Assessment and Tracking progress
Assessment and Tracking Pupil’s Progress
Entry to school and early assessments
As soon as children’s places at the school are confirmed by North Somerset School Admissions, we begin to liaise closely with the family and any pre-school setting attended by each child. Early Years practitioners and parents provide valuable information about each child’s educational journey so far. This highlights areas of strength and any areas of concern for each child’s cognitive development as well as an insight into their personal, social and emotional development.
In the first two weeks of the autumn term children attend school half time (one week of mornings and one week of afternoons). This allows children to receive a very personalised introduction to school life which helps them to feel secure and confident in their new learning environment. This vital period allows school staff to carry out NFER Baseline assessment tasks which measure each child’s basic literacy and numeracy development compared to national averages for their age.
In addition to this, school staff are able to confirm or amend the July assessment against the Early Learning Goals, carried out by previous professionals. In October, parents are given feedback form the baseline and entry assessments and the parents of children causing some concerns are invited in to discuss their child’s needs to plan for the future.
Tracking Pupil Progress in the Foundation Stage
As the academic year progresses these Early Learning Goals are continuously assessed as children explore their world and complete carefully designed tasks, both with an adult and independently. In February parents are given updated summative assessments of how their child is progressing in all areas. Final assessments for the end of the Foundation Stage are shared with parents in July in readiness for transition onto the National Curriculum at the start of Year 1. These results are NOT a baseline for progress in key stage 1 as the National Curriculum Orders are very different from ELG.
National Curriculum 2014 and a new approach to Assessment without levels
In September 2014 the school embraced the new National Curriculum programmes of study with a full review of its planned curriculum to meet the revised expectations. The philosophy of clear expectations for each year group have created a curriculum delivery model which is based upon steady/good progress being achieved every year by every child so that they are achieving age related expectations (ARE) by July each year. Those pupils achieving this standard earlier, do not progress onto the following year’s curricular content but deepen their learning at the expected level, applying thinking in variety of contexts and sometimes explaining it to other pupils who have not yet reached full understanding or competency. Pupils who are still working towards ARE will continue to receive the age-expected curriculum delivery but this may be supplemented by other “catch-up” activities and intervention programmes to help them make accelerated progress.
Ashcombe School likens this curriculum delivery and assessment model to an upward escalator. Most children stand on the age-appropriate escalator and through good daily teaching, they progress as expected. Others walk up some of the steps as the escalator is moving, making better than expected progress but remaining on the same escalator. In this model there is no place for tick sheets of individual aspects of learning nor a new system of levels being created by schools. Instead Ashcombe uses a clear key of key performance indicators (KPIs) for the end of each academic year in Reading, Writing and Maths (the end of the escalator). During the academic year the class teacher makes a professional judgement if each child is “on track” to achieve the KPIs by July.
School Assessment Processes in National Curriculum Years 1 to 6
Teaching, Learning and Assessment are three closely related processes which are ongoing in every classroom every day. Teachers and teaching assistants are constantly assessing pupil progress and giving constructive feedback to learners to help them move on in their learning. These formative assessments (bold) build over a period of time to give the teacher a holistic view of the child as a learner. In addition to these daily assessments, school staff use carefully designed summertime assessment are used six times per year at the mid-point and end point of our three assessment cycles during the year.
Tracking Pupil Progress in Years 1 to 6
At the end of each cycle (December, March & July), teachers record their professional judgements for each child’s attainment in Reading, Writing and Maths as either:
- Working Toward Age Related Expectations (WT)
- At the Expected Level for Age Related Expectations (EL)
- Working at Greater Depth than Age Related Expectations (GD)
These results are stored electronically for the child’s full 7-year journey through the school. Pupil Attainment Meetings (PAMs) with the headteacher are held to discuss each child’s attainment, to analyse the performance of the whole class and some significant sub-groups (boys/girls, vulnerable pupils, pupils from Black, Asain and Minority Ethnic backgrounds etc.). The key aspect of PAMs is to review the effectiveness of past interventions and identify suitable pupils for future 12-week interventions.
Interventions for identified pupils
High quality first teaching for all pupils is the most effective way to ensure the highest possible standards and rates of progress by all pupils. From time to time, additional interventions which are well-timed and targeted at the right students can make a difference and lead to a period of accelerated progress which allows a child to achieve ARE or begin working at greater depth. Some interventions are delivered by additional staff beyond the normal classroom. These include reading booster interventions in Years 1 to 5 and out-of-hours small group tuition in Year 5 & 6. Other interventions are delivered by class teachers and teaching assistants within the normal timetable. Both types of intervention are evaluated for effectiveness at the end of a 12-week cycle and a decision is made to terminate the intervention (usually) or continue it for a further 12-week period (rare). Overall effectiveness of the intervention for the group of targeted students helps professionals to decide whether to repeat similar intervention programmes for other suitable leavers.
National Assessment Procedures in Year 1, 2 and 6
In addition to the “within-Ashcombe” assessments and pupil tracking system explained above, every child undergoes national assessments at three points in their educational journey.
Firstly, during June of Year 1, all children are tested for their phonological awareness and knowledge. The key skills of blending phonics to read both known and nonsense words are tested and a simple pass or fail is recorded for each child. Any child failing to achieve the required Year 1 standard is given additional support in blending sequencing phonics during Year 2 and they are re-tested on the Year 1 expectations during June of Year 2. Failure to achieve the required standard at this point suggests the child will struggle to access the key stage 2 curriculum and further interventions will be necessary to support their reading and writing progress during Year 3 and beyond.
Secondly, all pupils in Year 2 undergo national tests for Reading and Maths. Their writing is assessed to national expectations based on a wide portfolio of evidence from their daily writing in the classroom. The results achieved are part of the child’s ongoing educational record and form the baseline for measuring their progress during key stage 2.
Finally, all pupils in Year 6 undergo national tests in Reading, Maths and Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling. Similarly to Year 2, their attainment in Writing is assessed to national expectations based on a wide portfolio of evidence from their daily writing in the classroom across all curriculum subjects. The results achieved are passed to receiving secondary schools.
In summary, Ashcombe School aims for every child to achieve Age Related Expectations in Reading, Writing and Maths throughout their 7 years in the school. Wherever possible, children achieving ARE will be further challenged to learn at greater depth, grounding their learning more securely in readiness for future concepts and skills. Those children not meeting ARE at any point will continue to receive age-appropriate teaching and learning but this will be supplemented to improve their chances of catching up by using accelerated progress. Physical, social and emotional well-being and maturity will all play a part in supporting children’s academic and cognitive development. Therefore a broad, balanced exciting curriculum which incorporates wider life skills and healthy positive attitudes will be essential to achieve our long term aims for all children.
Year 1
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Reading
By the end of Year 1, a child should be able to read words without undue hesitation by sounding them out in books that are matched closely to the level of word reading knowledge.
They should recognise all common graphemes and read unfamiliar words containing these graphemes accurately. They should be able to read many common words containing the sounds taught so far (e.g. shout, hand, stop, or dream) without needing to blend the sounds out loud first. They are able to read common exception words (e.g. you, could, many or people) easily and automatically They will be able to apply a knowledge of word endings and recognise how root words; that can be read already; are changed with support. They will be able to retell some familiar stories that have been read and discussed with them or that they have acted out They will listen to and discuss a wide range of stories, poems and non-fiction that cannot yet be read independently. They will begin to understand how written language can be structured such as how to build surprise in narratives and the characteristic features of non-fiction. They will take part in a discussion, considering the opinions of others, with support. |
Writing
By the end of Year 1 a child should be able to name the letters of the alphabet in order and form individual letters correctly.
They will be able compose individual sentences orally and then write them down. They should be able to spell correctly many of the words covered in Y1. They should be able to make attempts to spell words that they have not yet learnt in a phonically plausible way, even if sometimes incorrectly. They will be able to read back words that they have spelt and write simple dictated sentences that include words taught so far; They will be able to think aloud as they collect ideas, draft and re-read to check that the meaning is clear. They will recognise sentence boundaries in spoken sentences. They will use vocabulary, grammar and punctuation from the national curriculum document and understand the meaning of simple vocabulary such as capital letter, word, sentence, full stop and question mark. They will be able to form letters correctly and confidently. |
Maths
Number and place value
By the end of Year 1, a child should be able to count to and across 100, forwards and backwards, beginning with 0 or one, or from any given number. They will count, read and write numbers to 100 in numerals; count in multiples of twos, fives and tens. Given a number they will be able to identify one more and one less Addition and subtraction They will have a developing knowledge of addition and subtraction using concrete objects and pictorial representations. They will be able to represent and use number bonds and related subtraction facts within 20. Fractions (including decimals) They will begin to recognise simple fractions. They will be able to recognise, find and name a half as one of two equal parts of an object, shape or quantity. Measurement They will be able to compare, describe and solve practical problems for: 1. lengths and heights e.g. long/short, 2. mass/weight e.g. heavy/light, 3. capacity and volume e.g. full/empty, 4. time e.g. quicker, slower, earlier, later. They will begin to be able to tell the time to the hour and half past the hour and recognise and know the value of different coins and notes. Properties of shape They will recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D shapes such as rectangles (including squares), circles and triangles, cuboids (including cubes), pyramids and spheres. |
Year 2
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Reading
By the end of the year a child in Year 2 should be able to read books written at an age-appropriate interest level accurately. They should be able to do this at a speed that is sufficient for a child to focus on understanding rather than on decoding individual words.
They should be able to decode most new words making a good approximation to the word’s pronunciation They will listen to and discuss a wide range of stories, poems, plays and information books and justify their views about what they have read. They will be able to apply a knowledge of word endings and recognise how root words are changed. They will check that their reading makes sense by checking that the word they have decoded fits in with whatever else they have read and makes sense in the context of what they already know. They will be able to talk about why things happen in a story or an information book such as a character’s behaviour in a story or why certain dates are commemorated annually. When they take part in a discussion about a book they have read they will consider the opinions of others. |
Writing
By the end of Year 2 a child should be able to say sentences to themselves to help them compose ideas and then write them down. All letters should be the correct way round.
They should apply spelling rules and be able to do this for both single-syllable and multi-syllabic words. They should spell words in a phonically plausible way, even if sometimes incorrectly. They will be able to apply a knowledge of word endings from their reading to their spelling and recognise how root words are changed. They can explain how different types of writing, including narratives, are structured and apply this to their own and others’ writing. They will be able to think aloud as they collect ideas, draft and re-read to check their meaning is clear. They will play roles and improvise scenes in various settings. They will use vocabulary, grammar and punctuation from the national curriculum document and be able to apply them correctly to examples of real language, such as their own writing. |
Maths
Number and place value
By the end of Year 2 a child should be able to count in steps of two, three, and five from 0, and in tens from any number, forward and backward. They compare and order numbers from 0 up to 100. They will use < > and = signs correctly. They will use place value and number facts to solve problems. Addition and subtraction They will solve problems with addition and subtraction by: 1. using concrete objects and pictorial representations, including those involving numbers, quantities and measures; and 2. applying an increasing knowledge of mental and written methods. They will recall and use addition and subtraction facts to 20 and 100: (fluently up to 20). Multiplication and division They will recall and use multiplication and division facts for the two, five and 10 multiplication tables, including recognising odd and even numbers. They will solve problems involving multiplication and division, using materials, arrays, repeated addition, mental methods, and multiplication and division facts, including problems in contexts. Fractions (including decimals) They will recognise, find, name and write fractions 1/3, 1/4, 2/4, and 3/4 of a length, shape, set of objects or quantity. Measurement They can solve simple problems in a practical context involving addition and subtraction of money of the same unit including giving change. Geometry: properties of shape They compare and sort common 2-D and 3-D shapes and everyday objects. Geometry: position and direction They use mathematical vocabulary to describe position, direction and movement including movement in a straight line, and distinguish between rotation as a turn and in terms of right angles for quarter, half and three-quarter turns (clockwise and anti-clockwise). Statistics They ask and answer questions about totalling and comparing categorical data. |
Year 3
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Reading
By the end of Y3, a child should be able to read a book accurately, understand what they have read and discuss their views about it
A child should be able to:
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Writing
By the end of Y3 a child should be able to write down their ideas with a reasonable degree of accuracy and with good sentence punctuation
A child should be able to:
A child understands and applies the concepts of word structure. A child is beginning to use joined handwriting in independent writing. A child is beginning to understand the skills and processes that are essential for writing: that is, thinking aloud to explore and collect ideas, drafting and re-reading to check the meaning is clear. A child is beginning to understand how writing can be different from speech. |
Maths
By the end of Y3, a child will be developing written and mental methods using the 4 operations, including number facts, place value and calculations with whole numbers:
Number and place value
Adds and subtracts numbers mentally including:
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Year 4
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Reading
By the end of Y4, a child should be able to read aloud a wide range of poetry and books with accuracy and at a reasonable speaking pace.
A child should be able to:
A child recognises the conventions of different types of writing such as the greeting in letters, a diary written in the first person or the use of presentational devices such as numbering and headings in instructions. A child has developed strategies to choose and read a wider range of books including authors that they may not have previously chosen. In non-fiction, a child knows what information to look for before beginning and is clear about the task. The child can use contents pages and indexes to locate relevant information. |
Writing
By the end of Y4 a child should be able to write down ideas quickly. The grammar and punctuation should be broadly accurate.
A child should be able to:
A child understands the skills and processes that are essential for writing in order to enhance the effectiveness of what is written: that is, thinking aloud to explore and collect ideas, drafting and re-reading to check the meaning is clear, including doing so as the writing develops. |
Maths
Number and place value
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Year 5
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Reading
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Writing
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Maths
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By the end of Year 5 a child’s reading should demonstrate increasing fluency across all subjects and not just in English.
A Year 5 child can:
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By the end of Year 5 a child should use accurate grammar and punctuation and begin to use this when writing for different audiences and purposes.
A Year 5 child can:
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By the end of Year 5, a child should be fluent in formal written methods for addition and subtraction. They should begin to use formal methods of multiplication and division with numbers up to 5-digits.
A Year 5 child can:
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Year 6
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Reading
By the end of Yr6, a child’s reading should be fluent and effortless across all subjects, not just English.
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Writing
By the end of Year 6 children should be able to:
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Maths
By the end of Year 6 children should be able to
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