Assessment at Ruswarp

How do we assess pupils' learning?

The principles that underpin our assessment system are:

• No child is missed: teachers at Ruswarp have the mindset, ‘What do I need to do next to enable a child in my class to achieve their full potential?’
• The National Curriculum objectives will be used as the expectations for all children.
• Teachers are experts at assessment - assessment will be effectively used to ensure the correct scaffolding is built into lessons to ensure all children achieve.

Our assessment and reporting system includes:

• Ongoing assessment against the National Curriculum objectives by the class teacher throughout each lesson, through questioning, observation and dialogue.
• Children knowing what they are being asked to learn and more importantly, why.
• Three way feedback, pupil, peer, teacher with clearly identified next steps – this can be written or verbal feedback.
• Regular pupils’ work scrutiny.
• Termly NFER assessments for children in Years 1-6
• Assessment information is used forensically by teachers to inform planning, groups and any support/intervention
• Progress tests for English and maths

All of the above feed into 'Data snap-shots', these will take place at class, phase and subject level three times a year, towards the end of each term. 

Following these data snap shots, teachers meet with Headteacher and SEN Support for pupil progress meetings. These include a thorough discussion about every child in order to identify any child who is not on track or who may need some additional or different support. 

Statutory Assessments (End of Key Stage)

In addition to the above assessments, pupils also complete the following statutory assessments: 

• Reception – Baseline, EYFS profile
• Year 1 (and 2) - Phonics Screening Check
• Year 4 - Multiplication Tables Check 
• Years 2 and 6 - End of Key Stage assessments

No Levels

Alongside the introduction of the new National Curriculum in 2014, levels were removed for all Year Groups instead at the end of KS1 and KS2 pupils will be given a scaled score and a ‘performance descriptor’ against the expected standard.

Age Related Expectations

In order to be ‘secondary ready’ children need to meet the required end of Key Stage 2 expectations; this is broken down into key outcomes for each curriculum year. We use the National Curriculum objectives to assess outcomes for children at the end of each curriculum year and determine if a child is working: 

• Well below
• Just below
• At Expected
• Above 

Tracking progress over-time, Yr 1- 6

To track progress overtime we carry out progress 'Data snap-shots' three times a year at the end of each term.  Any child who is not making the expected rates of progress will then receive targeted intervention and support to accelerate their learning. We track all our data online, using Insight Tracking. This enables teachers and subject leaders to have a clear overview of all assessment data. 

Phonics Screening Check Year 1

• The Phonics Screening Check demonstrates how well pupils can use the phonics skills they have learned up to the end of Year 1, and to identify those who need extra phonics help.
• The checks consist of 40 words and non-words that your child will be asked to read one-on-one with a teacher. Non-words (or nonsense words, or pseudo words) are a collection of letters that will follow phonics rules your child has been taught, but don’t mean anything.
• The 40 words and non-words are divided into two sections – one with simple word structures of three or four letters, and one with more complex word structures of five or six letters.
• Pupils will be scored against a national standard, and the main result will be whether or not they fall below, within or above this standard
• Pupils who do not meet the required standard in Year 1 will be re-checked in Year 2.

Reporting to Parents

• We have parent's meetings in the Autumn term to establish how well children have settled into their new year group. 
• In the Spring term following a 'Data-Snapshot' we invite parents into school to meet with the class teacher.  An interim individual assessment report is provided at this meeting.  Along with any information about intervention, support and next steps. 
• Following the Summer term 'Data-Snapshot', we invite parents into school to meet with the class teacher and also provide parents with a progress report:
• Discussions at parent, teacher, consultation meetings in the Spring and Summer terms are based on the assessment system in place for each age group.  
• Parents also receive an annual reports, including outcomes of statutory assessments.