Assessment
Formative assessment underpins all of our teaching and learning. There is ongoing assessment against National Curriculum objectives throughout each lesson through questioning, observation and dialogue, as we believe the best indicator of progress and standards is in pupils’ work and in their responses to learning in lessons.
Assessment in Reading
Formative assessment is used throughout all reading sessions in both key stages through observation, monitoring of work and listening to children. This includes during small group intervention sessions where progress is reported back to the teacher by the TA delivering the intervention. In addition to daily ongoing assessment the following summative assessments take place:
- Little Wandle phonics assessments every half term for those children following the Little Wandle programme.
- Year 1 Phonics Screening Check (June) – to include Year 2 pupils who did not meet the standard in Year 1.
- Termly NFER assessments for children in Years 2-5 and in the Summer term for children in Year 1. These provide age standardised scores.
- Reading SAT paper for children in Year 6 in the Autumn and Spring terms using past SAT papers.
Assessment in Writing
Teachers use exemplification materials from the Pathways to Write scheme to constantly assess children’s work against the year group objectives. This is in addition to observation and monitoring during whole class sessions. At the end of each unit a longer piece of work is produced which is assessed against the key criteria for each unit of work. Several of these pieces are then moderated to ensure accuracy in judgements. Children in Year 6 take a GAPS SAT paper in the Autumn and Spring terms using past SAT papers.
Assessment in Maths
Formative assessment through observation, dialogue, marking and live feedback underpins all maths assessment. Daily Mastering Number and Number Sense sessions throughout the school consolidate assessment of children’s basic understanding of number and associated number facts. This is in addition to the daily White Rose lessons. As well as ongoing assessment the following summative assessments take place:
- Year 4 Multiplication Check (June) including regular practise at completing the screening check throughout Year 4
- Termly NFER assessments for children in Years 2-5 and in the Summer term for children in Year 1. These provide age standardised scores.
- Maths SAT paper for children in Year 6 in the Autumn and Spring terms using past SAT papers.
Assessment in Foundation subjects
Formative assessment is underpinned by the Key Learning document for each subject. Assessments are made based on whether each child has met the key learning objectives for their year group. This is based on observations in lessons, work in books, video evidence and dialogue with children. If a child has met the key learning objectives for their year group in that subject they will be deemed to be working at Age Related Expectations at the end of the year.
In Science, History, Geography, MFL and PSHE assessments are based on work in books, classroom observations and dialogue.
In RE in addition to the above methods of assessment a formal end of unit assessment is completed by the children to assess key aspects of the unit delivered. This contributes to the overall teacher judgement.
In Art and DT assessments are based on written and practical work in the build up to a final piece of work. This evidence may be physical or photographic. Exemplification materials are used to aid teachers in their judgements for each unit.
In Computing work is saved in an individual child’s folder for the teacher to access and assess. This is in addition to observations during weekly computing lessons.
In Music evidence of a child/children meeting the key learning objectives will be uploaded to Seesaw to moderate a teacher’s judgement of an ARE child in that class. This will be done half way through the programme and also at the end.
In PE evidence of a child/children meeting the key learning objectives for that unit will be uploaded to Seesaw to moderate a teacher’s judgement of an ARE child in that class. This should be uploaded at the end of every unit.
Weekly retrieval quizzes give extra opportunities for teachers to assess key learning and embed knowledge. The quizzes are a series of questions from all subjects which address key learning in their current and previous year groups.
Across all subjects teacher judgement is monitored and moderated to ensure that each teacher is secure and knowledgeable in the ARE key learning objectives for their year group and therefore can make a fair, evidenced judgement for each child in their class.
Assessment in Early Years
On-going formative assessment is at the heart of effective early years practice. This is done through practical assessment tasks and informal observations, made while working and playing with the children.
Baseline Assessment - Pupils complete the NFER Baseline Assessment during the first half term of the academic year. The purpose of this is to provide an on-entry assessment of pupil attainment, which will then be used to judge how much progress a child makes during their time in primary school.
The children in EYFS are assessed against the Early Learning Goals. At the end of the Foundation year, staff will judge and moderate together as to whether a child is meeting the level of development expected. They will be given a judgement of whether they have met the ELG (working at the expected standard) or are emerging in the ELG (working below or towards the expected standard). The key foundation stage performance indicator is “A Good Level of Development,” in order to achieve this, children have to meet the expected level in all of the Prime areas of learning, as well as in Literacy and Mathematics.
Data Collection
The school uses Sonar as its data management system. Input of data takes place 3 times per year in October, February and June in Reading, Writing and Maths. Foundation subject data is inputted at the end of every academic year in June. The data is anonymised and reported to Governors. This assessment forms the basis of feedback at Parents’ Evenings in Autumn and Spring terms and is reported to parents as part of the end of year formal written reports in July. It is also analysed by SLT and subject leads to inform future planning and school development.
