Embedding assessment processes into school life so that the feedback ensures that pupils make strong progress in their learning.
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Information about the school
Parkland Primary School is an English-medium school situated in Sketty, Swansea. There are 651 pupils on roll 124 of which are part-time. 28% of pupils speak English as an additional language which is significantly above the national average. Around 12% of the pupil population are entitled to free school meals which is below both the national and local averages. Around 7% of pupils have been identified as having additional learning needs which is also below the national average. The school hosts a specialist teaching facility to support pupils in Years 3 to 6 with additional learning needs from across the local authority.
The school’s senior leadership team consists of the head teacher, two deputy head teachers, four phase leaders and one ALNCo.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
Since the implementation of Curriculum for Wales, one of the school’s key objectives has been ensuring assessment processes are integral to curriculum design. Our starting point was designing provision, to meet the needs of our learners and provide feedback that enables pupils to make effective progress. Previously, progress and feedback had been identified mainly in accordance with national curriculum outcomes and levels. Our new processes adopt a holistic approach to assessing progress, where all stakeholders are active participants and feedback is personalised to each pupil.
Description of nature of strategy or activity
Our strategy is to embed a variety of processes to provide pupils with personalised and diagnostic feedback that supports them to make progress in their learning.
We are committed to formative assessment to inform next steps for our learners on their continuum and each pupil’s progress is a collaboration with pupils taking an active role. Live marking is the process of practitioners working collaboratively with pupils to identify progress and misconceptions in their learning. Live marking combines verbal and written feedback. It is instantaneous to each learner and enables pupils to take positive steps in their learning. Live marking requires pupils to act and respond to feedback, which supports learners in achieving their next steps.
Parkland Primary School places high importance on metacognition and the role it plays in the classroom as its impact on learners’ progress and performance is well researched and documented. Metacognition is the ability to think about and regulate one’s own thoughts. Staff use ‘meta-moments’, which are planned and dynamic collaborative reflection periods between practitioners and pupils. ‘meta-moments’ are embedded from a young age and this allows pupils to become more proficient in articulating their learning. As pupils progress they develop a broader repertoire of metacognitive skills and language and become competent at assessing their own and others’ learning.
All teaching and support staff in Parkland Primary School utilise evaluation journals as a tool for assessing and tracking the daily progress of pupils. These journals are used by staff to reflect on pupils’ progress and identify challenges and/or minsconceptions, enabling them to make informed decisions and plan future learning accordingly. This practice ensures a responsive and targeted approach to planning, fostering continuous growth and enhancing the overall learning experience for every pupil.
During the journey of implementing the Curriculum for Wales and developing a holistic approach to assessing pupil progress, one of the key changes for Parkland was introducing staff and pupil progress meetings, which capture the progress of groups and individual pupils. The procedure of progress meetings involves practitioners and pupils engaging in a dialogue to highlight each pupil’s progress and their next steps in learning. Progress meetings are on a termly basis and all stakeholders collaborate to support pupils on their journey. Practitioners collaborate through professional dialogue and robust monitoring procedures to observe the progress that is taking place.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
Through the implementation of these assessment processes, we know that provision has had a positive impact. Firstly, nearly all pupils have a strong awareness of where they are on their learning journey, of their next steps in order to make progress, how to take steps and what steps to take to make this progress. Pupils are more proficient in articulating their own and others’ learning, and are developing a broader repertoire of strategies to assess and move their learning forward, thus are empowered to improve their own learning. Practitioners have a variety of assessment processes to assess pupil progress and comprehensive information is available on each pupil. Each pupil’s progress is captured in narrative and develops as they progress on their learning journey.
How have you shared your good practice?
The school has engaged in sharing its innovative approach to assessment with schools within the local area and beyond and produced a playlist which has been shared at a national level.