HOMEWORK, ASSESSMENT, MARKING & REPORTING

Transcription

1 POLICY 22 HOMEWORK, ASSESSMENT, MARKING & REPORTING 1. PRINCIPLES 1.1 We recognise that Assessment, Marking and Reporting have vital roles to play in supporting the academic and social development of pupils. Assessment, Marking and Reporting provide the means whereby pupils' progress is monitored on a regular basis in order that they can review their development together with their tutors and set new targets for achievement. We believe that Assessment, Marking and Reporting should be positive and motivating. 2. AIMS 2.1 a. to identify the pupils' learning needs and to ensure that all pupils have an equal opportunity to achieve according to their ability; b. to evaluate and monitor pupils' progress through a range of formal and informal assessment; c. to allow pupils to identify their strengths and weaknesses and to become aware of what they need to do to improve; d. to encourage pupils to review their work on a regular basis; e. to allow pupils, teaching staff and tutors to agree targets for achievement; f. to communicate pupils' progress to parents; g. to allow teachers to evaluate their own planning and teaching; h. to support the ethos of positive encouragement. 3. HOMEWORK 3.1 Homework is an important part of the learning process. The aims of setting homework are: a. to reinforce and support the understanding of work covered in class; b. to enable pupils to develop research skills and become independent learners; c. to help establish effective time-management routines; d. to provide evidence of a pupil's effort and attainment over a prolonged period. 3.2 These aims will be achieved by a regular programme of tasks to be completed outside normal lesson times, but with the support and guidance of teachers and parents/guardians. 3.3 Guidelines for the amount of homework each year group should receive are set by the Deputy Head. Heads of Upper and Lower School or the Head of the Preparatory School then construct the timetables for their tutor groups according to these guidelines at the beginning of each academic year. 3.4 Teachers are responsible for setting homework and for marking it in line with school policy. 3.5 Pupils should normally do homework at home but there is a supervised homework club in operation each day from pm (6.00 pm for Prep School). 4. ASSESSMENT 4.1 Pupils will be assessed regularly through: 1

2 a. the evaluation and marking of classwork; b. the evaluation and marking of homework; c. departmental assessment; d. end of year examinations; e. mock GCSE and A Level examinations. 4.2 In addition to the Entrance Papers in Maths, English and Verbal Reasoning, pupils sit MidYis in Year 7, YELLIS in Year 10 and ALIS in Year 12 to provide data for pupil tracking and target-setting. Together with the above information, all Interim and Full Report grades are stored centrally on PASS to which staff have access. 4.3 Pupils will review their performance: a. with subject teaching staff following class or homework assignments or end of year examinations; b. with parents following Interim Reports, end of year examinations and Full Reports; c. with tutors at the tutor review meetings. 4.4 Parents will receive information about pupils' performance at Parents' Evenings and through either an Interim Report or a Full Report each term, for pupils in Years Pupils in Year 11 will receive an Interim Report in the Autumn term and a Full Report in the Spring term. Each year group will have at least one Full Report per year. Year 12 will have full reports in the Autumn and Spring terms. Year 13 will have an interim and a full report in the Autumn term and a full report in the Spring term. 4.5 In order to ensure consistency in assessment most classwork, homework and examinations will be graded A* - E where appropriate. The same grading will also be used on Interim Reports and Full Reports. 4.6 At GCSE and A Level the grading system will correspond to the schemes and standards laid down by the examination boards. 4.7 Departments will conduct their own internal moderating procedures to ensure standardisation of grading within departments. 5. MARKING 5.1 Each department's marking policy should have the same core ethos, although there may be minor adjustments to cater for specific subject requirements. 5.2 Marking should focus on positive and constructive comments following Assessment for Learning principles. Pupils should be given a clear indication of their level of achievement and advice on how to improve upon their work and targets set accordingly. Success criteria should be shared with and understood by pupils and should be differentiated. 5.3 At least once a year Heads of Departments should carry out a moderation procedure of work submitted by pupils. Where there is only a single member of a department then he/she should ensure that basic guidelines for marking within a department are followed. 6. YEARS 7 TO Most written work will be graded from A* to E by referring to the norm standards nationally. The alphabetical grades indicate the following interpretation of the work being assessed. The explanation of the grades is the same as in the formal report covers and on the Interim assessment sheets. 2

3 6.2 The explanation for the grades is as follows: A* - Work is of an exceptionally high standard. A - Work is of a much higher standard than national norms at this age. B - Work is of a higher standard than national norms at this age. C - Work is generally of the same standard as national norms at this age. D - Work is below national norms or unsatisfactory in any way. E - Work is well below national norms. 6.3 The above interpretation of grades is given to all pupils. Pupils should not be expecting to gain A*/A/B grades for every piece of work (unless of course it is deserved). Pupils should be aware that obtaining C grades is acceptable but the grade indicates that there is room for improvement in some areas. Poorly presented work may also be unacceptable. Sometimes a numerical mark may be more appropriate depending upon the task set. In this instance pupils should be made aware as to how they have performed. A translation of marks to grades may be given or a comment written on the script. 6.4 There may be occasions when a teacher prefers not to indicate every error - to encourage extended work or to avoid discouraging a weak student - hence there is flexibility in the marking policy relying on the professional judgement of the teacher. 6.5 There should be regular opportunity for oral feedback and pupils should be practised in self-assessment. Peer assessment should also be encouraged. 6.6 Many departments have adopted comment only marking for individual pieces of work in accordance with AFL strategy, giving a grade for more formally-assessed pieces. Comments should include a positive aspect about the work and a target to help the pupil improve further. 7. YEARS 12 TO Where grades are given they will relate to AS (A - E) or A2 (A* - E) grading. 7.2 Teachers keep their own records of marked work. End of Year examinations should be graded across the whole year group which will be indicated on the End of Year Report. Marking in the Sixth Form will also correspond to mark scheme levels if marking past examination questions. 8. MONITORING BY DEPARTMENTS 8.1 Information available to departments for monitoring academic progress: a. Report or assessment grades each term. b. Internal/external examination results. c. MidYis/Yellis/Alis data. d. Results of departmental tests. e. Informal marking of homework/classwork. 8.2 Using the information above Heads of Department monitor pupil progress and liaise with subject teachers within their departments to identify pupils who may need extra support, to recognise achievement and, if appropriate, make adjustments to sets. Target grades are set for pupils in each subject based on this information. 8.3 Pupils of concern should be raised at the HODs meetings. 9. MONITORING BY TUTORS 9.1 All staff have access to the baseline assessment data on the staff shared area, have copies of internal and external examination results and tutors receive print 3

4 outs of report/assessment grades for pupils in their tutor groups termly. These grades will be awarded following the whole school assessment criteria during the Autumn Term. Tutors monitor the overall progress of their tutees and liaise with subject staff and/or Heads of Departments as appropriate. Tutors encourage pupils, recognise achievement and offer guidance and advice. 9.2 If concern warrants it, the tutor consults the Heads of Lower and Upper School and a comment sheet is circulated to all relevant members of the teaching staff. The comments will then be reviewed by the tutor and the Heads of Lower and Upper School and the appropriate action taken. This may include an interview with the pupil, with the pupil and her parents or a request for a learning support assessment. 9.3 In order to facilitate effective monitoring by tutors there will be Review sessions at the end of the Autumn and Spring terms. Tutors will have the opportunity to review progress with each member of their tutor group individually. 10. SIXTH FORM MONITORING 10.1 Monitoring of Sixth Form students takes place each half-term during the Autumn and Spring Terms. Staff and the students themselves grade their progress and effort. The attainment grades take into account classwork, homework, test results and the professional judgement of staff and are intended to give a realistic idea of the standard of work achieved in relation to examination prospects. Attainment and effort grades will be shared with parents of Year 13 in October. Targets will be set with the help of the ALIS data which will be shared with students as soon as it becomes available in the Autumn term. Progress will be monitored each half-term by tutors. If concern warrants it, the tutor consults the Head of Sixth Form who will consult with subject teachers individually and take the appropriate action. This may include an interview with the pupil, with the pupil and her parents or a request for a learning support assessment. 11. ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING IN THE PREP SCHOOL 11.1 Small classes enable the teachers to assess the children informally on a daily basis. In addition to this individual class teachers administer regular spelling, mental maths and tables tests as appropriate to their class. Beginning and end of module tests are also administered in some subjects Towards the end of each academic year standardised tests are administered to provide the following information: a. Standardised score for maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. b. Reading age. c. Spelling age Children in the EYFS are assessed by the EYFS Children in the Nursery work towards the development matters and in Reception the Early Learning Goals. 12. REPORTING TO PARENTS IN THE PREP SCHOOL 12.1 AUTUMN TERM Rec Prep 5 There is a pastoral meeting in the first half of the term with the form teachers. Prep 6 During the second half of the term there are parent / teacher interviews with the form teacher and core subject teachers. Rec Prep 6 Interim reports are sent home at the end of the term. SPRING TERM Nursery Parents Evenings; Learning Journals are sent home and then returned. 4

5 Rec Prep 1 Prep 6 The Foundation Stage Profile is sent home before the end of the term followed by parent / teacher interviews. Interim reports are sent home before the end of the term followed by parent / teacher interviews. SUMMER TERM Full written reports on all subjects including the results of any standardised tests are sent home at the end of the term. 13. REPORT GRADES AND FORMAT IN THE PREP SCHOOL 13.1 Children from Prep. 1 upwards are awarded grade comments in each report as explained below. In addition to this they also receive a general comment in their Autumn report and full written comments for all subjects in the Summer report The Achievement comment combines classwork, homework and test grades and can be one of the following: Above expected level, At expected level, Below expected level The Effort comment, awarded for endeavour as opposed to achievement and can be one of the following: Consistently good, Generally good, More effort required The possible comments for the Approach to Work categories (Behaviour, Self- Organisation, Oral Contribution and Presentation) are: Consistently good, Generally good, More effort required. 5