At Branfil we use formative and summative assessments regularly in order to inform teaching.
Formative Assessment strategies include:
- Questioning
- Short quizzes
- Daily opportunities for recall and retrieval
- Self and Peer assessment
- Classroom discussions, tasks and activities that elicit evidence of learning
- Feedback that moves learners forward
Summative Assessments include:
- End of unit assessments based upon key knowledge and skills
- RWI phonics assessment in Year 1, 2 and 3 every 6 weeks
- NFER Assessments for reading and grammar for Years 3, 4 and 5 in the autumn and summer terms
- White Rose Assessments for maths for Years 3, 4 and 5 in the autumn and summer terms
- Past SATs papers for Year 2 and 6 in the autumn and spring terms
National Statutory Assessments include:
- Reception Baseline Assessment
- Year 1 Phonic Screening Check (retested in Year 2 for pupils who do not pass). Please take a look at the Phonics Screening Check video for more information
- Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check
- Year 2 National Curriculum Assessments: Optional Key Stage 1 SATS (reading, GPS, maths) and teacher assessments (reading, writing, maths and science)
- Year 6 National Curriculum Assessments: Key Stage 2 SATS (reading, GPS, maths) and teacher assessments (writing and science)
For more information about national assessments please visit:
Key stage 1 and 2 national curriculum tests information for parents
Target Tracker
Target Tracker is an assessment system that enables teachers to record and monitor the progress of the children in their class. At the end of each term a data drop is completed for attainment in maths, reading and writing. The teachers use both formative and summative assessment evidence to make a judgment about each child’s attainment which is then recorded.
Target Tracker outlines the objectives that children need to cover over the course of each academic year in order to be on track and secure in their year group’s curriculum. These objectives can be used to help teachers to make decisions about the attainment of each pupil when completing data drops.
It is expected that children should make 6 points progress across the year on Target Tracker, moving from ‘beginning’ in the autumn term to ‘within’ in the spring term to ‘secure’ in the summer term.
After each data drop the assessment lead and core subject leaders track and report on progress and attainment at a whole school level. Pupil progress meetings are held each term with the assessment lead and year leads to monitor progress and attainment in each year group. Analysing the data enables teachers, subject leaders and the senior leadership team to make informed decisions about adaptations that need to be implemented.
At the end of each term a data drop is completed for science and all the foundation subjects, so that teachers and subject leads are able to monitor the attainment of children in each National Curriculum subject.
Moderation
Each term we moderate samples of work across year groups to ensure judgements are consistent. Every year we meet with teachers from our local cluster schools to moderate children’s outcomes in books to ensure we are accurate in our assessment judgements. Last May, the local authority moderated a selection of writing examples from our Year 6 pupils.