Assessment

All pupils’ achievements are assessed against the Programme of Study (the taught curriculum) for each individual year, i.e. Year 3 pupils are assessed against the Year 3 Programme of Study (PoS), Year 4 pupils are assessed against the Year 4 Programme of Study (PoS), etc.

Year R (EYFS)

In Year R, children are assessed against the 17 aspects of learning using one of the grade descriptors below. It is anticipated that the majority of children will achieve the ‘Expected’ standard.

Year 1 – 6 (Key Stage 1 & 2)

In Years 1 – 6, children are assessed using one of the grade descriptors below. It is anticipated that the majority of children will achieve the ‘Expected’ standard, a smaller number of children will reach the ‘Greater Depth’ standard. A small number of children will also be ‘Working Towards’ or ‘Significantly Below’ their Programme of Study (PoS).

Year R - Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA)

The RBA is a statutory assessment that we complete with all Year R children during their first term at school. It helps us to assess their starting points in language, communication, literacy and mathematics. It is a short task-based assessment in which children need to use practical resources to complete tasks.

Year R – Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Profile

In the final term of Year R, we complete the statutory EYFS Profile for all Year R children. This is a summary of each child’s attainment at the end of Year R. This judgement is made on teacher assessment and it is not informed by a test. The profile measures each child’s attainment in areas of learning known as Early Learning Goals (ELGs).

Year 1 - Phonics Screening Check

The Phonics Screening Check is a statutory assessment that we complete with all Year 1 children in June of each year. It helps us to assess each child’s decoding (reading) skills and to identify children who may need additional support with phonics. Children who do not pass the assessment in Year 1 will complete the assessment again in Year 2.

Year 4 – Multiplication Tables Check (MTC)

The MTC is a statutory assessment that we complete with all Year 4 children in June of each year. It helps us to assess each child’s times table knowledge and to identify children who may need additional support. The assessment is an on-screen check with 25 times tables questions. Children have six seconds to answer each question. Details of these assessments, their content and how the results are reported to parents, are contained in a short video which can be viewed here.

Year 4 & 5 – Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT)
In January each year, our Year 4 and 5 children complete CAT assessments. These CAT assessments provide school and parents with reliable indicators for national tests and examinations including Key Stage 2 SATs and PESE (11+). The assessments measure verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning.

Year 6 - Key Stage 2 SATs
There are statutory national assessments for all children when they reach the end of Key Stage 2 (end of Year 6). These take place in May each year. Details of these assessments, their content and how the results are reported to parents, are contained in a short video which can be viewed here.

Children with Special Educational Needs

Teachers working with children with special educational needs liaise very closely with the SENCO and they carry out a clear analysis of the pupils’ needs. Assessments will identify the next steps on each child’s learning pathway. In specific cases, this may identify learning from an earlier Programme of Study.

Reporting Pupil Progress

An end of year assessment is reported to parents in the format described above, i.e. a child is assessed as reaching one of the four standards, significantly below, working towards, expected or greater depth within their year group Programme of Study.

In each Autumn term, by October/November the teachers will have had an opportunity to assess how the children are working through the new Programmes of Study for the year group. Through continuing assessments teachers will know what the children can already do and what they think the children will be able to achieve by the end of the year if they continue to work at the same standard. They will then give a forecast as to where they think a child will be by the end of the Year. So, for example, children in Year 3 may be given a forecast of being ‘On Track’ for expected for the Year 3 Programme of Study. These ‘On Track’ for statements will be recorded in the mid-year reports issued to parents.

During the year, when we have conversations with you about your child’s progress their achievements will be stated using the same format, i.e. on-track for Working Towards/Expected/Greater Depth within their year group Programme of Study. It may well be that they are below the standard where they need to be, in which case additional intervention will be put into place to help your child get back on-track. A small number of children may be working ‘significantly below’ their year group’s programme of study.