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The Assessment Maze. Life After Levels June 2015 An information session for parents to explain the changes to assessment. Assessment Life After Levels. Definitions – What is assessment and why do we need it? Assessment for learning – R emoval of levels.
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The Assessment Maze Life After Levels June 2015 An information session for parents to explain the changes to assessment
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.
What is assessment? • Questioning • Marking • Observation • Dialogue • Testing Testing is just one element of assessment.
Where have we been? Where are we going?
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)
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. When assessment is driven by accountability it becomes a very different thing.”
Pupil’s view on assessment, marking and feedback… “I like to check my next steps and find out what I have done well. I don’t like it if there isn’t a green comment. I want to know how to get better at what I am doing.“
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.”
Our view… Assessment should support good teaching and learning. It should help teachers and students keep track of progress and drive improvement. Assessment is for learning!
Changes • No more numbered levels • Lift in expectations • Changes to Year 6 and Year 2 testing arrangements
No more levels! Challenge or opportunity?
An exciting opportunity to put learning back at the heart of assessment.
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
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.
Assessment going forwards needs to: Set out what children need to know, understand and do by when. Explain with clarity to 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.
A chance to find out… …what has changed!
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.
NB much of the assessment of reading will take place through Spoken Language, as children discuss texts with each other and with adults. • Spoken Language is a key thread running throughout the primary National Curriculum. The expectations are that a child: • listens and responds appropriately to adults and their peers • asks relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge • uses relevant strategies to build their vocabulary • articulates and justifies answers, arguments and opinions • gives well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings • maintains attention and participates actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments • uses spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas • speaks audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English • participates in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates • gains, maintains and monitors the interest of the listener(s) • considers and evaluates different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others selects and uses appropriate registers for effective communication
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.
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.
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.
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
Changes by year group - overview • Year 1 • Year 2