Assessment

Assessment continues to be at the heart of teaching and learning at Evelyn CP School.

Our curriculum and assessment framework enables us to pinpoint aspects of the curriculum which are areas for development for some children as well as recognising exceptional performance.

The Leadership Team analyse the data across the whole school to ensure pupils identified as vulnerable are making appropriate progress and all pupils are challenged.

Aims

Our aim is for each child to reach his/her full potential and to thrive academically. We remember that a child’s potential is not fixed at any one time. High expectations are consistent throughout the school.

Achievements are celebrated across our complete broad and balanced curriculum and will include our unique Student Exit Profile which celebrates achievements of the social, emotional, spiritual, cultural and moral aspects of a child’s development.

Assessment is not meant to be used as a measure of your child’s ability at school but as a means to improve their ability to learn; their knowledge, their understanding and their skills.

Our philosophy:

Assessment is at the heart of effective practice. At Evelyn CP School, assessment is purposeful, honest and consistent.  We believe it drives all children to success, providing them with opportunities to thrive through the support that they receive.

We have a unique curriculum called ARCS and our assessment system links closely to it and meets the needs of all our pupils.  The information provided by our system will inform teaching and impact on the progress of pupils.

Assessment in KS1 and KS2

Evelyn CP School follows the National Curriculum with a creative approach as specified in our unique ARCS curriculum.  This means we also teach P.S.H.C.E. (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship education), Global Education, Relax Kids and Entrepreneurial Skills.

Why do we assess?

• To enable us to know how each child is performing so that teachers can help individuals improve
• To implement timely, effective interventions for any children requiring them
• To enable us to identify, monitor and support vulnerable groups
• To help us to improve outcomes – first at cohort level, then year group level, then at whole school level
   

How are our children assessed?

All children in KS1 and KS2 are regularly assessed. We have a formal assessment week know as ‘Shine Like A Star Week’ each term. Children are assessed on their knowledge in Reading, Writing, Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling, Maths and Times Tables. Once completed, results are analysed and children are provided with additional support via intervention groups if needed. 

Types of Assessment used at Evelyn CP School

Diagnostic – the gathering of careful evaluation of details data using students’ knowledge and skills in a given area.

Observational – the process of observing and recording students’ knowledge and skills in a given area.

Formative – day to day strategies, eg. Individual Target Setting/ Progress meetings with children, use of questioning in lessons and through work completed in class.

Summative – Year group tests in October, February and May.  National statutory tests.  Parents evening every February to discuss progress with parents of all children from Nursery to Year 6.

How do we record progress?

Progress is recorded for every child at Evelyn. Information on the attainment of each child can be found in tracking charts, on our unique visual tracking boards, in class teachers records and in annotated photographic evidence for those accessing a bespoke curriculum according to their needs.

Our system explained:

Following assessments, children will receive the following, based on their achievement:

WB – The child is deemed to be working below year group expectations.

WT – The child is deemed to be working towards year group expectations.

WA – The child is deemed to be working at the expectation for their year group.

GD – The child is deemed to be working at a greater depth / above the expectations for their year group.

Children on the SEND register and those with an EHCP are assessed using PIVOTS. 

For the assessment of achievement in the Foundation Subjects we use our Milestones to Mastery Ladders. These:

• provide visual representations of children’s progress
• classify each progressive stage
• build knowledge and skills, leading to mastery
• enable teachers to plan for deeper thinking
   

Within the foundation subjects, we have split the end of year expectations for each year group into 3 categories as follows:

Emerging – Yet to be secure in end of year expectations.

Expected – Secure in end of year expectations.

Exceeding – Secure in almost all, or all, end of year expectations and able to display knowledge and skills confidently.

To further support our judgements of the children we use ‘Learning Journeys’ and ‘Knowledge Organisers’.

Achievements are celebrated across our complete broad and balanced curriculum and will include our unique Student Exit Profile which celebrates achievements of the social, emotional, spiritual, cultural and moral aspects of a child’s development.

Assessment is not meant to be used as a measure of your child’s ability at school but to improve their ability to learn; their knowledge, their understanding and their skills.

As parents and carers, we will keep you updated throughout the year of your child’s progress to date and provide targets for them to work towards.