- April 2024 Newsletter 15th April 2024
- March 2024 Newsletter 11th March 2024
- February 2024 Newsletter 8th February 2024
At Llangyfelach Primary School we believe effective assessment is at the heart of improving learning and teaching. It provides the basis of informed teaching, helping pupils to overcome difficulties and ensuring that teaching builds upon what has been learned. It is also the means by which pupils understand what they have achieved and what they need to work on. Our policy and practice aim to foster ‘assessment for learning’ but we also recognise the need for both formative and summative assessment because they fulfil different, parallel purposes.
Formative assessment creates a positive learning environment where children can see the steps necessary for their own success. It enables teachers to set appropriate work at the level necessary for the children’s continuing progress.
Summative assessment is important for accurate information regarding a child’s attainment and progress. It informs whole school target setting and tracking of cohort progress.
To improve the quality of learning and teaching.
To raise the standards of achievement throughout the school.
To motivate and coach learners to make progress.
To involve the learners in their self-assessment.
To identify particular difficulties that learners may be encountering.
To maintain accurate assessments using our tracking systems in order to inform future planning.
To ensure consistency in assessing achievement and making judgements about the nature and quality of learners’ work.
To enable the active involvement of pupils in their own learning.
To enable teachers and other professionals to use assessment judgements to plan work that accurately reflects the needs of individual pupils.
To provide regular information for parents that enables them to support their child’s learning.
To provide the information that allows school leaders and governors to make judgements about the effectiveness of the school and to evaluate the school’s performance against its own previous attainment over time and against national standards.
These aims will be evident in planning, teaching and learning through the following features;
to ensure that we have a clear picture of our pupils' knowledge, skill and their level of understanding;
to ensure pupils know the learning objectives of all lessons;
to ensure pupils receive and act on their oral and/or written feedback;
to reflect on our practice and challenge our own thinking;
to talk regularly with learners about their learning and listen to their responses;
to formally and informally assess the attainment of pupils and use these to deliver purposeful lessons with speed and challenge.
enthusiastic, attentive, responsive and on task;
talking confidently and asking appropriate questions;
confident in asking for help and support;
aware of their achievements and what they need to do in order to improve;
knowledgeable about their learning.
At Llangyfelach Primary School, we use a combination of formative and summative assessment as outlined below:
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is a powerful way of raising pupils’ achievement. It enables the learner and the teacher to understand what progress has been made and what goals should be set for further learning.
We believe that to improve learning and teaching, assessment must be essentially formative in both function and purpose, putting the children at the centre of the process. With this in mind we aim to embed formative assessment within our day to day teaching.
Formative assessments are used to:
identify children’s strengths and gaps in their skills/knowledge
identify next steps for learning
inform future planning
enable appropriate strategies to be employed
facilitate the setting of appropriate targets for the class, group, and individual
track the child’s rate of progress
facilitate an evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching and learning
inform future teaching and learning strategies
identify individuals and groups for specific intervention support.
Summative Assessment
Summative assessment is important for informing both parents and teachers of a child’s attainment and progress, whilst also helping to track aspects of the progress of individuals through the school. Formal assessments can provide information to help us to group children according to ability where appropriate.
The statistics which are produced as a result of summative assessment can also enable us, as a school, to compare standards achieved with other similar schools, inform whole school target setting and prediction of a cohort’s future attainment.
Summative assessments:
identify attainment through one-off standardised tests at any given point in time
record performance in a specific area on a specific date
provide age standardised information
ensure statutory assessments are met
provide information about cohort areas of strength and areas of development to build on in the future
We believe that effective assessment of learning is dependent on learning objectives and success criteria being clear to both learners and teachers. Teachers assess the achievements of pupils against learning objectives taken directly from the LPS Progression Models (via Insight). Differentiated Learning Objectives are identified in the weekly planning. Likewise, pupils are also encouraged to assess themselves against learning objectives and success criteria for the lesson. Learning Objectives (LO) and Success Criteria (SC) are used to display the lesson focus, particularly with our older children. Learning Objectives are sometimes presented as an open question allowing the children reflect upon what they are learning as a lesson progresses.
When planning for learning, teachers consider carefully how opportunities for assessment can be built into classroom activities. Teachers give children a range of opportunities to express their understanding and demonstrate their skills. There are many ways in which pupils can communicate their understanding to the teacher and we consider each to be equally important in the right context. We believe it is important to ensure that all pupils participate actively in all lessons and we strive to ensure that we create the conditions for children to feel confident enough to do this.
As teachers we use our professional skills to engage children in dialogue which enables them to articulate their thinking and understanding. This is often achieved through asking questions which cause thinking. We aim to give children enough time to think about their answers so that we have a clear idea of their level of understanding. This is how we find out what their needs are.
We believe that this formative, interactive approach to assessment is a powerful means of building on children’s learning in an on-going way.
Feedback is given to pupils throughout the day and within each lesson, feedback can be either verbal or written. All feedback is directly related to their performance against the learning objective and success criteria identified. It also focuses on the quality of children’s work, celebrates their achievements and gives advice on what the child can do to improve future work. The aim of this feedback is to encourage a ‘learning dialogue’ between teacher and pupil.
Feedback relates to the learning intention and success criteria;
Identification of success is shared and where it has occurred;
Show where and how improvement could take place using, ‘closing the gap’ statements and prompts (see below);
Target for improvements set;
Allow time for pupils to make improvements; and
Start small – SMART Targets are essential to make the quickest gains!
Examples of differentiated ‘closing the gap’ statements:
A reminder prompt: is most suitable for able children.
‘Say more about how you feel about this person.’
A scaffold prompt: scaffolds the learning for children who need more support than a simple reminder.
‘Can you describe how this person is a ‘good friend’?
‘Describe something that happened that showed they are a good friend.’
An example prompt: can be extremely successful with all children, but especially with average or below average children.
‘Choose one of these or your own: “He is a good friend because he never says unkind things about me, or my friend is a friend because he never tells me lies.’”
The marking codes are displayed appropriately in all classes and also included on the cover of workbooks in order to provide guidance for learners. Where appropriate, good examples of pupils’ work are shared with the whole class. This enables pupils to understand what is expected of them.
Please see our Marking Policy for further information on this.
As part of our commitment to helping children to form good learning habits, we encourage pupils to reflect on their own learning. We believe that it is essential that children learn to gradually become more able to talk honestly about their own learning as they get older.
Pupils are regularly asked to assess their own progress against stated learning objectives, Success Criteria and against their personal targets (Personal Learning Journey Booklet). This needs to be modelled for children from an early stage so that they feel able to acknowledge their achievements and strengths while at the same time identify areas in which they feel less confident and need to improve.
Please see our Assessment for Learning policy for further information on this.
We believe that children can begin to engage in informal peer assessment in primary school. As with self-assessment, giving feedback to peers is a difficult skill and so it is modelled by staff. In Years 3 - 6, and when ready in Year 2, children are given guidance as to exactly what aspects of another child’s work to focus upon. Children become more skilled in peer assessment as they move through the school. In our younger classes, peer assessment is undertaken verbally and is guided by the teacher.
The school is firmly committed to ensuring that all pupils make very good progress from their respective starting points when they join the school. Their performance is tracked - or followed, carefully - throughout their time here. The purpose of tracking pupil performance is to:
monitor academic standards
ensure that teachers always know the point that a pupil has reached in her learning
use this information to plan future learning that is pitched at an appropriate level of challenge
know which pupils require additional support (and intervene accordingly)
know which pupils require additional challenge (and provide this)
be aware of pupils’ rates of progress and consider the reasons for this.
This is achieved by following a ‘Plan - Teach - Assess’ process that allows us to have an up-to-date working knowledge of our children.
Within this process, Learning Objectives are set (based on previous learning), taught at differentiated levels and assessed. Weekly PPA sessions allow teachers to assess learning, update pupil assessment records (Insight) and plan the next round of Learning objectives. Every year, new pupils join at the start of, or within, an academic year, this process enables the teacher to quickly establish what point these children have reached in their learning. Subsequently, suitably ambitious pupil targets should be set throughout the academic year.
We aim to ensure that any recording of assessment is purposeful, manageable and informs teaching. We believe that excessive recording is not conducive to enabling teachers to make the most of their time with children in the classroom or of their preparation time.
Teachers use our bespoke online tracking platform (Insight) to record learner progress against learning targets identified from the LPS Progression Models. Teachers will assess progress made by learners by selecting one of four stages of learner progress:
These assessments of learner progress are colour-coded judgements that correspond with the end-of-year report to parents. Staff also make notes (within Insight) where required, to provide greater clarity to the assessments made. All Areas of Learning within the current LPS Learning Project are assessed weekly, during PPA sessions, this on-going system allows teachers to have an up-to-date knowledge of each child.
In each year group, three pupils have been identified and their workbooks provide evidence of ongoing assessment and the progress being made. Each teacher maintains a Teacher Record File that contains ongoing summative assessments for weekly spelling tests, weekly mental maths tests and individual reading records.
Area Leaders, Pupil Voice Groups and Link Governors monitor progress throughout the school during LPS Review Fortnights. They provide action plans, targets for progress, collate evidence and write evaluative reports which feed into the LPS Self Evaluation Process. They upload their information on their relevant webpage area on the school website, in order to share with the whole community.
Within each Area of Learning, standardised examples of work provide a permanent point of reference to support all teachers in assessing children’s achievements. During the first ADDs session after a half-term, teachers provide examples of work in each Area of Learning. Examples of work required from each Area of Learning are outlined in our 'Shared Understanding of Progression' Table. All staff compare the standard of work against the LPS Progression Model and agree on the strengths of the work as well as identifying next steps.
Early identification of children with additional educational needs is vital. Teacher observations, assessments, test data, information from outside agencies, individual plans, records from previous schools and information from parents provide an overall picture of a child's specific requirements to support their learning.
The school has also established a procedure for on-going diagnostic assessments and standardised tests. The school’s ALN Policy gives further details of the procedures for identification and assessment.
This model will be used to complete a baseline assessment for all pupils within six weeks of entry to Early Years at LPS. It will then be the basis of on-going, continual assessment of pupil progress throughout their time in the Nursery classroom. The assessment will be completed termly during Reception, where the final summer term assessment will be used to gauge progress during their time in Early Years education. This will aid teacher handover discussions during transition meetings before our learners leave Early Years, going into Year 1.
Additionally, this model will support our systems and processes in identifying pupils with Additional Learning Needs, strengthening early intervention and providing evidence for learner progress. This process will support relevant staff in identifying and implementing appropriate intervention strategies, providing targeted support at the earliest possible stage.
The LPS Baseline Assessment focuses on the following areas of learning and development:
Personal, Social an Emotional Development (PSED):
Personal, social, and emotional development are more abstract concepts that are vital to a child’s growth and education. This development focuses on a child’s empathy and understanding within themselves and their social situations. To assess a child’s personal, social, and emotional development, we will observe how they interact and respond to others, regulate their own behaviour and manage personal care.
Physical Development (PD):
Physical development is vital to allow children to engage purposefully in a variety of experiences and activities. This development focuses on a child’s ability to physically engage in their environment. To assess a child’s physical development, we will observe how they participate in learning and play activities, manipulate and control a variety of equipment used for mark-making, drawing or writing.
Language and Communication (LC):
Communication and language are an area of learning that provides the time and environment for children to express themselves through shared language and experiences, started at a young age it will form a fundamental base for their development. To assess a child’s communication skills, we will explore their listening and understanding skills, their expressive language, assess their phonological awareness and their understanding of a variety of reading materials.
Mathematics and Numeracy (MN):
Mathematics and numeracy are a fundamental part of a child’s developing skills within a school environment. Like their language and communications skills, development of skills in this area will be integral to their future learning. To assess a child’s numeracy skills, we will assess their understanding and use of the number system and their ability to recognise shape and pattern.
Formative assessment is complemented by summative assessments which help us to track the progress of children through the school. Where pupils appear to make less progress than expected, given past achievements, the school tries to intervene and support children to fulfil their potential.
Standardised testing is carried out in the following areas:
Statutory Personalised Assessments for both Literacy and Numeracy are carried out from Year 2 to Year 6. The results of these tests are considered appropriately to inform areas of whole school development.
We acknowledge that these tests do not necessarily present the ‘whole picture’ of a child’s progress in a curriculum area and teachers therefore supplement this information with their own observations.
LPS aims to set realistic and challenging expectations for all groups of learners to make progress against the Progression Steps set out in the Curriculum for Wales. The expectations for learner progress in each Area of Learning are clearly set out within the LPS Progression Models. These models break each Progression Step down into finer steps to allow for clearer understanding of progress made and what Learning Objectives should be set for further learning. Progress made by learners is tracked (via Insight) and those that are not making the expected progress and considered for further support through our ALN systems.
Reports to parents are given verbally at parents’ evenings twice a year (Autumn and Spring term) along with written information on the children’s attainment and their targets. A focused written report is provided at the end of the summer term. The reports are written in a clear, straightforward manner and are personal to the child. They inform parents of:
Whether the child is happy, settled and behaving well.
Their child’s strengths and any particular achievements.
How their child is progressing in the Areas of Learning.
How their child is developing and applying their Cross-Curricular and Integral Skills.
Areas of development and improvement.
How they can help with their child's progress.
The report provides a colour-coded assessment of the learner progress within the curriculum and their application of Cross-Curricular and Integral Skills, these 4 coloured grades correspond with the teacher assessments of progress made within the LPS Progression Models (Insight).
Progression of Learning Descriptors at LPS | |
Greater Depth: | Pupils making beyond the expected progression, showing greater depth of understanding and application of skills. |
Secure Understanding: | Pupils making the expected progress showing secure understanding and application of skills. |
Working Towards: | Pupils making appropriate progress, however, have yet to independently secure all understanding and skills. |
Targeted Support: | Pupils making progress with targeted support and interventions and are on track to further develop their understanding and skills. |
Additionally, the report contains a colour-coded assessment of the learner's Attendance, Behaviour and Effort.
| Attendance | Behaviour | Effort |
Exceptional | Attendance is 99% or higher. | A role model for others due to their excellent behaviour and application of the LPS Code. | Approaches all experiences with a positive mindset and self-directs their learning. |
Good | Attendance is 96% or higher. | Always meets the LPS expectations for behaviour and supports the LPS Code. | Very positive towards their learning and always willing to improve their work. |
Room for Improvement | Attendance falls below 96%. | Sometimes requires reminding of the LPS Code and the LPS expectations for behaviour. | Demonstrates the ability to focus on their learning progress. |
Cause for Concern | Attendance is below 90%. | Interventions are in place to improve learning and behaviour choices. | Interventions are in place to improve their engagement in learning. |
While supportive and constructive comments are made for every child, where there are difficulties this is communicated explicitly to parents from an early stage. Copies of reports are also available to subsequent class teachers as they are a valuable source of information.
It is important to acknowledge that this policy informs all subject policies within which further detail on assessment procedures can be found.
This policy was created December 2013 and will be reviewed annually.
Next Review Date:
July 2024