'Assessment' is how teachers find out what the children know, understand, and can do. It's like checking their learning in different ways, not just through big tests. Teachers use assessment to see how well children are progressing in their learning and to identify areas where they might need extra help or more challenge.

There are different types of assessment. Sometimes it's informal, like asking questions in class or watching how children work in groups. This helps teachers understand their learning as it's happening and adjust their teaching. Other times, it can be more formal, like short quizzes or end-of-unit tasks, which give a snapshot of what a child has learned at a specific point. We also have national assessments at certain ages to check how well children are doing against national standards.

Ultimately, assessment in our academy is about supporting each child's learning journey, making sure they are making good progress, and helping teachers plan the best way forward for them. It helps us celebrate their successes and address any difficulties early on.

Intent

At LAPW, our intent for assessment across the academy is to cultivate a culture of continuous learning, self-reflection, and growth for all children. We aim to make assessment an integral and meaningful part of the teaching and learning process, empowering children to take ownership of their learning journey and become active, responsible, and internationally-minded individuals.

Our assessment policy is designed to align directly with the learning outcomes of the Programme of Inquiry and subject areas, reflecting real-world contexts and allowing children to demonstrate their understanding in meaningful ways. We will employ a range of formative and summative assessment strategies to provide a holistic picture of the children's learning over time, catering to diverse learning styles and allowing children to showcase their knowledge, skills, and understanding in different ways. In order to ensure it is collaborative we will involve children actively in the assessment process through self-assessment, peer assessment, conferencing and reflection, while ensuring clear communication of learning expectations and assessment criteria. We will focus on providing timely and constructive feedback that informs teaching and guides children's learning forward, identifying strengths and areas for growth, and celebrating progress. We will always utilise assessment data to inform instructional decisions, adapt teaching, and tailor learning experiences to meet individual children's needs, ultimately leading to improved outcomes.

By embracing this intent, we strive to create an assessment environment that not only measures learning but also fosters a deep understanding of concepts, the development of essential skills, the cultivation of positive attitudes, and the capacity for meaningful action. We believe that effective assessment empowers our children to become lifelong learners who are equipped to thrive in a globalised world.

Implementation

We believe that assessment is an integral and ongoing process that informs teaching and learning, celebrates children's growth, and fosters a culture of inquiry. Our assessment practices are aligned with the principles and practices of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) and are designed to be authentic, meaningful, and purposeful.

We prioritise formative assessment strategies that provide timely and actionable feedback to children, enabling them to understand their learning, identify areas for growth, and take ownership of their learning journey. Teachers use a variety of methods to gather evidence of children's understanding, in the moment. We empower children to become active participants in their own assessment through self-reflection, peer assessment, and goal setting. This fosters metacognitive skills and encourages children to understand their strengths and areas for development. We utilise summative assessment tasks to evaluate children's understanding at key points in the inquiry cycle. These assessments are designed to be authentic, reflecting real-world applications of knowledge and skills, and aligned with the learning outcomes of the Units of Inquiry.

Key Implementation Strategies:

Formative Assessment:

Observation: Teachers systematically observe the children during individual and group activities, documenting their engagement, understanding, and skills.
Questioning: Teachers use open-ended and probing questions to stimulate thinking, assess understanding, and encourage deeper exploration.
Discussions: Class and small group discussions provide opportunities for children to articulate their ideas, share their understanding, and learn from their peers.
Children's books: Children record their thinking, ask questions, reflect on their learning, and make connections in their books.
Self and Peer Assessment: Structured opportunities for children to reflect on their own work and provide constructive feedback to their peers using clear criteria.

Summative Assessment:

Performance Tasks: Extended tasks that require children to synthesise their learning and apply their understanding to solve problems or create products. These tasks often reflect the action component of the PYP.
Presentations: Opportunities for children to share their learning and understanding with an audience.
Written Assessments: Carefully designed tasks that assess conceptual understanding and the application of knowledge and skills.
Exhibitions (Year 6): A collaborative inquiry process where children showcase their learning throughout their PYP journey.

Adaptive teaching:

We recognise that children learn at different paces and in different ways. Assessment tasks and strategies are adapted to meet the diverse needs of all learners, ensuring equitable opportunities to demonstrate their understanding.

Conferencing (feedback):

Timely, specific, and constructive feedback is provided to children through the conferencing process. This focuses on their strengths and areas for development. Feedback is designed to guide their learning and encourage them to set goals for improvement.

Reporting:

We communicate children's learning progress to parents/carers through a variety of methods, including:

Annual Formal Written Reports: Providing a comprehensive overview of the child's learning in relation to the National Curriculum and PYP learning outcomes.
Parent Open Afternoons: Opportunities for children to share their learning and reflect on their progress with their parents/carers and teacher.
Informal Communication: Regular communication through meetings, emails, and phone calls to discuss the child's progress and address any concerns.

Collaboration:

Teachers collaborate regularly to plan, develop, and moderate assessment tasks, ensuring consistency and shared understanding of assessment criteria.

Data Analysis:

Assessment data is systematically collected and analysed to inform teaching practices, identify trends in children's learning, and make necessary adjustments to the curriculum and instruction.

Teachers are responsible for implementing a range of assessment strategies, providing timely and effective feedback, and using assessment data to inform their teaching. The children are responsible for actively participating in assessment activities, reflecting on their learning, and using feedback to improve. Parents/Carers are valued partners in the assessment process and are kept informed about their child's learning progress. The academy leadership is responsible for providing the necessary resources and support for effective assessment practices and ensuring alignment with the PYP framework.

This implementation statement will be reviewed and revised regularly to ensure that our assessment practices remain aligned with the evolving needs of all our children and the principles of the PYP. We are committed to fostering a learning environment where assessment empowers the children to become confident, capable, and lifelong learners.

Impact

At LAPW, our assessment practices, deeply embedded within the Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework, are designed to be meaningful, authentic, and drive continuous growth for every learner. We believe that assessment is not simply a measure of learning, but an integral part of the learning process itself, empowering children to become active participants in their own development.

Formative assessment strategies, such as observations, questioning, discussions, and self/peer assessment, provide timely and specific feedback that helps children understand their current learning, identify areas for improvement, and set personal learning goals. This fosters a deeper understanding of concepts and skills. Through reflection on their learning and the assessment process, children develop metacognitive skills, becoming more aware of their strengths, areas of development, and learning styles. This empowers them to take ownership of their learning and become self-regulated learners. Our assessment tasks are intentionally designed to provide opportunities for children to demonstrate and develop the attributes of the IB Learner Profile, such as being inquirers, thinkers, communicators, risk-takers, and reflective individuals. Feedback often explicitly addresses these attributes, fostering their growth. Ongoing assessment informs our teaching and allows us to adapt instructions to meet the diverse needs of our learners. This ensures that all children are challenged appropriately and supported in their learning journey.

Assessment data, both formative and summative, provides teachers with valuable insights into student understanding, informing their planning and pedagogical decisions. This leads to more targeted and effective teaching. Teachers engage in collaborative inquiry, analysing assessment data to identify trends, share best practices, and refine their teaching strategies. This continuous cycle of reflection and improvement strengthens our pedagogical approach. Our assessment practices are consistently aligned with the principles of the PYP, emphasising inquiry-based learning, conceptual understanding, and the development of the whole child. Our focus on formative assessment and providing constructive feedback fosters a growth mindset and reduces the anxiety often associated with traditional testing. Children feel supported and encouraged to take risks and learn from their mistakes. When children understand the purpose of assessment and see how it helps them improve, they become more engaged and motivated in their learning. Celebrating progress and effort further enhances this positive learning environment.

We provide clear and comprehensive annual reports that go beyond grades to describe the children's progress in relation to the learning outcomes, the development of Learner Profile attributes, and their approaches to learning. Assessment information forms the basis for meaningful conversations with parents/carers about their child's learning journey, fostering a strong partnership in supporting their development.

In conclusion, our assessment practices within the PYP framework are not simply about measuring what the children know, but about understanding how they learn and empowering them to become lifelong learners who are knowledgeable, principled, and caring members of the global community. The impact of our assessment is evident in the increased agency of the children, informed teaching practices, positive learning environment, and strong home-academy partnerships that contribute to the holistic development of each child at LAPW.

What we do at LAPW...

We utilise Bromcom, our robust management information system, to record and track both formative and summative assessment data, allowing us to monitor individual children's progress and identify areas for intervention effectively. Our bespoke Knowledge Pathways act as a clear framework, outlining the key knowledge and skills children need to acquire in each subject, enabling teachers to assess understanding against specific learning objectives. Crucially, collaborative planning sessions are embedded into our weekly routine, where teachers work together to review pupil progress, analyse assessment data, and refine their teaching strategies to meet the diverse needs of all learners. Finally, conferencing forms a vital part of our assessment for learning, as teachers regularly engage in one-to-one discussions with chidlren, providing targeted feedback, identifying misconceptions, and empowering children to take ownership of their next steps in learning.

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