Assessment Principles at Berkeley Academy

 

 

At Berkeley Academy, we believe that effective assessment systems allow staff to provide pupils, parents/carers and other stakeholders with reliable information about how pupils and the academy are performing (compared to National data). This is achieved through the following:

  • Meaningful tracking of pupils towards end of Key Stage expectations
  • Regular feedback to parents/carers
  • Early recognition and support of pupils who are falling behind and those who are excelling
  • Using assessment data to drive improvement in the quality of teaching
  • Meaningful feedback to pupils, which contributes to improved learning and is focused on specific and tangible objectives
  • Ensuring that the academy is keeping up with external best practice and innovation through CPD and partnerships (including internationally)

We are committed to ensuring all pupils achieve their full potential through the delivery of an ambitious curriculum.

Our key assessment principles are: 

Assessment is at the heart of teaching and learning

  • Assessment provides evidence that guides teaching and learning; it is essential to planning and can reshape a lesson, part of a lesson or future lessons in response to assessed learning needs
  • Assessment provides opportunities for pupils to demonstrate and review their progress
  • Assessment leads to accelerated progress and raised standards
  • Summative assessment takes place in every lesson
  • Pupils are given opportunities to edit, correct and improve their work through green pen responses (i.e. responding to verbal and written feedback, using a green pen)

Assessment for learning should promote commitment to learning goals and a shared understanding of the criteria by which they are assessed

  • For effective learning to take place, learners need to understand what it is they are trying to achieve. Understanding and commitment follows when learners have some part in deciding goals and identifying criteria for assessing progress. Communicating assessment/success criteria involves discussing them with learners and providing examples of how the criteria can be met in practice and engaging learners in peer and self-assessment
  • At Berkeley Academy, each pupil has a TLA (Teaching, Learning and assessment) card for reading, writing and maths, Trackers for foundation subjects and an Activity Passport for ‘experiences’ – these are based on the National Curriculum and end of year/Key Stage expectations

Assessment is motivational

  • Assessment should provide a positive learning experience, emphasising progress and achievement. Teachers should: pinpoint the learner’s strengths and advise on how to develop them, be clear and constructive about any next steps and how they might be addressed; provide opportunities for learners to improve, edit and extend their work
  • Class Teachers use Progress Charts to celebrate progress made each year

Assessment provides constructive feedback that identifies clear steps for development, empowering pupils to use this information to impact on their next pieces of work

  • Assessment provides opportunities for self-direction and self-responsibility, with pupils regularly assessing their own learning and identifying how they can improve
  • Independent learners have the ability to seek out and gain new skills, new knowledge and new understandings. They are able to engage in self-reflection and to identify the next steps in their learning. Teachers should equip learners with the desire and the capacity to take charge of their learning through developing the skills of self and peer assessment
  • Assessment feedback should inspire greater effort and a belief that, through hard work and practice, more can be achieved. Expectations are always high

Assessment is consistent

  • Judgements are formed based on common principles, using a clear assessment system (and languages) across the academy and success criteria within lessons and series of lessons
  • Regular opportunities for moderation are in place within the academy, across the cluster of local schools and with external LA moderators. This enables us to ensure accuracy and consistency in our judgements

Assessment is inclusive of all abilities

  • The responsibility for identifying, assessing and monitoring pupils with SEND, EAL or specific needs is the responsibility of the Class Teacher in conjunction with the SENDCo, EAL Lead, Phase Leaders and the Senior Leadership Team
  • Assessment procedure supports all the aims and practices in the SEND policy in helping every pupil achieve his/her full potential and access their age-related curriculum

Assessment is accurate

  • Assessment judgements are moderated by colleagues within the academy and within the local cluster of schools, as well the Local Authority
  • Pupils in all Key Stages are formally assessed throughout the year – there are 6 formal assessments administered each year - EYFS have 6 ‘checkpoints’, which includes a baseline assessment and Years 1-6 sit tests each half term – this data is only recorded 3 times per year; it is also used to inform planning through thorough gap analyses

Assessment outcomes provide meaningful and understandable information for:

  • Pupils to develop their learning
  • Parents/carers in supporting children with their learning
  • Teachers in planning, teaching and learning
  • Academy leaders and Trustees in setting and reviewing targets and planning and allocating resources

 

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