Assessment
At school when we talk about assessment we mean two things; formative assessments and summative assessments.
Formative Assessment is the name given to the ongoing gathering of information about your child’s learning and their progress. This information is collected in a variety of ways including: observation, questioning and discussion, teacher feedback and children’s own self assessments.
We believe children should be involved in the assessment process and we provide them with success criteria to inform them about what their learning should look like. In Heath class this might be success criteria for a successful snack time and in Year 2 it might be success criteria for writing a really good story. If children know what success looks like then they are more likely to achieve it and be able to talk knowledgably about why they have been successful.
Summative assessments are more like snapshots of what children can do at a particular time. Tests and checks are examples of summative assessment. The common theme with summative assessments is that data from these is shared with the Local Authority and with the DfE.
In Foundation Stage teachers use the Reception Baseline Assessment within the first 6 weeks of school. At the end of the Foundation Stage children are assessed against Early Learning Goals. Teachers will share with you whether your child is meeting the goal or not. In addition to these Early Learning Goals teachers report to you on your child’s Characteristics of Effective Learning which includes information about the levels of motivation, perseverance and engagement your child demonstrates when learning at school.
In June of Year 1 all children work with their teacher to complete a Phonics Screening. If children do not meet the expected standard in the phonics check they repeat it in June of Year 2. The Phonics Check diagnoses a child’s ability to read real and alien words including sounds they have learnt in daily letters and sounds sessions.
At regular points of the year in all year groups your child’s class teacher will report to you verbally and in writing about how your child is getting on in relation to the curriculum. We will use language included in the table below and our aim is always to be as clear as possible about your child’s learning and progress:
| Pre-Curriculum | Your child is not yet working on the curriculum for their chronological age. They are likely to be having support in the form of an Additional Support Plan and we may be working with other agencies to meet your child’s needs. |
| Working Towards the Curriculum Expectation | Your child is not yet meeting curriculum expectations for their chronological age but they are accessing the curriculum their peers are working on, possibly with additional support from a member of the class team |
| Working at the Expected Curriculum | Your child is working on the curriculum for their chronological age and is meeting milestones and expectations. |
| Working at a Greater Depth | Your child is confidently accessing the curriculum for their chronological age and is demonstrating that they can apply and transfer their knowledge and skills in a range of learning (breadth and depth). |
At Bernards Heath we believe the assessments that have the biggest impact on learning are the formative assessments that inform planning and help children move on. Assessment has even more of an impact when children can talk about why their learning is good, what they have done well and how they can improve. These reflective skills encourage resilience and a growth mindset. Our Learning Heroes are a big vehicle for these conversations about metacognition.
| Duck | Never gives up! Loves new challenges and tries new things. Is resilient and keeps on going, even if it’s really hard. |
| Dog | Doesn’t get distracted. Says ‘I’m concentrating’ if someone else tries to distract them. |
| Monkey | Asks questions and understand this is a great way to learn. Monkeys know there is definitely no such thing as a silly question! |
| Bear | Bears speak clearly and explain what they are thinking and feeling. They listen to other people and think about what they are being told. |
| Giraffe | Giraffes are proud to be themselves no matter what. They understand that we are all unique and special and that there is only one of each of us. Giraffes also understand that everyone deserves to be treated respectfully. |
It is a requirement for us to publish end of year data. Please see below. There has been no published data for 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
End of Key Stage Data 2019
End of Key Stage Data 2018
End of Key Stage Data 2017
End of FS2 and KS1 Assessments 2016
End of Key Stage 1 Assessments 2015
End of Key Stage 1 Assessments 2014
