This target is an estimate or benchmark of likely performance, though is not a prediction or forecast.  It represents the standard we might expect a 'similar' student with the same KS2 (Year 6) scores to reach in the best 5% of schools.

The target is generated by a national organisation we work with called FFTaspire. They look at each KS2 SAT score and look at the most common GCSE outcome for students at the end of KS4 with that score. They then use this to estimate end of KS4 targets for students who have KS2 SAT scores but have not reach KS4 yet. Most secondary schools use this. We take this target and break it into roughly fifths. Each year a fifth is added until the whole target is reached in year 11. The numbers translate in to GCSE scores so students can see what grade they are on track to achieve at the end of year 11.

Below is a graphic to show the approximate trajectory students with particular levels are on. Targets will be superseded by predicted grades in December of Year 11 based on a student's individual performance in each subject they study. Students can change paths or be on different paths for different subjects. This is reflected in their current grade or aspirational grade and becomes more apparent the further they progress through school.

Where 'W' stands for 'working towards level 1'.

As these targets are estimates or benchmarks, we realise their accuracy will vary slightly from subject to subject. In our experience, they provide a useful guide and are the most reliable benchmarks we have, but should not be over emphasised.

We encourage all students to try to work to their best and they are taught according to their performance, not their target. Students' targets increase by approximately 1 full grade each year (e.g. 2 > 3).

Go4Schools has a number of tables and graphs with increasing amounts of detail depending on how much information you’d like to know.

The colours indicate if the students current grade is on, above or behind their target.

In this example, the student is clearly excelling in English and currently below target in geography. At the start of the year we might expect a student to be slightly below their end of year target; this is indicated by the yellow colour. As the year progresses, the student would be expected to either close in on their target or continue to exceed it if they are already doing so.

Subject Assessment

Go4Schools enables you to track the grades achieved in each module and assessment in addition to the overall grade your child is currently working at.

The “current” column gives the current standard of a student’s work in the subject, based on all completed assessments to date.  This grade becomes more reliable as more assessments are completed and should be treated with a little caution at the start of the year. The current grade column is colour coded based on how the current grade compares to the student’s “target” grade in the same way as shown in the summary above.  In this case the student is exceeding one of their targets by a significant margin and so the current grade is coloured purple.  Where students are consistently exceeding their original challenging targets, we will issue a higher target in the “aspirational” grade column. This is a mark of real success as it shows that a student is among the top few percent of their peers with the same prior ability; they are making superb progress and should be very proud of their achievement.

Reformed GCSEs: grades 9-1

GCSEs are no longer graded A*-G but are graded 9-1. The GCSEs that follow this grading scheme are designed to be more challenging and the grading structure reflects this, with more grades available at the top end of the ability range. How the new grades compare to the old A*-G grades are broadly as shown: