BARLEYHURST PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL
ASSESSMENT POLICY
INTRODUCTION
We believe that effective assessment provides information to improve
teaching and learning. We give our pupils regular feedback on their learning so that they recognise
what they have achieved and understand what they need to do next to improve. This allows us to base
our lesson plans on a detailed knowledge of each pupil. We give parents regular reports on their child’s
progress so that teachers, pupils and parents are all working together to raise standards.
AIMS
The aims and objectives of assessment in our school are:
 To provide information about what pupils know, understand and can do.
 To celebrate pupils’ achievements and help them understand what they need to do next to improve
their work.
 To enable teachers to plan work that is pitched at the right level for all pupils and to ensure all
pupils make good progress.
 To identify the level at which pupils are working.
 To close the gap between current attainment and an expected standard.
 To provide information for parents to enable them to support their child’s learning.
 To provide the Headteacher, SLT, teachers and governors with information that allows them to
make judgements about progress and attainment.
FORMS OF ASSESSMENT
We recognise the importance of formative, summative and diagnostic assessment and plan
opportunities for all of these to take place.
Formative assessment involves the pupil and teacher in celebrating their achievements and in
identifying their next steps. This enables teachers to plan for teaching and learning that is well
matched to pupils’ needs. Assessment for learning (AfL) involves sharing learning objectives, use of
success criteria, effective questioning and use of oral and written feedback (see Marking and
Feedback Policy). Teachers adjust their plans and teaching in response to on-going assessments.
Diagnostic assessment involves identify gaps in pupil’s knowledge and barriers to learning so that
appropriate provision can be made. This may be in the form of additional interventions eg. Springboard,
Better Readers, 1:1 tuition.
Summative assessment involves making a judgement about a pupil’s attainment at a point in time in
order to assess their performance. We use end of KS1 tasks and tests in the summer term for pupils
in Year 2 to support our teacher assessments. When pupils are in Year 6, they take statutory KS2 SAT
tests in May. We use the QCA optional SAT papers in English and Maths in the summer term to assess
pupils in Years 3 and 4. In the summer term, pupils in Year 5 complete KS2 SAT past papers in English
and Maths.
FEEDBACK
We believe that feedback to pupils is very important, as it tells them how well they have done and
what they need to do next to improve their work.
Feedback relates to the lesson’s learning objective and pupils’ individual targets. Comments are childfriendly and appropriate to the age and ability of the pupil. They recognise positive aspects of the
pupil’s work and improvements that will have an impact on future learning.
We believe that pupils should be given opportunities for self-assessment. We use a traffic light
system for pupils to assess their understanding of the learning objective and to reflect on their work
during the lesson. A green dot indicates that the pupil has fully understood what they have been
learning, a yellow dot indicates that they have understood some aspects but need further support and
a red dot indicates that they have not understood and require further teaching. This information is
used by the teacher to inform their planning.
TRACKING CHILDREN’S ATTAINMENT AND PROGRESS
We use the Assessing Pupil Progress (APP) grids to inform our teacher assessments in English (reading
and writing) and Maths. Assessment of a pupil’s attainment is based on evidence from a variety of
sources. This enables us to make a more secure judgement of what a pupil knows and can do most of
the time rather than relying solely on their performance in a test or one-off task.
Each term, teachers use their APP grids to make a judgement about the level each child is working at
in reading, writing and maths and record this on the school’s tracking sheets. These levels are
moderated to ensure consistency across the school.
In Reception, assessments are based on observations of pupils’ learning and development during childinitiated play. During their first half-term of starting full-time in Reception, a judgement is made on
their attainment against Development Matters and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Profile.
This attainment on-entry judgement provides a baseline for evaluating pupils’ progress across the
EYFS. Each term, teachers assess each pupil against each of the 13 areas of the profile and against
Development Matters.
TARGET SETTING
The Headteacher sets targets in English and Maths for end of KS1 and KS2 with the School
Improvement Partner during the autumn term. Fisher Family Trust data is also used to set end of KS2
targets based on a pupil’s attainment at KS1. End of year targets are set in reading, writing and maths
for all pupils, based on prior attainment and expected levels.
Individual targets are set in reading, writing and maths and displayed in pupils’ books. These are
shared with the pupils and referred to regularly so that they know how they are progressing. When
pupils have met their target they receive a sticker on their target card and a new target is set.
REPORTING TO PARENTS
We have a range of strategies to keep parents fully informed of their child’s progress in school. We
also encourage parents to contact the school if they have any concerns about the progress or wellbeing of their child.
In the autumn and spring terms, we give parents a written mid-term report on their child’s progress,
achievement and attitude to learning in the core subjects. In the summer term, they receive an endof-year report on their child’s progress and achievements during the year in all subjects, including
religious education, or areas of the EYFS. We also provide parents with details of EYFS Profile scores,
national test results and teacher assessments. Each term, we offer parents the opportunity to meet
their child’s teacher to discuss the information on the report.
ACCOUNTABILITY, MONITORING AND REVIEW
Pupil progress meetings are held each term by the Headteacher in consultation with class teachers.
The objectives of these meetings are to review individual pupil progress, evaluate the impact of
interventions and plan appropriate next steps for pupils who need to make accelerated progress.
The Assessment co-ordinator is responsible for ensuring that assessment procedures are used
consistently by staff. Subject leaders have an important role in monitoring and reviewing current
practice. This involves learning walks, work sampling, monitoring planning and pupil interviews. The
governing body are involved in discussing standards, expectations and targets.
Agreed by staff:
Agreed by governors: 26.5.11
Date for review: Summer 2013