCSE. In other examined subjects the later parts of KS3 curricula usually contain subject-specific elements related to the skills relevant to and demanded by new GCSE syllabuses.
Further information on Hurstmere curricula is presented annually at the year group Parental Information Evenings.
KS3 Assessment Framework
Major changes have taken place to the assessment and reporting of pupils. National Curriculum levels have now been removed and numerical grades, from 9 to 1, are being phased in for GCSEs, replacing the letter grades A* to G.
At Hurstmere School, we will be using the grades 9 to 1 to report on the assessment and tracking of pupils in Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9). A brief description of what each grade represents is shown below. It is important to recognise that it is not possible to accurately predict GCSE grades for pupils in Key Stage 3 with this new policy. As such, these grades do not represent predicted GCSE grades, but instead provide an indication of how a pupil is progressing in each subject.
With regards to tracking progress, it is reasonable for a pupil to achieve the same grade throughout Years 7 to 9. Maintaining a grade from Year 7 to Year 9 is a reflection of progress itself, due to the increasing difficulty in content, skill and application, year on year. Equally, it is reasonable for a pupil’s attainment to fluctuate at times. A learning journey is rarely a linear and direct path as individuals develop core skills at different rates. In all instances, staff will ensure that pupils are aware of how to improve and progress, continuing to liaise with parents and guardians accordingly.
| Grade | Descriptor |
| 8/9 | Exemplary and sophisticated subject knowledge, demonstrating personal flair, even in unfamiliar contexts. |
| 7 | Consistent demonstration of advanced skills and subject knowledge. |
| 6 | Some demonstration of advanced skills and subject knowledge. |
| 5 | Consistent demonstration of sound subject knowledge and skills. |
| 4 | Demonstrates some subject knowledge and the general ability to apply skills competently/ |
| 3 | There are gaps in subject knowledge and in the application of skills. |
| 2 | Significant gaps in subject knowledge and in the application of skills. |
| 1 | Fundamental gaps in subject knowledge. |