Great Preston VC C of E Primary School

Assessment

Principles for assessment

“The teacher’s job is not to transmit knowledge, nor to facilitate learning. It is to engineer effective learning environments for the students. The key features of effective learning environments are that they create student engagement and allow teachers, learners, and their peers to ensure that the learning is proceeding in the intended direction. The only way we can do this is through assessment. That is why assessment is, indeed, the bridge between teaching and learning.” 
― Dylan Wiliam, Embedded Formative Assessment

We believe that effective assessment provides information to improve teaching and learning, through effective assessment we can work to ensure that all children fulfil their full potential. Assessment takes many forms in both formative and summative assessment practises. Data and evidence collected from assessment is used by SLT to monitor children’s learning and ensure there is accountability for learning within our school.

Formative Assessment (See also Marking & Feedback Policy – Formative Assessment)

We use formative assessment to:

• Value children’s work

• Gauge understanding

• Identify misconceptions

• Understand how far children have come in their learning

• Share what the next steps in learning are

• Inform lesson planning

• Provide formative assessment to support summative assessment and track progress

Formative assessment is the information gained during the learning process, types of formative assessment may be verbal feedback to individuals or groups, whole class interventions, marking of work after a lesson or peer and self-assessment.

On-going Formative Assessment is regularly inputted into Sonar by teachers in Years 1 – 6, this forms their record-keeping for formative assessment.

Colour Coding within Sonar

Grey – Not being assessed.
Red – Not Understanding the objective.
Amber – Showing Signs of Understanding the Objective.
Green – Understanding on a Regular Basis.
Purple – Embedded Skill.

Summative assessment

We collect data obtained through teacher assessment for Reading, Writing and Maths on a termly basis through our tracking system (outlined below). Teacher assessment is a judgement on an individual’s and class’ strengths from a collection of evidence of children’s work against an end of year expectation. This evidence includes information gained from PIRA & PUMA tests, these are delivered 3 times a year, in the second half of each term. Results are given as standardised score and tests are analysed to inform next steps.

End of Year Expectations have been agreed for reading and writing, in line with the Interim Frameworks for the end of KS & the NAHT assessment materials, by all teaching staff. We will be agreeing the end of year expectations for Maths in the autumn term 2023. The end of year expectations for each subject can be found in our assessment guidance folder.

We will use the following evidence base for our judgements in English:

• Observations
• RWI screening
• Reading records
• Rising Stars PIRA tests and SATs sample/ past papers
• Word awareness charts
• English books for: comprehensions, vocabulary in contexts charts etc
• English books & other subject books for writing

We will use the following evidence base for our judgements in Maths:

• Maths books
• Rising Stars PUMA and SATs sample/ past papers
• Observations

Assessment judgements are inputted into the Sonar tracking system each half term by teachers in Year 1 – 6. These outcomes are shared with SLT at the end of a term at Pupil Progress Meetings to monitor progress of children and specific vulnerable groups. Staff prepare a report and action plan for the next term from the outcomes of the meeting. This includes interventions and deployment of staff to diminish the difference in learning. Outcomes are shared with parents at parent consultation evenings and in the End of Year report.

The Language used for summative assessment

OoYG = Out of Year Group = Children with SEN being assessed on BSquared

WTS = Working towards Expected Standard

WTS+ = Working towards Expected Standard confidently, getting closer to EXS

EXS = Working at Expected Standard

EXS+ = Working at Expected Standard confidently, getting closer to GDS

GDS = Great depth within expected standard

Moderation of assessment judgements

Termly moderation meetings are held in school to support staff in standardisation of assessments. During 2022-23 we focused on building staff confidence in making at end of year expectations. During 2023-24 we will develop staff skill in assessing greater depth.  Staff in years which engage in statutory assessment attend Local Authority moderation events.

SEN – Bsquared Assessment

For children on the SEN register or with additional needs where assessing against the NC objectives as above is not appropriate we will use Bsquared assessment tools. These can be put in place in agreement with the SENDCo. Alongside the BSquared grid (kept by the class teacher or in the child’s book) a monitoring grid should be kept to monitor progress.

EYFS

In Reception On entry assessment is carried out when children start in September. Results are used to inform planning, set targets and aid early identification of special needs. From this point on children will be assessed regularly using the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) to ensure that the next steps in learning are appropriately planned in order for children to make progress. The Early Years teachers use ongoing observations and assessments in the following areas for the 17 Early Learning Goals; 6 The prime areas of learning; Communication and Language, Physical Development, Personal, Social and Emotional Development. The specific areas of learning: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, Expressive Arts and Design. For each Early Learning Goal practitioners must judge whether a child is meeting the level of development expected at the end of the Reception year, exceeding it or if they have not yet reached this level.

Children are assessed against the objectives in Development Matters and the learning outcomes, observations of these assessments are recorded using 2Simple on a daily/weekly basis. Data is entered into Sonar regularly and monitored by the EYFS team. In Reception PIRA tests are delivered in Spring and Summer, PUMA in summer as an additional source of evidence. EExba Baseline Assessment is carried out on entry.