New Curriculum and AssessmentTuesday 19th January 2016Mr Fairclough, Miss Gould and Ms Moyle

Reason for Assessment Conference• The introduction of the new assessment

framework in line with the new curriculum

Purpose of Assessment Conference1. Share the key curriculum changes in English and Maths

2. Help parents understand how their children are assessed in school and why.

3. Help parents understand what National tests will take place at the end of KS1 and KS2.

Changes to the Curriculum* English, Maths and Science remain very important and are considered the core subjects in both primary and secondary education.

* The National Curriculum sets out in some detail what must be taught in each of these subjects, and they will take up a substantial part of your child’s learning week.

* There is an expectation for children to achieve well in Reading, Writing and Maths – combined.

New Primary Curriculum• Statutory for most children from

September 2014.• The expectations for standards have risen.

• There are changes in content and expectations.

Some of the main changes for English

• Stronger emphasis on vocabulary development, grammar, punctuation and spelling (for example, the use of commas and apostrophes will be taught in KS1)

• Emphasis on reading more widely , for pleasure.• Handwriting –is expected to be fluent, legible and

speedy• Spoken English has a greater emphasis, with

children to be taught debating, recitation and presenting skills.

• Strengthen the teaching of phonics - more pupils should read fluently.

• Word lists are included for Key Stage 2.

Changes for Maths• It goes beyond the previous curriculum.

• Need to keep key maths fundamentals, such as times tables and number facts, "on the boil"

• Emphasis on calculating and problem solving with fractions and decimals and less on data handling (now called statistics).

• Calculators are banned in the KS2 SAT. There is an increased emphasis on mental fluency and the use of efficient written methods in the four mathematical operations.

• Five year olds will be expected to count up to 100 (compared to 20 under the old curriculum) and learn number bonds to 20 (previously up to 10).

• Simple fractions (1/4 and ½ will be taught from KS1, and by the end of primary school, children should be able to convert decimal fractions to simple fractions (e.g. 0.375 = 3/8).

• By the age of nine, children will be expected to know times tables up to 12 x 12 (previously 10 x 10 by the end of primary school).

• Calculators will not be introduced until near the end of KS2, to encourage mental arithmetic skills.

Changes for Maths

Changes for Maths• A strong emphasis has been placed in mental and

written calculations of whole numbers, decimals and fractions.

• Many maths topics are introduced at an earlier stage and taught at an accelerated pace.

• New terminology – the curriculum is now divided in to ‘Number’ and ‘Geometry and Measures’.

• A strong emphasis on using and applying Maths skills in a variety of ways and contexts.

• Knowing how each pupil is performing allows teachers to help individuals improve.

• Assessment plays a key role in helping schools to improve outcomes.

• This in turn promotes improvement at class level, then at school level.

Why Assess?

Types of Assessment

• Diagnostic• Observational• Formative• Summative

No More Levels!• In previous years, children were assessed according to NC

levels e.g 1a, 1b, 1c. However, in the current curriculum, these levels have been removed because the government felt that:

- Children were too focussed on levels rather than on the specific next steps given to them by their teachers.

- Parents did not really understand what the different levels entailed.

- Even when two children were assessed as being the same level, one child may have just missed out on the next level up while another child could have scraped the level which has implications on their future targets and progress.

National Assessments• Previously you would have been given a level

with regards to your child’s attainment level, e.g. 3b, 4c, 1a.

• Children are now assessed in terms of age-expectations

• There isn’t a national assessment system – it is up to the school to choose an assessment system.

• We will be using a system called Target Tracker.

Target Tracker

• EACH YEAR GROUP TO BE A ‘BAND’ Year 1 = Band 1, Year 2 – Band 2 and so on

• Each Year Band is broken down into 6 steps

• Minimum Expected progress will be 6 Steps of progress over a year

StepsEach year band has been broken down into six steps: • beginning (b) • beginning + (b+) • working within (w) • working within + (w+) • secure (s) • secure + (s+)

Beginning, Working within, Secure

The three broader sections may be thought of in these terms- • Beginning –. There may a little of the previous

band still to gain complete confidence in but the pupil is working on the areas in this band

• Working Within –Up to 70% of the statements are confidently achieved

• Secure –the broad expectations for the band have been met

Banding• Lower and high attaining pupils may be working at a

band outside of their current year

• HOWEVER there is an expectation for all children to go ‘deeper’ within their year group band rather than skip to the band above.

End of Key Stage Tests

KS1 – Spelling, punctuation and grammar test, Reading test, Arithmetic Paper, Reasoning Paper

KS2 – Spelling, punctuation and grammar test, Reading test, Arithmetic paper, 2 Reasoning Papers

How can parents help their children?

• Ensure your children know their times tables and number bonds, to 10, 20, 100 and 1000.

• Relate to real life experiences e.g. buying items in a shop.

• Read with your children on regular basis and write it in their Reading Record. Ask them questions about what they have read.

• Ensure children practise their spellings• Ensure your children complete their homework.

Maths Warning: Children need to understand mathematical concepts, why we have hundreds, tens and units. They may be able to complete a page of calculations but do they understand what they have just done?

Please do not ask your children to sit practise SATs papers at home – we use these in school. CGP publications are very useful and can be bought from bookshops.

Parents Consultation Day – 12th February

What you will be told:• How your child has settled in• Areas of strength• Areas for development• What they need to practise at home

What you won’t be told:• Where your child is in relation to other children in

the class. • What band your child is at – you will be told

whether your child is working at age expectations, above or below.Every child is an individual! Every child can

succeed, they may just not be there yet!

Assessment is not meant to be used as a measure of your child’s ability at school but as

a means to improve their learning; their knowledge,

their understanding and their skills.