Nursery learning journeys
Every child’s progress is closely monitored at Richard Alibon in order that we can provide the best possible levels of support. When children start nursery, staff informally monitor their development and keep detailed records. This information is shared with families during the year and is transferred to the reception class at the end of the school year.
Foundation stage profile
At the start of Reception children are assessed using an accredited baseline assessment, Early Excellence. This forms part of the teachers’ everyday practice where they build their knowledge of each child through observations, interactions and every day activities. They use this professional knowledge to make a series of judgements about each child based on a clear set of assessment criteria.
Children continue to be assessed throughout the reception year where staff add information to an assessment profile for each individual. Insights from these profiles are shared at parent consultation meetings and the completed profile is bound and available to be taken home at the end of the year. We encourage you as parents and carers to tell us about your child’s achievements at home so we can add these to your child’s profile.
Year 1 phonic check
All children in Year 1 participate in a national phonics check. This assessment is administered by their class teacher. Results are included within the Year 1 end of year report and will tell you whether or not your child has reached the expected national standard in their phonic knowledge.
SATS
Children in Year 2 and Year 6 are assessed during May. Individual pupil results from these assessments are reported annually to parents in their children’s reports. Each pupil receives an overall result indicating whether or not he or she has achieved the required standard on the test. Anonymised cohort results are reported to the wider community on this website and on the Department for Education website.
Marking and verbal feedback
We aim to provide regular feedback to children through marking so that they have specific advice about improvements to their work. Children are given time to read and review their work following marking. They are encouraged to respond to marking to show they have understood advice given and to add a comment if possible.
Often feedback will be given verbally, directly to the child during the course of their learning. This is the most effective form of feedback. Verbal feedback enables the child to ask clarifying questions, supply further information for the teacher to work with and respond immediately to direction and the advice given.
Recording and termly reporting
Teachers record children’s attainment using a system called Target Tracker. Using this system, attainment within each year group, in reading, writing and mathematics, is described within a band: Year 1 – Band 1; Year 2 – Band 2; etc.
Each Band is made up of a number of statements describing specific measures of attainment. When marking, teachers look for evidence that statements have been met recording each time a child achieves, or partially achieves a measure of attainment.
At the end of each half-term, attainment is summarised and each child is judged to be ‘beginning’, ‘working toward’ or ‘secure’ within the appropriate band for each subject.
Parents are informed of their child’s current attainment and progress at each parent-teacher meeting where we will also provide you with a written termly report which will be clear if your child is working at, above or below the standard expected of his or her age. This termly report will also set your child targets – the most important things they can do to make a real improvement in their learning.
Between reports and parents evening we are always happy to meet with you if you want to know more about how your child is doing at school or want to know more about how to help them at home.
