Extract from Parent Handbook on

Assessment Practices
yellow highlights = explanations of how practices support learning

Assessment
At Island Christian Academy, we are focussed on learning, which means we are also
focussed on assessment. Assessment is not a singular activity; it is both about an
on-going process of gaining information to promote future learning and the
measurement of performance at a given point in time. As such, we regularly use
two distinct types of assessment:

Assessment for learning (AfL)- helps to identify the next steps needed to
make progress and promotes future learning.

Assessment of learning (AoL, also referred to as assessment for reporting)describes past learning and achievement to date.

Knowledge, Skills and Understanding (K,S,U)

We differentiate between three kinds of learning: knowledge, skills and
understanding. All three need to be assessed in order to get a full picture of
students learning, but each one is assessed differently, and students are taught to
differentiate between these three kinds of assessment.

Knowledge
Knowledge is assessed through tests, quizzes and interviews. These are teachercreated assessments based on learning in individual classrooms or across year
bands. These are to be recorded and reported on.
For consistency, the knowledge assessment data collected will be cumulative and
described by the following standards.

Beginning
Working Towards
Meeting Expectations
Exceeding

Skills
Unlike knowledge, which can be right or wrong, skills development is a process
and therefore need a different manner of describing achievement. Skills have to be
observed in context to be effectively assessed. Skills are assessed through
provided rubrics (teacher & student), and results are to be recorded and reported
on. For skills we use:

Beginning: The first recognizable performance of a given learning outcome.

Developing: A mid-point performance of a given learning outcome.

Mastering: The largely successful performance of a given learning outcome.

At Island CA, we use the IPC AfL programme that supports teachers students in
assessing, student progress in key skills from the IPC Learning Goals. This
programme includes three key components, which help define next steps and
improve learning:

Teacher rubrics: essentially success criteria. They help teachers observe

and record the level at which children are learning in terms of Beginning,
Developing and Mastering.

Student rubrics: child-friendly versions of the teachers in age appropriate

language, for children to use when actively engaged in self and peer
assessing.

Learning advice: specific learning activities and advice, which can be used
in the class and shared with parents, that help children to move to the next
stage with their learning.

A skill level is assessed against specific developmentally appropriate targeted skills,

which are expected to be developed over the two-year Milepost. Therefore students
finishing Years 1, 3 & 5 (which are the first years in Mileposts) would be expected to

achieve Developing, while students finishing Years 2,4 & 6/7 would achieve
Mastering in the same skill. Similarly, if a student at the end Year 2 is assessed as
Mastering in a skill (e.g. related to researching), then we would expect him/her to
start the following year as Beginning for a Year 3 (or Milepost 2) skill related to
researching.

Understanding is developed, and can be evaluated by a judgement of observations

carried out over time. Activities are planned, and time given for students to reflect
on their understanding. An understanding comment will be reported on in each
report card.

Student Involvement/Reflection
To ensure quality learning is taking place, teachers work in close partnership with
the students to ensure that they understand the expectations and learning goals
prior to undertaking work. Students should become increasingly skilled at assessing
themselves and their learning. Through assessment tasks, students are then
presented with the opportunity to reflect on their own learning, in relation to the
expectations and goals, and to accept responsibility for it. In this way, students
awareness as to the effectiveness of their own learning is heightened.

Reporting
At Island CA we encourage positive, effective home-school dialogue to support and
nurture the students learning.
Informal
Teachers communicate informally with their students parents on a regular basis via
the following means:

At the start of a new IPC Unit: overview plan for teaching & learning
during the unit and any potential outings

IPC Exit Points: - For some exit points parents are invited to school

Classroom blogs such as Weebly

Reports and Conferences

Formal reporting provides vital information on student development and progress in
a timely manner. Its aim is to provide parents and students with valuable feedback
on learning and achievement to date in order to help a student progress and
promote their future learning.

Formal Reports
At Island CA, formal written reports, compiled by a students teachers, are sent out
twice a year, at mid-year and end-of-year. They are designed to provide an
accurate snapshot for parents (and students themselves) of where each child is at a
particular point in time in terms of achievement, attitude and potential.

Reports cover all subjects, as well as personal goals and international mindedness,
and will highlight different types of learning/assessment (KSU), as well as provide
commentary to help students improve. Reports state the learning goals and the
types of learning (skills, knowledge and understanding) that have been assessed
during the period and the students achievement against agreed criteria.

Parents will also be provided with a copy of any report received by the School on
their childs results from externally moderated standardised tests taken at Island CA
(e.g. ISAs taken in upper years).
Parents receive report cards only if and when all outstanding payments, such as
tuition fees and library fines have been paid.

Conferences
While Island CA has an open door policy, and we welcome regular informal contact
between teachers and parents, formal conferences are an important aspect of
school-home cooperation, designed to help students achieve their full potential. The
first conference in the year is teacher-led and the second is student-led. Studentled Conferences provide an excellent opportunity for students to celebrate and
share their learning and development with their parents/caregivers. Conferences
take place during school hours. Parents receive notice in advance.