Assessing children's Work
Definition of Assessment
The aims and objectives of assessment in our school are:
Assessing achievement
We have in place an annual timetable for formally assessing achievement, which includes: -
Recording achievement
Reporting Achievement
Target setting
Feedback to pupils
Definition of Assessment
At Christow assessment forms an integral part of the learning process. It is used to indicate both strengths and areas for development and provides information to enable teachers to targeted learning activities to meet individual needs. Children receive regular feedback on their learning so that they understand what it is that they need to do better. Effective assessment allows us to base our lesson plans on a detailed knowledge of each pupil. We give parents regular reports on their child's progress so that teachers, children and parents are all working together to raise standards for all our children.We plan our lessons with clear learning objectives. We base these upon the teacher's detailed knowledge of each child. We strive to ensure that all tasks set are appropriate to each child's level of ability and there is access to the curriculum for all pupils. Our lesson plans make clear the expected outcomes for each lesson. We make a note of those individual children who do not achieve at the expected level for the lesson, or who achieve more than was planned, so that we can take the needs of these pupils into account when planning for the next lesson. We also keep this information as a record of the progress made by the class. Back to top
The aims and objectives of assessment in our school are:
To enable our children to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do in theirwork;
To help our children understand what they need to do next to improve their work;
To identify areas of special need at an early stage and to provide information for
establishing individual education programmes of work.
To allow teachers to plan work that accurately reflects the needs of each child.
To recognise and reward unexpected achievements;
To provide regular information for parents that enables them to support their child's
learning;
To provide accessible and easily understood information for transfer between classes
or schools;
To provide the headteacher and governors with information that allows them to make
judgements about the effectiveness of the school.
The school's approach to assessment seeks to promote inclusion of all pupils. Back to top
Assessing achievement
We aim to adopt a coherent, systematic and consistent approach to assessment, which reflects the importance and value of ongoing teacher assessment. Informal assessment, such as the questioning of children during lessons, can often prove to be the most accurate way of assessing a child's understanding. Presentations and displays of work can also be used for assessment purposes. Our marking policy is integral to our day-to-day response and feedback to children's work and the setting of targets. We recognise the importance of matching the assessment approach to the age/ability of the pupils, the nature of the curriculum being assessed and the task. Back to topWe have in place an annual timetable for formally assessing achievement, which includes: -
·Progress books for assessing writing which are used three or four times a term.·On going individual and group reading records.
·Numeracy assessments at the end of each module of work.
·Science assessments at the end of each module of work.
·Project evaluations.
·Regular spelling and tables' tests.
·Baseline assessment on entry to school.
·Verbal (Y5) and non-verbal (Y3) reasoning tests in October.
·Standardised reading tests (Y2 - Y6) in January.
·Standardised Maths tests (Y1 - Y6) in February.
·Compulsory and optional SATs (Y2 - Y6) in May. Back to top
Recording achievement
We recognise various methods of assessing a child's learning. The type of assessment that we make varies from subject to subject. We think that it is unnecessary to keep a formal record of all these assessments; we record only information that affects future learning.Each child has an academic profile for recording results of teacher assessments and tests and a social profile, which records aspects of behaviour and attitude. These should be available for parents to see at consultation evenings. Back to top
Reporting Achievement
We use a range of strategies to keep parents fully informed of their child's progress in school. We encourage parents to contact the school if they have concerns about any aspect of their child?s work.Each term we offer parents the opportunity to meet their child's teacher. During the spring term we give all parents a written report of their child's progress and achievements during the year. In this report we also identify target areas for the next school year. We include a space where the children can offer their own evaluation of their performance during the year. We also include a space for parental feedback.
We offer parents of pupils in Year R the opportunity to discuss the results of the Baseline Assessment with their child's teacher. In the summer term we provide details of the levels achieved in the national tests and teacher assessments for all children in Y1 to Y6. Back to top
Target setting
Every school is required by law to set targets in mathematics and English each year for those pupils who are in Year 6. We set targets in mathematics and English for all our children during each academic year. We discuss individual targets with children and communicate these to parents.We also set targets for other areas of work in school and for aspects of behaviour, attitude and social development. We encourage the children to set themselves targets that are linked to their individual working habits.
Oral feedback and marking of work will reinforce learning objectives, identify achievement and set targets for future learning. Back to top