Assessing Pupils Progress in English

Assessing Pupils’ Progress in English

This is what the HIAS English team are saying in relation to developing Assessing Pupil Progress (APP) in English.  APP is a teaching and learning tool first and a summative assessment tool second. Using APP has an impact on the subject knowledge of teachers, and the understanding of pupils about what makes a successful reader and writer. It is crucial, therefore, that schools facilitate the right amount of professional learning for teachers before expectations of practice are implemented. A school needs a year to properly explore and experiment with the use of APP in English. APP is first and foremost about understanding progress in English, not tracking progress in English – the latter is a summative operation, the former a formative one.

 This is a real opportunity to ensure that planning, teaching and learning are all adapted to meet the needs of learners. The clear links between the assessment focuses and the strands of objectives mean that teachers can quickly identify objectives that need to be given attention in subsequent units of work in order to meet learners’ needs – on a whole-class, guided group or individual basis – and ensure that the Framework is being used well.

 English is, to a partial but important extent, the underpinning foundation to the curriculum. APP should be used as a cross-curricular tool – not one solely used in English time. This means that evidence of pupils’ learning in reading and writing can be drawn from across the curriculum, but also, that other curricular areas are used to develop reading and writing.

 Teacher assessment, not external tests, should always be the most influential assessments in pupils’ learning in English. APP gives us the opportunity to revolutionise and improve assessment in English at the same time as ensuring that tests are kept in proper perspective. Teacher assessment should be driving learning in English – if pupils are making more progress in this way, then attainment in tests should follow. APP can help teachers and pupils achieve two levels of progress within a key stage because it is a formative process – and it is possible, for example, to

HIAS Assessment website: Position statements APP in English – May 2009 1 use it as a tool in conjunction with Fischer Family Trust (FFT) estimates.

 APP is for all pupils not just certain groups. This does not mean, however, that every pupil must necessarily be assessed using the full APP process. Schools are currently developing a range of ways to implement APP, including using sample groups of pupils (usually between four and six) in classes that act as the barometer for the teacher to make judgements about all pupils. This is a process that can only really be understood and evaluated by doing it – thus the earlier emphasis on professional learning.

 APP is a periodic assessment tool, but one that will also impact on day-to-day and week-to-week assessment. It would be wrong to think of APP only as a periodic summative or formative tool. Teachers using APP have quickly found that it impacts on their routine processes and practice – in English time and across the curriculum. Conversely, it offers the potential for removing any diagnostic use of end of key stage test results by supporting teachers’ professional discussions about pupils’ progress in English at the main transition points in learners’ lives.

 Moderation using APP should be a regular feature throughout the school year. This is critical in terms of ensuring rigour and accuracy, as well as impact.

 Schools do not need to start creating portfolios of pupils’ work. The APP approach requires that teachers adopt a portfolio mentality but not that actual portfolios are created and kept. Some teachers are already using APP as they go through a term, creating a record of evidence and then looking back over the records of the term to help support their overall judgements. This is especially true and useful in relation to assessing reading – an area that we know is going to be a challenge for many schools.

This is an extract from a full position statement – if you would like the full statement, please contact Deirdre Wort on: Tel: 023 8081 6130 E-mail: [email protected] .

2 APP in English – May 2009 HIAS Assessment website: Position statements