Assessment

Assessment across the College is grounded in our learning principles, and guided by our Assessment and Feedback Policy. We value assessment and feedback as key to students' growth, and the subject of ongoing dialogue and reflection. Assessment takes a variety of forms, supporting students to consolidate key knowledge and skills, and transfer conceptual understandings to new and increasingly complex contexts. Assessments in all courses are designed to help students understand their progress towards learning goals, building a sense of increasing competence and autonomy. At UWCSEA, we do not compare or rank students, or calculate grade point averages: instead, we triangulate a wide range of assessment data to report holistic attainment grades at two points in the academic year.

Homework

The purposes of homework are:

Review—to consolidate, rehearse or practise work done in class.

Independent, creative or research tasks—to provide students with the opportunity to be more creative, reflective and evaluative; this should be set with two nights completion time so that students can structure their homework time around their activity/rehearsal schedules.

Coursework, holidays and revision

Homework set during the last week of term for submission after a holiday should not be more than the normal weekly amount. 

There will be no class tests given on the first day after a holiday.

Timing and deadlines

• students/parents should let teachers know if their children have spent an appropriate time on a homework activity but have been unable to complete it so that we can support students appropriately

• all students are expected to meet specified deadlines, unless there are genuine extenuating circumstances

• teachers are sensitive to the many demands on the students in the whole College environment and are receptive to student negotiation in advance of a deadline with regard to the amount of homework set and deadlines for completion; students involved in performances or concerts can negotiate extensions but must do so before they miss a deadline

• medical certificates must be provided if a student misses the deadline of a major assessment or is absent due to illness

Homework assessment and feedback

• all significant homework tasks should receive feedback in order to motivate and guide students

• students should have been made aware of the assessment criteria which will be applied to the assignment

• assessed work with feedback should be returned within a reasonable time frame to have allowed assessment of the work of the whole class; this is normally within one week

Reports and assessments

Three way conferences are held twice a year, and students receive three reports over the course of each year.

Reporting is broken into two components: holistic attainment and approaches to learning indicators. The holistic attainment grades are reflective of academic progress made by the students, while the approaches to learning indicators reflect the level of student engagement and effort.