USE OF ALPS DATA

1
USE OF ALPS DATA

• Colin Jenkins,
• Ilford County High School

2
What is ALPS?

• Advanced Level Performance Systems.
• Alps makes general predictions based upon
  candidates average GCSE score.
• The 2008 report was based on over 90,000 students
  in 702 providers taking 260,575 A Levels
  statistically valid.
• Always reservations about using such data, but
  applied sensitively it can be a powerful tool.

3
What does ALPS Produce?

• It reports on the schools progress in value
  added terms.
• It provides a value added summary for each
  subject.
• It produces target grades for Year 12 students.

4
What does ALPS look like?

• It produces thermometers of achievement, with
  red denoting the best.
• It produces statistical overviews, which help
  identify bands of students that are doing well or
  poorly.

5
The ALPS scoring system

• The best ALPS score is a 1, the worst is a 9.
• Five grades are awarded
• Overall VA score
• Good Teaching Learning score
• Poor Teaching Learning score
• Single year T score
• Three year T score

6
Calculating the VA Score

• (Actual UCAS pts-Expected UCAS pts)(Number of
  students x 100)1
• ICHS VA Score for 2008 was therefore
• (38020-36397.99)(114x100)1
• This gave us a VA score of 1.14
• Our ALPS grade was 2

7
Teaching Learning

• This measures the VA across different bands of
  learners.
• The more consistent the attainment across the
  bands, the better the teaching learning score.
• In 2008 our overall T L score was 1.
• This is a useful tool, but still has to be
  treated with caution.

8
T-Scores

• This looks at the previous three factors in the
  round.
• The 1 Year T Score shows how the school performed
  that year. In 2008 our T Score was 1.33, giving
  us a Grade 1.
• The 3 Year T Score gives an average. In 2006-8
  our T Score was 2.11, giving us a Grade 2

9
Use In Individual Subjects

• The report produces scores for each A Level
  subject.
• This gives each subject a grade and details of
  how individuals achieved against their targets.
• It also demonstrates which bands are doing well
  and which not so well across the school.

10
Setting Target Grades

• The school sends ALPS each students average GCSE
  points score.
• It then produces a target grade range for each
  student eg. CCC/CCCC.
• These are not subject-specific.
• It is up to the school how they use this target
  data.

11
Development of ALPS at ICHS

• Until 2007, reports were used to inform
  discussions between Department Heads and their
  Line Managers.
• They were part of a mix of strategies and data
  that was used.
• ALPS data and forecasts were not shared with the
  students.

12
Since 2007

• We decided to use ALPS as the main focus of our
  VA process.
• This was because
• (a) too many sources of data caused confusion
• (b) detailed examination of the ALPS data
  compared to our experiences suggested it
  possessed a high degree of accuracy
• (c) it was more aspirational than alternative
  systems, especially ALIS

13
The Alps Process at ICHS

• The ALPS forecast based upon GCSE results is
  produced in September.
• A letter is sent to parents containing the target
  grades (simplified) eg. ABBB.
• Continuation into Year 13 is made conditional
  upon coming to within a grade of their target (or
  achieving a minimum of 3Cs).
• All teachers are made aware of the target grades
  and are expected to use these to inform their
  teaching and dialogue with the boys.
• Boys are tracked in line with these targets and
  they are printed once again on the spring
  reports.
• The Head of Sixth Form spoke to all boys who
  appeared to be in serious danger of not meeting
  their targets after these reports were issued.

14
The Result

• In 2008 3 boys failed to continue into Year 13
  down 6 on the previous year, when the ALPS
  barrier did not exist. Forecasts based on
  previous results suggested the drop-out rate
  might by as high as 20.
• We concluded that ALPS had focused the boys
  minds on the importance of doing well in the
  summer examinations.
• The number of U grades was at a record low.

15
Further Developments

• We are repeating the process this year, but are
  also prioritising attempting to improve the
  results of those boys who consistently
  under-achieve.
• At ICHS this is the GCSE band approximately
  41-45.
• We have identified who these individuals are and
  will be monitoring their progress especially
  closely.

16
Tackling Underachievement

• All Departments have been required to produce a
  strategy for raising achievement for the at
  risk group.
• Each half-term they will be asked to provide
  detailed feedback (if necessary) should any of
  these students be under-reaching their target
  grade.
• All Sixth Form teachers are currently being
  observed to identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Weaker teachers and departments will be asked to
  liaise with more successful colleagues/departments
  to share good practice.

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Tackling Underachievement 2

• As part of our ongoing internal INSET programme a
  Sixth Form Teaching Learning Groups has been
  set up to look at issues surrounding pedagogy and
  pastoral care.
• We have shared ALPS data with other grammar
  schools so that we can pair our weaker
  departments with strong departments in the same
  subject in other schools.