The robust approach to assessment and monitoring is encompassed in the West Blatchington Development Planning Cycle. The Assessment Policy provides the rationale and brings clarity to the purpose and importance of assessment as the driver of pupil progress and the measure of effective teaching and learning;

‘Assessment is the means by which the progress, skills and knowledge of pupils is monitored and tracked.’

The policy further defines the importance of assessment:

• To define each learner’s ability: what the child knows understands and can apply
• To gain as full an understanding as possible of each learner’s skills level
• To gain a full understanding of the progress made by each learner
• To gain an awareness of the steps needed to continue progress of both skills and knowledge and to help these steps occur
• To enable teaching staff to plan and deliver learning opportunities which will ensure progression for learners
• To gain an understanding of the efficacy of teaching strategies
• To ensure continuity and progression throughout the school
• To reveal children’s strengths and weaknesses
• To enable teachers to plan and deliver learning that is appropriately challenging to pupil’s attainment
• To communicate accurate information about the learner that is useful to teachers, pupils, parents, and other educational agencies
• To ensure early identification of children with SEN and those who are more able

The staff at West Blatchington are developing a wider range of strategies for assessing children’s work, through; continued professional development, peer support and observations, coaching, constructive feedback from lesson observations and work scrutiny to transform the policy into practice.

These strategies include:

• Observation – watching the children on task
• Working with guided groups
• Listening to, questioning/discussions with the children
• Photographing
• Examining children’s written/recorded learning
• Marking children’s learning
• Target setting and attainment
• Assessment notes for future planning
• Assessment for learning marking – next steps
• Traffic light cards / discs / spots– assessment for understanding
• Formal testing to assess children’s skills and knowledge against standardised levels
• Work scrutiny

Summative assessment data is systematically recorded and tracked electronically through the use of Target Tracker, quality assured through the systems described above, with: half termly tests in the core subjects, mock SATs, Pupil Progress meetings and moderation meetings.

The assessment leader creates and distributes a page for each class with the ‘on entry’ baseline data and class lists included. It is the responsibility of the class Teacher to ensure that this page remains up to date and that data is entered efficiently.

We expect every child to make at least six steps progress during each academic year; one step every half term.

The data from the half termly tests and on going teacher assessment is put on to the year on year tracker. The assessment leader and the core subject leaders analyse the data, focusing on gender, ethnicity and individual levels. This helps to inform the school leaders of areas for future development and increased challenge. It also informs the school’s intervention strategy, which is responsive to the assessment tracking system.

Science assessments are carried out at the end of each unit of work through observation of investigative skills and knowledge testing.

A foundation subject assessment grid will be formally introduced to be completed half termly, recording levels above or below the national expectations for all pupils. This level is judged through teacher assessment of the pupil’s knowledge and skills. Each child has an art portfolio that moves with them through the school and can be very useful for transition to secondary school.

Intervention programmes

Intervention programmes are frequently put in place to support or extend learning for children with particular aptitude or experiencing difficulty in making progress towards their targets.  The assessment data for children attending these groups is recorded as an entry level. This will include Booster Classes and setting arrangements.

Target Setting with Pupils

Each year group works with a corresponding band (ie Year one work on band one) Each child has their band stuck into their subject book and current targets are highlighted yellow. Once the child has achieved the target, the target is then highlighted green and signed off by the class teacher.

Statutory Assessment Tests (SATs) for Year 6

Children in year six take part in the KS2 SATs for reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation and maths during a specific week in May. These tests are marked externally and the results reported to the school and LA.