Explorer Curriculum Assessment

The Springfields Academy has a clear assessment process and cycle which ensures Assessment informs practice, curriculum and learning.

The approach for assessment at Springfields is in line with the recommendations in the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (July 2022) to ‘help learners embed and use knowledge fluently or to check understanding and inform teaching’. Therefore Springfields take a formative approach to assessment; assessment is ongoing and directly informs curriculum implementation. In Key Stage 4 where pupils are preparing for nationally recognised outcomes pupils sit summative assessments, with the appropriate access arrangements to complement their formative assessments and prepare them for their final accreditation assessments.

Assessment data is monitored three times a year, in line with Ofsted recommendations and recommendations for best practice (Challenge Partner: 2015). To ensure assessments are accurate regular moderation sessions are implemented to ensure consistency of standards across the school. Following this detailed analysis of pupil data pupil progress meetings are in place to identify what is working and how to remove barriers to learning for each pupil, informing practice and curriculum development. Teachers are accountable for the pupil progress for pupils in their class, alongside subject leaders who can offer support and guidance on curriculum delivery, subject knowledge and interventions.

Assessment Platform – Earwig:

Springfields uses the bespoke observation, assessment and reporting system ‘Earwig’. The assessment frameworks on Earwig directly link with the Springfields’ curriculum pathways.

Springfields Assessment Timetable:

At the start of each academic year pupils are take part in baseline assessments in:

• Phonics
• Reading
• Writing
• Maths

The type of baseline assessment is specific to a pupils SEND profile and curriculum pathway.

These assessments are then moderated to ensure consistency of standards.

There are three further curriculum assessment points throughout the year which focus on academic progress, these are followed by moderation and pupil progress weeks.

Teachers complete further assessments in Phonics termly and Springfields Autism Tracker every 12 weeks.

Pupils 12 week outcomes that directly underpin their EHCP targets are reviewed every 12 weeks.

Assessment

• Pupil Progress and Assessment Cycle 2024 2025 download_for_offline
  download_for_offlinePupil Progress and Assessment Cycle 2024 2025

Pupil Progress Meetings:

Pupil Progress Meetings take place after each assessment point. Trends in data are analysed and individual pupil progress is reviewed.

Interventions and then put in place to remove barriers to learning.

These are re-visited at the next pupil progress meeting and through school improvement monitoring.

Explorer/Pathfinder Assessment – Formal Curriculum:

All pupils at Springfields work below age related progress as identified in the Cognition and Learning section of their Education, Health Care Plans (EHCP). Nearly all pupils work a key stage below their chronological age and many work at least two key stages below their chronological age. Therefore the majority of children on this pathway are working within an adapted key stage 1 or key stage 2 curriculum. As a result all pupils will leave Springfields will a minimum of entry level qualifications with the aspiration for level 1 qualifications where appropriate. Some pupils may leave with level 2/GCSE qualifications in specific subjects.

Springfields Explorer Assessment Frameworks therefore reflect an adapted National Curriculum as follows:

Explorer Target Setting:

Target setting is informed by the ‘Progression Guidance for SEND’ (2010) against Upper Quartile Progress.

Core Subject Academic Targets:

• A core target of 30% of each stage per year is set for all pupils. This may be amended within a 10% tolerance in Pupil Progress meetings to show challenge.
•  If 85% of the stage is achieved teachers should review pupil progress against the next stage/progression in the framework.

Foundation Subject and Pathways Academic Progress and Target Setting:

•  Pupil progress against the amended key stage 1 and key stage 2 National Curriculum will be tracked against the progressive curriculum. A target will be set if the pupil is working significantly below their identified curriculum path.
• Where a pupil is working towards a specific qualification annual targets will be set to scaffold a trajectory towards their predicted end of key stage 4 outcomes.

Conversion table for Key Stage 3-4 – targets against Progression Guidance for SEND (2010):

EHCP

EHCP targets are broken into smaller personalised learning targets. These are used to inform planning and are assessed and updated continuously.