Good assessment is at the heart of good teaching and learning. Teachers at St. Teresa's are continuously assessing the children's knowledge and understanding through questioning, class work and observations. This then informs the planning of teaching and learning that takes place in class and allows teachers to plan for the children's next steps in learning.
In addition to this 'formative' assessment, the school also assesses each child's development against his or her year group's learning objectives. This takes place each term and culminates in the end of year report to parents at the end of each school year. This assessment reflects how many of the objectives he or she has achieved and take the form 'Secure, Developing and Greater Depth'.
For example, if a child is in Year 3 and has achieved all or nearly all of the objectives for that year group, the assessment that is made is 'Secure'. If they still working towards achieving those objectives, it will be 'Developing' and if they are working at a level significantly above the Year Three objectives, it will be 'Greater Depth'.
The tracking of children in this way also ensures that the school makes appropriate interventions available in order to ensure that children make good progress throughout their time at St. Teresa's.
Assessments at the end of Reception take a slightly different form as the children finish the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. Children will be assessed as either 'Emerging', 'Expected' or 'Exceeding' before they enter Key Stage 1.