AE SIG Workshop GA Conference 2014

…this system is complicated and difficult to understand, especially for parents. It also encourages teachers to focus on a pupil’s current level, rather than consider more broadly what the pupil can actually do. Prescribing a single detailed approach to assessment does not fit with the curriculum freedoms we are giving schools. (DfE, 2013a)

Attainment targets By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.

National Curriculum in England: Geography

Removes a structure that was familiar and usable, if problematic, without providing an alternative vision.

Opportunities: freedom for teachers to pay more attention to student learning;

Challenges: lack of a national structure that provides a shared understanding of assessment.

‘The concept of progression, which focuses on the advances in students’ learning over a period of time, is important for planning the structure of a curriculum and for assessing students' attainment.‘

Bennetts, 2005

Learning (and teaching) is a two way process1. Start from the learner 2. Students active learners3. Students understand learning target

▪ Criteria – Now – Metacognition 4. Students use ‘language’ of geography

• Vocabulary• Grammar

Source: Rawling, 2008

Periodic

Day-to-day

Transitional

Learning outcomes shared with pupilsPeer- and self-assessmentImmediate feedback and next steps

for pupils

Broader view of progress for teacher and learner Using national standards in the classroomImprovements to curriculum planningFormal recognition of achievementReported to parents/carers and next teacher/schoolMay use tests/tasks from national sources

Formative: day-to-day (informal) assessments, identify current understanding share targets Feedback to prompt action

Summative: more formal summing-up of progress providing information certification selection

(Mansell et al., 2009, p.9 quoted in NFER, 2013)

Ipsative own previous performance

Normative all other students (normal

distribution)Criterion

set criteria“Students should be able to correctly

add two single-digit numbers”

‘Know understand and can do’

11

More students set to receive highest A- level grade this year

Defensible TrustedFairConsistent

Ipsative CriteriaNorm referenced

Student knows how they are doing…Teacher – well founded judgementsSchool – structured, systematic

assessment system – trackingParents and carers know how their

child is doing, improvement and how they can support child and teacher

Keep talking about assessment and standards

Produce sets of outcome criteria to guide assessment

Display examples of work exemplifying quality, standards

Plan a range of assessment formats

Keep a portfolio of assessed work showing expectations

Objectives/outcomes shared, plus review/plenaries

Self and peer assessment

Questioning classroom

Formative feedback/marking plus next steps

Confidence in quality & improvement

Has origins in ‘strands’ approach from QCA: created a more workable framework – helpful for post LDs

Relates standards in relation to specific particular parts of the curriculum (what pupils know, understand and can do) rather than generalised attainment

Can be used to identify the qualities in pupils’ work, and next steps (so progress)

Opportunity to create a new sense of quality in geography, and benchmark expectations for particular age groups e.g. At year 9 (with potential link through to GCSE criteria) Each year: ‘an Expert Geographer in Year 7 can/looks like…’

1. Overview possibilities: Key concepts NC reference points Programme: summary of the

territory/purposes Assessment summary; pupils will show

evidence of: Contextual knowledge Understanding Procedures and skills

2. Themes (tectonics, volcanoes & earthquakes)

3. Criteria possibilities: Key Questions More detailed objectives: what pupils

should know, understand for the theme

Pitch – criteria related to the content of the unit

The menu – not the set meal

Worth reading – suggests different

modes for different

purposes – see slide 20

e.g. Progress checks

Week 3 Short test – earth structure and plates

Week 7 H/w plus activity– volcano landforms/process

Week 9 Book check – paired classes across year group

Week 11-12

Enquiry – comparing a volcanic eruption and earthquake, assessed using outcome criteria

AFL

Unit Expectations for this unit/year

Scale/focus Practice Progress and standards

Day to day AfL classroom practice, e.g. questioning, formative feedback/response etc

Evident in teaching and learning, in pupils’ ongoing work

Frequently (basic knowledge/skills)

Short test, identified piece of homework

Progress check (confidence vs concern?) gives a number

Half/Termly(conceptual-procedural)

Short research task , decision-making exercise etcAccess to work at particular standards – e.g. displayPeer/self assessment

Criterion marking and feedbackLinked to pitch/age- related expectationsLinked to aspects of levels if you want

Yearly(substantial conceptual devt – big Qs)

A major piece of work – eg essay, DME, (perhaps synoptic)

As above, plus opportunity to develop portfolio of geog work exemplifying & sharing standards and illustrating progress

See Michael Fordham in Teaching History, September 2013

Evident in Monitoring/reference point

In action – AfL classroom processes

Lesson obs, (eg paired/co-obs)

In books/work: formative marking/response

Book scrutiny eg paired groups

In markbook (e.g. homework, tests)

Quick check on progress

On more significant pieces of work criterion-marking (without or with levels)

Standards and progress by unit/term, yearly progress in relation to expectations

Departmental portfolio: samples to show standards (e.g. end of Y9), plus progress over the key stage for a few key pupils

Long-term review of standards and progress: opportunity to pitch standards re GCSE

These won’t help to generate short-term level-type ‘data’. Reporting:

You could:Turn the outcome criteria into a

narrativeTalk about expectations

(meet/above/below) in relation to the work studied

Still go with levels if you wantLink expectations to future GCSE

grading