• A system to inform target setting for pupils of all ages whose performance is outside national expectations.
• A system to complement and work alongside statutory assessment at key stages 1, 2, 3 and 4.
• An approach that may be used annually, as a baseline assessment or as a yearly measurement of added value.
• A tool to support curriculum development, school improvement and self-evaluation.
• A common structure and language for schools and services to judge pupil performance.
• A tool to help with the inclusion of all pupils.

 

PIVATS is appropriate for a wide range of pupils with needs that are additional to or different from other learners. This includes pupils:

• whose statutory assessment performance at key stages 2, 3 and 4 falls outside national expectations;
• who are working at early developmental levels, P1(i) to P8 and up to level 4 of the national curriculum in English, Mathematics, Science and ICT;
• who attend mainstream primary schools, mainstream secondary schools, special schools, pupil referral units or resourced provision;
• who may have special educational needs, including those with a statement of SEN; and/or
• who may be described as 'underachieving'.

PIVATS is based upon attainment within the stated range but it is not disability specific, age-specific or linked to any type of provision.

PIVATS is an extended version of the revised P Scales and National Curriculum levels.

Each of the level descriptions expressed as P1(i) to P8 and 1C to 4 has been differentiated into five stepping stones to lead to the P Scale milestone and National Curriculum level 4.

In English, we have chosen to develop two separate but complementary sections within speaking and listening to reflect the development of expression and comprehension skills within language and communication. The English elements of PIVATS are closely linked to the Framework for teaching the National Literacy Strategy and the National Strategy for key stage 3:

• speaking and listening - comprehension (P1(i) to P8 and level 1C to 4);
• speaking and listening - expression (P1(i) to P8 and level 1C to 4);
• reading (P1(i) to P8 and level 1C to 4); and
• writing (P1(i) to P8 and level 1C to 4).

Similarly in Mathematics, the PIVATS elements take full account of the Framework for teaching the National Numeracy Strategy and the National Strategy for key stage 3:

• using and applying mathematics (P1(i) to P8 and level 1 to 4);
• number (P1(i) to P8 and level 1C to 4); and
• shape, space and measures (P1(i) to P8 and level 1C to 4).

In the Science elements of PIVATS, we have chosen to develop separate but complementary sections for scientific enquiry, life processes and living things, materials and their properties and physical processes:

• scientific enquiry (P1(i) to P8 and level 1 to 4);
• life processes and living things (P1(i) to P8 and level 1 to 4);
• materials and their properties (P1(i) to P8 and level 1 to 4); and
• physical processes (P1(i) to P8 and level 1 to 4).

We have also chosen to retain the original P Scales (1998) for Personal and Social Development but extended them to take account of the criteria for measuring emotional and behavioural development published by DfES and QCA in 2001 in "Supporting school improvement - Emotional and behavioural development":

• interacting and working with others (conduct behaviour) (PSD1 to PSD 16);
• independent and organisational skills (emotional behaviour) (PSD1 to PSD 16); and
• attention (learning behaviour) (PSD1 to PSD 16).

In ICT we have:

• finding things out (P1(i) to P8 and level 1 to 4);
• developing ideas and making things happen (P1(i) to P8 and level 1 to 4);
• exchanging and sharing information (P1(i) to P8 and level 1 to 4).

• PIVATS allows schools to show the added value that they offer to pupils with needs that are additional to or different from other learners.
• Teachers should use PIVATS to make rounded judgements about their pupils' attainment to apply a 'best fit' judgement.
• The PIVATS performance indicators have been written to reflect 'can do' statements to assist effective assessment.
• PIVATS is intended for summative assessment, it may be most appropriate to apply this at the same time as:
• standard assessment tasks/tests (SATs);
• the end of a key stage; and
• immediately prior to an annual review for a pupil with a statement of special educational needs.
• PIVATS complements those schemes by providing a means to measure the attainment of pupils operating below level 1 and at early national curriculum levels.
• PIVATS may also be used as a baseline assessment for a pupil of any age whose attainment and progress give cause for concern.
• It is not intended to be used for day-to-day assessment, nor should it replace the finely graded assessment schemes used for individual assessment and curriculum planning.

• Lancashire LA has developed a sophisticated approach to analysing the data that the PIVATS system offers through an online service.
• This is available on the internet through the following web site (subscription required): https://lccsecure.lancashire.gov.uk/pivats
• After schools, services, LAs or other agencies have entered the results for each of their pupils on-line, the following reports are immediately available (use the links to the right to see examples):
• Individual Pupil Profile - This report prints a chart for each pupil selected from the list of those that are on the PIVATS database for the school/service. A different coloured line is shown for each year that the child has been assessed. This chart shows graphically the strengths and weaknesses of individual pupils over the years for which data has been entered
• Individual Pupil Performance Table - Individual and average scores are shown with a facility to enter targets
• Subject Profiles - These reports display the most recent test for English, mathematics, science, ICT and personal and social development for all pupils selected in age order. Pupils that have done particularly well or less well compared to others in their age groups can be clearly seen from the charts.
• Pupil Rankings - All pupils or those selected are shown in the table. The score for the PIVATS aspect chosen at the time of the latest test is shown. Pupils are listed in PIVATS level score order, the highest first. The score is coloured according to the cohort that each pupil was in at the time of the test. Cohort 1 - Red, Cohort 2 - Yellow, Cohort 3 - White, Cohort 4 - Green, Cohort 5 - Lilac and Cohort 6 - Blue.
• Pupil Summary - This report shows all 17 PIVATS level scores for each pupil, or those selected, listed alphabetically. Each score is coloured according to the cohort as listed above.
• Percentage Movement in PIVATS Levels - This report shows the movement of pupils in each of the six cohorts. This is an excellent illustration of the progress that the different cohorts make over the year. It is particularly useful to provide a picture of the variations across the school, LA and nationally. This report provides prediction percentages to support target setting. Allows information to be viewed in cohort or key stages for each aspect assessed.
• PIVATS Values Percentiles Report - This report is used to show where typical pupils lie and those in the year group that are especially strong or weak in particular areas. As the national PIVATS database fills up with more and more Pupils this facility is becoming extremely useful for schools to compare the performance of different pupils within each cohort against this national database. This report also allows schools to identify low or high attainers within each cohort, track pupil progress and assist in deciding if targets are sufficiently challenging.
• Audit Trail - This report shows a table of the data that has been inputted for selected pupils, including the dates of assessment and personal details.
• Data Download - This facility allows data for all pupils in the school or those selected to be downloaded in comma separated format. The information can then be loaded into software such as Microsoft Excel to allow schools to print their own charts, tabulations or reports that they require.
• PIVATS Self Evaluation Report 1 - This is a written report based on the PIVATS value percentiles and the Ofsted proportions, which gives simple, easy to understand sentences that can be copied and pasted.
• PIVATS Self Evaluation Report 2 - This is a written report based on the PIVATS percentage movement in PIVATS levels report and the Ofsted proportions, which gives simple, easy to understand sentences that can be copied and pasted.

Supporting Inclusion

• By informing decisions, and monitoring effectiveness of pupil Placement.
• Through offering a basis for comparing a variety of provision.
• By providing a mechanism to inform Statement criteria linked to pupil performance.
• Through focusing on pupil attainment rather than disability, learning difficulty or social status.

• To offer consistency in assessing pupil attainment at early developmental levels and up to level 4 in national curriculum whose performance is outside of national expectations.
• To support early assessment and identification of pupils with particular needs.
• To provide a graphical representation of pupil progress.
• To allow cohorts of pupils with similar attainments to be identified.

• By measuring the attainment of pupils operating below level 1 (P1i-P8) and up to level 4 in the national curriculum in language and literacy, mathematics, science, ICT and personal and social development.
• By assisting the target setting process at individual, cohort, school and LA levels.
• Through developing benchmark data based on pupil performance and attainment.
• Through identification of areas of strength and areas for development in learning and teaching.
• By providing a focus for staff development and a mechanism to support Performance Management.

• By tracking pupils' progress as well as their achievement.
• By offering a tool for headteachers, their staff, governing bodies and LAs to use to analyse the extent to which they have effectively raised pupil achievement through teaching and learning strategies.
• Through showing trends in value-added performance over time in relation to school improvement initiatives.

By providing additional guidance in monitoring and target setting for individual pupils and specific groups of pupils, such as boys or girls, different ability groups or different ethnic groups.

As part of the target setting process some of our pupils will be set PIVATS improvement targets which will allow us to track their achievements in more detail.