Next review: July 2015 RADLETT LODGE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT, RECORDING AND REPORTING PROCEDURES Aim To assess and report on all aspects of our pupils development to facilitate consistency, progress, planning, transitioning and parental partnerships in learning. 1 Introduction 1.1 All pupils attending Radlett Lodge School have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder and may have additional learning difficulties. This means that each pupil is individual with an individual learning profile and his own unique set of attributes, strengths and weaknesses. 1.2 Pupils attending Radlett Lodge School are all subject to a statement of Special Educational Need, which details their specific abilities and attainments following their statutory assessment. We have a duty to take account of this assessment information when planning for the pupil and to make sure that we are meeting the pupil s identified needs. 1.3 Pupils with autism often perform differently in different situations. Therefore we need to obtain baseline assessment information as soon as the pupil has settled into the school as it may present quite a different picture to that seen before. Improvements in behaviour and attention control can be particularly noticeable when the pupil is able to experience a visually structured learning environment for the first time. 2 The nature of Assessment, Recording and Reporting 2.1 Assessments are only useful if they inform teaching and learning and provide evidence of the pupil s progress. We need to stay aware of the cycle of assessment TARGET SETTING/ PLANNING ASSESSING LEARNING TEACHING & LEARNING 1
2.2 Adequate progress can be defined in a number of ways. It might be progress which: Closes the attainment gap between the child and their peers Prevents the attainment gap growing wider Is similar to that of peers starting from the same attainment baseline, but less than that of the majority of peers Matches or betters the child s previous rate of progress Ensures access to the full curriculum Demonstrates an improvement in self help, social or personal skills Demonstrates an improvement in the child s behaviour (SEN Code of Practice 2001 DfES) 2.3 For pupils with autism, progress in personal, social and health educational areas can be vitally important in giving them access to the best possible opportunities at school, at college and into adult life. It follows that careful assessments of their progress in these areas are essential. 2.4 Similarly the development a functional communication system is essential for our pupils to be able to access educational opportunities. Our assessments will take account of this. 2.5 Reliable, honest assessments of our pupils attainments and achievements at are essential if we are to be accountable to parents, Local Authorities and other outside agencies. 2.6 We have a duty to approach the task of assessing our pupil s abilities with as open a mind as possible and to make our assessments as detailed and as comprehensive as we can. The Radlett Lodge Assessment Recording and Reporting schedule details the type and scope of our assessments at each phase. 3 Aims To ensure effective teaching and learning To provide a broad and balanced curriculum To recognise and celebrate all pupils achievements To inform pupils, staff, parents, advisers, LAs of progress and achievement To ensure continuity and progress To ensure that planning and target setting is informed by assessment and that work is differentiated accordingly To provide pupils with the opportunity to review their work, to self assess and set future targets Raise the expectations of pupils, teachers and parents in an effort to achieve the highest possible standards for each child Identify areas of difficulty so that intervention strategies can be employed Provide information which can be used to evaluate a school s performance against it s own previous attainment over time 2
Track pupil progress and identify pupils at risk of underachievement and identify possible solutions. To provide learning opportunities that are stimulating, challenging, purposeful and within the pupils /students capabilities 4 Implementation Early Years Foundation Stage Assessment For pupils in Reception year, the school will follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Guidance to deliver and assess the EYFS curriculum. Pupils will have individual assessment files/learning journey books which will be recorded daily and monitored weekly. At the end of the EYFS, the pupil s results will be summarised and recorded on the EYFS Profile and results sent home to parents. The school undertakes any opportunity to attend moderation meetings as part of the Hertfordshire Cluster Group. Hertfordshire LA are responsible for monitoring whether the tasks, tests and teacher assessment are carried out accurately. The school will submit any data to the LA. All pupils will have Developmental Learning Outcomes folders assessing progress in life skills and self help skills. Assessment at Key Stages one to four Radlett Lodge and the NAS assess all pupils using MyProgress. The MyProgress Assessment Flowchart outlines the procedures followed each term. At Radlett Lodge, all pupils are assessed according to the National Curriculum each year. Pupils working below National Curriculum level are assessed on the PScales (pre-national curriculum). Teacher assessment will inform the level the pupil is given. Teachers will track progress in each area of the National Curriclum using BSquared s Connecting Steps programme on a termly basis. Individual progress is reviewed each term by the Assessment Cocoordinator/Deputy principal and meeting takes place with each class teacher to discuss progress. If pupils are not making expected progress an action plan may be devised using the APIES barriers to learning (Attendance, Physical, 3
Intellectual, Emotional & Social barriers to learning). These actions are likely to involve the multi-disciplinary team. Assessment data is imported to CASPA termly. The whole school assessment data is then evaluated at the end of each academic year. Individual, group and subject specific progress is reported on. Pupil s attainment is tracked over time using MyProgress Over Time sheets. Levels and progress are shared with parents at least annually. At Key Stage two pupils will complete the Standard Assessment Tests where appropriate, if not Key Stage two pupils will be disapplied at annual reviews from National Curriculum testing and teacher assessment will be carried out. Hertfordshire LA are responsible for monitoring whether the tasks, tests and teacher assessment are carried out accurately. At Key Stage four very few pupils will complete GCSE s. However, should pupils be working at this level links with local schools and colleges will be me made to enable pupils to access appropriate subjects Pupils will be assessed according to their achievements in alternative programmes set by ASDAN; Transition, Bronze and Silver. This will be assessed by the KS4 and FE teachers and monitored by ASDAN. All pupils will have Developmental Learning Outcomes folders assessing progress in life skills and self help skills. Whole School targets are set for at least 2 areas of the curriculum plus one Autism specific target. These are monitored termly and data is collated and evaluated at the end of the academic year. IEP targets are set as part of the baseline period (see MyProgress Baseline assessment) and continue through to the pupil s annual review. If the pupil achieves a target before their annual review date an additional target is agreed with parents and implemented. Targets are reviewed 6 monthly. Assessment in Further Education (Post 16) At Post 16 pupils will continue to be assessed by the responsible teacher according to their achievements in ASDAN or AQA programmes. At the end of each term teachers complete assessments in English and Maths using Adult Steps. Individual progress is reviewed each term by the Assessment Co-coordinator/Deputy principal and meeting takes place with each class teacher to discuss progress. 4
In addition to English and Maths, the following assessment methods are used: a) For Personal and Social Development - Break down tasks (e.g. washing up or making a bed) into small steps (like DLOs) and use as check lists. - Monitoring of individual targets (e.g. through IEPs and planning). - PSHCE element of BSquared may still be appropriate. More investigation needed. b) For Vocational skills - By following recognised programmes (e.g. ASDAN) and completing accompanying booklets which outline the amount of support needed and/or level completed. - Termly monitoring of individual targets. c) For Functional skills - By following recognised programmes (e.g. ASDAN) and completing accompanying booklets which outline the amount of support needed and/or level completed. - Termly monitoring of individual targets. d) For Work experience - Observations of students (inc. monitoring of the amount of assistance needed to complete set tasks/jobs). - Monitoring of individual targets set up specifically for that work experience period e) For General English and Maths - By following recognised programmes (e.g. ASDAN Everyday Literacy/Numeracy) and completing accompanying booklets which outline the amount of support needed and/or level completed. - Termly monitoring of individual targets identified in planning and IEPs. Records of Achievement will be maintained for all students via ASDAN folders. Specific case studies may take place in addition. By the time pupils are in Post 16 most of them will have achieved all DLOs. Those that have not achieved them will continue to be assessed termly in life skills and self help skills. Post 16 whole department targets are set for Maths and English plus one Autism specific target. These are monitored termly and data is collated and evaluated at the end of the academic year. IEP targets are reviewed after 6 months and new ones are set that continue through to the child s annual review. Unless the young person achieves a target in which case an additional target is agreed with parents and implemented. 5
Post 16 tutors and teachers will attend the Hertfordshire ASDAN moderation groups yearly. The Head of FE will attend or may invite tutors or teachers to attend cross moderation with other NAS schools. 4.1 Recording Pupils progress in attainments, behaviour, independence skills etc will be recorded according to the guidance in the following documents Assessment, Recording and Reporting Schedule (appendix) Guidance on the Management of Pupils Behaviour Guidance on the use of developmental outcomes Post 16 overview and rationale 4.2 Whilst accepting that the recording of pupils responses is essential to monitor their progress, it is essential that the process of recording does not interfere with teaching and learning. Where possible recording is completed whilst working with the pupil either by completing Sheet A s in the pupil assessment files or by annotating work. If this is not possible recording will be done when staff are not working directly with pupils. 4.3 Each pupil has a file containing samples of schoolwork, which is started when they enter the school. These Records of Achievement are available to parents at any time and will be presented at each annual review. 5 Reporting 5.1 Reporting on pupil progress in all areas will be done using the following systems: Annual Reviews End of key Stage Record sheets Record of Achievements (KS1-4) ASDAN folders (Post 16) Learning journals (EYFS) These will be completed according to the in guidance of the following documents: Assessment, Recording and Reporting Schedule, Guidance on the Management of Pupils Behaviour 6 Monitoring Currently pupil progress is analysed via CASPA which tracks pupil achievement in P/NC levels and enables progress to be measured against other cohorts of a similar nature. This information is valuated on a yearly basis in the Summer term and recommendations made to 6
the SLT regarding implications for the development of teaching and learning on an individual and whole school basis. Data is collected on the percentage of IEP targets achieved. The school has a target of 85% of targets to be achieved. Whole school target data is also evaluated and informs future target setting. Behaviour Support plans, DLO records, Annual Review reports, class meeting minutes and Records of Achievements provide additional evidence of pupil progress. 7 Parental and pupil involvement We seek to create good working partnerships with our pupils parents and carers and view the sharing of the pupil s programmes and reporting on their progress as vital to this development. Wherever possible we hope that parents and carers will contribute their information on the pupils progress so that a more comprehensive picture emerges. The primary aim of sharing information on the pupil s progress is to inform others. We appreciate that family members have many demands on them and that it is not always possible or appropriate to follow the programmes at home but hope that by having the information available parents will be in a better position to offer consistency in learning and management. Assessment for learning wherever it is appropriate the learning or target for each lesson is shared with the pupil and they are encouraged to participate in evaluating at the end of the lesson whether it has been achieved or not. Pupil versions of IEP targets and other target (e.g. behaviour) are made available to pupils and where appropriate pupils are encouraged to comment on whether they feel they have achieved these targets. Parental views on their child s Individual Education Plan are sought at each annual review when the new plan is finalised. Parents are encouraged to be involved in the drawing up and implementation of Behaviour Support Plans. (See Behaviour Management Policy and Guidance) and these are shared at the pupils annual review. 8 Training All staff receive training in the Radlett Lodge Assessment systems as part of their induction. Updates on assessment issues including 7
changes to National Curriculum assessment are arranged for staff as the systems evolve. The need for training in specific aspects of assessment, e.g. progress in phonological awareness, is identified through appraisal of staff (Supervisions) and arranged separately often through external training. 9 Resources Consumable resources e.g. test booklets, are costed and obtained through the separate curricular budgets. Developments in assessment requiring additional resources are identified, prioritised and agreed through the School Development Plan. 10 Equal Opportunities All pupils are entitled to the same assessment opportunities, baseline, annual, transition etc. All assessments will have similar components; progress against targets, communication, independence, attainments etc but the forms the assessment takes will depend on the ease with which the pupil can access more formal assessment situations. For some pupils the data will be mainly gathered from observation and teacher assessments, for others there will be some formal assessment. 11 Health and Safety There are no specific health and safety issues arising from assessment and recording. Other Relevant Policies and Guidelines Assessment, Recording and Reporting Schedule Guidelines for managing annual reviews Guidance on the Management of Pupils Behaviour Early Years and Post 16 Policies Post 16 overview and rationale 8