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Camden Junior School Together we will: Support each child's learning to help them achieve their best |
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AIM The aim of assessment is to obtain information on the experience and achievement of each individual child, what the child knows, understands and can do. The information provided should guide future learning, thereby enabling the child to reach their potential.
PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT General Assessment procedures should provide the maximum opportunity for all pupils to demonstrate their learning.
personal development.
be manageable.
10. Assessment information should be used to inform differentiation, to evaluate curriculum provision and to raise standards across the school. *PLEASE ALSO REFER TO ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING PRINCIPLE No. 1 Assessment procedures should provide the maximum opportunity for all pupils to demonstrate their learning. Assessment and recording provides teachers with detailed information about all the children in the class that can be used to plan learning opportunities enabling each child to make progress. This is achieved through informal ongoing teacher assessment on a daily basis, knowing where the child is at any one time. This information can help teachers to differentiate by task. At Camden Juniors teachers plan their core activities to match the ability of the majority of the class. They also plan extension activities for the more able children and suitable support for the less able. Setting for maths takes place throughout the school, with one top set and two parallel groups. Teachers plan work according to the ability of that particular group. Children are ability grouped for spellings.
The method or technique of assessment should not be a barrier. Care should be taken to ensure that the appropriate assessment technique is used and does not prevent the child from showing what he or she knows and understands. At Camden Juniors teachers identify children with special educational needs in a variety of formats. With the help of the SENCO and LSA’s intervention strategies and files will be set up to support the children. LSA’s can also support work on differentiation by:
Principle No. 3 Assessment should be a manageable part of short and medium term plans. Details of when assessments are to take place should be included within termly plans. Cross curricular aspects: ICT competency may be assessed during a maths activity. Writing ability may be assessed during a history task. Planning:
Principle No. 4 Assessment should be consistent and accurate across the school How is assessment to be consistent? All classes/groups within each year group will be given the same test or task. These will have agreed marking levels. Medium term plans will contain details of teacher assessments. The results of these will be passed onto the teacher taking that year group the following year. There will be regular agreement trialling between year group teachers and across year groups. This will also be enhanced by agreement trialling across Key Stages 1 and 3. These will be undertaken by class teachers, subject co-ordinators and the lower school team leader during staff meetings and planning meetings. Co-ordinators will also carry out work scans to ensure consistency. Maths and Literacy assessments – please refer to the tracking sheets on the system, relevant class tracking folders and policies on the school website. How is assessment to be accurate? If the teacher is using a Learning Objective and shares this with the children in their class, then the assessment will be more focused and accurate. There will be an agreed marking level that follows the National Curriculum levels. Learning Objectives will be reviewed regularly. These can be agreed in year group meetings and will inform the basis of medium term planning.
Principle No.5
English
Mathematics
Science
History, Geography, DT, Art, Music, RE, PE and ICT will have tracking sheets. Please refer to subject policies for further details. Annual Reports
Principle No. 6 Children should be involved in the process of assessment and recording. Children should be aware of what they are trying to achieve. They should have a clear picture of what they have done well. Children should be encouraged to make their own judgements about the work they have done. They need to be encouraged to develop self assessment skills, reviewing and target setting so they are actively involved in the whole process. Children undertake target setting and reviewing twice a year. Parents and children attend PAR days and open evenings. Explaining to a child what they have been specifically been rewarded for in a piece of work helps them to understand what was successful rather than a general statement.
Principle No. 7 Assessment should be informative and an integral part of the learning process. Formative assessment is an ongoing process, which is both informal and formal. It is where information and evidence is gathered and used to plan the next stage of the child’s learning. Informal formative assessment is a continual process as teachers observe and talk to children. This provides valuable information about a child’s knowledge and understanding to which they respond immediately. Formal types of assessment should be planned within schemes of work. Diagnostic assessments are used when required to help children with specific difficulties. Intervention plans will be drawn up by the teacher with the help of the TA and the SENCO. More Able children are put onto a register that is updated twice a year. Formative assessment is an integral part of the learning process and will identify children with a particular ability in one or more curriculum areas. Planning will be suitably differentiated to enable these children to achieve their potential.
PRINCIPLE NO.8 Records should be mangeable and effective. Informal records. It is recognised that teachers keep their own records. These include: reading records Test scores Spelling scores Teacher assessment levels Target folders Medium term plans are on the system and can be accessed and updated accordingly. Teachers’ planning files also contain: Informal recording Pupil Record Sheets Teachers use these to keep information regarding individual children in their class or groups. Each teacher is issued with a ‘mark book’ for their personal use. Formal Records Regular diagnostic records are kept on:
Each child is given a Home/School reading record book. (A diary is issued in Year 6.) The name of the child’s current reading book is recorded in this book. This is taken home regularly for the parent/carer to sign when the child has read. Any other homework details are also written inside this book. Parents also can respond with relevant comments. IEP’s are produced and reviewed at regular intervals in collaboration with the child’s class teacher, the TA and the SENCO. The TA’s, the Learning Support Team, The Primary Support Team and the Play Therapist also keep records of children’s progress. Teacher assessments are carried out and levels recorded at specific points throughout the year. (Please refer to annual sheet) Records are also kept of optional SATs and KS1/2 Sats on Target Tracker. Records of formative and summative assessments are also kept. Every child has a Big Write folder with target sheet in the front. Every teacher has a maths folder.
PRINCIPLE N0.9 Reports to parents should be clear and understandable An annual report is sent out to parents. It includes comments about all subjects in the National Curriculum as well as personal and social development. Parents are encouraged to comment on the child’s report. A summary of the child’s attendance record is also included on the front cover. This is shown as half day sessions attended throughout the year, alongside the number of unauthorised absences if relevant. Within the report, positive statements should be made which recognise the child’s achievements. Strategies for improvement along with targets should be identified. Generalisations should be avoided. Additional information at the end of Key Stage 2
Meeting with Parents Autumn Term – Pupil Annual Review Days. These take place over 2 days. Each appointment lasts for 20 minutes. Targets are set and agreed with the teacher, parent and child. These are reviewed later in the year. Spring Term – Open Evenings Year 6 teachers explain to Y6 parents the outline of SATs and Teacher Asssessment. Summer Term A meeting is held for all parents of children intending to join Y3 the following September. Following receipt of the annual report, parents are given the opportunity to make a written response.
Principle No. 10 Assessment information should be used to inform differentiation, evaluate curriculum provision and to raise standards across the school. The Big Write Optional Sats Reading and Spelling Tests – twice yearly NFER/NV (Y5) Baseline Assessments – Y3 Action research project – Y2/Y3 (2006/7) Primary Leadership Programme Photos of displays and DT work. This helps in planning for the following year and in commenting on children’s progress in their annual reports. Sketch books/DT books are sent on up to the next year group. VCOPS/WOW words/WALT/WILF/Learning Charts in classrooms/Maths methods Records of assessment test scores Work scans by co-ordinators Head and Deputy discussions with pupils Reading records IT self assessment PE assessment Examples of higher, middle and lower ability children’s work kept to inform the following year’s planning. Test papers to be kept for analysing by co-ordinators. Own personal folder kept over a period of time demonstrating exemplary work. Target folders Maths folders Star of the Week book. Star Work on school website Challenge Award folder
INFORM (six easy steps to Teacher Assessment!)
1. Identify the Attainment Target your lesson plans will promote. Use this as your focused Learning Objectives for each lesson.
2. Note carefully any opportunities for the child to demonstrate achievement.
3. Focus on the performance, looking for evidence of achievement.
4. Offer the child a chance to discuss what the activity was for and what was achieved.
5. Record any noteworthy findings.
6. Modify your teaching plan for the child if necessary in order to manage the next stage of learning.
WHAT TO SEND UP TO THE NEXT CLASS ALL BOOKS FROM: TOP MIDDLE BOTTOM (1 BOY AND 1 GIRL) 6 books in total DT Books ICT Books Art Sketchbooks 3 maths assessments to be kept in the back of the folder. 3 best pieces of writing to be kept in the back of the Big Write folder. (Child’s choice) The rest of the work can be sent home.
LITERACY Daily Assessment Assessment for Learning Teachers evaluate daily plans as fit. Teaching Assistants evaluate groups and input into planning. Writing Teachers mark in books against the Learning Objective.This informs planning for the next day. WALT and WILF is also being introduced: WALT – We Are Learning To: WILF – What I’m Looking For The triangle system is used. A description of this is displayed in every classroom. Teaching Assistants also assess against the Learning Objective and feedback is given to the class teacher. TA’s can also annotate plans accordingly. Teachers and Teaching Assistants feedback to the children orally or in written comments. Please refer to the current Action Research project (2006/7) more information as well. Each child has a Big Write folder. Children have a writing target resulting from the Big Write. A working target is given weekly. An English Target is then created from ongoing work. The targets feed into what the children have learned and what to progress onto next. There is a formal assessment once a term and targets are updated. *Please refer to the Target Setting sheet – one for every child. There is a criterion scale for English levels and teachers choose appropriate levels each term. Termly Assessments of the Big Write are put onto class tracking sheets which are then put on the system.
Work scans are undertaken termly by the literacy co-ordinator. The percentage of children achieving their targets is tracked. We currently have a link with the Primary Leadership Programme that supports this monitoring. (2006/7) READING Focus 2006/7 Children are put into ability groups for guided reading. Grouping is informed via SATs and the Salford Reading test. Reading targets are given via Reading Optional Sats. These are updated three times a year – November, March and May. Teachers record a brief comment regarding reading progress. An assessment tracking sheet for guided reading is to be drawn up. Reading SATs are tracked by the literacy co-ordinator. Target groups are also monitored – 2 children are highlighted for this particular purpose. The Action Research project (2006/7) looks at the following considerations when teaching children to read:
Overall, the main analysis is through optional SATs taken from a sample of papers in order to show progression through each year group. KS2 SATs papers are externally validated. The literacy co-ordinator undertakes a sample analysis and makes key recommendations for future planning. Class tracking sheets for reading and writing are accessible on the system. *Please refer to ‘Camden Junior School Framework for the Learning, Teaching and Assessment of English.’
MATHS Maths tracking sheets can be accessed via the following ‘My computer – library – subjects – maths – Assessment2006-7’
CAMDEN JUNIOR SCHOOL Formal Assessment Markers
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jshort@suttonlea.org with questions or comments about this web site.
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