Assessing Progress

We developed a curriculum at De Beauvoir which ensures children have a broad range of knowledge, skills and understanding. Above all we try to ensure they enjoy their learning and make progress. Assessing how children progress against the requirements of the National Curriculum informs teacher planning.

Children’s work is assessed both formally and informally at appropriate stages. Teachers use formative (ongoing) and summative (test) assessment. Teachers and support staff continuously monitor and evaluate children’s progress in all subjects through marking, feedback and observations. Children are encouraged to play an active part in assessing their own progress and setting targets.

We have developed a system of recording and analysing assessment information with our partner schools in the Primary Advantage Federation. It involves a series of Fundamentals which children are expected to meet by the end of each academic year. The Fundamentals are shared with all staff, children and parents and are referred to regularly. The Fundamentals currently cover the core subjects and science; they will soon cover RE and humanities too.

We use Pupil Progress Meetings, year team and phase meetings to set appropriate work and to provide additional support if necessary. For more information on how the new measures for a pupil’s progress view the Primary school progress measures leaflet

2019 National Curriculum Tests – Information for Parents (due to be updated April 2022)

Primary Progress Scores: What they mean to parents

Teaching, Learning & Assessment

Although the Primary Advantage Federation is a diverse group of schools, at our core we share the following beliefs about teaching, learning and assessment:

• Children should not just learn but develop the attributes that allow them to be great learners and thinkers.
• All children have the opportunity to access and master all learning; it is our job to ensure that all children are enabled to do this.
• Children should not just attain against National Curriculum objectives but should achieve through deep learning experiences.
• Our rich curriculum should be delivered through carefully crafted sequences of learning.
• Individual lessons are precisely structured in order to create learning, not deliver teaching.
• Our classroom practice is based on sound pedagogy and the belief that children learn best through collaboration and enquiry.
• Assessment in all its forms is at the heart of teaching and learning; it gives direction and impact to what we do.

Because we are a diverse group of schools, the implementation of the policy and the use of the tool kits are underpinned by each school’s ethos, values and distinctive character. View the Federation Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy.

Primary assessments: 2021-22

Reception baseline assessment

The purpose of the assessment is to provide the starting point for a new measure that will help parents understand how well schools support their pupils to progress between reception and year 6 / the end of key stage 2.

The RBA is a short, interactive and practical assessment of your child’s early literacy, communication, language and mathematics skills when they begin school, using materials that most children of your child’s age will be familiar with. It is statutory for all schools from September 2021. Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first six weeks after they enter reception.

More information can be found here.

Key stage 1 – Year 1/2

Find out more about National Curriculum Tests at KS1. 

Key stage 2 – Year 6

Find out more about National Curriculum Tests at KS2

The key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 9 May to Thursday 12 May 2022.

Multiplication tables check – Year 4

The MTC is an on-screen check consisting of 25 times tables questions. Your child will answer 3 practice questions before moving on to the offcial check and will then have 6 seconds to answer each question. On average, the check should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete.

You do not need to do anything additional to prepare your child for the check. As part of usual practice, your child should practice their times tables and can use TT Rockstars to help.

Schools must administer the multiplication tables check within the 3-week period from Monday 6 June 2022. Information on the Multiplication tables check can be found here.