Assessment at Backworth Park Primary School

The Early Years Framework and National Curriculum outlines the expectations of pupils' learning and understanding at the end of each age phase.

At Backworth Park Primary School, teachers assess continually during lessons using a wide range of formative assessment strategies at the point of learning. To supplement the teacher assessment judgements, school also uses a range of testing materials.  Staff also participate in cross-moderation within our own school and with other schools to ensure that the judgements we make are robust and accurate.  Schools are selected to be externally moderated by the Local Authority on a rolling programme.  

Assessing each child against year group expectations:

All staff use formative assessment on a daily basis within lessons and give verbal and written feedback to children, at an age-appropriate level, so that children know what they are achieving and how to improve in their learning.

Progress in Early Years is assessed against the Early Years Outcomes and Developmental Matters framework, which identifies typical behaviours and learning in age-bands, across the 7 areas of learning.  Assessment is on-going throughout the Early Years, culminating in statutory assessment against the Early Learning Goals at the end of a child's Reception year. These statutory outcomes are also reported to the Local Authority and nationally.

Within Key Stages 1 and 2 teachers assess pupils against Statutory Measures and consider whether children are secure in their understanding of the curriculum for their year group.  Whilst the expectation is that most pupils will be working securely within their age-appropriate curriculum by the end of the academic year, we recognise that each pupil is an individual and that learning does not often take a linear path. Some children may be working below their appropriate age group’s curriculum and require targeted teaching for specific gaps in their knowledge.  If a child was working at the early stage within the objectives for their age, they would be assessed as 'Working Towards'. If they demonstrated that they were working confidently with most objectives for their age-group, they would be judged as ‘Working At Expected’; some children may demonstrate a deeper level of understanding and then be described as achieving at 'Working at Greater Depth’.  For some identified pupils, who have Special Educational Needs, school uses the Cherry Garden School and Pebbles curriculum to track and evidence progress at bespoke and individual level. 

Assessment outcomes are reported to parents in Parent and Carer/ Teacher meetings and formally in Annual School Reports issued at the end of the Summer Term. Parents and carers also visit school to look at their children's books and are invited to learn alongside their child. Achievements are shared via MarvellousMe on a regular basis. Parents and carers can track reading progress using Boom Reader. 

Statutory Assessments:

In addition to the EYFS assessments in Reception, statutory assessments are undertaken:

• Year 1 Phonic Check: At the end of Year 1, children are required to be assessed on the Phonic Check.  They are required to read 40 words to demonstrate their ability to decode and blend.  Should a child not achieve the expected pass mark in Year 1, they are re-tested at the end of Year 2.
• Year 4 Multiplication Times Tables Check: Children carry out an online assessment of their knowledge and recall of all times tables facts. 
• End of Key Stage 2 SATs (Year 6): Children continue to be teacher-assessed in key subjects. They also sit strictly timed tests in Reading, Mathematics and GPS (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling). Writing continues to be teacher assessed.

Parents and carers are informed of Statutory Assessment results at the end of the summer term in July. 

Performance Measures

Statutory Data will be updated following the 2023 publication of results. Due to Covid pandemic the most up to date published data is the 2019 data set.