Assessing Children's Learning: Guidance for parents

PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT

The process of assessment involves making judgements on children’s attainment and progress, based on evidence, and is part of daily teaching and learning.  Teachers plan their work, talk with children, observe, ask and answer questions, mark and discuss learning.  Through these activities they assess children’s capabilities and plan future work.  This continuous process is known as “teacher assessment” and is an integral part of the education process. 

We assess learning in all subjects.

HOW WE ASSESS LEARNING

Teachers draw upon evidence from all sources, not just written work, to complete their Teacher Assessment.  This will be compiled throughout the school year, so that a judgement can be made at the end of the year.  Judgements will be made using a range of sources. Including work in books, conversations with children during lessons, and observations of how the children perform over time.

OUR STRUCTURE FOR MEASURING PROGRESS

Learning in the Foundation stage (the Nursery and Reception classes) is measured against the Government’s existing framework: “The Early Years Foundation Stage - Development Matters”.  We have been using this national structure since it was first introduced, in order to guide our process against national expectations.

Throughout Key Stage One and Two (Classes from Year One to Year Six) the curriculum for each subject is divided into “mastery statements”: a definition of knowledge and skills to match the key progress points for each six-month period, starting at the beginning of Year One and ending at the end of Year Six.

The Threshold statements define progress in phases of learning, connected to a stepped progress model.  This is based on the model of “interleaving topics”, influenced by learning theories and neuroscience research on recall and memory.

Connection of learning content between phases/year groups:

					Excellence
				Excellence	Secure
			Excellence	Secure	Developing
		Excellence	Secure	Developing	Foundation
	Excellence	Secure	Developing	Foundation
Excellence	Secure	Developing	Foundation
Secure	Developing	Foundation
Developing	Foundation
Foundation
Year One	Year Two	Year Three	Year Four	Year Five	Year Six

The contents of each Threshold in the same colour band are identical.

Most children are expected to work within the “Secure Thresholds”, which equate to National Standards.  

Our expectations for progress in all subjects is that children should successfully progress by at least one Threshold over the year, eg from the Secure Threshold in Year One in July Year One, to the Secure Threshold in Year Two at the end of Year Two. 

NATIONAL STANDARDS

In 2015, the government introduced new National Standards at the end of Years Two and Six.  These replaced the existing system of levels and sub-levels.  We now make judgements at the end of these year groups with a simpler language.  A child will be either working:

a) At the National Standard

b) Working below the National Standard

c) Working beyond the National Standard

Our Secure Threshold statements are the same as the National Standards.

Our Excellence Threshold statements are the same as those for children working “Beyond the National Standard”

REPORTING YOUR CHILD’S ATTAINMENT

At the end of the school year, you will be given a written school report, which will contain information about your child’s attainment.  For each subject the teacher will share with you their assessment of your child’s learning. 

You have an opportunity to discuss the contents of the report with the class teacher at the end of year Parent Consultation meeting, usually in July.  The details are announced at the beginning of the summer term.

TARGETS

To help inform further progress, your child is given carefully chosen targets in key areas of learning.  These will help you to understand what your child will be learning next, and which areas of the curriculum your child needs to master.  New targets will be included in the end of year reports, and your child will be expected to have mastered them within the next six months.  Their subsequent progress will be discussed with you at the spring term consultation meeting in February. 

This guidance was written in January 2016