Assessment is seen as a key tool in planning learning, supporting and monitoring pupil progress

DEVELOPING Assessment for Learning

Planning for Assessment

• Start with what pupils know• Identify with pupils what you want to achieve• Use the curriculum to plan learning

experiences• Use level descriptions to help target where

you want the pupils to be • Use ongoing assessment to guide progression

and involve pupils• Tweak planning as necessary as you go• Use teacher, class, self and peer assessment• Use work sampling, talk, pupil views

•Unit of work focus: To recognise(L3) and understand(L4) how people can improve and damage the environment (using own and other views [L4])

•Skills focus: fieldwork, mapping and ICT

I used this curriculum target to help me focus a unit of work for year 4 pupils to ensure it was

pitched at the right level. I think most of my pupils are working at L3 but felt some could

achieve aspects of L4, so I built in opportunities for this.

Year 4: Using photographs to assess prior knowledge

Paired and class discussions allowed me to find out what pupils already knew about the local area and about environmental quality.

Pupils were generally confident at finding locations and plotting routes

using maps in class but needed more practice at making their own

maps.

Success criteria: I can show features of the local environment on an outline map, using a key.Buddy task: has your buddy marked all the main features? Have they used a clear key? How could they improve their work?

Pupils had clear criteria and were

paired with a buddy for peer assessment

Pupils were asked to do a short self evaluation at the end of a unit of work

Level 2 level 3 level 4

Year 4 pupils were asked to

self assess using

statements linked to levels

Year 2 pupils were asked to reflect on

a fieldtrip to aid future planning.

Why was sketching the church too

hard?How could this

activity be changed?

Do pupils enjoy their learning?

Year 2 pupils write their own questions at the start of a unit of work on Mexico.

Questions are also useful for assessing

prior knowledge

Year 2Evidence for Level 2 type

thinkingI can identify, name (using

appropriate geographical vocabulary) and represent three or more (M/A pupil)

different types of land use where I live

Well done , clear drawings and correct names

Are there any buildings here? What for?

Year 2

Evidence for level 2 type thinking

I can give my own views on a locality using appropriate geographical vocabulary

Y1 - Prior knowledge at the start of a unit on

Kenya gleaned through talk and annotation.

Pupil working at level 1 and

needing support to develop an

awareness of the wider world

(level 2)

Y4 - Self assessment – can you identify the words that help you describe a sense

of place? Peer assessment – compare your words

with your partners – how can you improve what you have done?

:Evidence for level 3 type

thinking recognising how people damage

and sustain environments

Lower ability child (Y3) showing awareness of

importance of main road in town development and growth of residential area

around it

Marking for improvement

Self assessment at the end of a

unit

Year 3 pupils sorted photographs into

group by land use: agricultural,

services. Residential, transport

Groups peer assessed each other’s choices and then had ‘improvement time’ to make

changesPhoto Jenny Till

How can I use assessment to ‘narrow the gap’ and raise

pupils’ attainment?