Key Stage 3 Reporting
At Key Stage 3, students are assessed against Age-Related Criteria (ARC) which outline what a typical learner is expected to know, understand and apply by the end of each year. These criteria are specific to each subject and have been designed to reflect increasing challenge as students move from Year 7 to Year 8.
Teachers use evidence from classwork, homework and key assessments to make a holistic judgment of each student’s current performance. Students are reported as:
-Developing – not yet consistently meeting age-expected standards
- Meeting – working at age-expected standards
- Exceeding – working above age-expected standards
This reporting approach helps families understand how well their child is progressing in relation to the curriculum they are being taught.
How to use the Age-Related Criteria (ARC)
Each subject has a set of criteria outlining what success looks like at Developing, Meeting and Exceeding. When parents receive their child’s report, they can use these documents to:
- See what knowledge and skills are being developed throughout the year
- Understand the expectations for their child’s age and stage
- Support learning at home by revisiting areas listed within the criteria
- Discuss targets with their child by identifying next steps for improvement
On reports, teachers will issue personalised targets mapped to the criteria, so that families can see exactly which skills or knowledge will move a student towards the next stage of development.
We encourage parents to review these criteria alongside their child and use them to guide conversations about progress, strengths and areas for growth.
This approach ensures consistency across subjects, helps students reflect on their learning, and provides parents with meaningful information about academic progress throughout Key Stage 3.
Further Reading
The Year 7 Age-Related Criteria (ARC) are below. The Year 8 criteria will be published later in the year.