Your child may be able to tell you what they studied today, but understanding how well they are progressing can feel less straightforward. A mark on a test gives you one piece of information. It helps to know what that mark measures and what your child should work on next.
Key Stage 3 covers Years 7 to 9. These years build the foundation for later GCSE or IGCSE study. At Regent International School, our Secondary curriculum also places emphasis on character, wellbeing and preparation for life beyond school.
Explore Secondary learning at Regent
There are assessments before GCSEs
Regent’s published Assessment Policy includes classroom and curriculum tests in Key Stage 3, as well as end-of-year examinations in Year 9. Students are therefore assessed before their external GCSE or IGCSE qualifications.
How Regent tracks progress
The policy describes half-termly assessment and targets informed by previous outcomes, CAT4 and relevant English-language assessments. Targets are shared in October. For GCSE subjects in Key Stages 3 and 4, the policy uses a 1–9 level system. A Key Stage 3 level is a school assessment of learning, not an awarded GCSE qualification.
Teachers report progress against targets using these terms:
- WT — Working towards target.
- OT — On target to achieve the end-of-year target.
- ET — Exceeding target expectations.
Reports available through the VLE include progress, achievement and Attitude to Learning. Ask your child’s teacher to explain how a subject’s evidence relates to their target and what improvement would look like in their next piece of work.
Read Regent’s published Assessment Policy
Look for the learning behind a mark
Consider a hypothetical example. A child receives the same percentage on two different maths tests. On the second, the questions are more demanding and require them to explain their reasoning. The identical percentage alone cannot tell you whether their understanding has improved. You need the context of the task.
The reverse also matters. A higher score on a familiar exercise may show successful practice, but you may still want to ask whether your child can use that knowledge in an unfamiliar problem. These are useful questions when discussing how schools track student progress.
Make the report a conversation
Begin with your child’s perspective. Which subject feels more manageable now? Which piece of work are they proud of? Where do they need help? Then look at the report together and choose one area to discuss with their teacher.
If you want Year 7 progress reports explained in practical terms, ask for an example of work that meets the next learning goal. A concrete example can be easier to understand than a grade in isolation. You can also ask which habits would help at home and when it would be useful to review progress again.
Choose a small next step
Turn the conversation into something your child can do. They might practise explaining an answer, review vocabulary from a recent topic or organise their revision materials. Agree a manageable action and return to it after they have had time to practise.
Assessment becomes most helpful to families when it answers two questions clearly: what can my child do now, and what will help them move forward? Keep those questions at the centre of your conversations with school.
