The Purpose of Assessment at Fortismere

At Fortismere, assessments are designed to support your child’s learning and progress. They help teachers understand how well students are learning the curriculum, identify areas where extra help may be needed, and guide future teaching. Assessments also give students regular feedback to help them improve and prepare effectively for their final exams. Ultimately, our goal is to provide clear, meaningful information that helps students succeed and keeps parents and carers informed about their child’s progress.

We have recently made some small changes to our assessment practices.

Why are we making these changes?

Our current system works well in many ways – it’s familiar to everyone and provides regular feedback. However, after careful review and discussions with school leaders, we believe adjustments will help:

• Make assessments better match the curriculum your child is studying.
• Reflect differences between subjects more accurately.
• Provide clearer, more useful information to you, especially for students in Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9).
• Adapt to new changes in the school calendar, such as the introduction of a two-week half-term in Autumn.
   

What’s changing?

1. Ongoing assessments instead of fixed tests: Rather than having all assessments during set “windows,” teachers will now use a mix of ongoing quizzes, projects, tests, and assignments that better cover the material your child has been learning.

2. More flexibility for teachers: Heads of Departments will have more freedom to decide when and how assessments happen in their subjects, so assessments fit better with the curriculum

3. Clearer reporting through detailed comments: When you receive reports about your child’s progress, you will get clear, personalised comments on three key areas:

• Attainment (how well your child understands the subject)
• Commitment to Learning (effort and homework)
• Behaviour for Learning (engagement and positive behaviour)
   

4. Big picture tests at Key Stage 3: Students will take “synoptic” assessments in Year 8 (midway) and Year 9 (end) that review everything taught so far. The results will be shared along with helpful comments comparing progress to the year group average.

5. More focus on revision before exams: Before mock exams (practice exams) and final exams, students will have dedicated time for revision in lessons and homework. Revision materials will be made available online for you and your child to access easily.
 

6. Baseline assessments in Years 7 and 12: At the start of these years, students will take a short assessment to help teachers understand their starting points and plan support where needed.
 

7. Changes to mock exam timing at Key Stages 4 and 5: The introduction of the two-week Autumn half term means mocks in Years 10 and 12 will happen a little earlier, spreading assessments more evenly across the two-year courses. Year 11 and 13 mocks will also move earlier, with some exams taking place in the hall to better simulate real exam conditions. The total number of assessments in these years will reduce slightly from six to five.
 

8. Early identification and support: The new system will help teachers spot if a student is struggling earlier, so interventions can be put in place quickly.

We believe these changes will make assessments more useful for students, parents, and teachers alike, and better support your child’s learning journey.
 

How will we keep you informed?

Instead of scores, you will receive clear, personalised comments that explain:

• How well your child is learning the curriculum.
• Their effort and commitment in class and homework.
• Their engagement and behaviour during lessons.
   

These comments will highlight strengths as well as areas where your child might need extra support. If we notice your child needs additional help, we will contact you to discuss next steps, whether by email, phone, or at Parents’ Evening.

How Students Are Assessed at Fortismere and What Is Reported to Parent

Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9):
 Students complete regular ongoing assessments that align with their learning, plus two “big picture” synoptic assessments in Year 8 and Year 9 that cover everything taught so far. Parents receive reports with clear, personalised comments on:

• Attainment (how well the student understands the curriculum)
• Percentage (in the middle of Year 8 and the end of Year 9 following synoptic tests that students have prepared and revised for)
• Commitment to Learning (effort in class and homework)
• Behaviour for Learning (engagement and positive behaviour)

Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11):
 Students have ongoing assessments and mock exams to prepare for GCSEs. Parents receive working grades (the GCSE grade scale) along with comments on effort, and behaviour.
 

Key Stage 5 (Years 12-13):
 Students complete ongoing assessments and mocks tailored to their A Level or BTEC courses. Reports to parents include working grades appropriate to the qualification (A*-E for A Levels; Distinction* to Pass for BTEC) and comments on commitment and behaviour.