1. Planning and assessing Session 3

2.  Aims and Principles; what are those in settings like? How do they compare with personal aims/ principles?  Journal article summary.

3. By the end of the session you will:  Understand how planning and assessment may be implemented across the EYFS and National Curriculum.  Have an understanding of the challenges faced by practitioners when planning and assessing.  Begin to form value based judgements about the nature of such planning and assessment.

4. “Assessment is arguably the most powerful policy tool in education. Not only can it be used to identify strengths and weaknesses of individuals, institutions and indeed the whole system of education; it can also be used as a powerful source of leverage to bring about change” (Broadfoot 1996) from Carr (2001) Assessment in Early Childhood Settings

5. “ Assessment is essential for effective teaching. All teachers, whether consciously or unconsciously, are continuously assessing their pupils, albeit usually in an informal way…to lead them onto further development.” (Kelly, 2009, p.147)

6. Formative; so that the positive achievements of a pupil may be recognised and discussed and the appropriate next steps be planned; Diagnostic; through which learning difficulties may be scrutinized and classified so that appropriate remedial help and guidance can be provided; Summative; for the recording of the overall achievement of a pupil in a systematic way a ‘snap shot’; Evaluative; assessment information is collated to provide evidence of children’s progress and achievements over time Informative; assessment information is synthesised and discussed with parents, teachers and other professionals NB: This reported noted that assessment should be summative only at KS4 (TGAT Report, 1988, in Kelly, 2009, pp150-151 and Wood and Attfield, 2005, pp186- 187) Available at http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/pdfs/1988-TGAT- report.pdfhttp://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/pdfs/1988-TGAT- report.pdf

7.  Criterion-referenced and norm referenced assessment (for example baseline assessment, attainment targets levels and comparison of pupils of similar age, Early Learning Goals)  Ipsative assessment (assessed against his/her achievements, preferred learning style, behaviour, previous experience e.g. running against a personal best)  Profiling (teacher assessment)  Graded tests  Sophisticated forms of assessment?

8. Children will start sitting the new national primary curriculum tests in 2016. Children in years 2 and 6 will be the last to receive an end-of-key-stage ‘level’, in summer 2015. AgeYearKey stageAssessment Average level of attainment 3 to 4 Early years 4 to 5ReceptionEarly years 5 to 6Year 1KS1 Phonics screening check 6 to 7Year 2KS1 Teacher assessments in English, maths and science 2 7 to 8Year 3KS2 8 to 9Year 4KS2 9 to 10Year 5KS2 10 to 11Year 6KS2 National tests and teacher assessments in English, maths and science 4 11 to 12Year 7KS3 Teacher assessments 12 to 13Year 8KS3 Teacher assessments 13 to 14Year 9KS3 Teacher assessments 5/6 14 to 15Year 10KS4 Some children take GCSEs 15 to 16Year 11KS4 Most children take GCSEs or other national qualifications

9.  P levels - http://www.nasen.org.uk/uploads/publicatio ns/129.pdf http://www.nasen.org.uk/uploads/publicatio ns/129.pdf  APS  http://www.teachingtimes.com/userfiles/file/ levels-aps-2012.pdf http://www.teachingtimes.com/userfiles/file/ levels-aps-2012.pdf  2 year old checks http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp- content/uploads/2012/03/A-Know-How- Guide.pdf http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp- content/uploads/2012/03/A-Know-How- Guide.pdf

10. ‘the single biggest negative impact of an inaccurate assessment will be on the child themselves.’ (Dubiel 2014 p.13). HOW? Assessing at a higher achievement level…. Assessing at a lower achievement level… ‘ judgements become influenced by targets or ‘what should be’ ….accuracy and integrity becomes severely compromised’ (ibid).

11.  Assessment for learning video Assessment for learning  Why are teachers afraid to use this method of assessment?  What needs to be changed?  What do you think about assessment for learning?

12.  Look at the following examples of different types of assessment  What types of assessment are they  How useful are they for parents, the children or other practitioners?  What assessment do you fell is the most beneficial?

13. Four fundamental questions which must be answered in developing any curriculum and plan of instruction: 1. What educational purposes should the school seek to attain? 2. What educational experiences can be provided that are likely to attain these purposes? 3. How can these educational experiences be effectively organised? 4. How can we determine whether these purposes are being attained?

14. Planning the environment…”provision should be organised in a way that offers children opportunities for working individually or in groups with an adult and for observation of other children at play…Children should have daily opportunities to become deeply involved in their learning, often through self initiated activities or experiences over and extended period of time.” (Drake, 2005, p.5) Long, medium and short term planning

15. “A focus activity is an activity or experience that is planned in order to achieve particular objectives. Provision is organised in a way that will enable children to develop certain skills, knowledge, concepts and attitudes and the role of the adult in supporting their learning is clearly defined.” (Drake, 2005, pp 50-51) Discuss this in your groups For further reading on assessing 0-5 please read Wood and Attfield, 2005, chapter 7

16.  Consider the planning formats presented.  What is the purpose of the planning sheets?  What features are essential?  Do you have other examples of planning formats?  How are planning and assessment linked?

17.  The Standards and Testing Agency has approved the following providers for the reception baseline assessment:  Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring, Durham University (CEM) Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring, Durham University (CEM)  Early Excellence Early Excellence  GL Assessment GL Assessment  Hodder Education Hodder Education  National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER)  Speech Link Speech Link  Which would you select and why? Be prepared to talk through your choices next session.