Assessment & Learning
Rationale
The ability to accurately assess a child’s learning is a fundamental professional skill. Effective assessment enables teachers to identify what a child knows, understands and can do, and to use this information to plan appropriate next steps. High-quality assessment ensures that teaching is responsive, appropriately challenging and tailored to individual needs.
Assessment serves two main purposes:
- To inform teaching and support ongoing learning (formative assessment)
- To evaluate attainment and measure progress at specific points in time (summative assessment)
Together, these approaches provide a comprehensive picture of each child’s development and achievement.
Formative Assessment (Assessment for Learning)
Formative assessment, often referred to as Assessment for Learning (AfL), is embedded in daily classroom practice across the school.
It includes:
- Skilled questioning
- Observation
- Discussion
- Verbal and written feedback
- Peer and self-assessment
- Ongoing marking and review of work
This continuous process allows teachers to gather valuable “in-the-moment” information about pupils’ understanding. Teaching is then adapted accordingly — whether by addressing misconceptions, providing additional support, or extending learning for those ready for greater challenge.
At its most effective, formative assessment leads to immediate adjustments within lessons, enabling learning to be personalised and ensuring that pupils make strong progress from their individual starting points.
Educational research, including the work of Dylan Wiliam, highlights Assessment for Learning as one of the most powerful drivers in raising the quality of teaching and improving pupil outcomes.
Summative Assessment
Summative assessment provides a summary of attainment at a specific point in time. It may take the form of end-of-unit assessments, half-termly or termly tests, teacher assessment judgements, or statutory national assessments.
Summative assessments are used to:
- Measure attainment
- Track progress over time
- Identify trends or concerns early
- Inform future planning and target setting
Teacher assessments are recorded at the end of each half term to monitor progress across the academic year and ensure that pupils remain on track to meet age-related expectations.
Assessment in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
During the first four weeks of school, children in Foundation Stage 2 (Reception) are informally assessed against the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile criteria to establish their starting points.
Assessment in EYFS is primarily observational and forms an integral part of daily practice. Staff use ongoing formative assessment to identify children’s interests, strengths and next steps, ensuring that provision is responsive and developmentally appropriate.
Assessment is continuous throughout the year across all areas of learning and culminates in a final EYFS Profile assessment at the end of the Reception year.
Assessment in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
Throughout Key Stages 1 and 2, a combination of formative and summative assessment methods is used to ensure a comprehensive understanding of each pupil’s progress and attainment.
Ongoing teacher assessment is supported, where appropriate, by diagnostic testing to identify specific learning needs.
Statutory Assessments
In addition to ongoing assessment:
- Pupils in Year 1 complete the Phonics Screening Check. Pupils who do not meet the required standard retake the check in Year 2.
- Pupils in Year 4 complete the Multiplication Tables Check to assess recall and fluency in times tables knowledge.
- At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils sit the Standard Assessment Tests (SATs).
Both the Department for Education (DfE) and the school expect all pupils to be present for statutory assessments.
Under no circumstances will holidays be authorised for Year 6 pupils during the SATs period.
Moderation
Assessment involves professional judgement, and it is essential that judgements are accurate and consistent.
To ensure reliability:
- Teachers regularly moderate work internally.
- Moderation takes place in partnership with other schools.
- Where appropriate, work is reviewed alongside the Local Authority.
This process ensures that standards are robust, consistent and aligned with agreed expectations.
Attainment and Progress
It is important to distinguish between attainment and progress.
Attainment refers to the level at which a child is achieving at a specific point in time.
Progress refers to the improvement or growth in learning over a defined period — the distance travelled between two assessment points.
The school measures progress from each child’s individual starting point to ensure that all pupils are supported to achieve their full potential.
Reporting to Parents
Information about pupils’ progress is shared with parents during Parents’ Evenings in the Advent and Lent terms, and through a written report issued in the Pentecost term.
Parents wishing to speak with the Headteacher or class teacher at other times are asked to contact the school office to arrange an appointment.
Attendance and Statutory Assessments
Regular attendance is essential to support children’s learning and progress. It is strongly recommended that holidays are not taken during term time.
Where it is absolutely necessary to take a child out of school, an official leave of absence form must be completed in advance.
Statutory assessments are an important part of the national accountability framework, and all pupils are expected to be present during assessment periods.
