1. St Margaret Mary Catholic Primary School
Assessment Without Levels
An introduction to Learning Ladders

2. ASSESSMENT BEYOND LEVELS – WHY?
As part of our reforms to the national curriculum, the current system of ‘levels’ used to report children’s attainment and progress will be removed.  It will not be replaced.
We believe this system is complicated and difficult to understand, especially for parents. It also encourages teachers to focus on a pupil’s current level, rather than consider more broadly what the pupil can actually do. Prescribing a single detailed approach to assessment does not fit with the curriculum freedoms we are giving schools. 
nationalcurriculum2014/a /assessing-without-levels
(June 2013)

3. IMMEDIATE CHANGES TO NATIONAL ASSESSMENTS
KS1 and KS2 assessment 2014 and 2015 – still using levels (assessment based on current NC)
Slight changes to KS2 tests (reading and maths papers)
KS1 assessment unchanged
2016 – new tests for the new curriculum (standardised scores rather than levels)
KS2 writing remains a teacher assessment
KS1 remains as teacher assessment informed by tests (including a new Grammar test)

4. WHAT DOES THIS MEANS FOR US?
No national system
No levels
Schools have the freedom to develop their own approach to assessing progress
Difficulties
Transition between schools and Key Stages
Comparisons between pupils in different schools

6. What do we believe about good practice in assessment?
On the left – assessment = formal, working alone, unsupported, separate to the learning
On the right – assessment = informal, collaborative, supported (adult interaction), integral to the learning
An opportunity for us to question our current practice – are we doing too much of the left picture and not enough of the right?
Assessment = an evaluation of what children have learnt at a given point in time
Assessment = an ongoing process which is integral to teaching and learning

7. WHY LEARNING LADDERS?
Learning Ladders was the only system we found that met all of the requirements we had.
In May 2014 it won the DfE’s ‘Assessment Innovation’ competition*, Judges commended it as “clear, engaging and accessible for both children and parents”.
We believe it has the potential to impact significantly on the attainment and progress of our pupils

8. WHAT ARE LEARNING LADDERS?
Both a paper based and cloud based system to track pupil progress.
A Learning Ladder for Reading, Writing and Mathematics.
Each rung on a ladder relates to a key learning point that in turn relates to age appropriate expectations.

9. HOW DO THE LADDERS WORK? There are two sets of Learning Ladders.
Pupil’s Learning Ladder
Teacher’s Learning Ladder
Coloured booklet Spread sheet
No Year Groups Shown Year Groups Shown
Need to be handed out each lesson Used to keep a record of coverage and
support planning

10. Mastery of the objective
HOW DO THE LADDERS WORK?
Each rung needs to be assessed on three separate occasions before we can be sure it has been ‘mastered’.
Mastery of the objective =
Apply
&
Analyse
Pupil Self
Assessment
Remember
&
Understand