Assessment and Target Setting Policy

RATIONALE

Definition: Assessment and target setting is the means by which we record, monitor and plan the development of each child in our school.

This policy has been compiled in order to inform teachers, support staff, governors, parents, inspectors and pupils of the procedures adopted by the school for assessment and target setting.

AIMS

To meet the requirements of the National Curriculum by ensuring that children are matched to their appropriate level of attainment.
To further comply with National Curriculum requirement by providing an absolute indication of each child’s progress through the Attainment Targets which can be reported to parents.
To provide teachers with the information necessary to plan the next stage of each child’s learning.
To provide an indication of the individual child’s progress and development which can be viewed both as a measure of his/her independent growth and as a mark of his/her progress in relationship to the peer group nationally accepted standards.
To give each child a sense of his/her development and to provide him/her with clearly defined learning targets.
To provide children with an educational profile which can be readily communicated to other teachers and/or school thus ensuring co-ordination and progression.
To have accepted standards for each level as a staff, arrived at after extensive consultation and agreement trailing.
To match our standards with those of other schools in the area through agreement, trailing and delegating the assessment co-ordinator to attend group moderation meetings.
To enable comparisons to be made between local and national results as a means to improvement.

THE AIM OF WHOLE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT AND TARGET SETTING

To provide information about pupils’ progress which informs teaching decisions about future learning (formative).
To recognise the strengths and weaknesses of individual pupils to enable children to maximise their abilities (diagnostic).
To record overall attainment.
To use results of assessment to inform decisions regarding curriculum provision, teaching styles, resource allocation etc.
To facilitate the curriculum and good teaching – not inhibit it.
To help set targets for work that are challenging but achievable.

GUIDELINES

Statutory Regulations:

The assessment procedures are carried out in accordance with Government guidelines and Bath & North East Somerset Council procedures.

At Whitchurch Primary School we recognise that effective planning is the key to effective assessment and recording. Assessment is built into the planning at all stages of the process.

Long Term Planning:

This is carried out to ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum subjects at Key Stages 1 and 2. A two year rolling programme is followed which is planned on Curriculum Maps.

Medium Term Planning:

This is carried out using the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the QCA documents. The work is planned into units covering a half-term. These units identify the knowledge, understanding and skills that will be taught. Assessment is planned into these units to ensure progression and to assess the knowledge gained by the children. An over view of the half term in weekly blocks is kept to enable the teachers to keep on track and help supply/support teachers plan effectively.

Short Term Planning:

This is carried out weekly and daily. This planning identifies the activities to be used and the differentiation that is needed for groups/individuals in order for learning objectives to be achieved. These plans will also identify the specific learning outcomes that are required and the assessment opportunities and strategies that can be employed. Evidence of the work and records kept by the teacher enabling this assessment information to develop through informing planning, into future learning and teaching situations.

GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSMENT

The school will make use of the following assessment tools:

WHEN

WHAT

TYPE OF ASSESSMENT

Within the first term of schooling.

End of Key Stage 1

End of Key Stage 2

Year 1

End of Years 3, 4 & 5

Beginning of Years 2 - 6

Baseline

SAT’s

Middle Infant screening tests

QCA optional tests

NFER tests

Language, reading, writing, maths and social – over a number of weeks.

Formal assessment tests in Maths and English. Teacher assessment in Maths, English & Science.

Formal assessment tests in Maths, English and Science.

Diagnostic testing in Maths & English

Formal testing in Maths & English

Testing in reading.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

A wide range of further assessment strategies are used in the school. They include:

Target setting
Teacher observation
Questioning and discussion with the pupils
Listening
Specific tasks – challenges linked to units of work
Self appraisal by both pupils and staff
Consistent marking of children’s work in accordance with the school Marking Policy
More formal activities such as tests or quizzes
Whole staff moderation of children’s work

Teachers use their own preferred method of recording the results of these formative assessment. These may include day books, tick lists and class records of topics covered.

Assessment strategies will be regularly monitored by the Senior Management Team to ensure that they are used effectively.

EVIDENCE

Although evidence of attainment is required to support teacher assessment, it is not necessary to retain evidence for every attainment in each subject. Pupils will have an Assessment book, into which they will do specific assessment related tasks on a half-termly basis. Work in exercise books is often sufficient for this purpose and for any formal assessments retained in pupil folders should be culled in accordance with the ‘Keeping Track’ document published by QCA.

RECORDING OF ASSESSMENT AND TARGET SETTING

Assessment and target setting will be recorded in the following ways:

Individual Pupil’s Records:

Each child, on entry into the school, will have an individual record sheet that will track his/her progress through the school from Reception to Year 6. Test results for the core subjects will be entered onto this form to show ‘value added’ data. Targets will be set at the end of each school year to predict at what level the child will be by the end of the following school year.
A record of ‘where the child is at’ in relation to National Curriculum levels will be kept for the core subjects. This will be in the form of statements which will be ticked when the child has achieved them.
Class teachers will keep a record of general progress for each child which will be used to inform parents at consultation meetings.
Children will have ‘can do’ statements in their Literacy and Numeracy books that will be a record of their progress in these areas. In partnership with the child, the class teacher will set individual targets which will be recorded on target sheets. These will be ‘achievable targets’ at a level suited to each child. Through discussion the child and teacher will monitor progress made towards achieving these targets.

Target Setting:

Targets will be set at the end of each school year, based on test results, to predict at what level the child will be at by the end of the following school year. These predictions will be continually reviewed, resulting in targets for improvement set and suitably resourced.
In the Summer Term, after testing has taken place, each teacher will record individual pupils results and set a ‘target’ for the projected level that they will achieve the following year. This will be recorded on a year group target sheet and on individual records, and will be in line with the ‘top down’ targets for that particular year group. A copy of this information should be given to the Assessment Co-ordinator.
Focused targets for classes and specific groups will be used at the discretion of the class teacher. It is suggested that these are displayed in the classroom to ensure that all children are aware of them. Parents should also be informed of half-termly targets in order to be able to support their child’s learning in partnership with the school. The class teacher should keep a personal record of these in their files to inform future planning. (For further information see the ‘Target Setting Masters’ booklet).

Beyond the records outlined above, teachers are at liberty to use individual methods in recording assessment.

CONCLUSION

Our policy will be working if:

All staff can gain a clear picture of a child’s progress.
Teachers can use the assessment to plan future work effectively.
Teachers and support staff feel the procedure is relevant and manageable
Parents can read and understand the annual reports and find them useful in judging the progress made by their child.
The children feel they are involved in the assessment process and that this helps them to improve their work.