Our assessment and reporting
Assessment and reporting are a key part of our teaching practice, allowing teachers and parents to identify what children have learned and what they can do to facilitate the next stage of learning. Along with our current robust procedures, Birkenhead Primary is currently working to implement National Standards reporting according to government directives.
Assessment
Assessment is a continually evolving process, aimed at ensuring we are clear about the children's needs and our effectiveness in meeting those needs. Our process works like this:
- we assess children to identify teaching needs for the future
- we plan our teaching units based on the identified needs
- we teach the planned programme,
- we assess the children to check their progress and our effectiveness
- we use the results of those assessments to help our reporting process
Thus assessment is a cycling process: ASSESS - PLAN - TEACH - ASSESS - REPORT - PLAN - TEACH and so on.
We use a number of tools to assess children's learning in various curriculum areas.
- Reading - Running Records, S.T.A.R. testing, PAT test in Reading Comprehension
- Mathematics - Asstle, P.A.T. Tests in Mathematics, GLOSS and IKAN assessments
- Writing - SSpA, Asstle Tests amongst others.
Reporting
Our reporting to parents is based on the idea that the child should be fully involved at all times in this process, and that everyone talks "with" the child, rather than "about" the child. We like to see children take increasing responsibility for reporting their own progress. All children have a 'TreasureTrove" each year, into which they save things that they would like to show their parents, keep for the future.
JUNIOR SCHOOL REPORTING
From 2011, we are going to report on the Junior School children at their school anniversary. For example, a child who starts in April of one year will be reported on in April of the following three years. The reporting will be against the National Standards, and will also include topic work, Key Competency, Arts, and social and physical development.
We will still have parent information and first "triangle" meetings for Junior school parents.
SENIOR SCHOOL REPORTING
Term One
Week Three: We set the scene with a parent information evening for parents.
Week Five: We have our first "Triangles". Triangles are a meeting between the parents, the child, and the teacher, with the child having an active role, to discuss the child's needs and strengths, and to help the child set their initial learning goals for the year.
Term Two
Week 10: A mid year report will be posted on line or sent home, showing whether the child is "OnTrack" to achieve the National Standard at the end of year. There will be a triangle meeting to discuss this.
Term Three
There is no formal reporting in Term Three. Parents can contact their child's teacher if they have concerns.
Term Four
Week 9: A written report goes home, detailing progress against the National Standards.
Teachers are happy to meet with parents at any other time by arrangement. Contact the teacher for an appointment.
