Assessment and setting of Year 9 pupils in Castle Rushen High School

Summary

A request was made for detailed assessment and setting data for Year 9 pupils at Castle Rushen High School for September 2020. The Department of Education disclosed that the school uses a 'broad banding' system rather than rigid sets, providing class names and pupil counts, but withheld specific achievement levels and subject-specific setting details as they are not held in the requested format.

Key Facts

• Castle Rushen High School uses a 'broad banding' system for Year 9 pupils instead of rigid ability sets.
• Banding decisions were based on Key Stage 2 data, Year 7 levels, Year 8 tracking data, and professional consultation.
• Common band structures apply to English, Maths, Science, Languages, Humanities, Arts, and IT.
• Quest, PE, Games, and Technology are exceptions where grouping is influenced by practicalities and health and safety.
• Specific upper, lower, and median achievement levels for each set were not provided as the data is not held in that format.

Data Disclosed

• 2020-09-22
• 2020-10-19
• 1482237
• 9 Atlas – 29
• 9 Selene – 12
• 9 Typhon – 12
• 9 Nike – 29
• 9 Hera – 20
• 9 Plutus – 14
• section 8 (3) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015

Exemptions Cited

• Information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps
• Data not held in the format requested (Section 8(3) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015)

Original Request

Please could you furnish me with the details of the assessment and setting for pupils in year 9 for the start of the September term 2020? 

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Corporate Services Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Hamilton House Peel Road, Douglas IM1 5EZ Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im Our ref: 1482237 19 October 2020

Dear ###,

We write further to your request which was received on 22 September 2020 and which states:

"Please could you furnish me with the details of the assessment and setting for pupils in year 9 for the start of the September term 2020? I would like the information on each subject where the pupils are set according to ability and on each subject set on mixed abilities of each pupil? I would like this information by reference to the national curriculum levels as I believe this is the grade system followed by Castle Rushen High School? For each subject please can you list for each subject where the pupils are set according to ability? How many pupils are in each set? What are the upper and lower levels with the median being included of the pupils achievement for each set in Year 9 in Castle Rushen September 2020 term? ( e.g. Year 9 maths set 1 20 pupils with levels between 7c 6c the median being 6b ) Finally what is the policy of Castle Rushen on setting pupils in relation to their academic ability in year 9?" Our response to your request is as follows: Assessment and setting for pupils in year 9 While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because the school implement a system of broad banding, where students are put in classes with some reference to prior attainment, but not in a linear way and this approach avoids rigid sets. Subjects set according to ability and mixed abilities of pupils

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because the school implement a system of broad banding, where students are put in classes with some reference to prior attainment, but not in a linear way and this approach avoids rigid sets. Grade system followed by Castle Rushen High School While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because the school implement a system of broad banding, where students are put in classes with some reference to prior attainment, but not in a linear way and this approach avoids rigid sets. By way of advice and assistance banding decisions were based upon a number of data points including: • The students’ end of Key Stage 2 data (National Curriculum (NC) levels and other transition information from the primary schools) • The students’ end of Year 7 levels in core subjects (NC levels) • The students’ tracking data from Year 8 in core subjects, using the latest data entry from before lockdown (NC levels/other assessment info) • Consultation with subject team leaders as appropriate – Professional holistic view of individuals as learners. Subjects where pupils are set according to ability While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because the school implement a system of broad banding, where students are put in classes with some reference to prior attainment, but not in a linear way and this approach avoids rigid sets. By way of advice and assistance Castle Rushen High School have a common band structure for students in the following subjects: • English • Maths • Science • Languages • Humanities • Arts • IT The exceptions are Quest, PE, Games and Technology. In these subjects the practicalities have an influence and the school group students to ensure health and safety is maintained. Number of pupils in each set

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because the school implement a system of broad banding, where students are put in classes with some reference to prior attainment, but not in a linear way and this approach avoids rigid sets. By way of advice and assistance the current Year 9 band numbers are: • 9 Atlas – 29 • 9 Selene – 12 • 9 Typhon – 12 • 9 Nike – 29 • 9 Hera – 20 • 9 Plutus – 14 Upper and lower levels of pupil’s achievement in each set for Year 9 While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. This is because the information is not held in the format requested by Castle Rushen High School. Where the data is not held in the format that has been requested section 8 (3) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 states; Nothing in this Act requires a public authority to – (a) Create or derive information from information that it holds; (b) Undertake research into, or analysis of, information that it holds. Castle Rushen High School’s policy on setting pupils While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because the school implement a system of broad banding, where students are put in classes with some reference to prior attainment, but not in a linear way and this approach avoids rigid sets. Please quote the reference number 1482237 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Coordinator