Assessment

Assessment at St Stephens is not a singular activity; it is about measurement of performance at a given point in time and a way of gaining information to promote future learning. We believe that knowing what each child has achieved and what their next steps are is crucial to helping them to succeed.

As a result of assessment, teachers are able to adapt their lessons and the curriculum to make sure they are fully meeting the needs of the children. In order to know this, we regularly assess the children.

This can take place through the use of:

Questioning and discussions which help teachers to find out what the children know or any misconceptions that they may have during each lesson;
Written and oral feedback helps both the teachers to know how the children are doing and it supports the children to understand their next steps in learning;
Team, whole school and cross-school moderation when looking at learning evidence;
Formal assessments, progress assessments and reading age tests;
Statutory Assessments - schools are required to complete particular assessments and report the outcomes to the Department for Education (DfE). The following assessment procedures are used to measure outcomes against all schools nationally:
Reception: Baseline Assessment
Year 1: Phonic Screening
Year 2: Tests in reading, writing (including grammar, punctuation and spelling) and maths
Year 4: Times tables National Test
Year 6: Tests in reading, grammar, punctuation & spelling and maths, writing assessment

Since the implementation of the National Curriculum 2014, we assess children against age related expectations attainments. The children’s attainment is tracked by:

Using a tracking software called ‘Insight Tracker’ to record assessments of the children in reading, writing and maths three time a year;
When assessing children’s attainment, the language of Emerging, Expected and Exceeding is used against age-expected outcomes (National standards and expectations).
These assessments are based on whether the children are:

Working below the expected standard (working at least a year group below their actual age).
Working towards the expected standard (just below).
Working at the expected standard (working at their age related expectations).
Working above the expected standard (working at greater depth).
Following the introduction of a ‘mastery’ curriculum, children’s learning is deepened and embedded to ensure they are really secure in it before moving on to new learning.

How do we ensure judgements are accurate?

Across the course of the year, key progress tasks are carried out to support teacher judgements and accuracy when assessing children’s attainment and progress. See Appendix 1: Assessment Schedule in the Assessment Policy.
Through whole school and colleague meetings (in school, cross schools and learning Hubbs) assessment judgements are moderated.
Senior Leaders’ meetings - children’s progress and attainment are checked through book scrutiny.
All of these support the teachers’ judgement alongside the children’s daily learning, their books and the formative assessments in the classroom.

Annual reports are sent home each year in the spring term. These give details of the child’s achievements in each of the national curriculum subjects against age expected outcomes. The timing of the Annual Report is so that it gives time to act upon targets and challenges during the summer term. During the summer term a summary report is provided and results from the Year 1 Phonics Test, Year 2 SATs, Year 4 Times Table Test and Year 6 SATs are reported.

The Assessment Leader is Mrs C Belli.