Assessment Policy

Duck Street, Cerne Abbas, Dorset, DT2 7LA

‘The Small School with the Big Heart.’

Tel: 01300 341319         e-mail:office@cerneabbas.dorset.sch.uk          Website: www.cerneabbas.dorset.sch.uk

Assessment Policy 

Our vision is to be the best we can be.

We are committed to nurturing every child to thrive in a safe and engaging environment based on our Christian values of  Peace, Trust, Friendship, Joy, Courage and Forgiveness. We strive to develop happy and confident learners ready to face the challenges of their next steps.

Introduction

At Cerne Abbas our vision is to be the best we can be and we believe that assessment and recording are integral parts of the teaching and learning process, which, used consistently and effectively will help to raise children’s standards of achievement.  

Assessment is used to provide information for a variety of audiences.

• To gather information about the performance of individual pupils, groups and cohorts of pupils so that it can be used to inform the next steps in children’s learning.

• To gather information to inform teachers of what will be taught next.

• To ensure that assessment and recording is an integral part of the school’s performance management system.

• To provide information to inform the school’s strategic planning.

• To track individual progress.

Aims

Through our assessment policy we aim to:

• Recognise and celebrate all pupils' achievements within and beyond the National Curriculum.

• Gather information about the performance of individual pupils or groups of pupils.

• Gather information for teachers to inform them of the next steps in a child’s learning

• Provide information on a pupil's strengths and weaknesses.

• Ensure continuity and progression

Guidelines

Assessment will be used in the following ways:

Formative - the information gained “forms” or affects the next learning experience.

Diagnostic - finding out what attitudes, knowledge and understanding or skills have not been properly learnt or acquired and therefore preventing pupils from making the expected progress.

Evaluative - informing the strategic planning and direction of the whole school by evaluating the impact of planning, teaching and the curriculum on pupils’ achievements

Summative - systematic recording of information which builds towards a summary of the pupils' current level of achievement. This is an essential tool for identifying progress over time.

Effective assessment in school is characterised by:

• Meaningful and useful information about the pupils’ achievements and progress as they move from:

• Foundation Stage 1 to Foundation Stage 2
• Foundation Stage 2 to Key Stage 1
• Year 2 - Year 3
• Year 4 to Middle School.

• To analyse performance in terms of cohorts and particular groups of pupils.

Assessment in school is enhanced in a variety of ways including:-

• Pupils’ involvement in self assessment through their discussion with peers and with staff.
• Developing peer assessment
• Learning conferences with other adults.

Monitoring and evaluation.

The assessment co-ordinator / Head teacher will ensure this policy is implemented consistently throughout the school using strategies such as discussion with teachers, pupils and parents / carers, sampling pupils’ records and reports and sampling teachers’ planning.

This policy will be evaluated and reviewed annually. Any implications relating to issues for the whole school will be considered for inclusion in the school development plan.

Assessment – who is it for?

Pupils will know

• The success criteria and when success has been achieved.
• What they are learning.
• What steps they need to take next in their learning.
• How to help others to achieve success.

Teachers will know

• Where the pupils are starting from.
• If the class overall learned what was planned.
• Whether all the pupils are making expected progress against their own targets and national expectations.
• How pupils are applying their skills, knowledge and understanding across the curriculum.
• Appropriate levels of differentiation where children need SEND support from SENDCO, TAs, Class teacher or further assessment from external agencies.

The Head teacher, other teachers and subject leaders will know:

• If the pupils are making progress?
• If there are any major problems?
• How the school compares with other similar schools?
• What aspects of the curriculum and teaching need to be identified as priorities?

The parents will know:

• Is my child making good progress?
• Are there any major problems?
• How is my child doing compared with others at the end of the Foundation Stage, Year 1 phonics screening, KS1 and the Year 4 times-table test?
• What can I do to help?

Recording

Recording will be manageable and relevant at short, medium and long-term levels.

Writing progress over time will be assessed over a range of writing in the Once a Month books.

The Headteacher will report to the governing body on standards and school improvement at the full governing body meetings.

Recording and Reporting

Record keeping will be formal or informal. Sometimes brief jottings are appropriate (made by the class teacher, classroom assistant or volunteer); sometimes more detailed accounts are needed.

Informal day to day notes are essential for the teacher’s own use in planning for the groups and individuals in their class, therefore these are left to the discretion of teaching staff.

Formal school records should:

• Show children’s progress over a period of time (tracking/pupil’s books/ weekly planning sheets)
• Record significant achievement in National Curriculum subjects
• Assessment of Foundation Subjects (3 aspects, above, below, average.)
• Include relevant outcomes of observation, questioning, marking and testing (tracking/pupil books)
• Inform and feed into the annual report to parents.
• Individual reading records as appropriate.
• Displays of work around the school/classroom.
• Photographs of pupils' work if appropriate.

We have agreed as a staff:

• The frequency and process of updating formal records.
• Information to be collected on children with Special Educational Needs or for whom there is a particular concern.
• The transfer and use to be made of the records by subsequent teachers
• What should be included in a record transferred to a child’s next school. This has also been agreed by all DASP Schools.

We aim to keep formal records to a minimum quantity for maximum effect!

Formal Records

CLASS FILES: a file is kept securely in the office for each child containing:- 

• Copies of annual reports.
• Home/school agreements and internet access forms.
• Records of significant assessment eg SATs and SEND.
• Records from other schools.
• Medical records.
• Any other records as appropriate.

Recorded assessments will be

• Foundation Stage Profile
• Year 1 Phonics Screening
• Statutory assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 and including the end of Key Stage 1 and Year 4 transfer record
• Year 4 Multiplication Tests

Children are tracked termly in all subjects to form the basis of annual rates of individual progress.

Annual reports to parents will clearly identify gains in skills, knowledge and understanding, with the next steps in learning for the core subjects, reporting attainment against national expectation and progress within the school year.

Marking

Marking will be used to inform planning and therefore will be a continuous assessment.

The marking will provide:

• Clear feedback to children about strengths and ways to improve.
• Encouragement and reward for effort and progress.

Marking will adhere to the school's Marking Policy.

Summative Assessment

• KS1 SATS
• Foundation Stage Profile
• Year 1 Phonics Screening Test
• Year 4 times-tables test