ASSESSING AND TRACKING PUPILS’ PROGRESS

In 2014 the structure and content of the school curriculum changed to increase challenge. This added new skills as well as shifting content into different year groups (for example, previous Year 6 content moved to Year 5 or even Year 4).

The ‘new’ National Curriculum is significantly more challenging than the previous one. Staff teaching the ‘new’ areas, while identifying missed content (gaps) from the previous year that has been moved or added. This ensures pupils at William Torbitt have full coverage and opportunity.

From September 2015, assessing pupils using ‘levels’ ended and ‘life without levels’ began. The new government measure for pupil progress and attainment is now against end of year ‘Age Related Expectations’ (ARE).

What are Age Related Expectations?

‘Age Related Expectation’ is an end of year assessment of whether a child is ‘secure’ in the curriculum content taught that year, and whether they are ready to move onto the content of the next year group.

How is this done at William Torbitt?

At William Torbitt, teachers make judgements whether an individual pupil is secure in the age-related expectations using a combination of evidence. This could include work in books, discussions with the child, observations during lessons, assessed activities.

As children move from Year 1 to Year 5 in our school, they are tracked against the Age Related Expectations. At William Torbitt these are numbered bands. The bands give the level of attainment. So Year 1 is band 1, Year 2 is band 2 and so on up to band 6 for Year 6.

Because children develop at different rates and have differing needs, they will work in the band which is appropriate to them to make sure that learning makes sense. Extra help or challenge is given to make sure they are learning at the right level.

As children develop through each Band, we track their progress very carefully. Each Band is broken into 3 steps which roughly represents a term’s progress. Over the year the steps are called: beginning – (B) ‘within’ – (W) and ‘secure’ – (S)

Tracking Progress in the EYFS

Children in the EYFS continue to be tracked on the Development Matters bands of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. By the end of their Foundation Year in school it is expected that they reach the ‘Early Learning Goals’.

At the beginning of the year a ‘baseline’ assessment is made of everything they can do so teachers know what they need to learn next. This is shared at the first parents’ evening of the year.

Children are tracked through their reading, writing and maths development by what they write down, through careful observation of what they can do, how they interact with others and how they explain what they know.

A learning Journey is kept of their development—which we will share with you throughout the year, parents/carers can contribute to this to include what children can do and are   interested in at home.

At the end of the EYFS year the EYFS Profile completes the picture of everything they have learnt, and are able to do.  This is reported to parents in July, so parents know if their child is at the age related expectation, is emerging into this or exceeding above. Most importantly it shows how much progress has been made from the baseline, and so teachers in Year 1 are ready to teach them their next steps in the National Curriculum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will children still have SATs?

Yes. There are still statutory assessments towards the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Parents/carers with children in these year groups are given more detailed information about these in meetings at the beginning of the school year, and then again mid-way through the year, so they know how to best support and prepare their children for these.

What can I do to help my child?

There is so much parents can help with. Reading is very important, along with times tables, spellings and practising number bonds (e.g. 3+ 7, 13+17). Also completing home learning tasks is vital, as well talking with your child about what they are learning at school. Our website has links to supporting websites and the BBC website where there are a lot of engaging games and activities to support primary learning. Your class teacher will also give you some specific pointers to help your child at home.

Do the teachers use any other forms of assessment?

Throughout all lessons teachers continuously monitor and assess learning, ensuring that any misconceptions pupils have in learning are quickly addressed, so that they can continue to make progress within that session.