MATHS DEPARTMENT

ASSESSMENT POLICY FOR THE BROAD GENERAL EDUCATION STAGE (S1 S3)

WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE We want every pupil to have the numeracy skills to manage confidently in their adult lives and to have the skills to embark on their chosen careers.

EXPERIENCES & OUTCOMES All of our courses in S1 S3 are designed to allow pupils to overtake the published Experiences and Outcomes of Curriculum for Excellence. These take the form of I can or I have statements eg. Third Level
I can solve problems by carrying out calculations with a wide range of fractions, decimals and percentages, using my answers to make comparisons and informed choices for real-life situations. . MNU 3 07a MNU 4 09a

Fourth Level
I can discuss and illustrate the facts that I need to consider when determining what I can afford, in order to manage credit and debit, and lead a responsible lifestyle.

These Experiences are far too numerous to list here but can be accessed at the following web address: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/numeracy_maths_experiences_outcomes_tcm4539867.pdf SIGNIFICANT ASPECTS OF LEARNING NUMERACY In daily teaching we concentrate mostly on the following skills:
establishing firm foundations for future specialist learning developing numeracy skills to participate fully in society selecting the essential information to solve a mathematical problem interpreting numerical information from tables & graphs, in order to assess risks and make informed decisions using technology in appropriate and effective ways developing problem-solving capabilities and using mathematical modelling to solve real-life problems developing mental agility handling abstract mathematical concepts communicating mathematical processes and conclusions to other members of the group

ASSESSMENT FOR PUPILS

Pupils are expected to produce work in class and for homework: this would probably be textbook problems and exercises on new maths concepts that they have learnt and are practising, in order to become proficient . The pupils need to be clear about what they are aiming for : they need to know what successful maths looks like. In the case of a simple, straightforward procedure, the pupils would be expected to attain minimum accuracy levels of 80%. Where problem-solving is involved, which may comprise multiple processes or more complex procedures, success would be assessed otherwise: one possible method would be for the pupils to communicate their solution and explain in detail how they reached it. An alternative method would be for pupils to evaluate the solutions of others, eliciting from them their methods of working. Thus the assessment process may compare the pupils work against accepted success criteria, or against an example of good performance. The former might be done through traditional teacher marking, whereas the latter might be via a conversation with the teacher and /or with other members of the group. Whether it is the teacher or classmates feeding back with an assessment, they should start by concentrating on what was right, before indicating any areas that need correction or improvement. The end result should be that a pupil comes away from a task with a clear idea of what went right and knows how to sort what went wrong. Ultimately, we are working towards a situation where every pupil can self-assess effectively. This may not happen properly until further up the school, at a different stage for each pupil, but there should come a point when pupils can judge their own work and practise it until it is good without the support that is necessary in the early stages. Basically, in S1 S3, we are trying to establish a feedback loop in assessment: pupil produces work; pupil receives feedback from teacher and/or peers; pupil is aware of what needs to be improved.

Records of assessment Teachers will have a record of pupils performance in the various Learning Experiences and Outcomes. A single piece of work could cover more than one experience / outcome. The teacher and the pupil will discuss together the assessment information in order for the pupil, supported by teachers advice, to judge when s/he is ready for more challenging work, or to know that s/he needs revision and further help to become confident. This might involve the pupil coming to the teacher for extra learning out of formal lesson times.

ASSESSMENT FOR TEACHERS Assessment is an important tool for a teacher to evaluate the extent to which a lesson has worked with a class. It forms a feedback loop for a teacher: if a proportion of the class does not seem to have understood, then it is necessary to reconsider the methodology or the materials, in order to identify the problem. Meanwhile, the teacher will make another opportunity to deal with the problem that the original lesson was meant to address. About once a term teachers will share the work of their classes with a colleague to discuss the standards and the rate of progress in each class.

ASSESSMENT FOR PARENTS Assessment is different with Curriculum for Excellence - you will not receive a report that reduces your childs performance to a single letter or number, comparing him or her against a national standard. Unless there is a problem, you will probably only receive one report in the course of a year. The important thing is not only to praise your child for work that is going well, but also to encourage him/her to seek help from the teacher when they are in difficulties.