At St Teresa’s, effective assessment is central to excellent teaching and learning. Teachers use assessment to understand what each child knows and can do, and to plan the next steps in their learning journey.
Teachers make continuous, informal checks on understanding through:
skilful questioning and classroom dialogue
careful observation of learning behaviours
marking and immediate feedback on classwork and homework
This formative assessment ensures that teaching is responsive and precisely matched to pupils’ needs.
Three times a year, teachers make a summative judgement of each child’s attainment against the key objectives for their year group.
Children are assessed as:
Developing – working towards the expected standard
Secure – meeting the expected standard
Greater Depth – working beyond the expected standard
These judgements are shared with parents in termly updates and form the basis of each child’s annual report.
In Reception, children are assessed against the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Early Learning Goals and are reported as:
Emerging – not yet reaching expected levels
Expected – meeting the goals
Exceeding – working beyond the goals
We also carry out the statutory assessments required by the Department for Education:
Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) – within the first six weeks of school
Year 1 Phonics Screening Check
End of Key Stage 1 assessments (where applicable)
Multiplication Tables Check in Year 4
End of Key Stage 2 SATs in Year 6
These provide a national benchmark and help us evaluate the impact of our curriculum.
Assessment information is reviewed by class teachers, subject leaders and senior leaders to:
identify strengths and areas for development
provide targeted support and intervention where needed
ensure every pupil makes strong progress from their starting point.