ASSESSMENT POLICY At Harborne Academy we are constantly striving, looking for newer and better ways of raising standards, in short, pursuing excellence. We have embraced positively the challenge given to schools and academies by the Department for Education to review our assessment methods and put into place a curriculum that not only meets statutory requirements in September 2015, but one that also looks beyond this, to meet the aspirations of our school community, preparing our young people for their future lives. KS3 Curriculum and Assessment Our new KS3 assessment is outlined below. The curriculum itself emphasises Ebacc, and through our celebrated Skills School, a special emphasis on providing a strong foundation in literacy, and the development of strong study skills and good study habits. Tracking progress over time Recent years have seen significant changes in education. Between 2015 and 2019 we will see the phased introduction of new GCSEs, no longer graded A* to G, but graded 9 to 1. In the interim, therefore, students will be sitting combinations of these GCSEs. This mixed economy will inevitably lead to some confusion and our aim has been to introduce a simple model that acts as a transition from old to new. COMMON FORMAT KS4 New Grade Year 9 A* 8-9 Bloom NS Level Year 8 A* A 7-8 6 6 A* A B 6 5a-5b A B C 4-5 5 5c-4a B C D 3 4 100 4b-c C D E 2 3 3 D E F 1 2 2 E F Emergent 2 Emergent 2 1 <2 F Emergent 1 Emergent 1 Emergent 1 TRANSITIONAL ARRANGMENTS New grade: 1 to 9 for new GCSEs
In this model, reference is made to Bloom s Taxonomy, a well-known classification of levels of intellectual behaviour. In the second column, NS refers to National Standard, and 100 will represent the national average for year 6 students from 2016. In column three, a rough approximation is made to current average end of key stage 2 levels. The following four columns show what this will look like in our Academy. Students will be set targets that are aspirational, determined by their prior attainment in the first instance but constantly reviewed to ensure there are no glass ceilings (because students do not always learn in straight lines or to use an old fashioned term, they blossom later). In subjects yet to transition to new GCSEs, progress will be reported by a grade, but as they transition over the coming years progress will be reported in numbers (matched to grade criteria), as shown in the final column. Reporting progress using the new number scale will be applicable in English and mathematics from September 2015 but not other subjects. In blue, assuming a straight-line progress trajectory, we can visualise the rate of progress for a student joining us in year 7 having achieved the national average at the end of key stage 2 and graduating in year 11. How can I find out more about individual subjects? In the curriculum section of our website we will share, subject by subject, the assessment plans and curriculum, and every subject will highlight links between the development of knowledge, understanding and skills at key stages 3 and 4. Every subject will report on progress according to our common format (see above) and this will be driven by test and examination outcomes over time. Assessing character In addition to reporting on the progress of students in individual subjects, we also recognise at Harborne, the need to develop an individual s character. Character will focus on measuring ways a student s confidence and selfassurance develops. This area of assessment is under development but will be introduced during the next academic year. Principles of Good Assessment Assessment is a fundamental aspect of the curriculum and an integral part of the learning process. Although some assessment may take place at the end of a course, it should be a continuous process, which takes place throughout the curriculum. Effective assessment considers the following principles: Assessment is: 1. At the heart of teaching and learning. Benefits/gain to learning a. Assessment provides evidence to guide teaching and learning. b. Assessment provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate and review their progress. 2. Fair. a. Assessment is inclusive of all abilities. b. Assessment is free from bias towards factors that are not relevant to what the assessment intends to address. 3. Honest. a. Assessment outcomes are used in ways that minimise undesirable effects. b. Assessment outcomes are conveyed in an open, honest and transparent way to assist pupils with their learning. c. Assessment judgments are moderated by experienced professionals to ensure their accuracy. 4. Ambitious. a. Assessment places achievement in context against nationally standardised criteria and expected standards. b. Assessment embodies, through objective criteria, a pathway of
progress and development for every child. c. Assessment objectives set high expectations for learners. 5. Appropriate. a. The purpose of any assessment process should be clearly stated. b. Conclusions regarding pupil achievement are valid when the assessment method is appropriate (to age, to the task and to the desired feedback information). c. Assessment should draw on a wide range of evidence to provide a complete picture of student achievement. d. Assessment should demand no more procedures or records than are practically required to allow pupils, their parents and teachers to plan future learning. 5. Consistent. a. Judgments are formed according to common principles. b. The results are readily understandable by third parties. c. A school s results are capable of comparison with other schools, both locally and nationally. 6. Outcomes that provide meaningful and understandable information for: a. pupils in developing their learning; b. parents in supporting children with their learning; c. teachers in planning teaching and learning. Assessment must provide information that justifies the time spent; d. school leaders and governors in planning and allocating resources. 7. An evaluative process. Feedback should inspire greater effort and a belief that, through hard work and practice, more can be achieved. Assessment should not dominate or constrict the curriculum. These principles provide an evaluation checklist for our Academy: Our approach to assessment: Assessment is integral to high quality teaching and learning. It helps us to ensure that our teaching is appropriate and that learners are making expected progress. All staff are regularly trained in our approach to assessment. We have a senior leader who is responsible for assessment. Our method of assessment: Assessment serves many purposes, but the main purpose of assessment in our Academy is to help teachers, parents and pupils plan their next steps in learning. We also use the outcomes of assessment to check and support our teaching standards and help us improve. Through working with other schools and using external tests and assessments, we will compare our performance with that of other schools. We assess pupils against assessment criteria, which are short, discrete, qualitative and concrete descriptions of what a pupil is expected to know and be able to do. Assessment criteria are derived from the Academy curriculum, which is composed of the National Curriculum and our own local design. Assessment criteria for periodic assessment are arranged into a hierarchy, setting out what children are normally expected to have mastered by the end of each year. The achievement of each pupil is assessed against all the relevant criteria at appropriate times of the school year. Where a pupil is assessed as exceeding the relevant criteria in a subject for that year they will also be assessed
against the criteria in that subject for the next year. For those pupils meeting and exceeding the expected standards, we provide more challenging work. Assessment judgments are recorded and backed by a body of evidence created using observations, records of work and testing. Assessment judgments are moderated by colleagues in the Academy and by colleagues in other schools to make sure our assessments are fair, reliable and valid. Our use of assessment Teachers use the outcomes of our assessments to summarise and analyse attainment and progress for their pupils and classes. Teachers use this data to plan the learning for every pupil to ensure they meet or exceed expectations. Teachers and leaders analyse the data across the school to ensure that pupils identified as vulnerable or at particular risk in this school are making appropriate progress and that all pupils are suitably stretched. The information from assessment is communicated to parents and pupils on at least a termly basis; parents and pupils receive quantitative and qualitative profiles of what has been achieved and indications of what they need to do next. We celebrate all achievements across a broad and balanced curriculum, including sport, art and performance, behaviour, and social and emotional development. Assessment Concerns the following: Those who cannot assess cannot teach. Assessment is therefore too important to be the sole preserve of national tests and assessments. Assessment is the means used by good teachers to evaluate that progress and diagnose the needs of the pupil. Assessment helps pupils engage more fully in their own development and learning. Assessment helps parents to understand and, as relevant, participate in their children s educational journey. Assessment helps head teachers and governors to plan strategically the use of the resources of the school. Assessment of individual pupils and school accountability are interdependent Assessment includes externality and Assessment is inevitably part of every teaching activity. How is she getting on? Did he understand that? In good education, assessment is of the progress of the whole pupil throughout their educational journey. True assessment is neither wholly formative, nor wholly summative; it is embedded in the classroom rather than an activity of reflection outside the classroom. A pupil responds better to new challenges if they grasp what is necessary for progress and why. Quite reasonably, parents want to know how their son or daughter is progressing, and how they can help. If whole or part classes are not making reasonably expected progress, there could be a variety of causes, and dealing with the uncovered needs may require redeployment of resources in the school. One critically important role of assessment is to help appropriate types of the accountability of schools to parents, governors, local authorities and government and tax payers. This is the main reason for the use of national testing procedures, and
objectivity. Assessment skills must be sufficiently prioritised in either initial teacher training or continuing professional development. also developing the role of in-school, inter-school and external moderation of teacher assessment judgments. There is an unjustified assumption at large that assessment is a natural intuitive skill possessed by all.
APPENDIX Individuals, groups and organisations have roles and responsibilities in assessment. Some are indicated here but these are not comprehensive or definitive lists. Learners: engage actively in learning. are assessed as part of daily learning through a range of activities including dialogue and interactions with peers and teachers, practical investigations, performances, oral presentations and discussions. are assessed on written work and on products such as artwork, reports or projects. demonstrate their knowledge and understanding, skills, attributes and capabilities through a wide range of evidence including specific assessment tasks, activities, test and examinations. shape and review their learning by reflection, setting learning goals and next steps including through personal learning planning. review their own learning through self assessment. collaborate in peer assessment. contribute to moderation activities. Teachers and other practitioners: work collaboratively to develop approaches to monitoring, self-evaluation and improvement planning. engage regularly in collegiate working including by participating in local and national networking activities. work with colleagues to develop a shared understanding of standards and expectations through moderation activities which involve coherent planning, checking, sampling, reviewing and providing feedback for improvement. ensure that assessment always supports learning and is based on a wide range of evidence which is reliably judged against national standards and expectations and promotes progression, breadth and depth in learning. plan, design and carry out assessment as an ongoing part of learning and teaching and periodically use specific assessments, tests or examinations as appropriate. involve learners fully in assessment and help them to understand what is expected develop learners' roles in moderation activities. evaluate evidence of learning to contribute to profiles and report on learners achievements and progress. participate in quality assurance, moderation and CPD activities, using materials available, to develop assessment expertise and to ensure assessment practices are valid and reliable.
Parents: are actively involved in supporting their children's learning. are fully involved where children and young people need additional support that is detailed in support plans (usually in conjunction with our Inclusion Team). receive regular information about their children s strengths, progress and achievements. are informed about any gaps in their children s progress and ways that they can help. receive information on: how well all learners and particular groups of learners are achieving; the performance of children and young people in the school in relation to expected levels at particular stages in key areas such as literacy and numeracy; and how the school is applying national standards and expectations. Managers and senior leaders: provide opportunities for staff to work collaboratively in planning the curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment in a coherent way to achieve breadth, challenge and application of learning. provide opportunities for staff to discuss, share and develop an understanding of standards and expectations through participating in moderation and CPD in assessment ensure that quality assurance and moderation activities are fit for purpose, proportionate, manageable and accessible. ensure an appropriate focus on coherent planning, checking, sampling, reviewing and providing feedback for improvement ensure that appropriate monitoring and tracking of learners' progress is in place so that assessment information is used to support learning and involve learners in target setting ensure that self-evaluation is based on a wide range of evidence across all aspects of learning including benchmarking information to inform improvement planning and raising achievement for all learners. provide an open and transparent account of how successful children and young people are in their learning and of the establishment s areas for improvement: based upon self-evaluation, including consideration of the nature, population and context of the school or college. containing a range of information on learners' progress and performance, a narrative about how well the establishment is performing and a description of how it intends to improve the achievement of its learners