Planning for Progression
Synopsis:
This resource is a sample of our long term Year 7 planning document and a commentary of how we designed our scheme of work to ensure student progress whilst meeting the criteria of the four purposes and progression steps. It also contains examples of lessons and assessment from the schemes of work from Term 1a and Term 1b to demonstrate our key thinking processes.
Contextual information:
At the start of the process of planning for the new Curriculum for Wales (CfW), each department was asked to consider a students’ 5 year journey in our subject and which skills/knowledge they would require to be successful in this journey. With the freedom of not having to plan towards GCSE requirements as this was still unknown, we decided to base this journey on an area we knew would remain a constant - French grammar. We began by breaking down the current WJEC specification into grammar structures we would expect each year group to be able to master. We then selected topics to teach the grammar points within which would allow the Four Purposes to be fulfilled and planned the curriculum to ensure the students have the opportunity to progress within regard to the What Matters Statements (WMS) and Progression Steps. We were conscious that we did not want to turn the progression steps into a new set of ‘levels’ and have used them as a vehicle for planning rather than assessment.
We decided we wanted to explore identity in Y7 and what it means to be Welsh in comparison to what it means to be French. This first SOW allowed the students to explore identity but without the pressure of having to discuss their own family set up. They also really enjoyed working with an authentic French cartoon and creating their superhero alter ego.
This is the overview of our Term 1a SOW.
When planning this we started by looking for authentic material and choosing activities which would fulfil the four purposes and the WMS. We then decided what the assessment tasks would be and planned backwards from there. We found this way of planning gave us more focus and all of the lessons we subsequently planned were very clear in their directions and purpose.
Languages Connect Us - Progress Step 4
I can use my knowledge of connections, commonalities
and differences between languages to support my
language learning skills.
Pedagogical Principle 4
Means employing a blend of approaches including those that promote problem-solving, creative and
critical thinking
Progression Code
Making connections and transferring learning.
Languages Connect Us - Progress Step 4
I can use my knowledge of how languages work to
support further language learning.
Pedagogical Principle 2
Challenges all learners by encouraging them to recognise the importance of sustained effort in
meeting expectations that are high but achievable for them.
Progression Code
Increasing effectiveness as a learner.
This lesson overview highlights how we use the WMS and the pedagogical principles to plan our curriculum. We have also ensured that the students are able to progress in line with CfW progression code. By really promoting translanguaging skills, we have noticed an increased awareness in our students that they can use their Cymraeg and other language knowledge to help them develop French.
In our school, there are three assessment points (APs) for each year group. We have designed these progression tables to assess and monitor student progress. There is a progression table for each AP.
As our aim was to not simply turn the progression steps into new levels and use the progression steps as a vehicle for planning, the knowledge and skills listed in the progression table reflect what the student should be able to do if our curriculum is successful with regard to the Four Purposes, WMS and progressions steps for the LLC AOLE.
Whilst there are summative assessment tasks within the SOW, assessment is continuous and students can be credited for their achievement in their classwork book. Students are given the progression table at the start of each term so they are aware of the criteria they are working towards. We have found that this method of assessment has taken the high-stakes pressure off of our students as they know even if they have a bad day in the summative assessment they can still achieve and progress at their own speed.
Teachers grade the students for each box on the following criteria:
0 - no evidence 1 - limited evidence 2 - partially complete 3 - fully complete
These marks are then used to calculate a percentage score which determines the student’s progression indicator band (this is our school’s reporting system). Whilst the columns are hierarchical, a students can achieve elements of each box without completing the one below fully.
Our students have two books. One is for their formative feedback work and the second (their portfolio) is for their summative assessment. Having two books, has placed importance on the summative assessment and given students a sense of pride in their portfolio work.
This is an example of a task the students complete in their portfolio. The photo shows how the teacher has used the progression table to show what the student has achieved so far.
In this SOW, we discussed the impact that artists like Matisse and Monet have had on French culture and used their pictures to teach the students about how to give opinions, adjectival positioning and gender agreements. We found that most students really engaged with this topic and loved giving their opinions about the different paintings and styles. They also really engaged in making their own artwork in the styles of these artists and being able to describe it.
Like Term 1a, we decided on the final assessment task before planning the lessons. We also found that sharing our progression tables at the start of the AP period with the students was really motivating, particularly for our MAT students, as they are very keen to demonstrate their skills and show their knowledge.
Key to Communication - Progress Step 4
I can listen and read empathetically to gain
different people’s perspectives on various subjects.
Pedagogical Principle 6 Creates authentic contexts for learning.
Progression Code Increasing effectiveness as a learner.
Key to Communication - Progress Step 4
I can express and justify my thoughts and ideas. I
can interact with others, sharing my points of view
with empathy and respect.
Pedagogical Principle 3. Means employing a blend of approaches including direct teaching.
Progression Code
Increasing breadth and depth of knowledge.
Like the previous lesson overview, this example shows how we plan for student progress by increasing the complexity of sentences they are expected to produce. It also demonstrates how we are using the progression steps as a vehicle for planning progress rather than as discrete assessment indicators.
This is the first of two summative assessment tasks in the AP period. The students really enjoyed this task and loved putting on their art exhibition which was held during form time. Knowing that they were going to be displaying their work gave the students a real-life purpose for their work and really boosted engagement with the task.
The Art Gallery assessment fed into the the AP2 Progression Table. When you compare the progression tables from AP1 and AP2, you can see that the knowledge and skills in our second progression table build on the knowledge and skills from AP1. The requirements to achieve each of the hierarchy levels become more complex and are designed to allow the students to increase their breadth and depth of knowledge whilst simultaneously refining their application and use of skills.
Going forward our intention is to continue planning in this way and develop our progression tables further. Our next step is to develop continuity between Year 7 and Year 8. We have found that as a department, we have been reinvigorated in our planning - we are enjoying finding real life purposes and authentic materials with which to engage our students. There has also been an improvement in pupil progress and engagement. When we compared our Year 7 work from Term 1 2021/2022 with the work from Term 1 2022/2023, we saw a marked improvement in the quality of written French and the complexity of structures that the students are using. Anecdotally, we have also noticed that student engagement in lessons is better this year. Many of the students are very keen to progress in French and are using the progression tables to take responsibility for their own learning and progression.
If you would like any further detail on our processes in planning for progression please do contact me on r.bulleyment@johnbright.uk.