When This Policy Is Successfully Implemented Students Will

A S S E S S M E N T P O L I C Y 14

1. Aim of this policy

To ensure that students are able to evaluate their own work, that teachers are able to make valid and reliable assessments of students’ knowledge, skills and understanding, and that both can use the results to improve learning

2. Objectives of this policy

When this policy is successfully implemented students will  Be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their work  Be able to describe the next step they need to take to improve in each subject  Have clear, accessible guidance about how their work will be assessed and the criteria for success  Have some understanding of the nature of progress in each subject.

When this policy is successfully implemented we will in each department  Have access to a range of prior attainment and baseline data  Start the year by setting with students a realistic but challenging target level or grade  Have reliable and valid periodic summative assessments  Use a range of assessment methods  Provide students with explicit and accessible information on assessment methods and share the criteria for success with them  Use assessment methods which are inclusive and do not disadvantage any group or individual  Have access to centrally collected summative assessment data using levels that relate to specific criteria for each or activity assessed in years 7 to 9; GCSE grades and GCE grades and other relevant national systems (e.g. BTEC)  Have access to ICT systems which make it easy to analyse student performance in summative assessments against national expectations, and against students’ targets, and which make it easy to analyse sub-groups (e.g. by gender, teaching group, SEN, ethnicity etc.)  Use the results of summative assessments to identify and set targets for under- achieving students; review and improve schemes of work; determine appropriate setting arrangements; and inform teachers on teaching methods.  Plan objectives led lessons which make learning outcomes explicit for students  Plan diagnostic activity into lessons, so that lessons can be adjusted to suit the knowledge, skills and understanding which students bring to the lesson  Have selective marking of significant pieces of work, with a focus on providing formative comments and “next steps” advice, either written by teachers or by students themselves after discussion in class.  Plan activities which enable students not just to understand the features of good work in the subject, but the nature of progress in the subject

Fitzharrys School Staff Handbook Section page 1 of 5 Author : S Gosling Last updated : September 2015 A S S E S S M E N T P O L I C Y 14

When this policy is successfully implemented we will in tutorial teams  Have access to both baseline assessment data and current performance data for each tutor group  Be able to identify patterns of under-achievement across subjects  Support students in creating action plans to improve their learning, using registration periods; interim and annual reports; and mentoring interviews.

3. Actions needed to implement these aims and objectives

By heads of department/course co-ordinators  Take learning outcomes and the assessment of these as the starting point in planning units of work  Monitor for balance the range of assessment methods and the range of subject criteria assessed  Produce an assessment scheme which outlines timing and type of assessment  Produce a guide to assessment criteria in student-friendly language  Produce for each summative assessment clear assessment criteria, and collect students’ work to illustrate achievement of these criteria  Analyse the results of summative assessments and use these analyses for decision about setting, curriculum coverage, teaching methods and other interventions.  Check the quality and frequency of marking, to ensure that comments are being made which guide students’ learning  Use observations to feedback to members of the department on key aspects of formative assessment

Class teachers  Set targets with students at the start of a course  Be clear about the baseline data for each class and the end of key stage expectations which you might reasonably have for each student  Plan objectives-led lessons using WALT and WILF (must, should, could)  Plan diagnostic assessment at the start of lessons or sequences of lessons (e.g. through questioning, traffic lighting, starter activities)  Adjust teaching to reflect the results of diagnostic assessment  Provide models so that students can identify the features of good quality work  Provide good feedback to students in lessons, particularly oral feedback.  Provide opportunities for self- and peer-assessment  Select significant pieces of work for triple impact marking (two a term for years 10 to 13 and for core subjects in years 7 to 9; once a term for all other subjects): students review (two ticks and a target); teacher comments (two ticks and a target); students act on feedback.  Ensure that students have clear “next steps” targets, so that they know what to do to improve their work  Give students the opportunity to analyse “before” and “after” work (for instance a drawing task from the beginning of Year 7 and one from the end), so that they can begin to understand what progress in each subject involves  Periodically review the progress of your classes against expectations

Deputy head in charge of assessment  Set up and maintain systems to collect the results of periodic summative assessment  Train and support departments in getting access to this data (held on our MIS)  Train and support departments in using the relevant analytical software  Support the development of assessment for learning through training, observation and feedback, and an action group  Analyse achievement across the school to identify under-achieving groups and sub- groups of students; feedback this information to departments  Work with departments on action plans to address under-achievement in identified groups  Monitor the implementation of this policy through collecting examples of assessment tasks in each department and reviewing these against the principles outlined in section 2 above; observing lessons; reviewing lesson observation reports from Heads of Department; sampling work; interviewing students

Heads of year  Plan academic monitoring activities, making use of collated baseline data and summative assessment data  Support tutors in using the planner for periodic target setting  Identify under-achieving groups in year groups by comparing current with expected levels of achievement  Plan any necessary intervention work with these groups, either directly or through liaison with heads of department and the SENCO

Tutors  Use registration slots to develop academic monitoring activities  Use PSHE and registration periods for target setting activities, using the student planner

4. Reporting progress and achievement to parents and students

Key principles of reporting  Reports have a dual audience – students and their parents  Reports need to be timely – have a short lead time and be issued at a frequency which enables them to address current issues or concerns  Reports need to answer the questions: o How am I doing? o Am I doing as well as I should be? o What are the areas of strength and weakness? o What can I do to improve?  Reports should use existing data-collection systems, and should reinforce good classroom practice, to avoid duplication of effort  Reports need to use readily understandable grading systems which are (as far as possible) consistent across the school  Reports should be based on robust evidence of achievement and progress  Reports should act as a sound basis for action planning in school

Objectives of reporting policy

This policy will be effectively implemented when: 1. Departments have an assessment plan identifying termly assessments which are assessed against national curriculum attainment targets or GCSE criteria 2. Results of these termly assessments are collected centrally by the exams office (grade sheets will be issued in line with the reporting and assessment calendar published each year) 3. Progress checks are issued each term (i.e. six times a year) to parents, reporting an end of key stage expectation (KS3) or target grade (GCSE), along with results of termly assessments (every other term at key stage 3) and a judgement as t whether a student is on track or not. Termly reports will also report on students’ behaviour and attitude to learning. 4. Once a year students receive an enhanced progress check in which a learning target is identified for each subject and a written commentary on academic progress and personal and social development is provided by the form tutor. 5. Once a year a parents’ consultation is held at which subject teachers may report on progress and discuss with parents and students targets for improvement in each subject.

Summary for parent handbook and prospectus

The aim of our assessment is to ensure students are able to do the following:  identify the strengths and weaknesses of their work in a way appropriate to their age  describe the next step they need to take to improve in each subject  have clear guidance in their books and folders about the nature of assessment tasks and the criteria for success  have some understanding of the nature of progress in each subject. To achieve this, the following will happen:  Students will have in their exercise book a unit front sheet for each subject which will outline the things they need to do to make progress in that unit. Students will have the opportunity in lessons to review their progress and set targets for improvement.  Progress checks are issued each term (i.e. six times a year) to parents, reporting an end of year expectation (KS3) or target grade (GCSE), along with results of termly assessments (every other term at key stage 3) and a judgement as to whether a student is on track in each subject. Termly reports will also report on students’ behaviour and attitude to learning.  Once a year students receive an enhanced progress check in which a learning target is identified for each subject and a written commentary on academic progress and personal and social development is provided by the form tutor.  Once a year a parents’ consultation is held at which subject teachers may report on progress and discuss with parents and students targets for improvement in each subject.

For further information please see Sam Gosling.

Fitzharrys School Staff Handbook Section page 5 of 5 Author : S Gosling Last updated : September 2015