Assessment Policy

Diploma Programme (DP) assessment procedures measure the extent to which students have mastered advanced academic skills in analyzing and presenting information, evaluating and constructing arguments, and solving problems creatively. Basic skills are also assessed, including: retaining knowledge, understanding key concepts, applying standard methods. In addition to academic skills, DP assessment encourages an international outlook and intercultural skills where and when appropriate.

Assessment tasks are designed to support and encourage good classroom teaching and learning. Student results are determined by performance against set standards, not by each student's position in the overall rank order.

Methods:

A variety of different methods are used to measure student achievement against the objectives for each course.

Internal Assessment:

Teacher assessment is also used for most courses. This includes: oral work in languages, laboratory work in the sciences, investigations in mathematics, artistic performances. Assessment is checked by external examiners and normally contributes between 20% and 30% of the total mark. The Visual Arts course has assessment of a major practical component, which can account for as much as 50% of the total mark.

External Assessment:

Examinations form the basis of the assessment for most courses because of their high level of objectivity and reliability. They include: essays, structured problems, short-response questions, data-response questions, text-response questions, case-study questions, multiple-choice questions (limited use of these).

There are also a small number of other externally assessed written pieces of work, for example, Theory of Knowledge essay, Extended essay, and World Literature assignments. These are completed by students over an extended period of time, under teacher supervision instead of examination conditions, and are then marked by external examiners.

Examiners:

The IB works with more than 5000 examiners worldwide. They ensure that student work is assessed fairly and consistently. Many IB examiners are experienced Diploma Programme teachers. Examiners receive detailed instructions on how to mark the work sent to them. Examiners send a sample of their marking to a senior examiner for checking. Each subject has a group of senior examiners who prepare examination questions, set the standard for marking, and determine the marks needed for the awarding of each subject grade.

Results:

NOVA is a May session school. The exams are conducted between May 1^st and May 22^nd. According to the level (standard or high), every subject consists of Paper 1 and Paper 2, up to a Paper 3 component. May session results are issued on July 6^th. If a student fails an exam, they may retake it in two more attempts (6-month retake in November and 12-month retake in May).

Following the release of results, students' grades can immediately be distributed by the IB to universities and university admission bodies around the world.

Grading:

DP students follow six courses at higher level or standard level, respectively. The grades awarded for each course, ranging from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). Students can also be awarded up to three additional points for their combined results in Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay. Therefore, the highest total that a DP student can be awarded is 45 points. The Diploma is awarded to students who gain at least 24 points, subject to certain minimum levels of performance across the whole diploma and satisfactory participation in Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS).

IB Diploma Programme General Grade Descriptors

Grade 7 (Excellent)

Produces high-quality, frequently innovative work. Communicates comprehensive, nuanced understanding of concepts and contexts. Consistently demonstrates sophisticated critical and creative thinking. Frequently transfers knowledge and skills with independence and expertise in a variety of complex classroom and real-world situations.

Grade 6 (Very good)

Produces high-quality, occasionally innovative work. Communicates extensive understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, frequently with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar and unfamiliar classroom and real world situations, often with independence.

Grade 5 (Good)

Produces generally high-quality work. Communicates secure understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, sometimes with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar classroom and real-world situations and, with support, some unfamiliar real-world situations.

Grade 4 (Satisfactory)

Produces good-quality work. Communicates basic understanding of most concepts and contexts with few misunderstandings and minor gaps. Often demonstrates basic critical and creative thinking. Uses knowledge and skills with some flexibility in familiar classroom situations, but requires support in unfamiliar situations.

Grade 3 (Mediocre)

Produces work of an acceptable quality. Communicates basic understanding of many concepts and contexts, with occasionally significant misunderstandings or gaps. Begins to demonstrate some basic critical and creative thinking. Is often inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, requiring support even in familiar classroom situations.

Grade 2 (Poor)

Produces work of limited quality. Expresses misunderstandings or significant gaps in understanding for many concepts and contexts.Infrequently demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Generally inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, infrequently applying knowledge and skills.

Grade 1 (Very poor)

Produces work of very limited quality. Conveys many significant misunderstandings or lacks understanding of most concepts and contexts. Very rarely demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Very inflexible, rarely using knowledge or skills.

Assessment Strategies

Retake policy

Summative assessment is meant to measure the summation of what was learned in a unit. Therefore retakes are not condoned. Instead, teachers and students will adhere to a very specific and clear assessment plan. As grades are not averaged at NOVA, and standards are taught multiple times, students will have ample opportunity to show mastery on assessments.

Make-up policy

Nova adheres to a standards-based grading approach. Students must be afforded an opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in all standards to a reasonable extent. Therefore the following general guidelines apply:

• Excused missed tests/summative assessments must be taken or turned in within an agreed upon timeline with the teacher.

• Absences must be excused either with a medical note or through the Advisory teacher or administrative coordinator prior to the test/ due date.

• In the event of a repetition of pattern: students that are continuously being excused before exams, cases will be reviewed by assistant principal/principal.

• Teachers retain the right to disallow make-up or accept late work if they suspect academic malfeasance.

• DP assessments are subject to DP subject rules, as elaborated in the specific subject guides.

Incomplete Summative Assessment

Nova recognizes that there will be times when students will need to submit late work. However, students are expected to demonstrate responsible behavior and adhere to the following:

• Teachers must be notified in writing prior to the due date of any need for extension.

• The maximum number of days a teacher can allot is 10

• After 10 days the assessment will no longer be accepted resulting in either a 0 in the DP or one less opportunity to demonstrate competency in MYP and Primary School.

• If a student has multiple incompletes in a marking period resulting in an inability to be properly assessed, that marking period will be marked as a failed marking period (2 or below in MYP and DP and Beginning in Primary).

• Students who fail one or more semesters will meet with the division principal and counselors to determine a plan.

• DP students must complete all required summative assessments, adhering to internal deadlines in Year 1 in order to progress into Year 2 of the programme.

Transfer students

Students that join the school later in the year (2nd semester) will be issued marks for the period since joining the school.

DP Mock Exams

IB Diploma and Course candidates sit for mock exams at the end of March in their second year (final year of high school). During this 1-2 week period, IB Year 2 students attend a simulated examination session, following the IBO’s official examination procedures. The mock exam week is mandatory for all IB Year 2 students and serves to form the student’s predicted grade.

Grade 12 students applying to universities may be required to complete mock exams earlier in the year, in order to receive predicted grades for their applications.