Assessment at Thameside

Our assessment approach and principles are aligned to our curriculum (and the National Curriculum) and are a key part of the learning process. 

Assessment plays a fundamental role in ensuring that every child is supported to leave primary school, ready for the next stage of their journey. Our assessment system, coupled with statutory assessment that take place at the end of each Key Stage, has been formed to help teachers to raise attainment and progress, provide ambition, and to give every child the best chance to master the key foundational skills of reading, writing and maths before secondary school. 

Our curriculum is mapped out against end of year, curriculum-related expectations, with clearly defined core knowledge in each subject. Central to this is a focus on formative assessment as a tool to guide learning which underpins our approach - this ensures that gaps and misconceptions can be addressed through high quality, responsive and adaptive teaching that meets the needs of all pupils.

In summary, assessment at Thameside:

• takes place in all year groups
• is across all subject area - core subjects and foundation subjects
• is meaningful; informs teaching and learning and avoids unnecessary recording or tracking

Assessments take the form of observations, formative assessments, pupil voice, formal assessment of written work (using agreed trust 'EYEs', low stake tests and more formal testing.

Our approach is inclusive, and we are ambitious for every child.

When a child joins Reception, the statutory Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is completed.  Regular progress checks are used to inform and prepare the children for their next phase of learning.

Ongoing assessment is informed by their own interactions, as well as observations from home which are shared using Tapestry. 

In the final term of the year in which a child reaches age five, and no later than 30 June in that term, the EYFS Profile is completed for each child. The Profile provides parents and carers, and the Reception team with a clear overview of each child’s knowledge, understanding and abilities, their progress against expected levels, and their readiness for Year 1. The Profile reflects the following: ongoing observation; all relevant records held by the setting; discussions with parents and carers, and any other adults whom the teacher, parent or carer judges can offer a useful contribution.

Each child’s level of development is assessed against the early learning goals. Teachers will indicate whether children are meeting expected levels of development; if they are expected levels or not yet reaching expected levels (‘emerging’). This is the EYFS Profile.

Year 1 teachers are provided with a copy of the profile as part of a detailed handover in order that chidlren have the best start possible in Key Stage 1. 

The results of the Profile are also shared with parents and/or carers, and the opportunity to discuss the outcome with teachers is offered. 

MATHS

We follow White Rose as part of our Maths curriculum. Teachers are able to make use of the White Rose end of unit assessments in order to ascertain how well new knowledge has been retained by children and to identify any gaps in a timely manner. In Key Stage 2, we also use the White Rose end of term tests to provide summative assessment information.

We subscribe to Times Table Rock Stars (TTRS), and teachers make use of the heat maps provided in order to specifically target multiplication facts which children need to become secure in.

For more information , please see our Maths page. 

Reading:

In Reception, and Key Stage 1, children’s phonic reading ability is assessed is accordance with the Little Wandle Phonics programme; regular assessments and 'heat maps' are used forensically by staff to adapt teaching;  to select appropriate books that are carefully matched to the child's needs as well as informing interventions. 

In Key Stage 2, children’s reading is assessed through the use of a STAR test via Accelerated Reader. This assessment is carried out each half-term, and provides teachers with a range of information about children’s reading ability. It also determines their reading range, so that children can select books appropriate to their reading ability.

We prioritise hearing children read and asking them questions orally as part of our assessment process and whole class reading approach (DRICKY). Children in Key Stage 2 also complete a written reading assessment. These tests were created by teachers from across the Trust, from the relevant year groups (Y3, Y4 and Y5), with each paper consisting of a prose text, non-fiction and poetry. The layout and question stems are the same as the end of KS2 paper, with some adaptations in the wording to ensure that children are able to access the questions. Teachers use this information to tailor support where needed and use the information to inform their future planning. In Year 6, children also have the opportunity to complete practice SATs papers to develop their confidence in completing written responses to texts, prior to the statutory assessments, 

Writing:

At Thameside, we use End of Year Expectation (EYE) statements to support our judgements when assessing children’s progress and attainment in English writing. These statements are the fundamental skills and knowledge that pupils need to secure so that they are ready to move on next year without gaps in their understanding.