The Assessment Maze

1. The Assessment Maze Life After Levels November 2015 An information session for parents to explain the changes to assessment

2. AssessmentLife After Levels Definitions – What is assessment and why do we need it? Assessment for learning – Removal of levels. Changes in expectations- Pitch and progression.

3. What is assessment? • Questioning • Marking • Observation • Dialogue • Testing Testing is just one element of assessment.

4. Summative Assessment – Testing: • Purposes of statutory assessment • The main purpose of statutory assessment is to ascertain what children have achieved in relation to the attainment targets outlined in the national curriculum. • The main intended uses of the outcomes are to: • hold schools accountable for the attainment and progress made by their children • inform parents and secondary schools about the performance of individual children • enable benchmarking between schools, as well as monitor performance locally and nationally. • (Standards & Testing Agency)

5. Who wants to know what?

6. A teacher’s view of assessment… “People talk about assessment as though it’s separate to teaching. For me assessment is what you have to do to be able to teach effectively.”

7. Pupil’s view on assessment, marking and feedback… “I like to check my next steps and find out what I have done well. I like it when there is an R task. I want to know how to get better at what I am doing.“

8. The government’s view… “Levels have been a distracting, over-generalised label, giving misleading signals…Crucially, levels have failed to give parents clarity over how their children are performing.”

9. Our view… Assessment should support good teaching and learning. It should help teachers, parents and students keep track of progress and drive improvement. Assessment is for learning!

10. Good assessment is an intrinsic tool of the teaching and learning cycle. Assessment can also be an on-going process which is integral to teaching and learning Assessment can be an evaluation of what children have learnt at a given point in time

11. Assessment for Learning Establish where the learners are. Short term and long term expectations. Assessment, planning and teaching Establish how they are going to get there. Establish where they need to go.

12. Assessment going forwards needs to: Find out what children know, can do and understand (OFSTED) Explain with clarity to both the children and parents what their child does well and their next steps. Support target setting to ensure, where possible, pupils meet the expected standard at the end of each Key Stage. Pinpoint aspects of the curriculum in which pupils are falling behind and recognise exceptional performance. Support effective planning, pitch and progress for all pupils.

13. Changes • No more numbered levels • New Reception baseline • Lift in expectations in the new curriculum • Changes to Year 6 and Year 2 testing arrangements

14. A chance to find out… …what has changed!

15. Reception baseline • Optional for 2015 • Statutory in 2016 • Focus upon early literacy and maths skills • Delivered as a practical 1:1 session • How does it help me as a parent? • What doesn’t it tell us?

18. Changes: KS1 Reading • More emphasis on phonics. • Increased emphasis on reading for pleasure. • Increased emphasis on reading and performing poetry. • Greater emphasis on discussion and questioning when reading. • Whole texts – deeper exploration.

20. Changes: KS1 Writing Writing • A greater emphasis on spelling. • Grammar Handwriting • Frequent sessions. • Handwriting strategies. Fluent handwriting supports spelling and enables the child to communicate their ideas more freely.

21. Grammar expectations Y2

24. Changes: KS2 Literacy • Poems and play scripts to be performed. • Emphasis on understanding (inference and deduction). • Familiarity with a wide range of books and poetry. • Reading for pleasure. • Comparisons between texts.

25. Changes: KS2 Literacy • Developing and improving handwriting. • More explicit technical grammar requirements. • Editing and improving their own work. • Using dictionaries to check spelling. Much of this is already in place, but there is now an even greater emphasis on formal elements and subject specific vocabulary.

26. Year 5 expectations in Grammar

31. Changes: Maths There have been some significant changes to the Maths curriculum. • Times tables up to 12 x12 • Probability and calculator skills have been moved to KS3, so they are no longer explicitly taught in Years 5 & 6 • Data handling has been removed from Y1 • Roman numerals are now introduced in Y3 • Ratio has been moved into Y6

32. Year 1

33. Some of the Year 3 targets

34. Some of the Year 6 targets

35. Changes to KS2 SAT papers in maths: • No mental maths test – replaced with arithmetic paper • Two papers which test problem solving and reasoning

38. Currently… The shift in expectations is seen most markedly in upper KS2. Age related expectations have shifted by about 18 months. End of year expectations for Y4 are now very close to what was age related for Y6. We are already reporting to you against the new age related objectives which are on the pupil target sheets

39. What are we reporting to you? Example: Expected attainment for Autumn term 2015 for Year 2 Expected progress by the end of each term: Autumn term Spring term Summer term Entering Developing Secure Approximately 30% of the objectives each term Age related objectives are set out on the pupil target sheets

40. How do we know? • Ongoing teacher assessment • Using target sheets with the children • Marking and setting R tasks • Planning and assessing work pitched to the age related expectations • Identifying gaps in learning and targeting work – support with additional intervention if needed • Observing and talking to the children • Summative testing - tests • Support teacher assessment • Termly maths and reading assessment tests through out school – these have been bought in • Internally set and marked by staff to identify strengths and gaps in learning • Results not shared with the children – used to support teacher assessment • ‘Practise’ papers with Years 2 and 6

41. Thank you for making the time to be here today • The powerpoint is on the website for you to look at again should you wish.