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<\/a><\/p>\nA guide for parents and carers<\/p>\n
What is Assessment?<\/b><\/p>\n
Assessment is an important part of learning and teaching. It helps to provide a picture of your child\u2019s progress and achievements. It also identifies next steps in learning.<\/p>\n
Your child\u2019s teacher uses a wide range of assessments to reach an understanding of where your child is in relation to their learning and to national standards. Some of these are known as formative. These tend to be ongoing assessments often of classwork. They will also use summative assessments, for example at the end of particular blocks of learning. Standardised assessments are also used at particular points\u00a0 in your child\u2019s school career. By using a\u00a0 wide variety of assessments your child\u2019s teacher\u00a0 can develop a really comprehensive picture of your child\u2019s strengths and any areas for development. Importantly, this allows the school to put any supports in place quickly to ensure your child continues to make appropriate progress.<\/p>\n
We strive to ensure that\u00a0 assessment fully involves learners as we know that learners learn best when:<\/p>\n
\u00a8\u00a0They understand what is to be learned and what is expected of them<\/p>\n
\u00a8\u00a0They are given feedback about the quality of their work and what they can do to make it better<\/p>\n
\u00a8\u00a0They are fully involved in deciding what to do next and who can give them help if they need it.<\/p>\n
Formative Assessment Strategies<\/b><\/p>\n
To ensure that learners are fully involved in\u00a0 their learning and assessment your child\u2019s teacher will use a variety of strategies as described below.<\/p>\n
Learning Intentions and Success Criteria<\/b><\/p>\n
In lessons, the teacher will share with the children the learning intentions of the lesson, that is – what they will learn. This ensures the children understand what knowledge or skills they are learning and why these are relevant.<\/p>\n
When children understand the learning intentions it is then important that they understand what they are expected to do in order to be successful in the lesson or activity. This is\u00a0 called the success criteria and they are often agreed through discussion between the teacher and learners. The success criteria help children to assess their own work (self-assessment) and work together to\u00a0 look at each others\u2019 work (peer assessment).<\/p>\n
Feedback<\/b><\/p>\n
Your child\u2019s teacher will feedback to your child about their strengths and areas for development regularly. They will refer back to learning intentions and success criteria when they do so. This helps the teacher and learner to know what they need to do next to improve. Sometimes you might see written feedback on your child\u2019s work but often this feedback will form part of a discussion between teacher and learner.<\/p>\n
Learners often use particular strategies to show their teacher how well they understand new learning, e.g. traffic lights, fist of five. Your child\u2019s teacher will be able to explain more about\u00a0 the types of strategies used.<\/p>\n
How do teachers assess?<\/b><\/p>\n
Teachers use assessment information from a wide range of sources to monitor children\u2019s progress and plan next steps in learning.<\/p>\n
Sources of evidence can include:<\/p>\n
\u00a8\u00a0Watching learners carrying out learning activities including practical work, performances, spoken presentations and talking.<\/p>\n
\u00a8\u00a0Records (spoken, written, video clips) created by children which may include self assessment and \/ or peer assessment or assessed by the teacher.<\/p>\n
\u00a8\u00a0Information from questioning.<\/p>\n
\u00a8\u00a0Written work.<\/p>\n
\u00a8\u00a0Products \u2013 such as examples of artwork or models.<\/p>\n
\u00a8\u00a0Reports from other people (parents, other children, other\u00a0 specialist staff) about what learners can do.<\/p>\n
\u00a8\u00a0Specific assessments which can be practical, digital , oral or written.<\/p>\n
When do teachers assess?<\/b><\/p>\n
Teachers are assessing learning all the time.<\/p>\n
They do this, for example, by watching and listening to learners every day. Teachers consider what learners write, say, make and do.<\/p>\n
Teachers also carry out periodic assessments, for example, at the end of particular learning blocks, at points of transition and at particular points in a learner\u2019s school career.<\/p>\n
All of this assessment information helps to provide a comprehensive picture of\u00a0 each learners\u2019 strengths and areas for development. This helps the teacher to plan future learning most effectively.<\/p>\n
What are the Scottish National Standardised Assessments (SNSAs)?<\/b><\/p>\n
Learners in P1, P4, P7 and S3 complete online standardised assessments in literacy and numeracy at a particular point during the school year.<\/p>\n
These assessments help to provide diagnostic information which, like other assessment information, help teachers to plan future learning.<\/p>\n
These assessments are not more important than the other assessments that take place throughout your child\u2019s time at school but they do help provide a comprehensive picture of progress when considered alongside other assessment information.<\/p>\n
The assessments are as inclusive as possible to accommodate the needs of children and young people who require additional support.<\/p>\n
There is no pass or fail and children and young people do not have to revise or prepare for these assessments.<\/p>\n
Teacher Professional Judgement (TPJ)<\/b><\/p>\n
In Scotland our school curriculum is known as Curriculum for Excellence. Within Curriculum for Excellence pupils progress through various levels in each curricular area. All children progress at different rates\u00a0 with some achieving levels earlier and some later. However the table below gives an indication of when most children would be expected to achieve each level.<\/p>\n