Assessment

Pengam Primary School

Assessment

All staff at Pengam Primary School recognise the key impact of effective assessment practices in enabling pupils to improve their performance.

It is essential that staff, governors and parents are aware of the range of purposes of assessment and the ways in which assessment information can be used effectively.

Assessment, Recording and Reporting should:

	be founded upon an agreed view of what learning needs to be assessed;
	offer all pupils an opportunity to show what they know, understand and can do;
	help pupils and teachers identify learning and teaching required to ensure a process of continuous development

	establish the progress made by pupils;
	recognise their wider achievement;
	help parents to be involved in their child’s progress;
	provide information to evaluate work, establish levels of attainment and set appropriate targets for improvement

Good Assessment Practice

Assessment is a natural part of teaching and learning.

Effective Assessment:

	informs teachers about pupils’ learning requirements;
	enables them to monitor progress over an extended period;
	supports teachers in extending pupils and maximising their ability;
	enables pupils to demonstrate achievement;
	helps them to understand what they need to do in order to improve.

At Pengam Primary School all staff agree that the prime aim of assessment is to assist pupils in their learning by making informed judgements about what they know, understand and can do and what, in consequence, they need to do in order to progress.

Use of Standardised Tests

At Pengam Primary School all teachers make use of standardised tests. Each May, pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 carry out testing in English and Maths using NFER materials. The results from these tests can be very useful in confirming judgements and can demonstrate that progress has been made in certain aspects that are being tested.

However, the use of these tests can never be a substitute for the professional judgement of a teacher. The most crucial aspects of a child’s development simply cannot be measured by such tests e.g. writing, attitudes to learning etc.

All Caerphilly schools administer CATs tests in the autumn term of years 5 and 7. This data is reported to schools individually and to the LEA. Year 5 data is transferred to the secondary school in the spring term before pupils enter year 7.

CATs testing is used to identify children who might be underachieving and to give information regarding learning styles. It is very useful at the point of transfer from year 6 to 7.

At the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) and Key Stage 2 (Year 6), more formal assessments are carried out and the results of this work are reported to parents, the L.E.A. and the local comprehensive school. From this information we are able to establish the percentage of children who are achieving at the required level in relation to the age. Analysis of this data enables the school to highlight areas that need to be improved and this feeds into our School Development Plan.