Assessment, Monitoring and Reporting

Assessment is the means by which the progress, skills and knowledge of pupils is monitored and tracked.

Why do we assess at Red Hill Primary School?

At our school, we strive to define each learner’s ability by understanding what each pupil knows, understands and can apply. We
aim to gain as full an understanding as possible of each learner’s skill level and what each child is capable of achieving. We also closely monitor the progress made by every learner to ensure continuous development. In addition, we identify the steps needed to support ongoing growth in both skills and knowledge, helping each child take the next steps in their learning journey.

How do our staff assess?

The staff at Red Hill Primary are continuing to develop a wider range of strategies for assessing children’s work, through; continued professional development, peer support and observations, coaching, constructive feedback from lesson observations and work scrutiny to transform the policy into practice.

The strategies used for assessment are:    

• Observation – watching children on task.        
• Working with guided groups.        
• Listening to, questioning/discussions with the children.        
• Photographing and recording.        
• Examining children’s written or recorded learning.
• Marking children’s learning– through verbal or written feedback.

Target setting and attainment.

• Formal testing to assess children’s skills and knowledge against standardised levels.
• Assessment notes for future planning.
• Assessment for learning marking – next steps when deemed suitable.
• Work scrutiny.

Marking and Feedback

We strive to support all pupils to achieve their highest potential by giving regular feedback to pupils with consistency, providing positive praise and points for development where we aim to not only raise their attainment but also their self-esteem. 

For feedback to be effective we believe it should be:

• Meaningful 
• Manageable 
• Motivating.

The forms of feedback used by our school include: 

• Verbal feedback.      
• Written feedback.
• Live feedback.       
• Distance feedback.
• Peer feedback.

For children in Reception, each child receives verbal feedback across areas of learning and development each day where appropriate. For pupils in Year 1 to 6, teachers will judge the quantity, appropriate and effectiveness of different types of feedback given throughout
the course of teaching and learning.

The aim for feedback focuses on processes rather than outcomes and includes the use of specific, meaningful praise rather than
generic, generalised praise. Mistakes are treated differently to errors resulting from misunderstanding. Teachers train pupils to check their work and spot careless mistakes before a teacher looks at it. Remaining mistakes are addressed directly but are not dwelled upon. Quality feedback focuses on addressing misunderstanding. Misunderstanding is either addressed directly through clarifying comments or indirectly through questions or tasks that prompt reconsideration and lead to clarity.

Summative Assessment

Summative assessment data is systematically recorded and tracked electronically through the use of Insight, quality assured through the staff assessment methods, with: termly tests in the core subjects (involving computerised tests), mock SATs, Pupil Progress meetings and moderation meetings.

The data from the termly tests and on-going teacher assessment is placed on Insight. The assessment leader along with: year groups,
subject leads and SLT will analyse the data, focusing on the progression made by not only targeted groups but all individuals. This helps to inform the school leaders of areas for future development and increased challenge. It also informs the school’s intervention strategy, which is responsive to the assessment tracking system.

A foundation grid on Insight is used to reflect and judge the children’s knowledge and skills against national expectations.Children are judged at either at the national expectation or not at the national expectation in a specific area.

Interventions

Interventions are frequently put in place to support or extend learning for children who are experiencing a difficulty in making progress towards their targets. The assessment data for children attending these groups is recorded as an entry level and are tracked in Insight
to measure the child’s progress. This will include booster classes and setting arrangements.

Statutory Assessments

Children in Year 1 will take the phonic screening check. This test is held in June and pupils are asked to read 40 words and pseudo words applying their phonic knowledge. The test is administered by a member of staff and marked against guidance provided with the check. Results of the screening are published in July and are reported to the Local Authority. Pupils who do not pass the screening check participate in an intervention programme in year 2 and are retested with the Year 1 cohort the following year.

Children in Year 4 take part in the multiplication check in June. This checks the child’s ability to recall their times tables up to 12×12. These tests are completed via a computer device. These are marked externally and the results are reported to the school and Local Authority.

Children in Year 6 take part in the KS2 SATs for reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation and maths during a specific week in
May (with writing assessed separately by staff). These tests are marked externally and the results reported to the school and Local Authority. 

A selection of schools are moderated by a nominated Local Authority each year to ensure that teachers judgements are correct. At
Red Hill our nominated Local Authority is Bexley.

Reporting

Annual reports are sent home to parents at the end of the Summer Term – usually the beginning of July – to keep them informed
about their children’s progress. The report is a summary of the child’s academic performance, attendance and achievements over the year. Parents are invited to acknowledge receipt of the report in writing and add comments as appropriate.

Parents are invited to school in the Autumn Term to meet the teachers and discuss their child’s progress and how they can help
support their learning at home.

Teachers keep parents informed about progress through the use of Reading Records, phone calls, meetings and messages on Class Dojo.

Parents are again invited to school during the Spring Term to discuss the progress their children have made half-way through the year. This is a particularly important meeting as it enables parents to help support their children in reaching their end of year targets.