How we set forms in year 7

How We Set Form Groups in Year 7 at Archbishop Beck

When students join us, they complete a reading assessment which helps us to understand their reading ability. This allows us to establish each student’s reading age and identify any areas where additional support may be needed.

Our reading assessments do more than just tell us how well a student can understand a text. They also allow us to assess technical accuracy (how well students can read words correctly) and fluency (how smoothly and confidently they can read). These are both crucial components of reading that directly affect how well a student can access the curriculum across all subjects.

• Technical accuracy helps us identify any issues with decoding or recognising words, which may indicate the need for phonics-based support.
• Fluency highlights how easily a student can read longer passages and maintain understanding as they read, which is important for following lessons, reading exam questions, and completing longer pieces of work.

By understanding both aspects, we can ensure that each student gets the right level of support to help them grow as readers.

We use the information from these assessments to carefully place students into form groups. These groups are organised to ensure that:

• Students who need extra support are placed where they can receive targeted intervention to help strengthen their reading skills, build confidence, and close any gaps.
• Students reading at or above their age level are placed where they can access age-appropriate, challenging texts during form time, helping to develop vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking.

Alongside the form time reading programme, students who require extra help benefit from small group intervention sessions. These focused sessions provide personalised support to help develop key reading skills and ensure that every student has the opportunity to make progress.

Some students may also access the Fresh Start programme — a phonics-based reading programme specifically designed for older students who need extra support with decoding, fluency, and phonics development in a secondary school setting. This structured programme helps to build confidence and reading accuracy, providing essential skills that support wider learning.

At Archbishop Beck Catholic College, we are committed to helping every student become a confident and capable reader. By providing the right support from the start, we help our students build strong foundations for their learning and give them the best chance of success both in school and in the future.