Key Stage 3 Assessments etc

I have had no classes today.

Instead, I have worked from 8.30 am through until now (11.20pm according to my computer) with time off to drive home and cook dinner.

Would be easier having classes!

No, it probably wouldn't, because I'd still have to do all the things I've been doing today! We have a meeting tomorrow morning looking at KS3 Schemes of Work, attainment targets, levels and assessments. So today I decided to plan what we are going to do. I started an overview of the three years (7, 8, 9) on a weekly basis. I managed about five SoW. Then I wondered how we should implement the new attainment targets that we have. There are six different strands. HoD asked if I was going to implement them straightaway, or form a working party, planning some SoW to implement later in the year. Well, I feel that would just confuse everyone. So then I began to panic a bit, feeling I had bitten off more than I can chew. (I probably do that quite often, but don't really feel as if I have!) Fortunately up in the staff room I met a colleague who is also doing her Masters and is a great sounding board as well as being an excellent practioner. (I'm not sure if she's an AST, but she should be.) So I ran the idea past her, and she came up with loads of excellent ideas, as well as helping me decide what the priority should be for tomorrow.

So ... I have spent this evening breaking down each unit of work assessment into one of the six strands, making sure there's one strand covered per year group. For each assessment I have also suggested a type of task eg letter, article, evaluation. Tomorrow I will explain the difference between AT1 (learning about religion) and AT2 (learning from religion), and in pairs, we will look at one assessment, and write out pupil friendly success criteria based on the one chosen strand. That means the members of the department should know one strand well to begin with.

Once we have the assessments, that will influence our lesson planning, so that we can teach the skills and knowledge necessary for the assessment - these are already in the SoW, so we shouldn't have to do much, perhaps just hone them so they fit more neatly.

We will focus on Year 7s. At Christmas, when the Year 11s are off on Mock Exam Leave (if they get any), we can use some time to plan the Year 8s, then this time next year we can plan Year 9s. So by 2008 all the levels and assessments should be fully in place. Having learnt about the strands with Year 7s we'll all be happier to use them next year.

So all I need to do now is to work out how to share the complex six strands with the pupils. I'll probably simplify it to their common denominators - ie we'll be back at where we were at the beginning of the year! But somehow I want to include AT1 and AT2. So still a few things to think about ...

Will let you know how I get on, I'm sure!