Progression points and A-E grading provide educators, leaders, and families with a transparent reference point to support fair and evidence-based reporting aligned to the NSW curriculum.

Understanding progression through the year

Syllabus-level growth is expected to occur steadily over time, with 0.5 curriculum-level gain equating to six months of progress. Students begin the school year at the curriculum level they completed the year prior.

For example:

A Year 5 student in January is expected to begin at Level 4.
By July, halfway through the year, the expectation moves to Level 4.5.
By December, students are expected to have progressed to Level 5, marking one full level of growth over the year.

Here’s how expected curriculum progression maps across the calendar year:

A-E grading

Essential Assessment generates an overall A-E grade for each student per strand. This is visible in View Class Results.

A-E grading is in accordance with the average progression point (Average NSW), in relation to the time of year. These generate on the left-hand side.

NSW Subscribers: Using Overall Results to Assign an A–E Grade

Assigning A–E grades is a school-based decision. Educators can use the Overall Results provided in Essential Assessment—available in the following Help Guide: How can I see the Semester Average Result for Mathematics for Reporting? —alongside the tables of information to inform a triangulated, evidence-based judgement.

This process enables teachers to combine assessment data, classroom observations, work samples, and professional judgement to accurately determine each student’s A–E grade.

The following tables demonstrate how A-E grading is calculated in relation to the progression point, based on the time of year.

Semester ONE: