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Assessment, Recording and Reporting Policy
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Version
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1.1
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Review Date
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November 2023
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Review Cycle
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Biannually
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Review Due
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November 2025
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Author / Owner
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Hannah Parry
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Rationale
The values and ethos of Winchelsea School are central to our Assessment, Recording and Reporting policy. Recording assessments accurately enables pupil’s learning to be more personalised due to areas being identified for further support and possible intervention. Effective reporting is vital in ensuring that pupils, parents and teachers are well informed about individual progress, expectations and strategies to ensure improved outcomes. In this policy, the term “parents” includes all those having parental responsibility for the pupil. Through a broad and balanced curriculum learning opportunities are relevant and meaningful, and therefore the way we assess it is appropriate to learning stage and level of ability.
Intent
Winchelsea School recognises that assessment, recording, reporting and target setting are critical in raising pupil achievement and evaluating the quality of learning and teaching.
To make sure we meet the needs of all our pupils the curriculum has two clear pathways, which stem from our early years provision (See Appendix A). Therefore, assessment in the two pathways is also different.
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EXPLORERS
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EARLY DISCOVERERS
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EARLY ENQUIRERS
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DISCOVERERS
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ENQUIRERS
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NAVIGATORS
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We have personalised the assessment process to make sure we can assess the progress of all pupils to show challenge and the ability of pupils to acquire knowledge and skills. The evidencing and recording of progress will vary depending on the pathway the pupil is on.
Formative assessment takes place weekly; for the Enquirers this is through written and photographed work in their books and for the Discoverers this is through videos and write ups on the app ‘Evidence for Learning.’
Summative assessment enables us to evaluate the stage a pupil has reached towards independently achieving specific skills on the learning ladders, this is monitored every 6 weeks.
The notion of a 'gap' between the pupil’s current performance and their desired outcome is recognised. Effective feedback from teachers enables children to begin to 'close the gap’ and regularly identify pupil’s strengths and weaknesses enabling teachers to modify pupil learning so that they can achieve their small step targets.
The purpose of data collection:
- To make sure pupils are progressing through the breadth of the curriculum.
- To make sure all pupils next steps are clear.
- To inform relevant stakeholders of pupil progress.
Aims:
- We assess what really matters.
- The methods used to measure our pupil data will vary between the two pathways so that we have the best way of measuring pupil progress based on their ability and stage of learning.
- The data is regularly validated.
- The use of progress meetings to talk about pupil progress enables pupils to receive the support and intervention they need to maximise their personal achievement.
- Many of our pupils, where relevant are supported to take responsibility for improving his or her own outcomes.
- Parents are made aware of the assessment process.
Rationale for Target Setting
- Focus the teacher’s attention and effort on clearly defined priorities for children’s learning and progress;
- Help our pupils, where relevant to have a clear idea of what they need to do to improve their work and achieve high personal standards
- Support parents to know what they can do to support their children’s learning;
- Enable teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching strategies.
- Target setting is connected to planning for learning;
Formal Assessment and Recording: Explorers and Discoverer’s Pathways
- Pupils are given a target for each of the five curriculum areas that they follow, these targets will overlap with their EHCP Outcomes. The sixth target is a personal target that allows staff to work on an area of focus that is the most important for the pupil at that time.
- Pupils are observed in their learning and assessed through the Independent Scale. (see appendix 1). Observations take place weekly, with an expectation that there should be ten pieces of evidence per term on all targets. Evidence is logged on ‘Evidence for Learning.’
- If a target has been achieved before the end of the year, a new target will be set and finalised with a member of SLT.
- Targets are reported on for the Annual Review, this may result in changes being made following discussion with relevant stakeholders and set for the coming year.
- Progress towards curriculum and therefore Educational, Health Care Plan (EHCP) Outcomes is assessed through progress observed on the Independent Scale.
- These targets are monitored each half term to identify progress made. They are reviewed each term, through subject leader monitoring and pupil progress meetings with SLT.
- Progress towards curriculum targets are also assessed on the Engagement Profile and are designed to allow our pupils to demonstrate as much progress as possible through the small steps that they make.
Learning Ladders
- This is called the Discovery Profile and is assessed at the beginning and end of the yearto support progress to the next class/ next year.
- The ladders are also used to help teachers plan the most appropriate next step needed for the pupil’s targets.
Formal Assessment and Recording: Enquirers Pathway
- Pupils have three or four EHCP Outcomes, which are reported on and monitored each term to support the progress required in these areas.
- ECHP outcomes are reported on annually.
- Progress is monitored in English and Maths by the identified small targets that pupils need to achieve in their work to develop their skills and knowledge, this is demonstrated in the marking of work and the feedback given to pupils to support them to achieve these targets.
- Teachers will record the progress made through their learning ladder termly in English and Maths and annually in the wider curriculum subjects.
- Pupils will understand what their next steps are.
- Progress meetings are held termly with teachers to discuss the progress being made.
- Progress on the learning ladders is recorded as: Experienced, Developing, Achieved with evidence in their books and tests results to support this achievement.
- The pupils learning ladder will be reviewed to understand where the pupils are on their journey through the subject area. This is recorded as a number and represents the number of statements/skills and knowledge acquired towards completing the ladder.
Learning Ladders
- Learning ladders are the sequence of skills and knowledge that we have deemed as necessary for our pupils to achieve in order to make sequential steps in their learning within each subject area.
- In the Early Enquirers and Enquirers Pathway learning ladders are part of the assessment tool used across all subject specific areas.
- Staff recognise where their pupils are at on the learning ladder, therefore the curriculum content is set at the correct level to stretch and challenge pupils. This will mean in all classes there will be a range of achievement on the ladder to reflect higher or lower abilities.
Formal Assessment and Recording – Enquirers KS 4: Accreditation
- Assessment in accredited subjects is dictated by the examination board.
- Progression to the final assessment still follows school assessment procedures.
- Pupils work towards smaller targets in English and Maths.
Exam-based subjects
Functional Skills:
- Progress is tracked on the ladders, where pupils make progress through the examination board outcomes. This progress is marked, recorded and then monitored using a learning ladder in the same way as the Enquirers Pathway for KS 2 and 3.
- Pupils then complete two examination windows during the year whilst working towards the appropriate examination for their ability. This ranges from Entry 1 through to Level 2.
- Progress is monitored half termly and termly reporting not just the exam results, but the progression in their learning towards the examination.
OCR
- Pupils will be assessed on their completion of coursework as well as completing a practical exam, as specified by OCR Examination board.
LASER
- Pupils will be assessed on the competition of coursework as identified in the criteria on the relevant LASER pathway.
Subjects assessed with coursework:
Completion of required coursework, is marked in line with the examination boards expectations, this is then internally moderated before requested samples are then sent to the examination board.
Summative Assessment - Memory Recall: Enquirers and KS 4
- Each curriculum area will carry out at least one summative assessment every term (depending on subject and class) for each pupil. The form of this assessment will vary from subject to subject. Pupils will be informed/reminded beforehand of what is required to achieve the next step they are working towards. These assessments will be shown clearly within schemes of work.
Monitoring and Reviewing Progress
At each assessment point the Curriculum leaders and the Leadership team will make judgements about pupils in terms of whether they are performing well above, above, in line with, slightly below or well below predictions. They will also compare attainment of different pupil groups within the school. As a result of these predictions underperforming pupils will be appropriately supported within class or through intervention.
Operational Monitoring
- Class teachers have access to detailed information relating to the pupils in school including EHCP needs, attainment, attendance and behaviour. The expectation is that information is collected and analysed for consistency, internal issues that may require intervention (subject areas or individual staff) and pupils that may require curriculum support (academic or pastoral).
- Curriculum Leader’s across the school are accountable for pupils’ achievements within their subject area and are responsible for their own operational monitoring, to ensure that standards are maintained and that routine procedures are followed throughout.
Feedback to Pupils
- Effective feedback to pupils is essential to the learning process and should enable pupils to improve. This will include both achievements and areas for development. This should be clear through marking (see marking and feedback policy). Marking should be focused, unambiguous and clear.
- Teachers follow the marking and feedback policy to show through a variety of means the communication of feedback, including: written feedback, including comments on how to improve; oral feedback, either to individuals or the whole class; exemplar feedback, for example model answers together with a commentary highlighting particular points.
Reporting and the Class Teacher
- The class teacher is the first point of contact for parents. They should address any concerns that a parent or pupil may have at any time.
- Parent meetings take place biannually: the precise timing and organisation of the meetings is determined at the beginning of the school year and disseminated to parents.
- There will be the opportunity for parents to meet directly with their child’s subject teachers twice during the course of the academic year, the class teacher will also meet for their Annual Review.
- All pupils work towards EHCP outcomes throughout the year, these are linked to all areas of the curriculum.
- Where individuals make particularly rapid progress, their targets should be revised upwards accordingly. However, their original target will be used as part of a residual-level analysis to assess the performance of their teachers, subject areas and the School. This analysis will contribute to performance development.
- The School Report – is the annual summative report of the skills and knowledge gained throughout the year across all subject areas, this is sent home to parents.
Links to other policies:
Marking and Feedback Policy, Curriculum Policy.
Appendix A
Independent Scale
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FPS – Full physical support
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PPS – Partial physical support
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GS – Gestural support
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VS – Visual support
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VBL – Verbal support
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I – Independent
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