Assessment without levels
25th February 2015
‘The national curriculum provides pupils with an
introduction to the essential knowledge that
they need to be educated citizens. It introduces
pupils to the best that has been thought and
said; and helps engender an appreciation of
human creativity and achievement.’
Aim 3.1 of The National Curriculum in England
September 2014
Tim Oates
Assessment without Levels
During the academic year 2014-15, all
school are in a period of transition from old
levels to new assessment descriptors:
Year groups 2 and 6 will continue to be
assessed using levels and sub-levels, in-line
with national testing arrangements for 2015.
Nursery and Reception assessments are not
changing in school or nationally.
Year groups 1, 3, 4 and 5 are being assessed
against new performance descriptors.
Note form Ms Hawker (see the website for more detail of each subject). This is an example of a
programme of study(PoS) taken from year 5’s science curriculum. PoS describe what has to be
taught in any particular year group. Children are not expected to revisit specific PoS after a unit
has been taught. However, in some subjects, such as maths, they may revisit and build on prior
learning. It is why it is so important for children to attend school as much as possible.
Statutory requirements
Pupils should be taught to:
 recognise that they need light in order to see things and that dark is the absence of
light
 notice that light is reflected from surfaces
recognise that light from the sun can be dangerous and that there are ways to protect
their eyes
 recognise that shadows are formed when the light from a light source is blocked by a
solid object
find patterns in the way that the size of shadows change.
Notes and guidance (non-statutory)
•
Pupils should explore what happens when light reflects off a mirror or other reflective surfaces, including
playing mirror games to help them to answer questions about how light behaves. They should think about
why it is important to protect their eyes from bright lights. They should look for, and measure, shadows,
and find out how they are formed and what might cause the shadows to change.
•
Note: Pupils should be warned that it is not safe to look directly at the Sun, even when wearing dark
glasses.
•
Pupils might work scientifically by: looking for patterns in what happens to shadows when the light source
moves or the distance between the light source and the object changes.
How will the school assess the
children?
‘Good teachers assess children regularly to
inform teaching, provide feedback to pupils and
to communicate children’s progress to parents.’
Questions set by teachers
Formative assessment
(wholly owned by the school)
Chosen pupil tracking system: Pupil Asset
Summative assessment
(wholly owned by the school)
Have pupils made end of Key Stage expectations
Statutory Teacher Assessment & Tests :
Performance Descriptors
Everyday evidence of assessment
VF
LO √
I
GT
(A)
→
Questions set by teachers
Formative assessment
(wholly owned by the school)
Chosen pupil tracking system: Pupil Asset
Summative assessment
(wholly owned by the school)
Have pupils made end of Key Stage expectations
Statutory Teacher Assessment & Tests :
Performance Descriptors
Parent conference:
information sharing
Questions set by teachers
Formative assessment
(wholly owned by the school)
Chosen pupil tracking system: Pupil Asset
Summative assessment
(wholly owned by the school)
Have pupils made end of Key Stage expectations
Statutory Teacher Assessment & Tests :
Performance Descriptors
Key Stage
Subject
Performance
descriptors
National
curriculum test
Included in floor
standard?
KS1
Reading
Four
• Mastery standard
• National standard
• Working towards
national standard
• Below national
standard
Externally set,
internally marked test
to inform teacher
assessment.
Teacher assessment
ks1
writing
Four
• Mastery standard •
National standard
• Working towards
national standard
• Below national
standard
No writing test.
Teacher assessment
The English grammar,
punctuation and
spelling test will inform
the teacher
assessment of writing
KS1
maths
Four
• Mastery standard
• National standard
• Working towards
national standard
• Below national
standard test to inform
Externally set,
internally marked test
to inform teacher
assessment
Teacher assessment
KS1
science
One
• Working at the
national standard
No science test
Not in floor standard
Key Stage
Subject
Performance
descriptors
National
curriculum test
Included in floor
standard?
KS2
Reading
One • Working at
the national
standard
Externally set,
externally marked
test
National
curriculum test
KS2
Writing
Five
• Mastery standard
• Above national
standard
• National
standard • Working
towards national
standard
• Below national
standard
No writing test.
Teacher
assessment
There is a separate
English grammar,
punctuation and
spelling test
KS2
Mathematics
One • Working at
the national
standard
Externally set,
externally marked
test
National
curriculum test
KS2
science
One • Working at
the national
standard
Biennial sample
tests
Not in floor
standard
Questions?