In Curriculum for Excellence we follow the experiences and outcomes of the curriculum areas mentioned in the previous pages. They are set out in lines of development which describe progress in learning. Progression in indicated through curriculum levels, which are explained in the table below.
| Level | Stage |
| Early | The pre-school years and P1 or later for some |
| First | To the end of P4, but earlier or later for some |
| Second | To the end of P7, but earlier or later for some |
| Third and Fourth | S1 to S3, but earlier for some. The fourth level broadly equates to SCQF level 4 |
| Senior phase | S4-S6 and college or other means of study |
‘Assessment will be an integral part of learning and teaching, helping to provide an emerging picture of a young person’s learning and achievements as he or she develops across the four capacities.’
(Building the Curriculum 3: A Framework for Learning and Teaching)
Assessment
Assessment and Reporting Presentation to Parents
It is important to monitor a child’s progress regularly in order to:
- Ensure progress is being made
- To highlight strengths and difficulties
- To plan the next steps of development
Assessment of children’s and young people’s progress and achievement during their broad general education will be based on teachers’ assessment of their knowledge and understanding, skills, attributes and capabilities, as described in the experiences and outcomes across the curriculum.
Schools now have access to a new national online resource – the National Assessment Resource. NAR is an online resource designed to support assessment approaches for Curriculum for Excellence.
It provides a single place in which assessment materials for Curriculum for Excellence can be stored. This includes assessment material developed by SQA, LTS and practitioners. It includes examples of emerging practice which illustrate how practitioners are interpreting the standards and expectations set out in the Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes across curriculum areas, stages and qualifications.
In addition to the above we assess in a number of ways and on a continuous basis with records of progress kept by class teachers. Authority based formal standardised assessments in Reading and Mathematics are carried out in P3, P5 and P7 as part of the target setting activities which take place in the school. Baseline Assessment also takes place in P1 and Screening in P2.
Formative assessment techniques are employed in order to fully involve the child in his/her own learning and to challenge and motivate them.
We also have two rounds of parent/carer meetings held each session. These take place in October and March. A full written report is issued in June.
A parent/carer may at any time make an appointment if they would like to discuss their child’s progress.
