ASSESSMENT RECORDING AND REPORTING POLICY

Effective teaching and learning can only take place where there is a continuous feedback
of information comparing what has been taught to what has been learnt. A
successful assessment procedure enables teachers to analyse the learning styles of their
pupils and use this information to modify their teaching to increase pupil achievement.

Warminster School also places a strong emphasis on the importance of the

partnership between the School and its parents as a means of maximising pupil potential.
Central to the success of this partnership is the communication between the School
and parents. Formal, written reports and grade cards form an important role in this
communication.

AIMS OF THE POLICY:

 by its implementation to facilitate progress in pupils’ learning;
 to provide a guide for each Department to develop its own assessment policy;
 to promote a consistent approach to assessment;
 to offer guidance on Assessment, Marking, Recording and Reporting procedures and
practices;
 to underline the importance of assessment and moderation procedures;
 to inform staff of statutory requirements;
 to detail specific staff responsibilities.

SECTION 1 - THE PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT, RECORDING AND

REPORTING:
1. The main aim of the assessment process must be to facilitate progress in a pupil’s
learning. It is an integral part of the teaching and learning process, and is a valuable
formative and summative tool. Departments should give careful thought to the
purpose of assessment, adopting a wide range of methods to reflect the whole
Curriculum and learning opportunities.
2. Effective assessment provides:
 a statement of current attainment;
 a record of progress;
 an acknowledgement of achievement and underachievement;
 information on the pupils' readiness for future learning;
 information on the effectiveness of the teaching methods employed
and the current scheme of work.
3. To be at its most effective assessment should primarily be a continual process
and not an infrequent, purely summative exercise.
4. The outcomes of assessment should be used to modify teaching methods as well
as indicate pupil progress. On entering the School, a pupil will normally be given
an entrance test, at the appropriate level, in order to establish a baseline
assessment from which future progress can be measured.
5. Positive and constructive assessment feedback can be a powerful tool in raising a
pupil’s self-image and encouraging further study.
6. In addition to normal assessment, staff are advised to record, initially informally eg
in their mark book, significant points in a child's development, such as:
 a moment of ‘breakthrough’ in understanding;
 interesting examples of problem solving strategies;
  difficulties encountered/areas of weakness and possible reasons for them.
These records are invaluable for reports and/or parents evenings.
7. Assessment which has a common procedure:
 directs teacher judgements that are as valid and reliable as possible,
consistent both within the School, and with N.C./Exam Board standards.
 promotes a common interpretation of the Exam Board grade descriptors.
 gives teachers confidence in their professional judgement and skill.
 is fair to pupils.
8. Assessment records:
 are based on an agreed set of principles and purposes;
 assess pupil progress against N.C./Exam Board criteria;
 must be easy to interpret, useful, manageable and not administratively
burdensome.
9. Results of assessment are reported in a way useful for pupils, teachers, parents
and other interested parties.
10. Assessment gradually builds up into a profile for each pupil over their school
career.
11. Pupils are encouraged to be aware of the evidence and assessment techniques
being used and to review their own progress by a procedure containing an element
of self-assessment.
12. Assessment records provide confidence between teachers across phases and
enhance progression for pupils. Prior achievement records for new pupils are
recorded/assimilated onto Senior School records as appropriate.
13. Recognition is given by the Headmaster and Governors for the time and
resource implications of good assessment, and due allowance made for this in the
construction of the teachers' working day.

SECTION 2 - INFORMATION/ADVICE FOR STAFF:

The regular assessment of pupils' progress is an integral part of good and effective
teaching/learning in the classroom. Such assessments may range from simply looking
over pupils' shoulders while they are writing during a period of normal Classwork, to the
use of formally administered tests and examinations. A number of methods of
assessment can be used though not all need contribute to pupils' academic records.

Departments need to:

 use the programme(s) of study to agree/identify opportunities for assessment;
 plan a variety of learning experiences for pupils in their Schemes of Work so
that there is a good balance throughout the course and within individual lessons.
This will allow for different forms of assessment to be employed so that
weaknesses/strengths in pupils’ learning can be identified and improvements
achieved;
 consider carefully the nature of the tasks set. To have a positive effect on the
standards of pupils’ achievement, an appropriate level of work needs to be
provided which probe pupils’ grasp of the material being studied;
 utilise a range of informal assessment techniques so that pupils are challenged
to show the extent of their understanding . e.g. oral questioning by the
teacher on a whole-class, group, or individual basis, the discussion of
individual responses to practical and creative tasks, and helping pupils over
specific difficulties as exercises proceed.
  increase the range of opportunities for carrying out continuous assessment by:
i. good classroom organisation which encourages pupils to work
independently while the teacher is concentrating on a small group;
ii effective use of the co-operation of support teachers and other adults in the
classroom;
ii. classroom experiences which arise from a wide range of stimuli and lead
to tasks which offer opportunities for observation.
 have clear and high expectations of pupils’ performances and provide them
with understandable assessment criteria so that they are clear about what they need
to learn;
 ensure that, in as far as is possible, account is taken of pupils' attainment on entry
in Year 7 or later.
 ensure that procedures and practices adopted for assessing pupils’ progress are
not too time-consuming and bureaucratic for teachers and/or pupils.

SECTION 3 - MARKING and PUPIL SELF-ASSESSMENT:

For full details on the School’s marking policy see the separate policy.

The one-to-one tutor/pupil interview is an opportunity for pupils to evaluate their own
strengths/weaknesses and to work collaboratively with their tutor in setting
attainable targets for the future.

SECTION 4 - MONITORING AND FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES:

Several different systems are employed to monitor the effectiveness of this policy and the
degree to which it is being implemented:
 Tutors regularly monitor their pupil’s Organisers. Amongst other things this can
show:
i. the degree of parental involvement - they are asked to sign the Organiser
every week.
ii. organisational problems, which can be either pupil or teacher related, e.g.
a pupil may be failing to complete set tasks or may be given too many tests
in the same week.
 Spot checks are undertaken by each Head of Department to ascertain how well
the various policies concerned with assessment/recording and reporting are
being implemented.
 Departments regularly review pupil progress. Those pupils causing concern as well
as those who are excelling are discussed and certain names and information will
be passed onto the relevant tutor and Head of School. Those pupils who are
suspected of underachievement, including pupils of average or higher ability
who are doing just enough to get by, are the focus of discussion. The tutor will form
an overall picture of individual pupils and will liaise with the Head of School as
necessary.
 Heads of School perform detailed analysis of pupil progress through academic
accountability files following each grade card or report session.
 Matters of concern related to assessment/recording and reporting should be
discussed with the Deputy Head (Academic).
SECTION 5 - RECORDING ASSESSMENTS:
Statutory Requirements:
Elaborate arrangements for recording assessments and retaining evidence are neither
required by the National Curriculum, nor necessary to satisfy ISC inspections. Details to
be provided to a pupil's new school must contain the teacher's latest assessment of the
pupil's progress.

Methods of Recording:
One single, prescriptive system for Recording cannot be imposed on all
Departments. Teachers should record attainment in all assessments, oral, written or
practical, in their mark books, together with any other key progress indicators or
weaknesses. Departments must have an agreed standard for assessing work, particularly
project or coursework, and should have a common recording system to enable smooth
transfer of pupils through a modular course.

Teachers should use the Pupil Organiser as a continuous and interactive method of
recording individual successes or causes of concern. The importance of the Pupil
Organiser as a means of motivating pupils, and also maintaining communication with
tutors, parents and boarding house staff, cannot be overemphasised.

The teacher’s mark book, with associated annotations, is usually the primary record
of pupil attainment, although individual Departments often have a detailed subject record
of pupil performance accessed through the Staff Pool.

Access to mark books can be restricted to Heads of Department, Heads of Schools, and
both Deputy Heads.

SECTION 6 - REPORTING TO PARENTS:

Please also refer to guidance notes for the completion of reports.

Statutory Requirements:
As a fee-paying school, Warminster School considers it appropriate to exceed the
statutory requirement of one written report every school year. Warminster School aims
to convey results of external examinations to parents as soon as is administratively possible.

Warminster School will forward the following details to a new school (with the permission
of the pupil’s parents or guardian):
 The last year’s reports and grade card results.
 A reference written by the tutor on behalf of the Headmaster.
 A summary of the pupil’s extra-curricular achievements.

Warminster School issues written reports for all pupils at the end of the Autumn Term.
Reports are written for Years 11 and Upper Sixth at the end of the Spring Term. End of
Year reports, including a summary of the work covered in the year, are issued to Years 7
to 10 and Lower Sixth pupils at the end of the Summer Term. Grade cards are issued for
all pupils at half-terms and for Years 7 to 10 and Lower Sixth at the end of the Spring
Term. Written reports should be as constructive and specific as possible. Please refer to
the report writing policy.
SECTION 7 - SETTING STANDARDS:
Departments need to:
 ensure that assessments are consistent so that when judgements are made
against standards there is fairness for pupils both within a teaching group and
between teaching groups;
 develop standard activities focused on agreed objectives which have agreed
and standardised criteria for assessment;
 compare the performance of pupils from different classes on common activities;
 ensure that coursework/controlled assessment is moderated to meet GCSE, A level
and IB requirements.

SECTION 8 - END OF KEY STAGE ARRANGEMENTS:

Key Stage 4, AS and A Level and IB:
Pupils must be well prepared for the tests. Their preparation may include:
 having taken several tests of similar structure as part of the course of study;
 having taken one ‘mock’ exam;
N.B. Past paper test questions should be used in the tests and prep/classwork tasks.
 having had feedback on their performance in the test papers;
 tutoring in revision and examination techniques;
 a briefing of what to expect - this could include information about the format
of the tests, their significance, the nature of the questions, the structure of the
exam weeks, opportunities for revision and details of available support and
counselling.

Entry to the different tasks or tiers:

Departments must use the evidence from testing and teacher assessment to ensure
that pupils are entered for the appropriate tier of the exams.

Study leave is given for GCSE, A Level and IB formal exams and the Head of Middle School
and the Head of Sixth Form co-ordinate the activities of tutors to ensure that pupils are
carefully tutored/prepared in how to fully exploit this opportunity.

SECTION 9 - STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES:

A school policy in itself provides only a basis for action and the means to ensure consistent
and effective implementation need to be found - the roles of Senior Staff and Heads
of Department are central to this process.

The Deputy Head (Academic) should:

 facilitate INSET/discussion opportunities for departments or teams of teachers to
discuss assessment/recording/reporting;
 look at early predictions of final GCSE/A level grades and work with the Head of
Middle School and the Head of Sixth Form to implement systems aimed at
substantially improving their performance;
 sample the work of each Department;
 analyse and evaluate test/exam results and discuss implications of findings with
Heads of School and Heads of Departments with respect to future developments in
teaching and assessment;
 oversee the arrangements for public examinations and internal mock exams;
  keep up-to-date with local and national developments relating to assessment,
disseminate relevant documentation to Heads of Subject and advise other
colleagues when necessary;
 support, monitor and evaluate assessment/recording/reporting within the school.

Heads of Department should:

 monitor and evaluate teachers’ marking and other
assessment/recording/reporting practices within their department, e.g. they should
ensure that the common grading policy is applied consistently across the
Department;
 promote consistency in assessment/recording/reporting within their department;
 provide guidance on judgmental issues when assessment standards are being set;
 ensure that their staff have access to relevant publications and are fully informed of
the arrangements for public examinations;
 use the results of assessment to inform and direct future teaching and
curriculum planning;
 undertake periodic examination of pupils' written work. Follow-up needs to take
place where standards are poor or excellent;
 periodically meet with the Deputy Head (Academic) to discuss, amongst other
issues, matters relating to assessment/recording/reporting.

Tutors should:
 regularly check Pupil Organisers and monitor pupils' progress;
 undertake initial examination of the quality of the comments made by staff on
reports, reporting errors for correction. If a tutor is concerned that the comment
is insufficient or inappropriate they should refer the matter to the Deputy Head
(Academic);
 deliver those aspects of the PSE course related to preparing for examinations, e.g.
how to revise effectively;
 undertake examination of the comments made by staff on the reports. Issues
causing concern should be discussed with the relevant Head of School. Comments
expressing excellence should be highlighted for the Headmaster.

Heads of School should:

 undertake periodic examination of pupils’ written work and liaise closely with
the Deputy Head (Academic) on issues related to assessment, recording and
especially reporting. Follow-up needs to take place where standards are poor or
excellent;
 undertake further examination of any content of the pupils’ reports which has
been raised as a concern by the tutor;
 work with the School Nurse to organise, within the delivery of PSHE, the teaching
skills related to preparing for examinations, e.g. how to revise effectively;
 work with the Deputy Head (Academic) to analyse the performance in School
examinations, developing action plans to improve the performance of
underachievers.
SECTION 10 – IB
The previous nine sections apply to stakeholders concerned with the IB. In addition to
these nine sections, the following points also apply:
 Teachers should grade pupil work in accordance with DP marking levels (1-7) and
using the criteria pertaining to the mark schemes of the individual subjects, as
found in the subject handbooks on OCC.
 Grade cards and reports should use the 1-7 levels to communicate current levels
of attainment. Current levels of attainment may not be reflected in the final
achieved grades pertaining to the award or failure to be awarded the IB Diploma.
 Decimals or fractions should not be used when communicating levels.
 DP assessment should be both formative and summative when appropriate.
 Each assessment task should enable pupils to access the full range of levels.
 Assessment guidelines should be made available by subject teachers to all
stakeholders by rubrics which are clear, transparent, measurable and enable pupils
to understand the requirements of the assessment. The development of these
rubrics is the responsibility of each teacher.
 Academic Honesty should be a consideration when teachers mark pupil work.
Teachers and pupils are aware of the academic honesty policy of the school and
adhere to this.
 A calendar of assessment deadlines is updated annually by the IB Coordinator in
communication with the Deputy Head and other subject teachers. It is
disseminated by the IB Coordinator to stakeholders at the beginning of the
academic year. It is the responsibility of subject teachers to adhere to this calendar
and to communicate interim deadlines to pupils in order to help pupil planning of
work.

Further reading (available via OCC)

Diploma Programme assessment: Principles and practice
The Diploma Programme: From principles to practice

Revised September 2016