Assessment
Accurate, informed assessment provides valuable data for our teachers in planning learning matched to the needs of the children. It is a continuous process by which teachers find out about their children’s capabilities and achievements. It is essential that we therefore use accurate data to identify where children are and what their next steps are. We use a tracking system called Otrack which is a bespoke online tracking system.
We use the following formal assessment procedures to measure outcomes against all schools nationally:
- End of EYFS
- (% of pupils achieving a “Good Level of Development”)
- Phonics Screening Test at the end of Year 1
- (% of pupils achieving the required screening check)
- End of Year 4 Multiplication Table Check
- (% of pupils achieving the required screening check)
- End of KS2
- (% of pupils achieving expected national standards in reading, grammar, punctuation & spelling and maths)
- (Teacher assessment for writing and science)
The school implements continuous formative assessment to track the progress of pupils and to inform the planning for their learning and termly summative assessment tasks (PiXL) to enable us to measure progress in reading, writing, maths. Our system of assessment aims to support high quality, in-depth teaching by focusing on curriculum content and the extent to which children have mastered key knowledge and skills. Children are encouraged to take more responsibility for their achievements through opportunities given to reflect on their own progress and through being involved in discussions enabling them to understand what their strengths are and next steps for improvement.
The aims and objectives of assessment in our school are:
- to enable our children to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do in their work;
- to help our children understand what they need to do next to improve their work;
- to allow teachers to plan work that accurately reflects the needs of each child;
- to provide regular information for parents that enables them to support their child’s learning;
- to provide school leaders and governors with information that allows them to make judgements about the effectiveness of the school.
Assessment is not a singular activity; it is about measurement of performance at a given point in time and a way of gaining information to promote future learning. We acknowledge that there are two distinct types of assessment used by the school. These include:
- Assessment for learning which helps teachers and pupils identify the next steps needed to make progress. It takes account of pupils’ strengths and areas for improvement and provides pupils and teachers with an insight into the learning that promotes success for all.
- Assessment of learning which more is associated with milestone judgements as to where children are at a specific point in time in relation to both their cohort and nationally.
Assessment of learning shows what children can do without support and holds the school to public account.
GOOD ASSESSMENT PRACTICE WILL:
- Raise standards of attainment
- Actively involve pupils in their own learning; providing effective feedback which promotes progress
- Helps raise pupil self-esteem through a shared understanding of the learning processes and the routes to improvement
- Build on secure teacher knowledge of the diverse linguistic and cultural background of pupils
- Support effective planning within the curriculum
- Enable the teacher to adjust teaching to meet the needs of all pupils
- Track pupil performance and in particular identify those pupils at risk of underachievement
- Provide information which can be used by teachers and managers as they plan for individual pupils and cohorts
- Provide information which can be used by parents or carers to understand their pupils’ strengths, weaknesses and progress
- Provide information which can be used by other interested parties
- Provide information which can be used to evaluate a school’s performance against its own previous attainment over time and against national standards
Day to Day Assessment Strategies
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DAY TO DAY |
EFFECTIVE PRACTICE AT DANETREE INCLUDES |
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Sharing learning objectives (WALTs) with pupils |
Share learning objectives at the beginning of the lesson and, where appropriate, during the lesson in language that pupils can understand. Use these objectives as the basis for questioning and feedback during and at the end of lessons. Evaluate this feedback in relation to achievement of the learning objectives to inform next stages of planning. |
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Helping pupils to know and recognise the standards they are aiming for |
Show pupils’ work which has met criteria, with explanation of why. Give pupils clear success criteria then relate it to the learning objectives. Model what it should look like. For example, exemplify good writing on the board. Ensure that there are clear, shared expectations about the presentation of work. Provide displays of pupils’ work which shows work-in-progress as well as finished product. |
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Involving pupils in peer and self-assessment |
Give pupils clear opportunities to talk about what they have learned, and what they have found difficult, using the learning objectives as a focus. Encourage pupils to work/discuss together, focusing on how to improve. Ask pupils to explain the steps in their thinking. ‘How did you get that answer?’ for example. Give time for pupils to reflect on their learning. Identify with pupils the next steps in learning. |
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Providing feedback which leads to pupils recognising their next steps and how to take them |
Value oral as well as written feedback in line with our feedback expectations. Ensure feedback is constructive rather than positive, identifying what the pupil has done well, what needs to be done to improve and how to do it. Identify next steps for individuals and groups as appropriate. |
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Promoting confidence that every pupil can improve |
Identify small steps to enable pupils to see their progress, thus building confidence and self-esteem. Encourage pupils to explain their thinking and reasoning within a secure classroom ethos. |
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Involving both teacher and pupil in reviewing and reflecting on assessment information |
Reflect with pupils on their work, e.g. through a storyboard of steps taken during an investigation. Choose appropriate tasks to provide quality assessment information (emphasis on process, not just the correct answer). Provide time for pupils to reflect on what they have learned and understood, and to identify where they still have difficulties. Adjust planning; evaluate effectiveness of task, resources, etc. as a result of assessment. |
Termly Assessment Strategies
PiXL
Danetree Primary School is proud to be working with PiXL (Partners in Excellence) and are part of a collaborative nationwide group that is focussed on improving life chances for children within our schools.
The PiXL approach ensures that partner schools:
- share a strong vision and strategy for improving outcomes for children
- base decisions on proven good practice
- have access to high quality resources
- use clear and consistent procedures for tracking and monitoring
What the PiXL programme involves:
- assessing the children in reading, writing, maths, grammar and punctuation
- pinpointing gaps in children’s knowledge
- accessing resources that can be tailored to fill these gaps
- supporting learning at home through apps and a raft of materials tailored to individual needs
- increasing self-esteem and improving outcomes for our children
