Assessment
Assessment should be helpful and supportive so that pupils can use it to learn and progress. Good qualitative and constructive marking that focuses on the learner’s achievements and ensures they know what they need to do to improve is key to this. Effective assessment and marking is crucial to informing the teacher’s planning of learning. It also ensures the teacher plans effectively to meet the needs and abilities of all learners, promoting equality of opportunity. Assessment should be aspirational, raise expectations of success and play a significant role in supporting the learning journey of all pupils.
Subject assessment schedules set out which selected pieces of work will be marked and assessed by the teacher. These schedules outline the frequency of marking and assessment, as well as how and what is being assessed (eg. which ‘aspects’ at key stage 3 or which areas of the GCSE specification at key stage 4) dependent on the type of work and the level of study.
KS3 Assessment Framework
EOTAS’ key stage 3 curriculum and assessment framework aims to develop the right knowledge, understanding and skills that pupils require to be successful at GCSE. As such, learners’ attainment will be assessed against key assessment descriptors called ‘aspects’. These set out the specific knowledge, understanding and skills required and pupils will be assessed against these in years 7, 8 and 9. Summary overview Appendix 3.
Each ‘aspect’ is described through four assessment ‘bands’: ‘Mastered’, ‘Good’, ‘Developing’ and ‘Emerging’. Pupils need to demonstrate in their work that they have securely met the criteria in a particular ‘aspect’ to be assessed at that ‘band’. A pupil will usually need to show this in three separate pieces of work (ie. sustained performance), although a teacher may overlook the ‘three pieces rule’, if secure performance in a ‘milestone assessment’ or PPE (pre-public exam) is particularly evident.
Attitudes to Learning (LORIC)
Across EOTAS we use LORIC (Leadership, Organisation, Resilience, Initiative, Communication) grades as a measure of attitude to learning. EOTAS’ expectation is that pupils’ attitude to learning must be at least ‘2’ – Good. Criteria for Attitude to Learning grades are set out in the overview.