Assessment

The right school for your child must take its remit of raising achievement seriously. Therefore, all teachers must have a sound knowledge of how to assess what level or grade children are at, and possess the ability to help move students to a higher grade.

• In a school which is effective at raising achievement, all teachers will have a clear and up to date assessment record for every student they teach.
• Teachers should regularly share current performance and targets for improvement with every student.
• Teachers should regularly give students specific advice on the steps they must take to move up to the next grade.
• Teachers should write grades in exercise books when they mark, including guidance on what students must do to make progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured..
• Schools should regularly share students’ levelsAt key stage 2* and key stage 3* students are awarded National Curriculum levels to measure academic progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured.. The levels go from level 1 to level 8. In Year 9*, level 5 is the average nationally. of achievement with their parents.
• Schools should assess students regularly, at least termly.
• Students should be well versed in what different levelsAt key stage 2* and key stage 3* students are awarded National Curriculum levels to measure academic progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured.. The levels go from level 1 to level 8. In Year 9*, level 5 is the average nationally. of achievement mean. They should be able to explain levelsAt key stage 2* and key stage 3* students are awarded National Curriculum levels to measure academic progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured.. The levels go from level 1 to level 8. In Year 9*, level 5 is the average nationally. of achievement in their own terms.
• Students should be able to explain to parents what their children have to do to move on to  the next level or grade, and why they are not at that level or grade yet.
• Students should know what level of performance is expected for different age groups.
• No school, no matter how successful it is, will have practice which is equally good in all subject areas. However, ideally students should be aware of what levelsAt key stage 2* and key stage 3* students are awarded National Curriculum levels to measure academic progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured.. The levels go from level 1 to level 8. In Year 9*, level 5 is the average nationally. they are at across the board, not just in, for example, the core subjectsCore subjects at secondary school are those which must be studied by all students, for example, English, Maths and Science..

Further Information

Open Evening

Ask what kind of target settingSetting is a way of organising students into groups according to ability.Setting is particular to a subject area, so a student could be in the top set for Maths and the third set for English. the school does, and how it shares assessment information with students. Look out for assessment criteria appearing as part of classroom display.You should look to find this in every classroom.

Open Evening/Visit

Ask the student showing you round what level or grade they are working at in English, Maths and Science. Ask them what they need to do to reach the next level or grade. If the student cannot answer either of these questions, then this is a cause for concern. Ask students what levelsAt key stage 2* and key stage 3* students are awarded National Curriculum levels to measure academic progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured.. The levels go from level 1 to level 8. In Year 9*, level 5 is the average nationally. or grades they are working at in different subject areas. If there are one or two subject areas that they do not know, then this is not a particular worry. If they do not know what level they are working at for most of their subjects, then this is a cause for concern.

Case Study

Summary