Ofsted have some helpful ideas (how often do you get to write that?) in their note on the use of assessment information. In the covering letter to schools, Michael Wilshaw writes about 3 purposes for assessment:
1. Raise achievement
The primary reason teachers assess is to make their teaching better. They need to know which children are achieving learning intentions, which children are on the way, and which children need support. With the expectation in maths that most children access the same curriculum at the same pace, it becomes really important that we know what impact our teaching is having.There's no point assessing the children's attainment in our classrooms if that information just goes 'up' to leaders, parents and governors. It has to go down too, and be shared with children and impact on planning. The quicker that happens, the more impact the assessment process has.
Good day to day assessment involves having clear objectives, making judgements about how secure the children are and acting on it rapidly to raise the attainment of all, but particularly the children who struggle the most.
2. Identify pupils who are falling behind
As a maths leader, I need to know which children are falling behind the expected standard, and to do something about it. This might be working with the teacher to improve provision in the classroom. It might be working with the intervention leader to plan a focused support. It might be working with the parents or carers to support learning at home.For me, this involves having a core set of expectations in maths for each year group that are essential by the end of the year. Teachers can then talk about pupils who are missing key skills (often from the previous year), that prevent them making progress.
3. Report to parents
Schools need to let parents know how their children are doing. Ofsted talks about pupils who 'achieve the expected standard', and pupils who 'need to catch up'. That's very black and white: the sheep and the goats.To be fair, we've been reporting to parents in this way for a while - 'Jane is working at 3b, and that's the expected standard for a year 4'. But it means schools defining 'the expected standard', and how much of it you have to be working at (50%? 90%?)
What does it look like?
I think this gives a sensible model of assessment practice:Day to day assessment
Teachers plan well-defined objectives for their blocks of lessons, linked to the curriculum, and make judgements about which children are meeting them. They allow enough time for all children in the class to meet the objectives, and intervene to support those who don't.This doesn't involve any evidence, tests or external involvement, other than TAs.
