Last updated: September 2023
Currently under review (March - June 2024)
1) Purposes of Assessment
The most common purpose of assessment is formative, to give precise information to each student on what s/he has achieved and on what s/he needs to do to improve during the processes of learning.
A focus in assessment is on developing students' ability to drive their learning for themselves, using information from assessment to set goals for future work. They are pushed to give attention also to the intrinsic value of what is studied and practised, and not just to scores and ratings.
A second purpose of assessment is summative, to provide the student, the school administration, the student's future teachers, the student's parents, and outside agencies such as universities with information on the student's levels of proficiency at the end of a sequence of study.
Assessment has a third role in providing the class teacher and department with information on successes and weaknesses in courses and teaching, to help development.
2) Preparatory tasks and main/common assessment tasks.
During the course of a unit of study, preparatory assessments (such as short answer tests practice calculations and vocabulary exercises) will usually be necessary. Student’s command of the learning for the unit as a whole is assessed with a main assessment task, coming at the end of the unit. Main assessment tasks will address the learning goals set out for the unit. Main assessment tasks will usually involve some complexity of thought or problem-solving, and not just a display of factual retention.
Where there are several class sections following the same course, the teachers responsible use the same common main assessment task.
3) Grading
Grades are seen as offering only a simple summary of academic achievement. Students are encouraged to look beyond the grade to analyze the specific strengths and areas for improvement identified by the assessor.
FIS (8-12) uses a grade scale from 7 (excellent) to 1 (very weak) (see Appendix A), for semester grades in all subjects and the scale is also used for main assessment tasks. FIS (6-8) uses BIPA (see Appendix B) for semester grades in all subjects and is also used for main assessment tasks. In certain cases where sufficient evidence of a range of levels of achievement cannot be demonstrated a Pass or Fail distinction is used.
Norm-referencing – allocating grades according to a set distribution pattern of performances in a particular class – is not used. 7 to 1 grades are criterion-referenced, being based on fixed written standards. The seven levels used by FIS derive from the sets of achievement levels listed by the International Baccalaureate Organization for Diploma Programme. Departments and courses in turn adapt the FIS whole-school descriptors to provide equivalents for their subject disciplines and courses. For most main tasks, tables of descriptors (rubrics) are appropriate. These indicate separate criteria for the various task constituents accompanied by descriptors for the different achievement levels within each criterion.
Not all assessment tasks lend themselves to criterion-referencing, and points totals and other evaluations are sometimes appropriate. Such tasks will normally play a lesser role in determining semester grades than tasks assessed through criterion referencing.
While criteria and descriptors are made as unambiguous as possible, teachers check that they are applying these consistently, helped by IBO conference sessions on assessment and internal cross-marking meetings.
Evaluation of the role played by a student’s attitudes and behavior is considered too important to be amalgamated into the 7 to 1 grades. As far as is practicable the 7 to 1 grades refer only to the academic skills and knowledge demonstrated; attitudes and behavior are evaluated separately in teacher comments and in Approaches to Learning ratings given in semester reports. However, it is recognized that in subjects where a student’s physical performance is directly assessed, attitudes cannot be readily separated from the level of achievement.
In deciding how semester grades are to be determined, each department sets out the various components to be incorporated and their relative weightings. The semester grade reflects as far as is practicable the student’s level of achievement at the end of the semester. All teachers teaching class sections of the same course use the same method of determining semester grades.
4) Student involvement in assessment
Students are encouraged to play an active role in evaluating their work and applying advice provided by assessment. The way in which an assignment is to be assessed is announced to the students beforehand. Students are given practice in applying descriptors to their own and others’ work, and on occasion can usefully help design tables of descriptors for specific tasks.
5) Late work and plagiarism
Separate policies on late work and plagiarism include the penalty of a zero grade being recorded against deficient assignments.
6) Exceptions to standard assessment procedures
Students with diagnosed learning difficulties and students at an early stage of learning English as a Second Language may require exemptions from or modifications of standard assessment procedures. Such exceptions are determined in conjunction with the ELA and Learning Support Teachers.
7) Reporting
At the end of each semester parents access electronic reports of their child’s achievements in each subject. Subject reports give an analytical comment and the semester grade. Mid semester reports that indicate current levels of performance halfway through each semester are accessed by parents. In addition, performance reports may be sent home at any stage in the semester where a student’s work is particularly praiseworthy or a cause for concern. Conferences at which teachers discuss students’ progress with their parents are held once a year, and parents are also invited to consult with teachers at any time.
Appendix A: FIS 1-7 Grading Scale Grades 8-12
Assessment and Grading
Your work is measured using the International Baccalaureate (IB)1 – 7 grading scale. Each number grade represents a standard of work which is described in words called criteria. For example, if a piece of work is awarded a 7 it means that it is “outstanding” whether the work was done by a 8th grade student or a 12th grade student. The table below describes the standard of work for each grade.
Criteria
7 - Outstanding work, in which you apply relevant skills, knowledge and concepts almost faultlessly, with sophistication. Your work shows exceptional judgement, maturity, insight and analysis; it also shows marked independence, originality and flair.
6 - A very thorough application of relevant skills, knowledge and concepts. Your work shows very sound judgement, maturity, insight and analysis with independence and originality.
5 - A thorough application of relevant skills, knowledge and concepts. Your work, on the whole, shows sound judgement, insight and analysis with some independence and originality.
4 - An adequate application of the main relevant skills, knowledge and concepts. Your work shows some evidence of reasonable judgement, insight and analysis.
3 - A partly successful application of the main relevant skills, knowledge and concepts. There has been little evidence of reasonable judgement, insight or analysis. Your work may show clear difficulties in some areas and you may need extra support.
2 - A very limited application of the main relevant skills, knowledge and concepts. Your work has not shown evidence of judgement, insight or analysis. Your work shows marked difficulties in several areas, even with extra support.
1 - Little or no evidence of any ability to understand or apply the basic skills, knowledge and concepts, even with extra support. Your work has not shown evidence of judgement, insight or analysis.
Teachers decide which grade to award a piece of work by taking into account the criteria that match the grade. It is not a simple mathematical calculation. The grade is determined by the best fit. The teacher makes the final judgment based on the grade criteria that apply to all of your work throughout the semester.
Student responsibility
For every graded assignment you receive back from a teacher make sure you understand why it was awarded the grade given.
Know exactly what you must do to improve the grade next time.
If you don’t know why or what to do, ask your teacher to explain more clearly.
Acceptable and unacceptable grades
When a student has a grade of 3, the Student Support Team works with the student to make improvements. (cause for concern, not a failing grade)
A grade of 2 is considered a failing grade, and if the student ends the year with a grade of 2 in a subject, arrangements may be required for the student to make up the gaps in their learning to continue at the next level the following year.
A grade of 7 indicates that the student can apply what they have learned demonstrating analytical skills. Repeating memorized information is typically not enough to earn a 7.
Semester Grades
If you receive two grades of 3 or one grade of 2, you will be placed on academic monitoring. The Student Support Team will develop a plan with you to make progress.
If the grades do not improve in the subsequent semester, you will be placed on the Level Two Academic Monitoring, with more learning interventions.
If you do not make sufficient progress after this, we will meet to discuss options.
If you have a grade of two in a course that is mandatory for the following year at the end of semester two, you will need to pass a summer course to prepare for the next year.
Our academic program is designed to prepare students to successfully complete the FIS High School Diploma, and if they choose, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
Appendix B: BIPA Reporting for Grades 6-8
Standards-Based Assessment In The Middle School
In G6 & G7 we have moved to Standards-Based Grading and Reporting. Standards-based grading (SBG) helps teachers articulate what students need to know, be able to do, and understand and then communicate how students are performing in relation to these learning outcomes. Teachers and students also engage in developing and evaluating their use of International Baccalaureate (IB) Approaches to Learning Skills (ATLs). The ATLs consist of the following skills: thinking, social, communication, self-management, and research skills. While subject-specific standards represent the essential knowledge, skills, and concepts for a specific subject area, the ATLs represent the skills necessary for effective learning at FIS across all subjects school-wide.
The sixth-grade instructional team will use SBG to define four levels of proficiency: Beginning Learning, Intermediate Learning, Proficient Learning, and Advanced Learning. The target is for all students to be “Proficient” in all subjects within 6th grade this year. Please know that “proficient” indicates a full demonstration of knowledge and skills for a standard within a specific course. “Advanced” on a standard indicates an exemplary demonstration of learning that goes beyond the taught curriculum and the assessment expectations.
For example:
Beginning Learning (BL) = The student has been exposed to knowledge, skills, and concepts that are building a foundation for learning. With additional time and teacher support, the student is beginning to demonstrate understanding and apply skills and knowledge at a basic level.
Intermediate Learning (IL) = The student’s development of knowledge, skills, and concepts are progressing through more active class participation and work completed. The student can demonstrate knowledge, skills, and concepts and apply or transfer when given additional time and teacher support.
Proficient Learning (PL) = The student is consolidating learning and is applying grade-level knowledge, skills, and concepts independently and consistently to demonstrate understanding.
Advanced Learning (AL) = The student can demonstrate deep conceptual understanding beyond expectations by synthesizing and transferring knowledge, skills, and concepts to new learning contexts.
While we transition to the new way of grading some subjects in Grades 7 and 8 are still using a numerical proficiency scale, 1-7. Each grade on the 1-7 scale is derived from subject-specific standards.The comments are intended to give students specific feedback on their strengths and areas for improvement. Together the grade and comment give a comprehensive overview of each student's progress in each subject.
Grade 7 = Deeper conceptual understanding beyond expectations by synthesizing and transferring knowledge, skills, and concepts to new learning contexts.
Grade 6 = Very thorough consolidation of learning and application of grade-level knowledge, skills, and concepts independently and consistently to demonstrate understanding.
Grade 5 = Thorough consolidation of learning and application of grade-level knowledge, skills, and concepts independently and consistently to demonstrate understanding.
Grade 4 = Adequate development of knowledge, skills, and concepts.
Grade 3 = Partly successful development of knowledge, skills, and concepts with some teacher or peer support needed.
Grade 2 = Limited ability to demonstrate the development of knowledge, skills, and concepts independently. With additional time and teacher support, the student is beginning to demonstrate understanding and apply skills and knowledge.
Grade 1 = Little or no evidence of ability to understand or apply knowledge, skills, and concepts.
Students will receive a (Pass/Fail: P/F) notation for Music, Band, Choir, ELA Emerging, ELA Transitioning, and Learning Support. In these subjects, a ‘P’ indicates a student has satisfactorily completed the course requirements. An ‘F’ indicates that a student has not completed the course requirements.