Article ID: TT041 - last modified: June 22 2010 10:37:40.
Using Primary Target Tracker to identify children not making expected progress  

Target Tracker software provides a number of ways to identify children that are not making expected progress.

 

Primary Target Tracker

 

Filtering by Age Related Expectation

Load file into PTT then click on the Filter menu and Age Related. The options are to filter just the Low Attainers, just the Targeted Group, those On Track or the More Able children. The children that appear in the Targeted group filter are those that are perhaps only one or two sub levels from their age related expectation.

 

Sorting children by Range Above / Below Target

Select the heading of the column on the tracking data sheet containing the children's most recent assessment e.g. the Reading TAY5 column for children at the beginning of Y6.  

From the Sort menu select Range Above/Below Target

The data in the column will be ordered by the number or sub levels each child missed their target by, followed by those who matched their target and then those who exceeded their target.

Column 4 of the Tracking Data sheet shows how many sub levels difference for each child. So the child at the top of the list missed by most and the child at the bottom of the list exceeded their target by the most sub levels.

Children will not be included in the sort if they have no targets, i.e. no Reception or KS1 data.

This process will highlight children that although may be achieving a good level for their age have not reached their target set from their Reception or KS1 results.

 

Making Good Progress reports

These reports accessed from the Reports menu in Primary Target Tracker show the progress children are making from FSP to end of Y1 or Y2 for KS1 children, or progress from KS1 to present for KS2 children.

They are based on Teacher Assessment for Yrs 1 to 5 but on Test results for the end of Y6.

The report can be run using data for the end of the previous year or data for the current year, using current year requires there to be teacher assessments in the current year TA column, probably feeding back from the Termly Tracker program.

The children's names are highlighted according to if they are making slow, expected or good progress, or are stuck or regressing. The number or levels progress expected varies according to year group so a colour key is provided in each report. From V11.8 the report also allows the number of sub levels above or below expected progress to be shown.

The report can be expanded to show sub levels by clicking on the Show ABC levels button. When viewing the report in this way (from V11.8) the Age Related bands are shown, making it easier to identify key groups of children.

 

On Screen Calculation information

The cells at the top of the tracking data sheet give information about the numbers in the columns below.

This data is dynamic meaning that it reflects just the children currently on screen .

It may be a useful exercise to compare the results for different groups of children e.g. by filtering just the boys onto the tracking data screen and then comparing the results on screen to those for the girls. It can be used to show results for any of your Stored Filters or Groups

The default view shows the percentage of children at a particular level, hover your mouse over the cell to see the level.

The data can be changed to show the %, or the number, or the number of children Above/On/or Below their target.

Do this in the Options menu by clicking On Screen Calculation and choosing from the 3 options available.


 

Termly Tracker

 

Age Related Profile reports

These reports are accessed by loading a file into Termly Tracker and choosing Age Related Profile from the Reports options.

They are available for S&L, Reading , Writing, Maths and Science

The report shows the children's names in columns based on their current TA level.

The colours of the cells show if the child is working below age related expectations (pink) or is at or above age related expectations (white or green)

The children who appear in the pink sections are those who may benefit from some extra support in the subject currently loaded.

The report has extra data that can be added by ticking the boxes at the top of the screen e.g. the current end of year targets ( ) or the levels achieved at the end of KS1 [ ], for each child in the report

The report also shows the data for the end of the previous academic year and will build throughout the current year with a new section being added each time a new period (term) is activated. Previous year's summer term data can also be added by selecting Show History

Other options available by ticking the appropriate boxes are to display whole or fine level counts in numbers and percentages or to display Age Related counts in numbers and percentages.  

From May 2010 it is possible to tick to Show Progress Over Year. This inserts an up or down arrow and shows the number of sub levels progress or otherwise, made over the year.

 

Having identified a child not making expected progress and requiring some extra input from staff, it may be appropriate to set up a Pupil Discussion for the child. This is a way of recording a concern which outlines the concern, the action and the review.

 

Pupil Discussions

On the Termly Tracker grid double click on the child's name that you wish to set up a discussion for

Complete the Displayed Discussion, and the Concern and Action sections of the report that appears.

Click to Apply and Close

A tick will appear beside the name of the child, on the Termly grid, indicating an Active discussion exists for the child.

The discussion should then be reviewed and added to as necessary

The discussion can be closed when concluded by ticking the Closed Status radio button

The discussion remains in the file but is no longer Active so the tick will disappear from beside the child's name leaving a small square as a sign that a problem did once exist which can be reactivated if necessary.

A Pupil Discussions report can now be printed from the Reports menu. Only Active concerns will show in the report.