Dear Parent/Carer of Year 10 Students,

 

Your child’s report is now available to view on the Arbor App under Report Cards. This letter is intended to support you in understanding the report and to help guide conversations about your child’s progress.

 

GCSEs are graded using the 9–1 system (introduced in 2017), replacing the previous A*–U grades. A conversion table is included below to show how the new system compares to the old one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For students studying BTEC qualifications, grades range from Level 2 Distinction* (L2D*) to Level 1 Pass (L1P). A chart is also provided to show how these grades compare to GCSE equivalents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Information Included in the Report

Attendance and Attitude to Learning

Regular attendance is crucial at Key Stage 4 to ensure students do not miss key knowledge and skills. The report shows your child’s current attendance percentage; we expect all students to aim for at least 96% attendance.

 

Equally important is a positive attitude to learning. Students make the best progress when they are focused, work hard, and respond positively to feedback. Descriptors explaining attitude to learning grades are provided at the end of this letter.

 

Target Grades

Each student has a target grade for every subject. These are based on FFT20 estimates (benchmarks from high-performing schools nationally) alongside teachers’ professional judgement.

Target grades indicate what your child should aim for, but they are not a limit. With strong effort and commitment, students can exceed their targets. These targets will be reviewed throughout Key Stage 4.

 

Working At Grades (WAGs)

Working At Grades reflect your child’s current performance based on the knowledge and skills covered so far. They are informed by classwork, assessments, and trial exams, while also considering how much of the course remains.

At this stage in Year 10, it is normal for WAGs to be lower than target grades. As more content is taught and understanding develops, WAGs should improve over time.

 

Fine grading is used as follows:

  • 5-→ Working at the lower end of Grade 5
  • 5→ Securely working at Grade 5
  • 5+→ Working at the higher end of Grade 5 (approaching Grade 6)

 

Pre Public Exam (PPE) Grades

This grade reflects your child’s performance in their recent Year 10 assessments or exams.

 

Likely Outcome Grades

Teachers have also provided a Likely Outcome Grade. This is based on your child’s current work, assessments, trial exams, and attitude to learning.

It represents the grade your child is likely to achieve at the end of Year 11 if they continue working at their current level. These grades may go up or down depending on future progress.

 

How Can You Support Your Child?

Following their trial exams and current grades, some students may identify topics or subjects they need to improve. Teachers will continue to provide feedback and opportunities in lessons to address this.

 

At home, students should:

  • Review and revise areas of weakness
  • Consolidate learning regularly
  • Act on feedback provided in school

We will also invite you to attend an information evening early in Year 11, where we will outline the Year 11 programme and how we will continue to support your child.

 

Further Support

If you have any questions about your child’s report, please contact the relevant subject teacher or your child’s CREW leader in the first instance.

 

Kind regards,
Sarah Nelson
Assistant Headteacher (Student Progress)