Assessment

At Stanley Park High we believe the main purpose of assessment is to enable each student to develop their full potential.

 

All assessment should enable students to know precisely what they have done well and what they need to do in order to improve. Assessment needs to be linked to students’ work so that they know what aspects of the work will be assessed, how this will be done and what their role in the process is.

The Starting Point

When students transfer from Primary School they have attained National Curriculum Levels in Core (Maths, English and Science) and Foundation subjects. The following table explains the starting point and the minimum your son/daughter is expected to progress when compared to the National Average:

 

KS2 (End of Yr 6)

KS3 (End of Yr 9)

KS4 (End of Yr 11)

2

High 3/Low 4

E

3

High 4/Low 5

D

4

High 5/Low 6

C

5

High 6/Low 7

B

6 (Teacher Assessed)

High7/8

A/A*

 

We will also use the MidYis online test, sat early in September by all year 7 students, in order to support the judgements made at KS2 and inform our target setting throughout Key Stages 3 and 4. There is no requirement for the students to prepare for this test.

 

The Assessment Journey

The school will continue to use the National Curriculum Assessment levels for English, Maths, Science, MFL and PE throughout years 7 and 8. As is common in most schools, we will utilise a number followed by a letter. For example: 5a, 5b and 5c, where 5a is a top 5, 5b is secure 5 and 5c is the bottom 5. These indicate the level the student is currently working at in a subject. Please note that a level 5 at the end of year 9 matches national expectations.

 

Students in Year 9 will continue to be assessed according to national curriculum levels in the Core Subjects (English/Mathematics/Science). In their Option Subjects students will be assessed by GCSE grades once the final options have started.

The rate of progress made towards a student’s target level/grade will be by ‘traffic lighting’:

Red 

  • The student is not on track to meet their target with this rate of progress

Amber

  • The student is on track to meet their target with this rate of progress

Green

  • The student is secure to meet their target and may exceed their target with this rate of progress

    

Assessment in the Excellent Futures Curriculum Area

All Schemes of Work are built around the assessment of the 10 skills areas and students’ understanding and development of these skills. Self- and Peer- assessment is an ongoing part of the curriculum. As the tasks centre on regular presentations and group work tasks, students are regularly asked to make judgements about their own performance and that of their peers, giving constructive feedback initially in the form of WWW and EBI (What Went Well, Even Better If).

 

At the end of each week, students are required to reflect on their learning regarding ‘subject knowledge’ and the three key skills that they have been practising. Their self-assessment is completed in an EFC Learning Journal. At the end of the unit (each half-term) students are then required to give themselves a final assessment (on a scale of 1-5) of their ability in the skills. Reflections on how to improve are considered and parents read and sign this.

Every half-term students share their self-assessment with their tutor and an EFC Skills Tracker is completed by negotiation between the student and their teacher. Students assess themselves according to three areas:

  • Working towards the skill                      Bronze
  • Consistently achieving the skill              Silver
  • Being proficient in the skill                     Gold

 

The EFC Graduation

The Skills Tracker is used as a guiding document towards awarding the student with a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award at the end of year 8 – when the students graduate from the EFC. This assessment tool is combined with a formal, twenty minute ‘presentation’ to the teacher, parent and member of the business community. Here, students offer a final evaluation of their achievements over the two year period of the EFC – demonstrating strengths in significant skills areas.

 

Informing Parents

Parents are kept fully informed regarding assessment and progress. Of course, contact can be much more regular than this. On a day-to-day basis it should be through the work of the Tutors under the guidance of the Progress Leader. This can be done via email or the Student Planner. There will also be a Parents’ Evening and a full annual report during each academic year.