1. The Assessment Maze Life After Levels
June 2015
An information session for parents to explain the changes to assessment

2. Assessment Life After Levels
Definitions – What is assessment and why do we need it?
Assessment for learning – Removal of levels.
Changes in expectations- Pitch and progression.
Key themes covered in this session fall into three parts

3. What is assessment? Questioning Marking Observation Dialogue Testing
Assessment evaluates progress to date (rear view mirror) and where we need to go next and gaps (windscreen)
Testing is just one element of assessment.

4. Who wants to know what? Pupil What do I know?
What do I need to do next?
Am I getting better?
Teachers
Where are they in relation to where they need to be?
What are the gaps in their knowledge and understanding?
What do they need to learn next?
Parents
What can they do?
What do they need to know next?
Where are they in relation to where they should be?
How can I help?
Leaders & External Agencies
Are the children meeting expectations?
Are they making progress?
Is provision as good as it should be?
Are there groups making less progress than others?
Common thread for pupils, parents and staff is the use of good assessment to identify next steps for learning.

5. Where have we been? Where are we going?
The power for learning is in the next steps. Assessment for teaching and not for accountability
Where are we going?

6. Summative Assessment – Testing:
Purposes of statutory assessment
The main purpose of statutory assessment is to ascertain what children have achieved in relation to the attainment targets outlined in the national curriculum.
The main intended uses of the outcomes are to:
hold schools accountable for the attainment and progress made by their children
inform parents and secondary schools about the performance of individual children
enable benchmarking between schools, as well as monitor performance locally and nationally.
(Standards & Testing Agency)
This is the primary purpose of national testing as listed by the Standards and Testing Agency

7. A teacher’s view of assessment…
“People talk about assessment as though it’s separate to teaching. For me assessment is what you have to do to be able to teach effectively.
When assessment is driven by accountability it becomes a very different thing.”
Assessment needs to be driven by learning. If it doesn’t move the learning forward then it’s not effective.

8. Pupil’s view on assessment, marking and feedback…
“I like to check my next steps and find out what I have done well. I don’t like it if there isn’t a green comment. I want to know how to get better at what I am doing.“

9. The government’s view…
“Levels have been a distracting, over-generalised label, giving misleading signals…Crucially, levels have failed to give parents clarity over how their children are performing.”
This was the prime driver for the government wanting to move away from levels towards a reporting system to support parental understanding of what their children can and can’t do.

10. Assessment is for learning!
Our view…
Assessment should support good teaching and learning. It should help teachers and students keep track of progress and drive improvement.
Assessment is for learning!
Good assessment informs good teaching which leads to good progress.

11. Changes No more numbered levels Lift in expectations
Changes to Year 6 and Year 2 testing arrangements

12. Challenge or opportunity?
No more levels!
A great opportunity to remind ourselves of just how important assessment is to inform planning, pitch and expectations. We have been working with the current system of levels for over 20 years, so it’s good to re-learn and remind ourselves what good practice looks like.
Challenge or opportunity?

13. An exciting opportunity to put learning back at the heart of assessment.
It’s early days, but we are enjoying the challenge and the learning is improving our provision further.

14. Good assessment is an intrinsic tool of the teaching and learning cycle.
Testing gives a snap shot to inform the data set.
An opportunity to ensure we have a learning focused system to secure and embed learning.
The removal of levels takes us to an approach where we are assessing at the point of learning, rather than after the learning.
Assessment can also be an on-going process which is integral to teaching and learning
Assessment can be an evaluation of what children have learnt at a given point in time

15. Assessment for Learning
Establish where the learners are.
Short term and long term expectations.
Assessment, planning and teaching
Establish how they are going to get there.
Establish where they need to go.

16. Assessment going forwards needs to:
Set out what children need to know, understand and do by when.
Explain with clarity to parents what their child does well and their next steps.
Support target setting to ensure, where possible, pupils meet the expected standard at the end of each Key Stage.
Pinpoint aspects of the curriculum in which pupils are falling behind and recognise exceptional performance.
Support effective planning, pitch and progress for all pupils.

17. A chance to find out… …what has changed! JL Y6 mental maths test
Writing samples?
…what has changed!

18. Changes: KS1 Reading More emphasis on phonics.
Increased emphasis on reading for pleasure.
Increased emphasis on reading and performing poetry.
Greater emphasis on discussion and questioning when reading.
Whole texts – deeper exploration.

19. NB much of the assessment of reading will take place through Spoken Language, as children discuss texts with each other and with adults.
Spoken Language is a key thread running throughout the primary National Curriculum. The expectations are that a child:
listens and responds appropriately to adults and their peers
asks relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge
uses relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
articulates and justifies answers, arguments and opinions
gives well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
maintains attention and participates actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments
uses spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas
speaks audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
participates in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates
gains, maintains and monitors the interest of the listener(s)
considers and evaluates different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others selects and uses appropriate registers for effective communication

20. Changes: KS1 Writing Writing A greater emphasis on spelling. Grammar
Handwriting
Frequent sessions.
Handwriting strategies.
Fluent handwriting supports spelling and enables the child to communicate their ideas more freely.
Again ahead of the curve – a priority for us for the last three years.

21. Grammar expectations at the end of KS1…
A sample of expectations at the end of KS1

22. The phonics screening check is administered at the end of Y1 to check fluency in phonic de-coding. A mixture of real and made up words are used to test pupil knowledge of phonemes and decoding skills.

27. Sample question from the Y2 spelling and grammar pilot paper

28. Sample from the Y2 pilot paper
This tested both ability to punctuate sentences and ability to read and understand tables as a method of recording.

29. Does a test fully reflect ability?
This pupil recorded her answers like this initially. See what she meant on the next slide…
Does a test fully reflect ability?

30. Good teacher assessment is essential.
When asked to put her punctuation at the end of each sentence she did this…
Good teacher assessment is essential.

31. Changes: KS2 Literacy Poems and play scripts to be performed.
Emphasis on understanding (inference and deduction).
Familiarity with a wide range of books and poetry.
Reading for pleasure.
Comparisons between texts.

32. Changes: KS2 Literacy Developing and improving handwriting.
More explicit technical grammar requirements.
Editing and improving their own work.
Using dictionaries to check spelling.
Much of this is already in place, but there is now an even greater emphasis on formal elements and subject specific vocabulary.

33. A sample of the grammar expectations at the end of Y6

34. A question from the 2015 grammar SAT for Y6

35. A question from the 2015 grammar SAT for Y6

36. A question from the 2015 grammar SAT for Y6

37. A question from the 2015 grammar SAT for Y6

38. Changes: Maths
There have been some significant changes to the Maths curriculum.
Times tables up to 12 x12
Probability and calculator skills have been moved to KS3, so they are no longer explicitly taught in Years 5 & 6
Data handling has been removed from Y1
Roman numerals are now introduced in Y3
Ratio has been moved into Y6

39. Changes by year group - overview

40. Year 3 (top) and Year 4 (bottom)

41. Year 5

42. Year 6

43. A sample of end of Y6 maths expectations

44. A sample of end of Y6 maths expectations

45. A sample of end of Y6 maths expectations

46. A sample of end of Y6 maths expectations

47. Sample questions from the 2015 Maths SAT for Y6

48. Sample questions from the 2015 Maths SAT for Y6

49. Sample questions from the 2015 Maths SAT for Y6

50. Sample questions from the 2015 Maths SAT for Y6

51. Currently…
The shift in expectations is seen most markedly in upper KS2.
Age related expectations have shifted by about 18 months.
End of year expectations for Y4 are now very close to what was age related for Y6.
We are already reporting to you against assessment criteria statements so that you can see clearly what the next steps are for your child and what they do well.

52. Definitions of age relatedness are in transition.
Criterion-referenced reports
Definitions of age relatedness are in transition.
Our focus is on what we need to do to accelerate progress to meet the revised expectations.
Our report format already indicates achievement against assessment criteria, so that parents can see what aspects of English and Mathemetics are understood and which need further support.

53. From September 2015…
All year groups will be assessed against the revised assessment criteria.
Only draft details available so far on the Y6 and Y2 tests.
New Reception baseline assessments.
Further information sessions for parents if they are required. (Please let us know what you would find useful)

54. Thank you for making the time to be here this evening
Please complete the evaluations on your tables and tell us what you would like to know more about.