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Assessment in Neath Port Talbot

"It is children's learning that must be the subject of teachers' most energetic care and attention – not their lesson plans or schemes of work, or their rich and stimulating provision – but the learning that results from everything they do (and do not do) in school and classrooms. The process of assessing children's learning – by looking closely at it and striving to understand it – is the only certain safeguard against children's failure, the only certain guarantee of children's progress and development."
(Drummond 1993)

The Current Situation
During the academic year 2003-04, Primary Development Officers undertook an assessment survey in order to ascertain current practices and trends. The issues discussed with head teachers and assessment co-ordinators are summarised below. At the end of this document recommendations are made for developing effective practice.

The use of standardised tests

All schools use standardised tests; mainly NFER mathematics and reading.
A small number of Infant schools do not use the NFER mathematics test.
One cluster of schools uses CATs tests in Y5 and the results are passed to the receiving secondary school.
Some schools use additional tests e.g. Progress in English and NFER spelling.
The majority of schools analyse results and make purposeful use of data.
The vast majority of schools use standardised tests annually, usually in May, but a very small number test more frequently.

The use of tracking systems

The majority of schools have a tracking system: either manual or electronic.
There are some very good systems in place, with good use made of the information to target support.
Many schools are looking towards IT systems via Assessment Manager. The working party, now established, will address this.
In the main, tracking systems focus on results in standardised tests in the core subjects. In the best practice, they predict expected levels for individual pupils, by the end of the key stage.

Records of Achievement or ROPA Files

Many schools still keep individual pupil files, often known as ROPA, to collect a selection of work and to record achievements beyond the curriculum.
Some schools use “Modbury” tick lists, which indicate levels in the individual subjects.
There are many examples of whole school portfolios. In the best examples, work is levelled and annotated.
In most schools, record keeping relates to content coverage rather than pupils' achievement. There is often a high level of duplication between planning, pupils' books and record keeping.

Use of level descriptors

Very little use is made of level descriptors, although most schools claim to be aware of them when planning schemes of work.
Some schools make use of the key objectives from schemes of work, particularly in mathematics.
In some classes level descriptors are displayed in order to provide criteria for pupils to evaluate their own work.
In the best practice, level descriptors are used within learning objectives, as headings for individual pieces of work, with marking comments directly related to them.

Involving pupils in self-assessment

Very few teachers involve pupils in assessing their own work.
In some schools, teachers ask pupils to note what they know about a new unit of work and compare this with what they have learned by the end of the topic.

Assessment linked to making improvements in learning

Some very good practice is evident in setting qualitative targets, which are communicated to pupils and parents and are regularly reviewed. Targets are set mainly in core subjects, although some are more generic in nature.
In some schools there is evidence of reflective evaluation of lessons which is used to inform future planning.
In many cases, marking fails to offer pupils advice on how to improve their work. Marking, in most schools is mainly clerical concentrating on presentation and spelling rather than pupils' progress against learning objectives.

Moderation or levelling of work

Very few schools facilitate the moderation of work between teachers.
Most schools send a representative to the LEA standardisation meetings for Y2 teachers.
In some schools whole school moderation is facilitated by subject portfolios, which are levelled and annotated.
A small number of schools have started to exchange books in order to level work. This is particularly useful where a school lacks expertise in a particular subject, while developing teachers' skills and sharing good practice.

Transfer of records

In most schools class to class transfer is good, with teachers engaging in face-to-face meetings and pupils meeting their next teacher.
Transfer of records from Primary to Secondary is more variable, often with little impact on pupils' learning. (See Estyn and LEA reports on transition from Primary to Secondary).

Key Recommendations

Schools need to guard against the over-testing of pupils, particularly by non-standardised tests, which do not always have a clear use or purpose.
Many schools need to slim down their record keeping, focusing on pupils' attainment, rather than content coverage.
Whole school subject portfolios, which have an agreed understanding of standards, need to be developed.
Moderation and levelling of work needs to be developed, particularly in light of the Richard Daugherty report.
Most schools need to develop the assessment of foundation subjects, through marking comments linked to level descriptors and learning objectives.
Primary schools need to agree what records are transferred to secondary schools as clusters.

Recommendations from the Assessment Reform Group:

the provision of effective feedback to pupils;
the active involvement of pupils in their own learning;
adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment;
a recognition of the profound influence assessment has on the motivation and self-esteem of pupils;
the need for pupils to be able to assess themselves and understand how to improve.