Assessment
How Do We Assess?
The manner in which we assess is driven by the belief that it should be purposeful- both for staff and children. There are different strategies that we use to assess where a pupil is in their learning and how to identify next steps.
Marking and Feedback
The way that we mark work should be meaningful for the children and adults involved. At Stretton, we have created a streamlined and age-related set of tried-and-tested symbols that could be used to communicate progress with learners, as appropriate.
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These marking symbols have been included in book/folder labels to help staff and pupils engage with the different ways that feedback can be given.
Activating Prior Knowledge
It is important to know a child's starting point in their learning journey so that lesson content can be appropriate and challenging.
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Finding out the prior knowledge that children already possess coming into a topic or unit of learning can be done in a variety of ways at Stretton Sugwas.
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As well as regular quizzes, questioning techniques and activities designed to observe children's prior knowledge, pictoral KWL sheets are another strategy that is used to encourage children to talk about what they already know by how they intepret the meaning in specific pictures.
Curriculum and Target Setting (Maths and English)
Data can be a powerful tool in monitoring progress over time and identifying patterns or trends in specific children or groups of learners.
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At the end of each term, Years 1 to 5 engage in NTS tests for this purpose in Maths (arithmetic and reasoning) and Reading. Writing "tests" do not occur as pieces of work are moderated.
In Year 6, the children will engage in tests that mirror what they will experience in their SATs as well as prepare them for secondary education.
Curriculum and Target Setting
In other subject areas, the school has developed a Pollen-8 sheet which is a physical sheet that is shared with the children as appropriate.
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The sheets outline 8 "I can" statements linking to the skills and knowledge required at the end of each year group for a particular subject.
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As children progress through the school, the sheets can help them to set targets in their learning and become increasingly aware of their next steps.
Early Years
The practitioners in our Early Years department have developed a Progress Tracker that acts as an ongoing assessment sheet as well as a report sheet that is shared with parents/carers.
Going Deeper
At Stretton Sugwas, we believe that what we do needs to be purposeful and make an impact on learners. We developed "Deeper Questions" to help us to find the underlying meaning that draws learning together in the activities that we provide.
How Else Do We Give Feedback?
As well as feedback through verbal comments and marking, we try to promote positive behaviours and desirable learning outcomes through other school-wide systems.
Bees of the Week
An achievement assembly is held every week where a child from each class is chosen as the "Bee of the Week". They receive a certificate presented to them by the Headteacher and also get their photograph in the school newsletter.
The Kindness Jar
Staff and pupils can nominate children who have shown particular examples of kindness throughout the week. They simply put their name on a nomination card that goes into the Kindness Jar and a member of the B-Team pupil group pulls out the winner.
Pupil Group Awards
In addition to the B-Team, other children represent their pupil groups to award certificates to other children who have shone during the week. For example, the Beekeepers award a certificate for the child who has shown the best behaviour in the playground and the Sports Leaders present a certificate to the child who has impressed during playground games.
