Progress Reporting

At Newlands, progress reports help families understand how their child is developing across the curriculum. Reports are issued through Arbor and include each student’s name, form, year group and attendance, along with feedback from subject teachers. They show curriculum progress, attitude to learning and homework. Most year groups receive three reports each year, while Year 7 receives two to allow time for students to settle before the first report is shared.

Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9)

At Key Stage 3, students are not given GCSE style grades. Instead, teachers describe how well each student is learning the curriculum taught so far using four descriptors: Developing, Secure, Mastering and Fluent.

Students who are developing are beginning to grasp new content, while those who are secure understand what has been taught and can work independently. A student who is mastering their learning recalls knowledge easily and applies it accurately, and those described as fluent demonstrate confident understanding and can connect ideas across topics.

Key Stage 4 and 5 (GCSE, A Level and BTEC)

At GCSE, subjects are graded on the 9–1 scale, with 4 considered a standard pass and 5 a strong pass. To give a clearer picture of progress, teachers use fine grading throughout the course — for example, 5+ indicates the top of grade 5, 5= shows secure performance, and 5 suggests the lower end of that grade.

A Level and BTEC courses follow the same principle, using fine grades such as C+, C=, C or M+, M=, M to show whether a student is working at the top, middle or lower end of a grade. These help track progress and identify where support or stretch may be needed. Final exam results are always reported as whole grades.

Attitude to Learning

Each report also includes an attitude to learning score, shown on a simple scale from 1 to 4. This reflects how a student approaches their work and participation, helping families see effort and engagement alongside academic progress.

Questions and Support

For subject specific queries, parents can contact the relevant teacher. For broader concerns, the form tutor or Head of Year will be happy to help.