Rationale for Assessment


Parkhill Junior School’s Assessment Framework

Assessment must be purposeful. It must drive the learning and progress of each child. Similar to Ofsted’s assertion, that the school curriculum design must have intent, implementation and impact, the same principle applies to assessment.

Context.

Since the abolition of levels to describe pupils’ attainment, schools have used the descriptors of, working towards age-related expectations, at age-related expectations or above age-related expectations. (also known as working at greater depth) At Parkhill Junior School, we assess learning across all subject areas, using these descriptors, including working at greater depth.

As a school, we have produced our own set of guidance documents for each subject, outlining continuity, progression and age-related expectations for each year group. These documents contributed to the creation of an attainment and achievement tracking tool for each subject. The DfE provides schools with end of key stage Teacher Assessment Frameworks (TAF), for writing and science only.

Intent

Our assessment framework is designed to maximise learning, through the accurate evaluation of a child’s authentic outcomes. Next steps to learning can then be identified with the challenge accurately pitched.  Assessment in all areas of learning is ongoing and it is the outcomes which are recorded on each subject tracker.

Implementation

In line with all schools nationally, Parkhill Junior School has been using the DfE TAFs in writing and science, for the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) since their introduction in 2014. Learners’ attainment is assessed through the work they complete in and out of the classroom. Similarly, in all other areas of learning, we follow the same systematic method. Full implementation of our new assessment framework began in the summer term of 2018.   

Impact

Assessment must:

  • enable our children to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do in their work.
  • help our children understand what they need to do next to improve their work.