Reporting

The School ensures that parents are kept fully informed about their children’s attainment, progress and attitude in their studies. The formal mechanism for communicating this information consists of half-termly grades, together with a carefully integrated system of parents' evenings and written reports. The aim is to enable pupils, parents and staff to monitor academic progress on a regular basis. Each half-term, pupils are awarded attainment and attitude grades for all subjects including Games. The only exception to this is General Studies in the Sixth Form.

There is at least one parents' evening for each year group during the school year. There are two parents’ evenings in the case of Years 7, 10 and 13. At a parents’ evening a pupil’s subject teachers and tutor are available for consultation, together with the two deputy heads and the Headmaster. An appointments system operates, and interviews are designed for relatively straightforward or routine matters. In cases of particular academic or behavioural difficulty, parents are requested to arrange supplementary interviews in the course of the year at mutually convenient times.

> Attainment Report Grades: Years 7 - 9

A: Attainment is of a high standard within the year group of the pupil.

B: Attainment is good and in keeping with the standard for the year group.

C: Attainment is generally satisfactory although there are areas of weakness.

D: The pupil is underachieving in relation to potential.

> Attainment Report Grades: Years 10 – 11

A: Attainment at this level throughout the two years should lead to one of the highest grades at GCSE (Grades A*/A).

B: Attainment at this level throughout the two years should lead to a high grade at GCSE (A/B).

C: Attainment at this level throughout the two years means that a pass at GCSE may be expected with reasonable confidence (B/C).

D: Attainment at this level is below that required for a GCSE pass to be anticipated with any confidence (C/D).

> Attainment Report Grades: Years 12 - 13

A: Attainment at this level throughout the Sixth Form should lead to the highest grade at AS/A-level (Grade A).

B: Attainment at this level throughout the Sixth Form should lead to a high grade at AS/A-level (A/B).

C: At this level of attainment a pass grade at AS/A-level may be expected with reasonable confidence (C/D).

D: Attainment at this level is below that required for a pass at AS/A-level to be anticipated with any confidence (E/U).

> Attitude Report Grades: Years 7 - 13

Attitude grades are the same for all years.

1: The student consistently makes maximum effort and shows an excellent attitude.

2: Attitude and effort have been good.

3: Effort is inconsistent. A more positive attitude and greater application will lead to higher attainment.

4: The pupil must work harder and adopt a more positive attitude to succeed.

Grades 1 and 2 are the expected levels for attitude for Hereford Cathedral School pupils.

A Grade 3 on a progress card or full report will be qualified by a teacher’s written comment.

A Grade 4 means that the pupil is wilfully putting in very little effort and is perhaps negatively affecting the performance of others. This grade, which is infrequently awarded, is designed to highlight pupils who are significantly underachieving. When a Grade 4 is awarded the subject teacher liaises with the pupil’s tutor and head of house. The parents of a pupil who has been awarded a Grade 4 are contacted before a report is received so that a clear explanation can be given as to the reasons for the awarding of this grade.

All grades awarded are based on an accurate assessment of marks obtained either under examination conditions or in normal term work.