Assessment - Our Guiding Principles 

At Sackville School, assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning cycle, informing instruction and driving student progress. We believe assessment should be woven into every lesson, providing ongoing insights into student understanding and guiding our teaching practices. This section outlines our approach to assessment, encompassing both formative and summative strategies, and emphasising the importance of using assessment data to improve learning outcomes for all students. 

 

Assessment: Checking for Understanding 

What: Formative assessment is the ongoing process of gathering evidence of student learning during the learning process to inform instruction and improve student progress. It's about checking understanding before it's too late. 

Why: Formative assessment helps teachers identify misconceptions, adjust their teaching in real-time, and provide targeted support to students. It also empowers students to take ownership of their learning.  

It means not relying on formal, written feedback as the only method of assessment which has been proven to not be as effective. It is focussed on making real time intervention with students, either as an individual or as a group. 

 

Practical Strategies that will be used across the school to assess students on a daily basis within lessons: 

• Show me boards (MWBs) 

• Cold Calling 

• Think-Pair-Share 

• Say It Again Better 

• Do Nows (Retrieval Practice) 

• Active Observation 

 

How will I know how my child is progressing in school? 

We also use summative assessment to give students and parents/carers a snapshot of where they are in a given moment. This is provided through our reports which are published at the end of each main term (December, March and July). Students use these to reflect on their progress and set themselves targets for the next term. Staff will use these to help support students and to ensure that any sustained under achievement is targeted. 

The way we use grades will differ depending on your child’s Key Stage. You can find some explainers below. 

 

Key Stage 3 Assessment 

Please find below an explainer video regarding how we assess students in Years 7, 8 and 9. 

 

Key Stage 4 Assessment 

In Years 10 and 11 students work towards examinations in GCSEs and BTECs.  In Years 12 and 13 students work towards A2 and vocational examinations.  Internally organised assessments are given at various points in the school year and provide class teachers, students, and parents with information for monitoring, progress and target setting.  A programme of practice GCSE and GCE examinations (“Mocks”) are held throughout each year. 

Assessment is mainly by exam, with other types of assessment used only where needed to test essential subject skills, for example, in Drama there is a performance assessment. 

Current GCSE courses have more content than was the case in the past. Also, there is an increased expectation that young people remember content and can apply it to a wide range of question types and sometimes surprising contexts in exams. GCSE are also intended for study over two years and are no longer divided into different modules. Pupils must take all their exams in one period at the end of their course. 

The video below will explain how GCSE grades compare to grades some families may be more familiar with. 

 

If you have any questions on how we assess our students, please do contact Mr Peter Cowlin, Deputy Headteacher, via pcowlin@sackvilleschool.org.uk.