Assessing without levels through Learning Ladders

West Exe Technology CollegeAssessment Innovation Fund

Our position

• Newly formed Exeter Learning Trust (Jan 14)• Learning ladders used increasingly by our

partner schools, key stages and subject areas• Our vision – consistent and joint approach to

assessment• Common language for all to understand

We hope you find this useful

• This presentation gives an overview of how our learning ladder system works

• Exemplar material and templates are also available to download

• A full pack of exemplar materials across key stages 1 to 4 ready for September 2014

Assessment for Progress

• We are establishing a framework for 2014-15 and beyond to ensure that assessment genuinely supports progressive learning in all subjects

PROGRESS

Changes to our assessment format and framework are not about reinventing the wheel…

…they are about making the wheel turn more smoothly and effectively.

http://www.delta-associates.com/wp-content/uploads/DOHP-Main-Image-Wheel.jpg

Our philosophy

Why is a change in the assessment process needed?

• To ensure that assessment is consistently delivered across all and within subjects in a common format and framework

• To ensure that assessment is based upon whole-school and subject-specific criteria

• To ensure that assessment feeds directly into the school’s tracking system and that additional support is given to the correct pupils

• To best support pupils’ progress, “enabling them to understand how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve.” (OFSTED)

How the format & framework changed for West Exe

Streamlining: • 9 modular assessments to be replaced by 6

assessments per-year (ie. 1 formally recorded assessment per half-term)

“Fewer assessments = More progress”

How the format & framework changed for West Exe

Grading: • Use of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy to provide a coherent

whole-school language / framework for assessment • KS3 levels to be ‘replaced’ by West Exe levels (designed

and agreed by subject teams) which incorporate Bloom’s language

• GCSE grade descriptors to incorporate Bloom’s language

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

assess, justify, prioritise, judge, decide, choose, recommend

plan, invent, design, develop, construct, compose

explain, compare, discuss, predict, outline, adapt

compare, contrast, examine, investigate, categorise, classify, sort

use, complete, examine, illustrate, solve, apply

identify, name, describe, find, list, recall

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy Bloom’s action words

Prog

ress

ive

‘Learning for progress’ overview ladder

produced for each subject area(1x A4 page for each key stage)

Use a common hierarchy of thinking skills based on Bloom’s Revised

Taxonomy and Bloom’s action words

Planning

Individual‘Learning for progress’

ladders

Individual lessons* (as success criteria)

Summative (end of topic) assessments*

Interim formative assessments*

Periodic reviews of learning*

*choose which individual ladder(s) to use depending on factors such

as ability, topic, prior learning, position in module

and adapt as necessary

CreatingEvaluatingAnalysingApplying

UnderstandingRemembering

Plan, invent, design, develop, construct, composeAssess, justify, prioritise, judge, decide, choose, recommend

Compare, contrast, examine, investigate, categorise, classify, sortUse, complete, examine, illustrate, solve, apply

Explain, compare, discuss, predict, outline, adaptIdentify, name, describe, find, list, recall

Identify assessment common elements

eg. numeracy, literacy, language, cross-curricular

Constructing ladders

‘Learning for Progress’ Subject Overviews*

prog

ress

ive

One for each key stageCommon hierarchy of thinking skills based on

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

Bloom’s action words Each ladder step descriptor has been adapted from legacy key stage level descriptors and GCSE grade descriptors

*Exemplar copies and templatesavailable to download as editable files

Key linked to subject specific concepts and processes within each ladder step

‘Learning for Progress’ Individual Ladders*

One for each assessmentClarity of what is being assessed

Opportunities for self/peer/teacher reflection

prog

ress

ive

*Exemplar copies and templatesavailable to download as editable files

Concrete description of what a pupil is expected to know and be able to do with exemplification

Steps on ladder ticked

when met

Pupils make corrections & improvements in green pen to the work produced

How a learning ladder works

Teacher constructs learning ladder in planning stage ensuring steps are:

objective driven short discrete qualitative progressively challenging concrete description of what

a pupil is expected to know and be able to do

Teacher & pupils use ladders as a basis for:

differentiated success criteria interim formative assessments periodic reviews of learning summative assessments

Pupils choose the stepsto focus on

Pupils identify current snapshot of progress

(via self review, peer assessment, cooperative learning

or teacher led)

Pupils refer to higher steps of the ladder to identify

next steps for progression (via self review, peer assessment,

cooperative learning or teacher led)

Opportunities to share snapshot with parents/carers through

reporting, subject evenings, email, text, online reporting,

school website

Parents/carers know next steps & therefore how to support progress

Ladder steps

• Every step is objective driven by curriculum content• Each being a short, discrete, qualitative and

concrete description of what a pupil is expected to know and be able to do

• Allows the teacher to gather an accurate snapshot of pupil ability at each point of assessment

Green pen initiative• Using a green pen, pupils encouraged to reflect on

their work • Pupils engage in an ongoing dialogue with peers and

teacher on how to further improve work and make progress

• Green allows easy identification of reflections

Flexibility is the key• Ladders can be used for:– Individual lessons (as success criteria)– Interim formative assessments– Period reviews of learning– Summative (end of topic) assessments

• Embedded in the curriculum:– Teachers can modify lessons and future ladders

according to progress made by pupils• Can specifically focus on one aspect/step with

issues addressed by the whole class or individually

Inclusive

• Each ladder should offer the full range of steps to cater for the ability range of the group taught in the particular class

• Each step – fair but deliberately ambitious to maximise potential of all abilities

Quality control

• Accuracy of assessment judgements are moderated by experienced professionals across the learning community

• Ensures consistency of approach

Ladder checklist

• Is each ladder vertically arranged?• Does each step offer a short, discrete,

qualitative and concrete description of what a pupil is expected to know and be able to do?

• Does each step become progressively more challenging?

How to take forward a whole school approach

1. AgreementAgree assessment strategy at senior leadership & governor level 2. ConsultationConsult middle leaders and learning leaders (pupils)3. Develop through best practiceEstablish assessment working party to explore what is right for your school4. Introduce the concept whole schoolIntroduce new assessment model as an overarching concept5. Adopt & adaptAllow individual departments to take ownership and encourage creativity and individual approaches using a common language & framework

We hope you found this useful

• Exemplar material and templates are also available to download

• A full pack of exemplar materials across key stages 1 to 4 ready for September 2014

Useful links

• Bloom’s Taxonomy overviewhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom's_taxonomy

• 14 brilliant Bloom’s Taxonomy postershttp://www.teachthought.com/learning/14-brilliant-blooms-taxonomy-posters-for-teachers/

• Report of the NAHT Commission on Assessmentwww.naht.org.uk/assets/assessment-commission-report.pdf