Assessment

Assessment at Ysgol Y Bryn

At Ysgol Y Bryn, assessment is at the heart of great teaching and learning. It helps us understand each child’s progress, identify their strengths and areas for development, and ensure that every learner has the right support and challenge to reach their full potential.

In line with the Curriculum for Wales and Welsh Government guidance, assessment is a continuous and responsive process. It enables us to plan learning that is meaningful, purposeful, and tailored to individual needs. Estyn expects schools to use assessment effectively not only to raise standards but to ensure equity, inclusion, and progress for all learners — and this is something we take great pride in.

Types of Assessment

We use a variety of assessment types to gain a well-rounded picture of every pupil’s progress. These include:

Assessment for Learning (AfL)

Assessment for Learning takes place every day in every classroom. It’s the process of checking for understanding during lessons and responding in the moment to support children’s progress. This includes:

Thoughtful questioning and discussions
Verbal and written feedback
Peer and self-assessment
Clear learning intentions and success criteria

AfL helps learners understand where they are in their learning, where they need to go next, and how to get there. It also helps teachers adapt their teaching in real time to meet pupils' needs.

Assessment of Learning (AoL)

Assessment of Learning is used to measure what pupils know, understand and can do at a certain point in time. This includes:

Termly progress checks
National Personalised Assessments (Years 2–6)
Standardised tests or diagnostic tools
End-of-topic or end-of-year assessments

AoL helps us monitor individual, group, and whole-school progress over time, and provides important information for parents, governors, and external agencies.

Assessment as Learning

This focuses on empowering pupils to be actively involved in their own learning journey. We encourage children to reflect on their learning, set personal goals, and take increasing ownership of their progress through:

Pupil conferencing
Learning portfolios
Targets and reflection activities

Day-to-Day Assessment in Practice

Assessment happens throughout the day in every class and in a range of ways:

Teachers observe how pupils are applying their skills across different areas of learning
Marking and feedback are used to celebrate progress and guide next steps
Children are encouraged to talk about their learning, review their work, and ask questions
Teachers use what they see and hear to adapt future lessons and interventions

What We Do With Assessment Information

Assessment isn't just about collecting data — it's about moving learning forward.

At Ysgol Y Bryn, we use assessment information to:

Plan targeted support and next steps in learning
Identify pupils who may need additional help or stretch and challenge
Inform groupings, interventions, and differentiation in class
Decide when to seek advice or support from external agencies (such as speech and language, educational psychology, ALN services)
Track individual and cohort progress over time
Report to parents on their child’s progress and achievements
Reflect as a staff team on what’s working and what needs to improve across the school

A Culture of Continuous Progress

Because we use assessment as a tool for improvement and reflection, we are able to ensure that our teaching is responsive, our support is timely, and our learners are always moving forward. This is part of our wider vision at Ysgol Y Bryn — that in everything we do, we are striving to provide the very best for every child.

Our approach to assessment helps us:

Track and monitor progress with purpose
Make informed, evidence-based decisions
Celebrate success
Identify needs early
Deliver excellent teaching and support across the school

Our Assessments

Throughout the year, children participate in the following assessments, both formally and informally:

Welsh National Reasoning Assessment (Mathematics)

What is it?

The Numeracy (Reasoning) Assessment is part of the Welsh Government's suite of national personalised assessments for learners in Years 2 to 9. This online, adaptive assessment evaluates how well pupils can apply their mathematical knowledge to solve real-life problems. Unlike the Numeracy (Procedural) Assessment, which focuses on numerical operations and procedures, the reasoning assessment emphasizes the application of these skills in various contexts.

How is it conducted?

Adaptive Format: The online assessment adjusts the difficulty of questions based on the learner's responses, providing a personalized experience that accurately gauges individual ability.
Duration: The assessment does not have a fixed number of questions; it concludes once the system has gathered sufficient information about the learner's reasoning abilities.
Scheduling: Schools have the flexibility to administer the assessment at any point during the academic year, allowing integration with teaching plans and minimizing learner stress.

Purpose of the Assessment:

Inform Teaching and Learning: By identifying each pupil's strengths and areas for development in applying mathematical concepts, teachers can tailor instruction to meet individual needs.
Monitor Progress: Regular assessments help track pupil progress over time, ensuring that learners are developing the necessary skills to apply mathematics effectively.
Support School Improvement: Aggregated data from the assessments can inform whole-school strategies for enhancing numeracy teaching and learning.

Use of Assessment Data:

Personalized Support: Teachers analyse assessment outcomes to provide targeted interventions or challenges, ensuring that all pupils receive appropriate support to advance their reasoning skills.
Inform Referrals: If assessments indicate significant difficulties, the data can support referrals to external agencies for additional assistance, such as educational psychologists or specialized support services.
Engage Parents: Sharing assessment results with parents fosters a collaborative approach to supporting the child's learning journey.

Welsh National Procedural Assessment (Mathematics)

What is it? The Numeracy (Procedural) Assessment is an online, adaptive test designed by the Welsh Government for learners in Years 2 to 9. It focuses on evaluating pupils' skills in numerical facts and procedures, such as number operations, measuring, and data handling.

How is it administered?

Format: Online and adaptive, adjusting question difficulty based on the pupil's responses.
Duration: Varies per pupil; the assessment concludes once sufficient data is gathered.
Scheduling: Schools have the flexibility to administer the assessment at suitable times during the academic year.

Purpose of collecting the data:

Inform Instruction: Identifies each pupil's strengths and areas for improvement in procedural numeracy, allowing teachers to tailor instruction accordingly.
Monitor Progress: Tracks individual and cohort progress over time, ensuring learners are developing essential numerical skills.
Support Interventions: Helps in planning targeted interventions for pupils who may require additional support in specific areas of numeracy.

Welsh National Reading Assessment

What is it? The National Reading Assessment is a standardized test administered to learners in Years 2 to 9 in Wales. It evaluates pupils' reading skills, including comprehension, inference, and vocabulary.

How is it administered?

Format: Traditionally paper-based, involving reading passages followed by a series of questions.
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes.
Scheduling: Conducted annually during a specified testing window.

Purpose of collecting the data:

Assess Reading Proficiency: Provides insights into pupils' reading abilities, helping teachers understand their comprehension levels.
Guide Teaching Strategies: Informs the development of targeted teaching approaches to enhance reading skills.
Identify Support Needs: Assists in recognizing pupils who may benefit from additional reading support or interventions.

Salford Reading Assessment

What is it? The Salford Sentence Reading and Comprehension Test is an individual, oral assessment designed to evaluate pupils' reading accuracy and comprehension. Suitable for ages 5 to 16, it offers a quick measure of a pupil's reading age and comprehension ability.

How is it administered?

Format: One-to-one oral reading of graded sentences, with accompanying comprehension questions.
Duration: Typically takes less than 10 minutes per pupil.
Scheduling: Administered as needed to assess reading levels or monitor progress.

Purpose of collecting the data:

Determine Reading Levels: Establishes a baseline reading age and comprehension level for each pupil.
Monitor Progress: Tracks improvements in reading skills over time.
Inform Interventions: Identifies pupils who may require additional support in reading and informs the planning of appropriate interventions.

ChATT

What is ChATT?

The Children's Assessment Teaching Tool (ChATT) is an initiative developed by Carmarthenshire County Council to screen and support children's speech, language, and communication skills. It aims to identify any needs early in a child's educational journey, ensuring timely and appropriate interventions.

How is ChATT implemented?

Universal Screening: All children are screened upon school entry to assess their speech, language, and communication abilities.
Targeted Support: Based on screening results, children may receive tailored interventions to address identified needs, supporting their development in these critical areas.
Referral to Specialists: For children with more severe or complex needs, schools can refer them to the Communication Forum, a multi-agency specialist team that provides further guidance and support.

Purpose of Collecting Data through ChATT:

Early Identification: Detects speech, language, and communication needs at the outset of schooling, facilitating prompt support.
Informed Interventions: Enables educators to design and implement effective strategies tailored to each child's specific requirements.
Monitoring Progress: Allows for ongoing tracking of a child's development in communication skills, ensuring interventions are effective and adjusted as needed.
Resource Allocation: Assists schools and local authorities in allocating resources and support services efficiently to areas where they are most needed.

Benefits of ChATT:

Enhanced Learning Outcomes: By addressing communication challenges early, children are better positioned to engage with the curriculum and achieve academic success.
Improved Social Skills: Supports the development of essential social interaction abilities, aiding in relationship building with peers and adults.
Increased Confidence: Helps children overcome communication barriers, fostering greater self-esteem and participation in school activities.

Mathletics Assessment

What is it? Mathletics is an award-winning online mathematics program designed to engage students with interactive activities, games, and challenges aligned with the UK curriculum.

Purpose:

Personalized Learning: Offers tailored activities that adapt to each student's skill level, promoting individual progress.
Engagement: Utilizes gamified elements to motivate students and make learning maths enjoyable.
Immediate Feedback: Provides instant results to help students understand their mistakes and learn from them.

Implementation:

In-Class and Homework Use: Teachers assign tasks during lessons or as homework to reinforce concepts taught in class.
Progress Tracking: Educators monitor student performance through the platform's reporting tools, identifying areas of strength and those needing improvement.

Data Utilization:

Inform Instruction: Teachers adjust lesson plans based on student performance data to address common challenges.
Recognize Achievement: Celebrates student accomplishments, boosting confidence and encouraging continued effort.

Springboard Maths

What is it? Springboard Maths is a catch-up program aimed at supporting students who need additional help to reach age-related expectations in mathematics.

Purpose:

Targeted Intervention: Focuses on key mathematical concepts that students may have missed or misunderstood.
Bridging Gaps: Aims to bring students up to the expected standard alongside their peers.

Implementation:

Small Group Sessions: Conducted outside regular lessons to provide focused support.
Structured Lessons: Follows a specific sequence of topics to systematically address learning gaps.

Data Utilization:

Monitor Progress: Regular assessments track student improvement throughout the program.
Adjust Support: Informs decisions on continuing, intensifying, or concluding intervention based on student needs.

Spelling Test

What is it? The SWST is a standardized assessment that evaluates a student's ability to spell individual words, providing a spelling age and diagnostic information.

Purpose:

Identify Spelling Levels: Determines a student's current spelling ability relative to their age.
Highlight Difficulties: Pinpoints specific spelling patterns or rules that a student finds challenging.

Implementation:

Regular Testing: Administered periodically to monitor progress and inform instruction.
Individual or Group Settings: Flexible administration depending on resources and student needs.

Data Utilization:

Personalized Spelling Lists: Develops targeted spelling practice based on identified weaknesses.
Track Development: Measures improvement over time to assess the effectiveness of interventions.

Non-Verbal Assessment

What is it? Non-verbal assessments evaluate cognitive abilities without relying on language skills, often using shapes, patterns, and puzzles to assess reasoning and problem-solving capabilities.

Purpose:

Assess Cognitive Potential: Provides insight into a student's general intellectual ability, independent of language proficiency.
Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: Helps recognize students who may have strong reasoning skills but face language barriers.

Implementation:

Standardized Testing Conditions: Ensures a fair assessment environment for all students.
Use with Diverse Populations: Particularly useful for assessing EAL (English as an Additional Language) students or those with speech and language difficulties.

Data Utilization:

Inform Support Strategies: Guides the development of individualized learning plans that leverage cognitive strengths.
Referral for Further Assessment: Identifies students who may benefit from additional evaluations or support services.

Letters & Sounds

What is it? The Letters and Sounds assessment is part of a phonics program designed to develop children's reading and spelling skills by teaching them to associate letters with their corresponding sounds.

Purpose:

Monitor Phonics Progress: Tracks how well students are learning letter-sound correspondences.
Early Identification: Detects students who may need additional support in phonics.

Implementation:

Phase Assessments: Conducted at the end of each phase to ensure mastery before progressing.
Individual or Group Administration: Flexible depending on classroom dynamics and resources.

Data Utilization:

Inform Instruction: Helps teachers plan targeted phonics instruction and interventions.
Communicate with Parents: Provides insights into student progress and areas needing support at home.

ELSA Screening - Happen Survey

What is it?
The HAPPEN Survey (Health and Attainment of Pupils involved in a Primary Education Network) is a well-being and health survey developed in Wales and used to assess how children feel physically, socially, and emotionally in school. At Ysgol Y Bryn, we use it alongside our ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) programme to identify pupils who may benefit from additional emotional support.

Purpose:

To gain insight into each child’s emotional health and well-being
To help identify children who might benefit from targeted ELSA interventions
To support whole-school planning for health and well-being priorities

How is it implemented?

Children complete a simple online or paper-based questionnaire that asks about their feelings, relationships, sleep, physical activity, and how safe and happy they feel at school.
The survey is typically carried out once or twice a year to track changes over time.

Why we collect the data:

To identify pupils who need emotional support, whether short-term or long-term
To help our ELSA staff prioritise pupils for individual or small group sessions
To monitor the impact of well-being interventions
To inform referrals to external agencies such as school counselling, CAMHS, or family support services
To build a whole-school picture of how our learners are feeling — ensuring every child’s voice is heard

How it helps us move forward:

Supports our commitment to whole-child development, as part of the Health and Well-being Area of Learning and Experience in the Curriculum for Wales
Aligns with Estyn’s focus on pupil well-being and safeguarding
Allows us to take a proactive approach to mental health, not just reactive
Contributes to our MER (Monitoring, Evaluation and Review) processes to improve overall school provision

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