1. Information evening for parents
Mill View Primary School
Mill View Primary School
Assessment without levels
Strategic School Development Plan
Susan Walters

2. Assessment without national curriculum levels
The government introduced a new curriculum in September 2014 and new forms of assessment were developed to align its content and principles. Last academic year we continued to report to you in terms of national curriculum levels (e.g. Level 2b); however, from September 2015 national curriculum levels will no longer be used.
In removing curriculum levels the government has given schools the freedom to develop their own approaches to assessment linked into their own curriculum. At Mill View senior leaders, alongside leaders at Boughton Heath and Kelsall, researched new practice models of assessment to consider how we can best use assessment for teaching and learning, and all 3 schools have agreed to use an online pupil tracking system called O’Track.
level 2a
level 3b
level 4

3. Rationale for change
Often levels were viewed as thresholds and teaching became focused on getting children across the threshold instead of ensuring they were secure in knowledge and understanding
Depth and breadth of understanding were sometimes sacrificed in favour of pace
Levels were used as a ‘best fit’ model, which meant a child could have gaps in their knowledge and understanding, but still be placed within a level
For example, level 4 in mathematics raw score 43 – 78
in 2015

4. Standardised summative assessment
What is assessment?
School
Formative assessment
Summative assessment
National
Standardised summative assessment
There are three main forms of assessment: in-school formative assessment, which is used by teachers to evaluate pupils’ knowledge and understanding on a day-to-day basis and to tailor teaching accordingly; in-school summative assessment, which enables schools to evaluate how much a pupil has learned at the end of a teaching period; and nationally standardised summative assessment, which is used by the Government to hold schools to account.

5. Formal assessment – the national picture
Reception
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Early Years Framework
Phonics screening check
Standardised tests to inform teacher assessment in mathematics (arithmetic & reasoning), reading, grammar, punctuation & spelling
No standardised tests
Externally marked standardised tests in mathematics (arithmetic & reasoning); reading and
spelling, punctuation & grammar.
Teacher assessment in writing
Judgement report to parents in child’s annual report
Met the expected levels of development, or exceeding expected levels, or not yet reaching expected levels (‘emerging’)
Met or not met the expected standard
Working towards, working at or working at a greater depth

6. In school formative assessment
In-school formative assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. It allows teachers to understand pupil performance on a continuing basis. It enables teachers to identify when pupils are struggling, when they have mastered a concept and when they are ready for challenge at greater depth. In this way, it supports teachers to provide appropriate support or challenge as necessary. It also enables teachers to evaluate their own teaching of particular topics or concepts and to plan future lessons accordingly.
Teachers plan to teach objectives from the national curriculum
Teachers observe, ask questions, & mark the children’s work
Teachers adapt the children’s learning & their teaching
Children peer and self assess their learning
Teachers judge whether a child has achieved the objective
Teacher records day to day assessment on class track

7. Formative assessment informing planning

8. Formative assessment informing planning

9. Formative assessment informing planning

10. Formative assessment informing planning

11. Formative assessment informing planning

12. Formative assessment informing planning

13. In school formative assessment – day to day
Teachers judge whether a child has achieved the objective and records it on the electronic system O’Track regularly
Grey – Objective not being assessed Red – Does not fully understanding the objective Amber – Showing signs of understanding the objective Green – Understands the objective Purple – Embedded Skill

14. In school summative assessment
At the end of each term a summary judgement is made as to whether a child is achieving below, within or above end of year age related expectations set out in the national curriculum
In the autumn term it would be typical for the vast majority of the children to be working below or emerging within their year group curriculum. At the end of the summer term it would be typical for the vast majority of children to be working at age related expectations. There will be some children who are working at a greater depth of learning for their age. If a child has specific learning difficulties it may be typical for that child to be working below their age related expectation.
In your child’s annual report you will receive a summative assessment judgement about your child’s achievement in English (reading, writing, spelling & grammar), mathematics and science.
age related expectations
below
working within
working at a greater depth
emerging
developing
working at

15. Tracking your child’s achievement
Your child’s achievement is tracked from their last national assessment in reading, writing and mathematics to where we predict their achievement may be at the end of the year. Regular discussions with pupils, teachers and teaching assistants alongside moderation of pupil’s work informs our judgements. Teaching and learning opportunities for support and challenge to enable children to achieve are planned as a result of analysing the assessment information termly.

16. Tracking a child’s achievement in handwriting

17. School website www.millviewschool.co.uk
Further information
School website
Curriculum Information tab
Annual curriculum overviews for each year group
Termly curriculum newsletters for each year group
Mathematics – calculations phases
Handwriting standards, with examples
Spelling standards
Reading information
If you have any further questions at anytime, please do not hesitate to ask.
Thank you.