KS2 MODERATION POLICY

Principles

  • Moderation is an educational model designed to ensure that teachers’ professional judgements are in line with national standards so that they can apply these judgements when making their assessments.
  • There is a statutory obligation to moderate Y6 assessment judgements in 25% of schools each year – this also includes moderation of schools where SAAOs have concerns about standards and accuracy of assessment in KS2.
  • Priority 1 schools, schools with entirely new Y6 teams and NQTs in Y6 are also moderated.
  • There is a reciprocal appeals process in place with Education Leeds.

Procedures

  • Schools receive a letter in the last week of theSpring term informing them that they are to be moderated and asking them to send a class list, ranked according to levels, for writing.
  • Y6 teachers then attenda briefing meeting early in the Summer term to meet with their moderator and make a mutually convenient date to visit school.
  • Moderators will ring the Y6 teachers the day before the moderation visit to inform them of the pupils who have been selected for moderation. This will be a minimum of 3 pupils for each class from a range of abilities.
  • It is suggested that headteachers give their Y6 teachers some time out of the classroom to prepare for the moderation visit and that they have a full dialogue with them about data and expectations so that the teachers are prepared for that discussion with the moderator.
  • Headteachersare asked to be available during the moderation visit so that moderators are able to meet them before moderation and feed back to them afterwards
  • Moderators use the national level descriptors alongside the revised assessment criteria for writing
  • Before leaving the school it is important that both teachers and moderator have come to an agreement about the level to be awarded to each pupil moderated. If this is proving difficult, discussions with a senior member of staff (e.g. Headteacher, Assessment coordinator) should take place. If agreement cannot be reached please inform the Headteacher and contact Alison Philipson who will arrange additional moderation advice and support (informal appeals process).
  • The moderator will complete the moderation report before leaving school and, once this has been signed by all parties, a copy will be left in school and a copy sent to Alison Philipson
  • One-form entry schools will receive paired moderation visits where two moderators and all teachers involved attend both moderation visits – this is valuable CPD for both the moderators and teachers in one-form entry schools
  • Three-form entry schools will also receive paired moderation visits
  • All new KS1 moderators shadow one of their mentor’s moderation visits and are shadowed during their first moderation visit by Alison Philipson
  • All experienced moderators are shadowed every 2/3 years for quality assurance purposes

The moderation code of conduct

Moderators will –

•Be objective and impartial

•Make honest, fair, reliable judgements

•Work with integrity, behaving with courtesy and sensitivity

•Minimise stress

•Communicate clearly and frankly

•Focus on the assessment not the teacher

•Respect confidentiality

June 2014