Assessment
Assessment Without Levels at Wells Park School
At Wells Park, pupil learning is assessed in a variety of ways. The school considers learning in its broadest sense, spanning both academic and social situations throughout the 24-hour curriculum. This means that staff are looking out for and considering learning opportunities at all times, be it in more formal classroom situations, during lunch times or whilst undertaking activities during their residential times in school.
As a school for pupils with SEMH, our foremost concern is the progress pupils make with their behaviour and their social skills. Social and behavioural learning is currently assessed by the staff team around each child (both education and care) using our 6 Core Strengths assessment, which focuses on emotional and social aspects of learning. Pupils are assessed against the the areas within this assessment on a termly basis using information from staff observation and records, and through discussion between key members of staff.
Education and care staff work closely together to ensure a consistent approach to pupil behavioural and social progress: this is at the heart of everything the school does. Key staff for each pupil set individual targets linked to the 6 Core Strengths assessment. Staff also consider specific strategies and activities they may use to support pupils to achieve these targets. Each pupil is observed regularly by the child’s residential keyworker to ensure progress and achievement is closely monitored in the residential setting. In classrooms, staff plan a specific approach to support pupils in achieving their social targets.
In addition to this, staff record and monitor pupils’ Token Scores and Restrictive Physical Intervention (Safehold) information. This data is reviewed weekly by the Senior Leadership Team, enabling identification of any pupils who are of concern and considering actions and interventions required to address this.
Academic learning is monitored through the use of the school's Assessment System, a comprehensive assessment tool which breaks the National Curriculum and pre-National curriculum learning into specific, age-related objectives. Teachers use 2Eskimos Reading Assessment and Rising Stars Assessment for Maths alongside the Assessment System to inform teacher assessment judgements for each pupil. Pupils' academic progress is assessed and analysed on a termly basis. The information generated from these assessments alonside data around Lexia (reading) progress is used to inform classroom interventions and to ensure the school is striving for excellence from all of its pupils.
CEM InCAS tests are used to baseline pupils on entry to the school, within the first half term of a pupil's arrival. These tests generate a reading, spelling and maths age for each child as well as a 'Developed Ability' and 'Attitudes towards School' score.
At Wells Park, we recognise that each pupil may have differing needs and may make academic progress at a different rate, depending on their personal circumstances and on the particular learning need they may have. Because of this, the school carefully considers what progress should look like for each pupil on an individual basis, rather than providing generic figures for all pupils to work towards.
Academic assessment data is used alongside formative assessments by class teachers and HLTAs to formulate Individual Learning Plans for each pupil in the school, as well as to determine which pupils would benefit from interventions in specific areas. Teachers and education support staff talk regularly to discuss pupil progress and to moderate pupil assessment information to ensure consistency across the school. The school has also, and will continue to, partake in external moderation with other schools and the Local Authority.