Assessment
The Purpose of Assessment
At The Bromfords School we see assessment as an integral part of teaching and learning and it is inextricably linked to our curriculum. The purpose of assessment is:
- To measure; learning outcomes; progress and rates of progress; attainment and trends.
- To ensuring a transparent framework for measuring student performance, which is constructive and meaningful.
- To help students to plan through the setting of targets and goals.
- To diagnose barriers to learning. Establishing intervention programmes for meeting individual needs that allow students to fulfil their potential.
- To inform the planning and sequencing of lessons, to enable a curriculum that: is fit for purpose and accessible to all students; overcomes misconceptions and develops cognitive complexity; improves student engagement and motivation.
- To promote accessibility, fairness and equity; ensuring all students are subject to consistent standards and criteria; minimising bias or discrimination; ensuring student access arrangements are adhered to.
- To provide the evidence for summaries of achievement for recording / reporting; accurate and meaningful feedback to parents/carers regarding their child's progress.
- To provide information that ensures students are placed within, or transferred between, the appropriate classes for their learning needs and ability.
- To assist in departmental and whole school reviews and evaluation (evaluative). Enhancing accountability and informing future Teaching & Learning strategies.
Bromfords Assessment Principles
- Focus on good teaching and learning, allowing for effective formative assessment, which is planned as part of the curriculum
- Focus on key concepts, ‘Big Ideas’, core skills, knowledge and understanding that prepare students for the next stage
- Provide opportunities for students to revisit their areas of improvement
- Be identified at various points of the schemes of learning, showing clear sequencing to build cognitive complexity.
Assessment Methodology
To fulfil our assessment principles the Bromfords School employs a variety of methods to not only assess students on a continuing basis, but also to help prepare them for their end of Key Stage summative assessments. Throughout their time at Bromfords, we aim to ensure that students experience a range of summative and formative assessment, which enable all to demonstrate their aptitudes.
Assessment methodology includes:
- Teacher identification of student’s performance within the classroom on a continuing basis. Provide appropriate support or extension during all lessons (formative)
- Low stakes testing / in class testing by teaching staff e.g. questioning, quizzes etc (formative)
- Half-term assessments carried out through timed tests, or teacher assessment. (summative)
- Formal progress exams in examination conditions in Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 (summative)
- Formal in-class progress exams in English, Maths and Science in Years 7, 8 and 9 (summative)
Assessments and exams are marked by staff in line with success criteria and then moderated by Heads of Department to ensure consistency and accuracy of data. The results of summative and formative assessments form the basis of termly data drops via SIMS. These are used to track students’ performance against their targets and to produce interim reports for parents.
Assessment Schedule
Click here for the Y11 Practical Days & Progress Exams Days - Autumn 2024
Click here for Y13 Progress Exams - Autumn 2024
Click here for full details of Exam & Assessment Schedule OR Click here to view our full calendar
