LincewoodCurriculum and Assessment
At Lincewood Primary School we use a range of different forms of assessment.
These are briefly outlined below but if you require any further information please see our assessment policy, speak to your child’s class teacher or contact the assessment leader – Mrs Braithwaite.
Assessment Methods
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is the daily assessment carried out by the class teachers to assess children’s progress and attainment. It looks at how well the children understand their learning in a variety of ways, including work in their books, on whiteboards, verbal responses and short tests. Teachers will also ask a range of questions in a lesson and, judging by the children’s responses, the teacher will assess if they require more support in understanding the learning, need to be further challenged or they are at the right point in their learning. Using this continual information, teachers will be able to re-direct their lessons immediately to meet the needs of the learners in their class.
Teachers and other pupils provide children with constructive feedback that aims to move on and deepen the children’s learning. This is an essential part of the learning process and, as such, it should happen immediately or as close to completing the learning as possible. Feedback is given in a number of ways including written, verbal, self and peer feedback. Children are required to respond to the feedback and make amendments to their work through consideration of the comments.
Testing
Children in each year group will participate in half term or termly tests in Reading, Mathematics and GPS (Grammar, punctuation and spelling). The utmost care is taken to ensure that the children are provided with any necessary access arrangements so that they are able to demonstrate their existing understanding in the tests. The test information is closely analysed and discussed so that the results can be used by teachers to plan the next phase of the children’s learning.
Ongoing assessments
All of our other subjects are continually assessed throughout the year. For each subject, we have outlines of the end of year expectations and they are used to gauge how well children are progressing.
Tracking
Pupil attainment and progress is assessed using our SONAR tracking system which identifies clear and progressive end points. This ensures progress is maintained and end of key stage expectations are met by all children.
Attainment is assessed against the National Curriculum end of year expectation statements for each subject, in each year group.
Children are assessed termly, and a final summative assessment is made at the end of the academic year. They will be assessed as either Significantly Below, Below, Just At, Securely At, Above or Significantly Above, in accordance with Age Related Expectations.
Once individual pupils have been tracked and discussed, interventions may be put in place to support those that need extra help or to provide challenge for those that have been successful.
Where should my child be ideally?
If your child has achieved the expected standard, up to and including the term of the relevant assessment point, they will be assessed as ‘Just At’ or ‘Securely At’.
Statutory assessments
Foundation Stage – baseline
All children, on entry to the school, will be assessed on their skills and knowledge using a baseline test. Teachers build their knowledge of each child through their observations, interactions and every day activities which they then use to make a series of professional judgements about each child based on a clear set of assessment criteria from the EYFS profile.
Foundation Stage – end of year assessments
At the end of their time in the Foundation Stage, all children are assessed against the Early Learning Goals. The children’s attainment at this time is reported to parents and is used to inform the work that they are assigned at the beginning of Year 1.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) a profile is kept on every child’s progress. This is a report of the ongoing development and achievement of each child.
The EYFS is broken down into seven specific areas of learning:
• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development (PSE)
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design
Assessment is ongoing throughout the EYFS but the official profile is completed in the final term of Reception. The assessment takes place through teacher observation of children’s learning and development as they take part in everyday activities and planned observations where teachers spend time on a specific task with an individual child or small group. We actively welcome parents to contribute to their child’s profile and regularly request information on the children’s progress within the home setting.
Year 1 Phonics Screening
Towards the end of Year 1, all children complete a simple test with a member of staff who is known to them to determine if they have met a set threshold in their phonetic knowledge. The children are required to read 40 phonetic words which consist of real and made up words. The children’s pass marks will be reported to you and you will be informed whether or not they have met the pass mark. Those children who do not pass in Year 1 will repeat the test in Year 2.
End of Key Stage 1 National Curriculum Tests
On 20 July 2022, the Department announced that KS1 assessments would become non-statutory from the 2023/24 academic year.
We will still use the optional Writing, Reading and Mathematics tests (commonly referred to as KS1 SATs) to help inform teachers to make their end of KS1 Teacher Assessments. These tests are marked by the class teachers and are used to support their existing knowledge of the child’s learning.
An overall attainment level is reported to parents as a ‘Teacher Assessment’.
Year 4 Multiplication Check
In June Year 4 children are required to complete a multiplication check. This is a series of 25 quick fire times table questions to tests knowledge of multiplication tables between 2 and 12 (with an emphasis on the 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 tables). Children can practice for the check here.
End of Key Stage 2 National Curriculum Tests
In May of each year, Year 6 sit Reading, Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GPS) and Mathematics tests (commonly referred to as KS2 SATs). These tests are both set and marked externally. An attainment level is reported for both the outcomes of the tests and as a ‘Teacher Assessment’.
For writing, only a teacher assessment is required which is based on the work completed throughout the year.
Involving Pupils and Parents
Pupils are continually involved in their learning through formative assessment strategies, self and peer assessment, sharing of targets and individual’s knowledge of what they need to do to improve their learning.
We hold two formal consultation evenings a year (Autumn and Spring terms) where parents are invited to meet with the teachers to discuss their child’s attainment and progress. Pupils are encouraged to attend these evenings to take part in any discussions.
End of year reports are provided in the Summer term where comments are provided on progress, attainment and attitude to school as well as results from any statutory assessments.
We also hold a more informal ‘open evening’ which is held in the Summer term where children are invited to show parents their work and teachers again are available for discussions.
In addition, we operate an ‘open door’ policy and parents are more than welcome to have an informal chat with teachers when they see them or to make an appointment at the office to agree a mutually convenient time.
