Key Principles underpinning Assessment
These principles underpin our school’s vision and Assessment Policy on how we will assess all children whilst at St. Stephen's Infant School.
- It provides clear evidence of children’s progress across year groups;
- It provides accurate information on children’s progress and determine whether our assessment system is fit for purpose
We believe that:
- Assessment is at the heart of teaching and learning: it provides evidence to guide teaching and learning; the opportunity for pupils to demonstrate and review their progress.
- Assessment is fair; inclusive of all abilities, purposeful and appropriate to the needs of the children, free from bias towards factors that are not relevant to what the assessment intends to address.
- Assessment is honest and the outcomes are used in ways that minimise undesirable effects; outcomes are conveyed in an open, honest and transparent way to assist pupils with their learning and the judgements. These judgements are moderated by experienced professionals across the local authority in a shared approach to teaching and learning to ensure their accuracy.
- Assessment is ambitious, it places achievement in context against nationally standardised criteria and expected standards criteria and expected standards for which schools and school leaders are accountable. It embodies, through objective criteria, a pathway of progress and development, which supports transition, for every child. It sets high expectations for all learners.
- Assessment is appropriate; any assessment process should be clearly stated; conclusions regarding pupil achievement are valid (to age, task and to the desired feedback information); it should draw on a wide range of evidence to provide a complete picture of student achievement.; it should demand no more procedures or records than are practically required to allow pupils, their parents and teachers to plan future learning.
- Assessment is consistent; judgements formed according to common principles; results are readily understandable by third parties; results are capable of comparison with other schools, both locally and nationally.
- Assessment outcomes provide meaningful and understandable information for pupils in developing their learning; helps parents in supporting children with their learning; supports teachers in planning teaching and learning; enable school leaders and governors in planning and allocating resources; track pupil progress and government and agents of government.
- Assessment feedback should inspire greater effort and a belief that, through hard work and practice, more can be achieved.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Assessment
In the final term of the year in which the child reaches age five, and no later than 30 June in that term, the EYFS Profile must be completed for each child. The Profile provides parents and carers, practitioners and teachers with a well-rounded picture of a child’s knowledge, understanding and abilities, their progress against expected levels, and their readiness for Year 1. The Profile must reflect: ongoing observation; all relevant records held by the setting; discussions with parents and carers, and any other adults whom the teacher, parent or carer judges can offer a useful contribution.
The EYFS Profile provides teachers, parents and the Local Authority with reliable and accurate information about each child's level of development as they reach the end of the EYFS. This enables the teacher to plan an effective, responsive and appropriate curriculum that meets all children's needs and promotes achievement.
Each child’s level of development must be assessed against the early learning goals (ELG). Practitioners must indicate whether children are meeting expected levels of development or not yet reaching expected levels. To achieve a ‘good’ level of development, children should meet the ‘expected’ ELG in the Prime Areas of Learning at the end of the EYFS and the Specific areas of Literacy and Mathematics.
Judgements against the scales should be made from observation of consistent and independent behaviour. These should be a mixture of children's self-initiated activities and teacher-led activities.
Key Stage 1 Assessment
At St. Stephen’s Infant School we assess against age-related expectations for each year group.
Age-related expectations (AREs):
- Demonstrate how teacher assessment and a broad evidence range is integral to effective teaching and learning
- Encourages a broadly based curriculum
- Provides a fuller picture of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses
- Give insights which directly inform future planning
- Helps make connections between ‘Assessment for Learning’ and judgements relating to national standards
- Engages teachers and learners in assessment to raise attainment
- Offers a secure basis for pupil tracking
- Supports transition of learners from one year group to the next
Statutory Assessment
Key Stage 1 National Curriculum Assessments (SATs)
At the end of Year 2, children take SATs in:
- Reading
- English grammar, punctuation and spelling, or GPS (optional paper, schools can decide whether to use it)
- Maths
Year 1 Phonic Screening Check
The phonics screening check is a quick and easy check of your child’s phonics knowledge. It helps your school confirm whether your child has made the expected progress. It takes place in June. Your child will sit with a teacher he or she knows and be asked to read 40 words aloud. Your child may have read some of the words before, while others will be
completely new. The check normally takes just a few minutes to complete and there is no time limit. If your child is struggling, the teacher will stop the check. The check is carefully designed not to be stressful for your child.
Year 2 Phonics Screening Re-take for children who did not pass in Year 1