Assessment

Assessment within the EYFS

​At the beginning of the Nursery year, pupils are assessed using recognised materials to make judgements about their starting points. These judgements will be used to measure the progress made by the pupils throughout the phase. Pupils are continually assessed through planned and spontaneous observations, photographs, videos and information drawn from the child’s view of his or her learning and parental discussions. These are recorded using Tapestry – an electronic assessment tool – on a tablet. The assessment tool is used to create a ‘Learning Journey’ for each pupil. The information collected by the assessment tool is used by the class teachers to assess pupil’s attainment against the EYFS Development Matters statements.

​In the final term of the reception year, the class teacher assesses whether the pupils have reached an emerging, expected or exceeding level of attainment against the 17 Early Learning Goals. We are aiming for pupils to have achieved a Good Level of Development – which means that they have achieved the expected level in the Prime areas plus Literacy and Mathematics. Pupils are also assessed against the characteristics of effective learning.

​Assessment in Key Stage 1 and 2

​All pupils are assessed as part of their everyday classroom learning. This ongoing (formative) assessment is made by class teachers through their observations, marking, pupil discussion and pupils’ application of skills to other subjects. Class teachers use these judgements to ensure pupils are on track to reach the expectations of our curriculum and identify next steps in teaching and learning. Pupils and class teachers work together through formative assessments, target setting and high quality written and verbal feedback to ensure all learners make progress. By the end of each topic, we expect the vast majority of pupils to have sustained mastery of the content, that is, they remember it and are fluent in it.

​End of term/year (summative) assessments are made to support the professional judgements throughout the year. These judgements, together with areas for development are communicated to families via feedback in pupil’s books, Parent Evening Consultation meetings, informal discussions and annual progress reports.