Assessment is crucial to tracking progress, planning next steps, reporting, and involving parents/carers and learners in learning. Evidence of progress can be gathered by learners themselves and by fellow pupils (peers), parents/carers, teachers and other professionals.
A number of approaches are employed including the following:
- Self-assessment – learners will be encouraged and supported to look at and revisit their own work to develop a better understanding of what they have learned and what they need to work on
- Peer assessment – learners will be encouraged and supported to work together to help others assess what is good about their work and what needs to be worked on
- Personal learning planning – children, teachers and parents/carers will work together to develop planning for next steps in learning
- Profiles – a statement of achievements both within and out with school, to be introduced at P7 and S3.
Your child’s progress is not only based on ‘tests’ but on the learning that takes place within the classroom and in different settings out with the classroom.
Evidence of children and young people’s progress and achievements will come from day to day learning and through the things they may write, say, make or do. For example, evidence may emerge as a result of children and young people taking part in a presentation, discussion, performance, or practical investigation. Evidence may be captured as a photograph, video or audio clip as part of a particular learning experience.
Assessment takes place as part of ongoing learning and teaching, periodically and at key transitions.
The Scottish National Standardised Assessments (SNSA)
From August 2017 the Scottish Government has introduced a single, nationally developed set of standardised assessments, designed to reflect the way we deliver education in Scotland, through Curriculum for Excellence. These assessments are expected to replace the variety of existing standardised assessments that local authorities and schools use at the moment.
Ongoing and informal assessment is, and will continue to be, a central part of everyday assessment. Teachers will continue to draw on all of the assessment information available to them, when considering children’s progress and planning the next steps in their learning.
SNSA focus on aspects of reading, writing and numeracy and children in P1, P4, P7 and S3 will be assessed. P1 children will take two SNSA assessments: one in literacy and one in numeracy. P4 children will take three SNSA assessments: one in reading, one in writing and one in numeracy. P7 children will take three SNSA assessments: one in reading, one in writing and one in numeracy. S3 young people will take three SNSA assessments: one in reading, one in writing and one in numeracy. Please note that some pupils will not access SNSA due to their specific additional support needs.
The online assessment system will produce feedback information about where your child did well and where further support is required. Your child’s teacher will use this feedback to help plan next steps and provide further support as appropriate. Providing the right support at the right time will help to ensure your child can reach his or her potential.
Reporting
Reporting informs parents/carers of their child’s progress. Parents will receive regular information about their child’s strengths, progress and achievements. Reporting will take account of children’s achievements in key areas such as literacy, numeracy and the different contexts and settings across curricular areas e.g. the life and ethos of the school, and learning outwith the school, including the wider community. At key points reporting will also include information about the curriculum level a child is working within. Parents will be informed of their child’s next steps in order for them to continue making progress.
We are currently reviewing the way in which we report on pupil progress to parents and carers. We want to ensure that any communication about children’s progress is as relevant and meaningful as possible. We would be very grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to complete a short survey on the reporting methods currently used at Park.
The purpose of reporting is to support and improve children’s learning. It is important that our parents and carers are fully involved in this process as we know that parental engagement in children’s learning supports improved attainment and achievement. We know that many parents value ongoing information about their child’s progress rather than lengthy end of year reports which can leave little time to support your child’s next steps in learning.
Working together with parents, we aim to develop a simpler and more effective means of reporting on your child’s progress. We hope to provide a range of meaningful and purposeful reporting opportunities throughout the year in order for you to gain a clear understanding of how your child is progressing and how to best support your child’s learning at home.
Please click here to complete our short survey. Thank you.