Monitoring Achievement
A guide to reporting and assessment at Matarau School
At Matarau School we believe that parents have an entitlement to high quality information on the progress and attainment of their children. We administer comprehensive diagnostics and have a policy of making this information available to parents.
This information should
Enable parents to track performance over time
Clearly identify areas of strength and weakness
Be backed by evidence from a variety of sources
Enable parents to see how their child’s performance compares with other children their age
Enable learners, teachers and parents to identify next learning steps
Enable children to be co-participants in analysing their own achievement data
When interpreting information it is useful to remember the following
No assessment should ever be allowed to stand alone but should be viewed in the context of other assessment tasks. If concern emerges in one assessment area take the time to see if these concerns are reflected in other assessment areas.
That progress is rarely constant. Children frequently have periods of acceleration and then periods of plateau.
That few individuals are equally strong in all learning areas. It’s natural for a child to have areas of strength and areas of weakness.
Any assessment task is simply a snapshot of that child at a particular point in time. For this reason trends are more important than isolated occurrences.
All assessments have their limitations. Be careful not to draw conclusions which fall outside the scope of the assessment in question.
Best judgments are those based on information from a variety of sources.
For individual children
Initial interviews/3 way conferences
Goal setting
Digital Portfolios (end of term 2)
Mid-year data report
Mid-year interviews
Written reports at the end of term 4
At other times by appointment
For the school as a whole
Presentation of achievement data in term 1 (targets set school and class)
Presentation of moderated material in terms 2 and 3
Presentation of achievement data term four (evaluation of school and class targets)
Analysis of National Standards data
Achievement data in general and focus areas is presented, and discussed, at monthly meetings of the Board of Trustees. Parents are more than welcome at these meetings or can request this material.
Final Notes
Achievement information is only really useful when it aids in identifying next steps in learning. When children are co-participants in this process the value of this information is further enhanced.
At Matarau School we analyse and present achievement information in a variety of ways. Parents are encouraged to use all of the information available to them so that impressions from one source of information can be confirmed by reference to other sources. Over emphasis on any one method of reporting will provide a very partial picture of a child’s achievement – a bit like starting a jigsaw puzzle knowing from the outset that you only have a half of the necessary pieces. We encourage you to see these varied assessment and reporting measures as inter-related and to persevere if understanding these methods takes a little time.
Staff are highly available to discuss achievement information with you and to explain how to use this information for best effect.
