Assessment, Data and the 2014 National Curriculum A guide for Parents and Carers

Assessment 1. Overview of changes since 2015 2. Outline of Key Stage Data published 3. Types of Assessment carried out 4. Report information

Overview As part of reforms to the national curriculum, the previous system of ‘levels’ used to report children’s attainment (eg Y2 2b, Y4 3b, Y6 4b) and progress was been removed last year. Th plan was to give schools greater flexibility in the way that they plan and assess pupils’ learning. The old system used a ‘best fit’ level, matched against the level criteria. The new system however dictates that children must have fulfilled ALL elements before they can move on. The programmes of study within the new National Curriculum (NC) set out expectations at the end of each key stage and the schools curriculum must include an assessment system that checks pupils are on track.

St Saviour’s KS2 league tables

SATs Children in the summer term of 2016in Year 2 and Year 6 were the first to take the new SATs papers. These tests in English and maths which reflected the 2014 national curriculum. There was a completely new marking scheme to replace the existing national curriculum levels. KS2 tests are set and marked externally, and the results are used to measure the school’s performance (for example, through reporting to Ofsted and published league tables). Each child’s marks will be used in conjunction with teacher assessment to give a broader picture of their attainment. The previous NC levels have been scrapped, and instead children will be given scaled scores. In Year 2 and 6 you will be given your child’s scaled score (the actual number of marks they get), alongside their scaled score and whether they have reached the national average. The score needed to reach the national average has yet to be announced.

Published data Stage Main judgement Scaled scores EYFS n/a Children are assessed to be ‘emerging’, ‘ meeting’ or ‘exceeding’ standards in: Communication and Language; Physical Development; Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding of the World; Expressive Arts and Design n/a Year 1 Phonics Wa - achieved expected phonic decoding standard for pupil at end of Year 1 Wt – did not achieve expected phonic decoding standard for pupil at end of Year 1 (Threshold is usually 32 out of 40) KS1 (Y2) Teacher assessment, informed by tests Working at Greater Depth of Study(GDS) At Expected Standard (EXS) Working towards expected standard Foundations of Expected Standard Below pre-KS1 100 = EXS (reading, maths, GPS) 110 = GDS (reading, maths, GPS) KS2 (Y6) Externally marked tests Working below expected standard

SCALED SCORES A pupil’s ‘scaled score’ is be based on their raw score. The raw score is the total number of marks a pupil receives in a test, based on the number of questions they answered correctly. The pupil’s raw score will be translated into a scaled score using a conversion table. The scale will have a lower end point below 100 and an upper end point above 100. Once the government have set the national standard they will use a statistical technique called ‘scaling’ to transform the raw score into a scaled score. This will be published this after the first tests have been administered.

How will we be assessing pupils After considerable research we opted for a model where: Individual children will be assessed using the milestones - Emerging, Developing, Secure and Exceeding at their Age Related Expectation. Emerging – on track, if achieved by the end of the autumn term Developing – on track, if achieved by the end of the spring term Secure – working at expected level Exceeding – working at a level beyond ARE

Our model All assessment is now linked to the new curriculum in terms of the Age Related Expectations (ARE) Children who are not at ARE will be involved in intervention programmes Termly assessments will be carried out that are matched to the new criteria in each subject: this will take the form of teacher assessment or tests (in some subjects)

Interim Assessment Frameworks These aid teacher assessment at the end of Key Stages KS1 reading, writing, maths and science KS2

Graded writing assessment grids Used by teachers as an aid to assessment of writing

Assessment Methods at St Saviour’s

Assessment Methods at St Saviour’s

Assessment Methods at St Saviour’s

Assessment testing

Assessment testing

Reception reports

KS1 & 2 reports Judgements given: Well above age related expectations At age related expectations Below age related expectations Well below age related expectations

2014 National Curriculum 1. English 2. Maths

English The new programme of study for English is knowledge based – this means that its focus is on knowing facts. There is an increased emphasis on technical aspects of language.

Year-by-year basis English is set out in year by year expectations for Year 1 and Year 2. Expectations are merged for Years 3/4 and 5/6. There are separate appendices for specific content to be covered in the areas of spelling and vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. If you would like a copy – this is available on the internet or an electronic copy can be provided.

Programme of Study The learning objectives have been organised under new headings. Spoken word Reading – word and comprehension Writing – transcription (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling - GPS) - composition (plan, draft, edit, proof read)

Key facts Reading is to be taught mainly using phonic strategies. (not as much emphasis on ‘sight vocabulary’) ‘Spoken language’ has been slimmed down and is not age differentiated GPS is much more specific and the content is more advanced There are more objectives to cover within the writing process

More Key facts There is a huge emphasis on reading for pleasure Re-reading books because you have enjoyed them is encouraged There is an emphasis on enjoying and learning poetry There is more emphasis on writing dictated sentences and summarising texts.

maTHs The most significant impact comes from increased expectation levels. More demands have been put on pupils of all ages and many objectives have been brought forward in the curriculum – in some cases by multiple years – with a number also receiving tweaks or additions in order to make them more rigorous.

Overview The most significant impact comes from increased expectation levels. More demands have been put on pupils of all ages and many objectives have been brought forward in the curriculum – in some cases by multiple years – with a number also receiving tweaks or additions in order to make them more rigorous.

Year-by-year basis The programme of study is set out on a year by year basis, with objectives set for specific year groups; the way the curriculum is organised varies across the primary age range – every year group has a unique combination of domains and sub- domains.

Programme of Study Main ‘domains’: Number Measurement Geometry Statistics Ratio and proportion Algebra

what’s out? There is no longer a separate strand for using and applying mathematics Calculators (greater importance placed on mental fluency and efficient written methods) Informal written methods of calculation

What is there LESS OF? Less emphasis on estimation Less work on Place value Less work on data handling (none in year 1)

What is there MOre OF? More challenging objectives, especially in number Formal written methods are introduced earlier More work on fractions, and increasingly complex understanding of fractions and decimals in Key Stage 2.

What’s New? Roman Numerals Times tables (and related division) up to 12x12 with emphasis on immediate recall so children can solve progressively complex problems Equivalence between metric and imperial measures Greater emphasis on problem solving

Reservations Some educationalists have stated that the new national curriculum fails to recognise the needs of children of different abilities. But the Department for Education (DfE) is standing by its plans. ‘We make no apologies for having high expectations for our children,’ DfE spokesperson. ‘We believe they can achieve more, and we will not stand by and allow pupils to lose ground with their peers in countries across the world.’