target setting in numeracy final - belb · target setting in numeracy ... are there any trends in...

Primary Mathematics Resource

Northern Ireland Education & Library Boards

Target Setting in Numeracy

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Target Setting in Numeracy

Target setting can sound easy in theory but is difficult to do in practice and many targets do not result in improved performance. In some instances people look at previous performance figures and suggest a target that looks ‘a bit better’. Others calculate targets as mathematical ‘steps’, making fixed increases, often with little thought as to how they will be achieved. Target getting is as important, if not more important than the target setting. The setting and monitoring of targets is an integral part of planning for improvement. Target setting should not be viewed as a statistical or administrative process carried out by a few. It is a key management process, which should be undertaken by all those responsible for delivering improvements. Definition of Targets Targets are measures, or indicators, of what the individual school wants to achieve in terms of improvement in performance. All targets must be:

• Clearly expressed and quantified • Informed by an accurate evaluation of what is currently being achieved • Time bound

The School Improvement Programme for Northern Ireland sets out in its advice for primary schools the following as a guide to target setting. ‘The setting of targets -specific and measurable goals to raise educational standards- encourages schools to focus on what they currently do, the improvements they wish to bring about, and why. The process of target setting can foster a sense of common purpose among the staff. In developing a shared understanding of the school’s aims and objectives, the means of achieving them and the part that each must play in working to the end. It will contribute to school effectiveness, particularly when it is carried out as part of the process of development planning. Target Setting – Advice for Primary Schools 1998 Tim Brighouse states ‘The effective use of targets, especially quantitative targets, helps schools articulate clearly what is expected of each pupil, class or group – or indeed of the school as a whole. Closely related to target setting is the targeting of particular pupils or groups in order to focus action, support and resources.’ ‘The setting of targets is most effective when individual teachers are fully involved in devising these targets and take responsibility for their achievement, and the pupils are fully aware of what is expected of them. This can only come about when the school has an on-going commitment to self-review and evaluation and is prepared to debate honestly and openly where and how it can improve on its previous best.’ The following is a guide to target setting in numeracy.

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End of Key Stage Assessment

End of Key Stage Assessment is statutory in primary schools in Northern Ireland. It is also statutory to set targets for End of Key Stage Assessment in English and Mathematics within the School Development Plan. Before you decide on your targets it is important to examine the following aspects of your performance:

Comparing your school to the available benchmarking data for each year Looking for performance trends in your school over 3 years or more Tracking cohorts of pupils from Key Stage 1 through to Key Stage 2 to consider ‘value

added’ The following questions may be considered when analysing your school’s performance:

For each year, within which quartile does your school fall in comparison to the benchmarking data?

- Consider KS1 Level 2+ and Level 3 - Consider KS2 Level 4+ and Level 5

Does your school compare more favourably with other schools for Key Stage 1 or for Key Stage 2?

Are there any trends in either of the key stages over a 3 or 4 year period? Are there any trends in the Level 2+, Level 3 (KS1) results or Level 4+, Level 5 (KS2)

results over a 3 or 4 year period? Comparing levels, are you better at getting pupils to Level 2 in Key Stage 1 and Level 4 in

Key Stage 2 or do your results show that you extend the more able pupils to achieve levels 3 (KS1) and 5 (KS2)?

For each cohort of pupils, have you compared their performance in Key Stage 1 with their performance 3 years later at the end of Key Stage 2?

Do most/all of your pupils who achieve Level 2+ at the end of Key Stage 1 progress to achieve Level 4+ at the end of Key Stage 2 and how does this compare to the Northern Ireland trends?

Do most/all of Level 3 pupils (KS1) progress to achieve Level 5 (KS2) and how does this compare to the Northern Ireland trends?

Can you predict what percentage of pupils will achieve Level 5 based on their Key Stage 1 results?

Do you track achievement each year to see if your predictions are on target? Does your school perform better in English or Mathematics when compared to the

benchmarking data? Is there any significant difference between the performance of girls and the performance of

boys?

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You should also consider circumstances which may impact upon the results in a particular year:

Particularly small cohort which may have distorted figures Unusually high proportion of pupils with specific difficulties Teacher absence / illness Pupil attendance Proportion of pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) School moving into a different Free School Meals (FSM) Band

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CASE STUDY Farben Primary School has a current enrolment of 182 pupils and is in Free School Meals Band 2 (10 – 19.99% of children entitled to free school meals). The following is their End of Key Stage performance data for Mathematics:

05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11

KS1

L2+

Percentage 100 100 95.8 90.5 100 100 KS1

L2+ Quartile 1/2 1/2 3 4 1/2 1/2

KS1

L3

Percentage 47.6 63.8 53.2 26.2 59.4 48.4 KS1

L3 Quartile 2 1 2 4 1 2

KS2

L4+

Percentage 78.7 72.1 80.0 89.4 96.8 81.6 KS2

L4+ Quartile 3 4 3 2 1 3

KS2

L5

Percentage 24.6 26.8 45.8 33.3 58.3 46.6 KS2

L5 Quartile 4 4 2 3 1 2

Quartile Key 1 = Above the Upper Quartile 2 = Above the Median / Below Upper Quartile 3= Above the Lower Quartile / Below Median 4 = Below Lower Quartile This table shows the performance of specific cohorts of pupils at KS1 and then 3 years later at KS2. The ‘difference’ represents the percentage difference in the performance of the cohort at L2+ (KS1) compared to L4+ (KS2) and at L3 (KS1) compared to L5 (KS2).

Summer 2009 Cohort Summer 2010 Cohort Summer 2011 Cohort

P4 L2+ 04/05 100 P4 L2+

05/06 100 P4 L2+ 06/07 95.8

P7 L4+ 07/08 89.4 P7 L4+

08/09 96.8 P7 L4+ 09/10 81.6

Difference -10.6 Difference -3.2 Difference -14.2

NI Difference -14.5 NI Difference -12.8 NI Difference -12.0

P4 L3 04/05 47.6 P4 L3

05/06 63.8 P4 L3 06/07 53.2

P7 L5 07/08 33.3 P7 L5

08/09 58.3 P7 L5 09/10 46.6

Difference -14.3 Difference -5.5 Difference -6.6

NI Difference -5.1 NI Difference -3.2 NI Difference -2.9

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The percentage of pupils achieving Level 3 at KS1 has always been above the Median apart from a significant drop in 2008/09. The 2008/09 KS1 cohort has a significant number of pupils with Special Educational Needs.

The percentage of pupils achieving Level 4+ at KS2 has remained above 80% since 2007/08. This co-incides with a 3 year focus on Numeracy as a main priority for development which started in September 2007.

The percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 improved in 2007/08 and this has been maintained with the exception of the 2008/09 cohort.

In the last two years the comparison of Level 3 (KS1) and Level 5 (KS2) for particular cohorts has been closer to the Northern Ireland average than it was for the Summer 09 cohort.

Targets for 2011/12 The following targets have been set following discussion with the Year 6 teacher.

Key Stage 1 Key Stage 2

Level 2+ Level 3 Level 4+ Level 5

100% 50% 80% * 30% *

* Although these are lower than last year’s Key Stage 2 targets they represent a realistic target for this cohort of pupils

Only 26.2% of this cohort achieved Level 3 at the end of Key Stage 1. However it is our target that all pupils who achieved Level 3 at the end of Key Stage 1 will achieve Level 5 at the end of Key Stage 2. Our target is to achieve 30% of KS2 pupils at Level 5. Two new pupils have joined the school during Key Stage 2 and we would expect both pupils to achieve Level 5.

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1. Benchmarking (Statutory) Compare performance with other schools

• Free School Meals Setting key stage targets to be included in SDP and Numeracy Action plans

Do you know how to benchmark your school against similar schools? Who is responsible for this? How is your performance compared to other similar schools? Is the school in:

• Lower quartile • Middle quartile • Upper quartile

Is this the same for both key stages? Are there significant differences in performance in Literacy and Numeracy?

Circulars 1998/24, 2007/16 1998 No.307 Education Regulations ESaGS Better Numeracy Count, Read : Succeed Interboard Handbook Recent Benchmarking data for schools

2. Identifying Trends • Performance at KS1 &

KS2 over past 4 years • Comparative

performance between KS1 and KS2

• Attainment target trend analysis

• Gender analysis

3. Baseline the school – gathering information Analysis of school data using

1. KS results 2. NFER data 3. Attendance 4. SEN 5. INCAS 6. Other relevant data

Have you looked at school trends over past 4 years? Has performance improved or declined? What explanations are there for any difference in performance? Are some groups of children achieving more or less than other groups? What are the school’s strengths? What patterns do you see emerging over time? Are there obvious areas in need of improvement? Are there any reasons why these areas are in need of improvement? Is there a correlation between pupil achievement at KS1 and then KS2? Who needs to be involved at the each level of target setting?

Are the targets – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound? Do all teachers know/need to know targets? Have targets been set with whole staff collaboration? Have the targets been based on current evidence/performance? Have the targets been included in SDP/AP? Who are the targets for?

Target Setting Process Questions to Consider References

ELB CASS Literacy/Numeracy coordinator training programme Spring 2010, notes and handout

ELB CASS Literacy/Numeracy coordinator training programme Spring 2010, notes and handouts Target setting – Guidance for Primary schools, School Improvement Programme 1998 ESaGS Better Numeracy Interboard Numeracy Handbook

Target setting for Primary schools: School Improvement Programme WELB-CASS: Target setting in the classroom http://www.welb-cass.org/site/homepage.asp?sector=p&page_area=4

4. Setting ‘Smart’ targets a. Targets set for area identified for improvement b. Targets set at different levels

• Whole school • Class level • Individual level • Subject specific

c. Staff involved at each level are included in process d. All targets disseminated to whole staff

TARGET SETTING

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TARGET SETTING

DOs and DON’Ts

DO

Set targets as soon as possible after data analysis is completed Make your targets realistic but challenging Ensure all teaching staff are aware of their role in the setting and getting of targets Involve pupils in target setting, where appropriate Consider carefully pupils’ previous performance when setting targets Track pupils as they move towards the targets Compare ‘like’ with ‘like’

- e.g. if starting to use digital form of Progress in Maths tests, exercise caution in comparing results with pencil and paper tests.

DON’T

Set too many targets Set targets that are not challenging

- e.g. setting end of key stage 2 targets based on where children are at in September of P7

Set targets that are unrealistic - e.g. setting a target for all pupils in a class to increase standardised score by 4 points

Set targets without consulting relevant members of staff

target setting in numeracy final - belb · target setting in numeracy ... are there any trends in...

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