Philosophy

Within our Trust, we undertake two different but complementary types of assessment: assessment for learning and assessment of learning.

Assessment for learning (formative assessment) involves the effective and instant identification of where pupils’ are and the quick response to this in order to raise pupil achievement and enable pupils to make rapid progress. Crucial to this principle is the idea that pupils will improve most if they understand the aim of their learning, where they are in relation to this aim, and how they can achieve this aim (i.e. to close the gap in their knowledge).

Assessment of learning (summative assessment) involves judging pupils’ performance against national standards. Practitioners may make these judgements at the end of a unit of work, of a year, or of a key stage. Test results, too, describe pupil performance, in terms of levels.

Although our assessment system allows for us to make assessments of learning, it is assessment for learning that lies at the heart of our system and of the process of promoting children’s rapid progress. Our assessment system provides a framework within which educational objectives may be set and children’s attainment and progress expressed and monitored. This is done in partnership with the children, parents, staff and Governors.

Assessment for learning is incorporated systematically into all teaching strategies in order to diagnose any problems and chart progress. Our assessment system enables practitioners and stakeholders to clearly identify successes and next steps and respond to them immediately. Our assessment procedures are free from bias, stereotyping and generalisation in respect of gender, class, race and disability.

Aims and Objectives

• To gather information about the performance of individual pupils, groups and cohorts or pupils so that it can be used to inform target setting at a range of levels.
• To track progress made by individuals and groups of pupils to facilitate early intervention and effective targeting of resources.
• To provide information to inform the school’s strategic planning.
• To analyse records to help clarify patterns of performance over time and responses to specific teaching approaches.
• To review and, if necessary, adjust curriculum provision in terms of breadth and balance.

Want to know more? Read our whole policy here: