Assessment

1. Assessments are made regularly throughout the year and reported to parents

2. A variety of assessment methods are used to measure various objectives and to encompass the different learning styles of students. More detail is given below:-

Assessment methods should be chosen on the basis of:

· the type of information sought;

· the use to which the information will be put;

· the developmental level and maturity of the student;

· the subject or content being assessed.

The national curriculum statements provide examples of assessment activities which are appropriate to each strand and level within the specified learning area. The following list gives a brief description of some established classroom practices.

Informal assessment by teachers

Teachers make informal assessments of students all the time. During the course of a lesson questions are asked and answered and a judgement is made about the student’s level of understanding

Formal assessment by teachers

Formal assessment against the Curriculum Levels, using PAT’s, e-AsTTLe, diagnostic interviews and other assessment tools.

Classroom Teaching Programme

1. The teaching programme will, wherever possible, be activity based

2. Students will have opportunities for:

   1. involvement in all curriculum areas

   2. individual/shared experiences

   3. teacher directed/child directed experiences

   4. flexible grouping will be used throughout the school

3. Programme planning to be based on the needs of students

4. Whole school planning and inter-class planning is encouraged

5. Critical thinking skills planned and actively taught in all units of work

6. Integral approach to planning and delivery of units of work to be encouraged

7. Style of planning in accordance with established school procedures

8. Teachers responsible for own class but may be required to teach different classes

9. Timetabled specialisation teaching may occur in some areas e.g. swimming, Maori

10. Teachers expected to teach in all curriculum areas including Bible

11. Curriculum areas will be receive different emphasis depending on unit

12. Teachers are expected to take curriculum and administrative responsibilities (these will be negotiated at the beginning of each year and may be reviewed as necessary)

Staff Development

Staff development and Appraisal will be linked and based on:

1. The needs of teachers as identified during appraisal

2. The needs of the school as identified through Curriculum/Resource development

3. The needs of Government as directed through annual planning

Roles and Responsibilities:

Pupils

1. All required work is to be done to the best standard possible and handed in on time.

2. Any missed tasks need to be rectified if possible for assessment to be completed.

Teachers

1. Meet requirements as per this assessment statement

2. Ensure that they are taking every opportunity available to them to contact other teachers and professional organisations to keep their programmes and assessment tasks at an appropriate level

3. Teachers will follow the progressions and in the first instance, use the resources as defined in the Southland Adventist Christian School programme statements and plans

4. An emphasis on numeracy and literacy, especially in years 1-4, will be reflected in all programmes

Parents

1. Ensuring that their child has the support needed at home in order to achieve to their maximum potential.

Board of Trustees

1. Monitor this policy through the Curriculum Committee and see to its follow through.

2. Deal with student appeals

EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT

The New Zealand Curriculum identifies five key competencies to be developed by all students across the whole curriculum throughout their years of schooling. These are:

· Managing Self

· Relating to Others

· Participating and Contributing

· Thinking

· Using Language, Symbols and Texts

Evaluation and assessment will cover all curriculum areas as well as the five key competencies - the aim being that the KEY COMPETENCIES will be developed through the ESSENTIAL LEARNING AREAS and in different contexts across the curriculum and not in isolation. ATTITUDES AND VALUES along with knowledge and competencies are an integral part of the New Zealand Curriculum. Children will be encouraged to examine the context and implications of their own values and those of others, and the values on which our current social structures are based.

Both summative and formative assessments will be used. Summative assessment is intended to summarise student attainment at a particular time, whereas formative assessment is intended to promote further improvement of student attainment.

Evaluation and assessment records will be used by teachers as a working document aimed at gathering and recording data / gathering information about the progress and achievement of children towards the learning goals set out in the teaching and learning programmes / and to indicate what the next teaching and learning step should be. These records are a running record of children's progress and achievement in all curriculum areas and will include a variety of methods of gathering information:

§ Informal Observations -Formal/Informal Tests

§ Assessment: Self/Peer/Teacher -Standardised Tests (eg PAT)

§ Evaluation Comments: Self/Peer/Teacher -Conferencing

§ Analysis of Children's Work -Pre/ Post Tests

A standardised format allows for individual teacher flexibility but also ensures an acceptable standard of recording is achieved at Southland Adventist Christian School in all curriculum areas.

Assessment tools such as ‘Assessment Resource Banks’, National Education Monitoring Project Reports, AsTTLe literacy and numeracy, the National Standards and National Exemplars will be used where appropriate.

Assessments will be recorded in a variety of ways: class lists, checklists, reading running records, comments on work, photographs and samples of work. Assessments must be uploaded to EDGE (online SMS)