Woodloes Primary School Information about Assessment Everyone is going AWOL…

Context and introduction An overview of the context to assessment arrangements and the school’s response

Headlines New accountability measures have been introduced for schools- ‘floor standards’ and ‘coasting schools’ A new Ofsted framework for school inspection Changes to statutory testing arrangements including optional baseline testing for Reception A new national curriculum Levels have gone!

The purpose of assessment Statutory assessment To hold schools to account for the work they do with their pupils, determined by DfE. To measure both attainment and progress to demonstrate schools’ effectiveness. Formative classroom assessment To inform teaching and learning. Used diagnostically to evaluate knowledge and understanding, identify gaps and misconceptions and inform lesson planning accordingly. Determined by schools, in line with curriculum freedoms.

Why were levels removed? Levels were designed for the previous national curriculum Unintended consequences for pedagogy. Teaching guided by level descriptors, rather than the curriculum. Levels encouraged pace over consolidation. Lead to disproportionate focus on pupils just below the boundaries. The best-fit model confused their meaning. Inconsistency in application and confusion in interpretation. Although intended for statutory assessment, they dominated classroom assessment too.

KS1 tests: key changes English reading 2 papers: 1 with text and questions combined. 1 more challenging text with the questions in a separate booklet. All pupils should be given the opportunity to sit both papers. Grammar, punctuation and spelling Emphasis on technical aspects of grammar. Separate spelling test. No English writing test. Mathematics New arithmetic test introduced.

KS2 tests: key changes (English) English reading Greater focus on fictional texts. English grammar, punctuation and spelling Greater focus on knowing and applying grammatical terminology with the full range of punctuation tested. Technical terms in grammar tested. Spelling patterns and methodologies form the basis of spellings tested.

KS2 tests: key changes (Maths) Mathematics Mental mathematics test removed. Arithmetic test introduced to assess basic mathematical calculations. No contextualised questions. 36 questions, 40 marks available, 30 minutes duration. Questions will cover: straightforward addition and subtraction more complex calculations with fractions long divisions and long multiplications

KS2 tests: key changes (Science) Science sampling Statutory science sampling tests in 2016. Tests will be securely administered in selected schools by external administrators. No access for schools to the test papers after their administration. A set of questions will be made public after the assessment cycle.

What does that look like currently at WPS?

Key government and Ofsted messages Raise the attainment bar- embrace 85% as non negotiable Simplify assessment and reduce teacher administration Teach to the top and promote inclusion Develop mastery and depth of learning Focus more on progress within books/ pupil outcomes Leaders to use assessment to improve teaching Consider testing pupils more often Poverty is no excuse

The Primary National Curriculum has changed new National Curriculum for all year groups fewer things, greater depth, more challenging specific to year group more able children challenged to apply knowledge in wide range of activities to achieve mastery

New Maths Curriculum

Old curriculum New curriculum Year groups Ma1 U&A Algebra Y6 Ma2 Number Number and place value (including rounding, approximation and estimation) Y1-Y6 Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division Fractions (including decimals and percentages) Decimals Y4-Y6 Percentages Y5-Y6 Ratio and Proportion Ma3 Shape, Space and Measures Measurement Geometry: properties of shapes Geometry: position and direction Ma4 Handling Data Statistics Y2-Y6

What’s the same? What’s gone? objectives set out on year-on-year basis general topics of mathematics much of the content What’s gone? Using and applying mathematics Calculators Probability Some of the detail

What’s new? Formal written (compact) methods for calculation introduced earlier Multiplication facts to 12x12 Roman numerals Calculating with fractions Algebra Some of the detail

Algebra Dear Algebra, Please stop asking us to find your X. She’s never coming back and don’t ask Y. Stephen Fry

New English Curriculum

The New English Curriculum The programmes of study for Spoken Language are presented for Years 1 – 6 together The rest of the English curriculum is divided into 3 phases - KS1 with year-by-year objectives for Years 1 and 2; Lower KS2 (Y3 and Y4) and Upper KS2 (Y5 and Y6). These phases are split into ‘Reading’ and ‘Writing’ programmes of study. Reading consists of Word Reading (phonics and decoding) and Comprehension (listening, discussing, retelling, etc). Writing consists of Transcription (spelling and handwriting) and Composition (planning, drafting and redrafting and vocabulary, grammar and punctuation). Some of the detail

Key Features The development of spoken language underpins every aspect of the English curriculum and features as an important factor throughout the other subject areas. Spoken English has a greater emphasis, with children being taught debating and presenting skills. Pupils are expected to apply and develop their English skills throughout every other subject area. Learning to read (decode and recognise familiar printed words) is a high priority but so is the pleasure, appreciation and love of reading. High priority is also given to being able to communicate accurately and clearly both through the written and spoken word. Some of the detail

Key Features Phonics continues to be emphasised as the first approach to teaching reading. Greater focus upon poetry, including reciting poems. There is less of a focus on genre and more focus on quality writing. Handwriting is expected to be fluent, legible and speedy. There are clear spelling expectations with a list of challenging spellings to be learned by the end of Lower KS2 and Upper KS2. Specific content for vocabulary development, grammar and punctuation is identified for each year group. There is greater emphasis on children drafting, editing and improving writing.

Formative Assessment at Woodloes new assessment system developed by Woodloes staff in consultation with other local schools and guidance documentation relates to the new National Curriculum provides a greater focus on mastery target booklets with targets: Reading, Writing and Mathematics relevant to the child’s year group and attainment

Targets relate to new National Curriculum those in purple are Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) KPIs are the key elements that demonstrate a child’s grasp of a particular area of the curriculum.

An example of part of a target booklet assessed against carefully chosen targets when relevant when evidence that the child can achieve a target independently, target booklet dated when teacher confident a child can achieve a target (away from the point of teaching), target is achieved and highlighted in the target booklet

How the target booklet is used

Tracking attainment at a particular time determined by number of KPIs achieved for a subject summative judgements recorded regularly throughout the school year recorded online using O-Track

Exceeding expectation targets mastery of all KPIs progress onto exceeding expectation targets green in target booklets

An example of exceeding expectation targets

How is a child’s progress monitored? Using the following codes: B - beginning to work within year group’s KPIs E - expected – working independently within year group’s KPIs A - above – working above year group’s KPIs

+ and ++ gradings create the following scale for each year group

What is the expected achievement? by the end of the school year, most children should be achieving expected targets then ready to progress to the next year group

How will assessments be communicated to parents? Discussed at parents’ evening- Autumn term Targets will be shared with parents in a Spring term parents’ evening; discussion will focus on progress towards end-of-year expectations An end-of-year written report in July to all parents providing a year-end summary Year 2 and Year 6 will receive a scaled score, that will show a child’s achievement compared to the national average

Thank you for listening Any Questions?