Curriculum and Assessment at The Skinners' Kent Academy

Assessment 2018-19
Key Stage 5 (Year 12 & 13)
All Year 12 & 13 students complete the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP).

There are three assessed elements within the IBCP
  • Two - four Diploma IB Courses
  • An approved Career-related Qualification for all students
  • IBCP Core

Diploma Courses
Diploma courses within the IBCP are assessed in accordance with rigorous international standards. Students take written examinations at the end of their courses, which are marked by external IB examiners. The grades awarded for each course range from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). In order to track the progress students are making, they are assessed termly and are graded between 1 and 7 including a nuance e/d/s (emerging/developing/secure) to highlight at what point within the grade the students have progressed to. Students are expected to make at least 3 nuances of progress each year.

Each of the Diploma courses includes a percentage of internal assessment. 

Vocational Courses (Career-related Qualification)
Details of the assessment of the career-related qualifications can be found via the subject links. All career-related qualifications are equivalent to a Level 3 qualification.  As such, they are appropriate for university entry or apprenticeships and they are recognised within their specific industries. 

IBCP Core
Every CP student must complete the four elements of the CP core. These are:
  • Reflective Project
  • Service Learning
  • Personal and Professional Skills
  • Language Development

The Reflective Project is assessed internally and externally moderated and graded by the IB. Projects are graded from A to E, with A being the highest grade achievable. The Academy are responsible for confirming with the IB that students have completed the requirements for Service Learning, Personal and Professional Skills and Language Development, these are assessed internally.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum and Assessment (Years 7-9)
All students study the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP), which encourages a broad and balanced curriculum. Students are taught by specialist teachers across 8 subject areas; English, MFL, Mathematics, Science, Arts, PE, Technology and Humanities. All students are assessed termly, with assessments focusing on both the curriculum and MYP assignments.  These grades are shared with parents/carers and students three times throughout the academic year. All students, prior to starting at the Academy, sit Cognitive Ability Tests (CAT4), these provide a robust, standardised measure of reasoning ability. The mean CAT4 score is used to determine the GCSE target band for those students in Years 7, Year 8 and Year 9.   These GCSE target bands are used internally to track and monitor progress of students so that we ensure all students are making progress in line with expectations from their starting point in Year 7.
 
Key Stage 4 Curriculum and Assessment (Years 10-11)
As students move into the Senior Houses they continue to study under the MYP framework in Years 10 and 11. However, students will also begin their studies of GCSEs from Year 10. All students in Years 10 and 11 study GCSE courses in English, Maths, Science and MFL, in addition to the choices they make in Technology, Expressive Arts and Humanities. All students, across their GCSE subjects are assessed termly and reports are provided for both GCSE and MYP grades. These grades are shared with parents/carers and students three times throughout the academic year.
 
GCSE Assessment (Years 10 & 11)
In Years 10 & 11 students are preparing to complete their GCSE examinations and as such are assessed against GCSE criteria. Students take written examinations at the end of their courses and in some cases NEA (non examination assessment) that contribute to their final grade. The termly grades awarded for each course range from 9-1 along with a nuance of e/d/s to show where, within the grade the student has progressed to. A nuance of secure (s) means the student is at the top end of the grade and is close to progressing onto the next grade. A nuance of developing (d) means the students has consolidated that grade and is looking to progress further within that grade. A nuance of emerging (e) means that the student has just progressed into this grade and is looking to progress further within this grade. In all subjects students are expected to make at least 3 nuances of progress over the academic year.

Nuances Explained

A Level, letter represents the grade, number represents the nuance:
3- lower end of the grade e.g. B3
2- middle of the grade e.g. A2
1- higher end of the grade e.g. A1

IB Diploma Grading, number represents the grade, letter represents the nuance:
e- Emerging (Lower end of the grade) e.g. 5e
d- Developing (Middle of the grade) e.g. 6d
s- Secure (Higher end of the grade, looking to move into the next and higher grade) e.g. 6s

GCSE Grading, letter represents the grade, number represents the nuance:
3- lower end of the grade e.g. B3
2- middle of the grade e.g. A2
1- higher end of the grade e.g. A1

Middle Years Programme Assessment (Years 7-11)
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme provides the framework for the curriculum at Skinners’ Kent Academy, throughout Years 7-11. It provides the academic challenge that encourages students to embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world, and become critical and reflective thinkers. The programme:
  • encourages international-mindedness in IB students, starting with a foundation in their own language and culture;
  • promotes a positive attitude to learning by challenging students to solve problems, show creativity and resourcefulness, and participate actively in their communities;
  • reflects real life by providing a framework that allows students to see the connections among the subjects themselves, and between the subjects and real issues;
  • supports the development of communication skills to encourage enquiry, understanding and language acquisition, and to allow student reflection and expression;
  • emphasises, through the learner profile, the development of the whole student – physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.
  • is exciting, innovative, meeting students’ personalised needs, satisfying all National Curriculum requirements and providing a framework for all national qualifications and accreditation, including GCSE.
 The Learner Profile at the centre of the MYP identifies the attitudes and attributes that we are seeking to develop in Skinners’ Kent Academy students:

As an IB World school, we track and report students’ Middle Years Programme (MYP) progress according to specified assessment criteria that correspond to the objectives of each subject group.

Teachers are responsible for structuring varied and valid MYP assessment tasks (including tests and examinations) that will allow students to demonstrate achievement according to the objectives for each subject group. MYP assessments can take many forms in order to satisfy the four criteria within their subject area.

Each of the four criteria within each subject area are graded from 1 (lowest) to 8 (highest)
  • In Year 7 students are assessed against MYP Assessment Criteria Year 1
  • In Years 8 & 9 students are assessed against MYP Assessment Criteria Year 3
  • In Years 10 & 11 students are assessed against MYP Assessment Criteria Year 5

MYP Grading, M refers to MYP, number represents the MYP grade for the criterion being assessed.
 Year 7 - 11
IB Middle Years Programme
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​Subjects

Sixth Form
IB Career-related Programme

IB Diploma Subjects
Career-Related Studies​