How we Assess at Holywell.
At Holywell our assessment system is designed to track student progress from whatever starting point they have when they join the school. It is based around a system of ‘Progress Points’. The main progress points scale is from 11-49. Progress points are linked to performance descriptors – these are school-devised descriptions of what students are expected to be able to know and to do in each subject at different stages in their education - all benchmarked against national standards in terms of SATs, National Curriculum Programmes of Study and GCSE.
We have a range of points per year group which indicate whether a student is performing:
- Above the Expected standard for the year group (“At Greater Depth”)
- At the Expected standard for the year group (“Expected”)
- Working towards the Expected standard for the year group (“Working towards”)
- Working below the expected standard for the year group (“Below”)
These expectations are end-of-year expectations. They are also aligned to national expectations (eg. the minimum expected standard for Year 6 of 29 progress points represents the end-of-year national expectation for SATs).
Key markers are as follows:
- End of year expected Holywell standard for Year 5 = 26-29 progress points
- End of year expected Holywell standard for Year 6 = 29-32 progress points
- End of year expected Holywell standard for Year 7 = 32-35 progress points
- End of year expected Holywell standard for Year 8 = 35-38 progress points
The Holywell Progression Chart (Appendix A) provides a visual guide to the range of points available each year and will help to plot whether students are performing at the expected level.
Targets
Regardless of their starting points, all students are expected to make at least 4 points progress per year at Holywell from their baseline. We believe it is important to set targets for students and to give them something to aim for.
Baselines for Reading, Writing and Maths are set using KS1 or KS2 attainment. Year 5 and 6 targets may be very high and challenging due to the nature of the KS1 assessments and outcomes. Baselines for all other subjects are set based on teacher assessment of their starting level when they join the school.
Teacher Assessment
A summative Teacher Assessment judgement is made each term. This is a combined judgement based on all the evidence gathered by the class teacher including test results, in-class assessments, classwork, contributions to lessons, and homework. It is a judgement as to the standard at which the student is performing.
Teacher Assessments relate to the Performance Descriptors.
Effort
Students also receive a grade for effort.
1 = Exceptional
2 = Good
3 = Inconsistent
4 = Very Poor
Appendix A: Progression Chart
