Assessment
- A message for prospective parents
- A clear vision
- An exacting curriculum
- - Mathematics
- - English
- - Science and the Humanities
- - Sport, Music and Languages
- - Assessment
- - Home Learning
- - Character Education
- - British Values
- An enriched learning experience
- - 50 things
- An inclusive approach
- - The Thrive Approach
- - Additional Resource Provision
- A safe place
- A partnership
Nursery learning journeys
Every child’s progress is closely monitored at Thomas Arnold in order that we can provide the best possible opportunities and highest levels of support. When children start nursery, staff informally monitor their development and keep detailed records. This information is shared with families during the year and is transferred to the reception class at the year-end.
Foundation stage profile
At the start of Reception children are assessed using the accredited baseline assessment, Early Excellence. This forms part of the teachers’ everyday practice where they build their knowledge of each child through observations, interactions and every day activities. They use this professional knowledge to make a series of judgements about each child based on a clear set of assessment criteria.
Children continue to be assessed throughout the reception year where staff add information to an assessment profile for each individual. Insights from these profiles are shared at parent consultation meetings and the completed profile is bound and available to be taken home at the end of the year. In addition, each child has a learning journey scrapbook containing photos and pieces of work which are available during the year for parents to look at and are taken home at the end of the year.
Year One phonic check
All children in Year 1 participate in a phonics check. This assessment is administered by their class teacher. Results are included within the Year 1 end of term report.
SATS
Children in Year 2 and Year 6 are assessed during May. Individual pupil results from these assessments are reported annually to parents in their children’s reports. Each pupil receives an overall result indicating whether or not he or she has achieved the required standard on the test. Anonymised cohort results are reported to the wider community on this website and on the Department for Education website.
Marking and verbal feedback
We aim to provide regular feedback to children through marking so that they have specific advice about improvements to their work. Children are given time to read and review their work following marking. They are encouraged to respond to marking to show they have understood advice given and to add a comment if possible.
Often feedback will be given verbally, directly to the child during the course of their learning. This is the most effective form of feedback. Verbal feedback enables the child to ask clarifying questions, supply further information for the teacher to work with and respond immediately to direction and advice given, demonstrating understanding and affirming learning.
Recording and reporting
Teachers record children’s attainment using electronic Markbooks. These Markbooks list small steps in the children’s learning known as learning objectives.
When marking, teachers look for evidence that learning objectives have been met, recording each time a child achieves, or partially achieves a measure of attainment. The Mark Books inform teachers’ planning of further learning.
At the end of each half-term, attainment is summarised and each child is judged to be ‘below the expected standard’, ‘working toward the expected standard’, ‘working at the expected standard’ or ‘working at greater depth within the expected standard’ for their age.
Parents are informed of their child’s current attainment and progress at each parent-teacher meeting.
