Nurturing brilliance is not an accidental process but rather the result of a rigorous system of teaching and learning that is purposefully monitored.
Purpose of Assessment
Effective and rigorous assessment is essentially expressed through the following principle:
There is a common language and framework for assessing pupils shared clearly between staff, parents and pupils, so that:
- Assessment drives learning, rather than being a tool for measurement
- Teachers have ownership of data analysis and use this to maximise pupil learning
- Teachers can have reliable conversations with pupils, parents, colleagues about each pupil’s learning
- Parents gain clear understanding of where their child is in their learning and progress they have made
- Pupils know where they are in their learning and where they need to go next
The school can make key strategic decisions about curriculum design for effective learning.
Pupil Progress Measures
Regular formative assessment and discussions with pupils enables our pupils to have visibility over their learning and progress and colleagues work closely with each other to ensure that learning is triangulated and moderated throughout the year. Pupils are consulted about their progress informally by teachers through an ongoing process and more formally through half-termly Personalised Learning Plans, which contain targets in core subjects and have space for pupil and parental voice. They also have termly reports.
Standardised testing carried out each year enables benchmarking of pupils attainment and progress against national standards.
Pupil progress meetings, held termly, help to determine if pupils are reaching the required milestones in relation to their own ability and national and school indicators. Where pupils are not making adequate progress, they will be identified for close monitoring/ small group intervention or 1:1 intervention as appropriate. If it is determined that the children are still not making adequate progress they may be referred to the school’s SENCO for further investigation into their needs. Where specific needs are identified and can be met with ‘reasonable adjustment’ by the school there will be no additional costs for support. Where it is deemed most appropriate for there to be intervention from an outside resource, the cost for these services will be the responsibility of the parent.
In EYFS, the school will assess according to the statutory Early Years Profile. Results of the Early Years Profile are provided at the end of the Reception as requested to the Croydon Local Authority for those pupils in receipt of Early Years Funding in the Summer Term. Parents are informed of their son’s achievements throughout the year using the online learning journey ‘Learning Log’. Parents are provided with results against age related expectations on request throughout the year and all are given results at the end of each term.
Reporting
Parents are kept informed about their child’s progress through regular formal and informal events throughout the year. Parents’ Evenings provide a chance for reflection and review in both the Autumn and Spring Terms, with subject specialists providing additional information in the later session. Open classroom events in the Autumn and Summer Term also provide a chance for pupils to showcase their work, inviting their parents in to see their work as well as their reflections on it.
Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their learning throughout the year and, together with the class teacher, a pupil learning plan with clear targets is generated. These PLPs form the basis of the term’s focus and ensure the pupil feels ownership of their learning.
Written reports are sent home at the end of the Autumn and Summer Terms, providing a summative account of the pupil’s progress and attainment across the period.
Parents and pupils are encouraged to discuss any concerns or questions about their learning with their teacher when they arise.
