Assessment

Unlike educational systems in many other countries, the British curriculum has only two formal assessment points: the end of Year 11 (IGCSE) exams, and the end of Year 13 (A-Level) exams. A thorough process has been put in place to ensure that our students are able to store and then retrieve information under the pressure of exam conditions at the end of these two year courses.

Mock exams take place at the end of Year 10, November of Year 11 and February of Year 11 for our iGCSE students, in each case replicating the conditions that students will face in exam diet in May/June of Year 11. This includes the setting of past paper questions and the use of examiners’ mark schemes and grade boundaries. The same then happens at the end of Year 12, and November and February of Year 13 with our A-Level students.

Although these mock exams take place in formal conditions, it is worth remembering that they are just part of the process of getting students ready for their final exams. The results of these mock exams do not count towards anything.

At the end of years 7 to 10, it is mandated by SPEA that students take GLs to measure their attainment and progress during the year. We prepare students for these tests, but students do not receive individual results. The overall cohort results are used by SPEA as part of the inspection process.

We also get asked occasionally for our students to participate in international tests. The results of these tests allow the standards in the UAE to be measured against other countries. The most famous of these tests is PISA. Students are advised that there is no need to revise for this kind of test.

Teachers are, of course, assessing students all the time, whether that be through

questioning in class, homework assignments, low stakes quizzes or end of topic tests. Teachers use all these forms of assessment to inform the planning of future lessons to ensure that all student needs are met as well as to form judgements that you will find on reports.

Please don’t wait for formal reports or Parent-Teacher Conferences if you have any concerns, and do get in touch with your child’s tutor.

However, we do have reporting points throughout the year when you will formally receive information on your child’s performance in each subject. You will receive a more detailed explanation of our reporting system at the time of publication.

CAT4 Test

At the beginning of the year, students take a CAT4 test. There is nothing that students can or need to do to prepare for this test. The results give teachers information about individual strengths and weaknesses in areas such as literacy and numeracy that then help them to plan lessons accordingly.

CAT4 results also give us an indication of what grades students of similar ability go on to achieve on average in their iGCSE and A Level exams. However, we believe that our students should aim to achieve beyond the average and therefore at various points across the year, we ask teachers to give an indication ofthe current attainment level of the students.

They will form this grade taking into account all we know about a child. It will not be on the basis of one test, but rather on the basis of all information gathered in class, in tests and in homework across the year to date. This information is used to set aspirational targets from years 7 to 11 and as part of our target-setting process at the start of Year 12.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) of the British Curriculum, assessments are designed to support and understand each child’s development and learning journey in their early years. These assessments focus on capturing a holistic view of a child’s progress across various areas of development.

Key Points :

Observation-Based: Assessments in EYFS are primarily based on observations of children’s everyday activities and interactions. Teachers and caregivers keenly observe how children engage with their environment, peers, and activities.

Development Areas

The EYFS assessments cover seven specific areas of learning and development: Communication and Language, Physical Development, Personal, Social, and Emotional Development, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design.

Formative Assessment

Assessment in EYFS is continuous and formative, meaning it happens throughout the year and informs teaching and learning on an ongoing basis. This approach ensures that educators can tailor their support to suit each child's unique needs.

Learning Journeys

Schools often maintain "learning journeys" for each child. These are collections of observations, photos, and work samples that build a comprehensive picture of the child's progress and achievements over time.

Assessment Tools

Alongside observations, educators might use simple checklists, photographs, and notes to document children's learning milestones and achievements.

Parental Involvement

Parents are actively involved in their child's learning journey. They often contribute insights and observations from home, helping to create a well-rounded assessment of the child's development.

Progress Summaries

At the end of the EYFS stage (around age 5), a summary of each child's development is shared with parents. This includes the child's strengths, areas of progress, and suggestions for further support.

No Formal Tests

EYFS assessments do not involve formal tests or exams. Instead, they focus on capturing the child's natural curiosity, creativity, and development in a play-based and nurturing environment.

Assessment in EYFS aims to celebrate each child’s unique journey while providing valuable insights to educators and parents. They ensure that learning is tailored to each child’s pace and needs, setting a strong foundation for future academic success.

SIPS is an inclusive school, and we work hard to meet the needs of all our children. Class teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all pupils in their class. High quality teaching is available to all children, including those with additional needs. We work hard as a school to ensure that all additional support in the classroom is deployed effectively. Where a child is not making the expected progress the class teacher will work alongside the Inclusion Leader, parents and external agencies (where appropriate) to plan tailored support. We follow the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle to ensure all children are monitored closely and make progress. We use Individual Learning plans, where appropriate, which are reviewed with the child and parents termly. Engaging pupils in their own assessment is a core philosophy of the school’s learning approach. The purpose of this approach is to have our pupils be able to articulate what they were ‘learning’ and not just what they were ‘doing’. Feedback and feed forward is a really important part of knowing what you’ve done well at and what you need to do next to succeed.

All children in Year 1 will participate in a National Curriculum Phonics screening check. This is designed to confirm whether pupils have learnt phonic decoding to an appropriate standard. It will identify pupils who need extra help to improve their decoding skills. The check consists of 20 real words and 20 pseudo-words that a pupil reads aloud to the teacher. This assessment will be administered by the Year 1 teacher. Results are included within the Year 1 end of term report.

Internal Assessment

Baseline assessment

Baseline Assessment is very important for tracking progress, planning next steps, reporting, and involving parents, children and young people in learning. It is a means of collecting information about a child's development or attainment at the point at which they enter a new setting or year group. Our Baseline assessments from year 2 -year6 help teachers to get an understanding of our students’ existing subject knowledge.

Formative Assessment (Assessment for Learning)

Formative Assessment takes place as part of ongoing learning and teaching. As part of ongoing learning children and young people's progress, strengths and needs are assessed as part of day-to-day learning and teaching. Teachers and others do this by, for example, watching and listening to learners carrying out tasks, by looking at what they write or make and by considering how they answer questions. Students will be involved in planning their next steps in learning. formative assessments can be conducted throughout the term which are composed of quizzes, projects, half term evaluation, and assignments.

Summative Assessment (Assessment of Learning)

Teachers will assess a student’s progress and achievements in order to be able to plan ahead and to record and report on progress. This will help to ensure that their progress is on track and that any necessary action is taken to support their learning. The purpose of the Summative Assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark. Summative assessments are often high stakes, which means that they have a high point value. Examples of summative assessments include: a midterm exam.

External Assessment (Standardized tests)

CAT4(The Cognitive Abilities Test Fourth Edition)

CAT4 is a suite of tests developed to support schools in understanding students' abilities and likely academic potential. It is an internationally recognized assessment tool designed to measure a student's cognitive abilities across various domains. The test is often used in educational settings to gain insights into a student's strengths and areas for improvement, helping educators tailor their teaching strategies to better meet individual needs. Here are key aspects of the CAT4 test and why it is considered important:

The CAT4 assesses a student's cognitive abilities in four main areas:

Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Spatial Ability.

Verbal Reasoning: Assessing the ability to understand and work with information expressed in words.

Non-Verbal Reasoning: Evaluating problem-solving skills using shapes and patterns.

Quantitative Reasoning: Measuring mathematical reasoning and problem-solving abilities.

Spatial Ability: Assessing the capacity to manipulate shapes and visualize spatial relationships.

Students from year 2- year 10 will be assessed for CAT assessment at the beginning of every academic year and the results will provide valuable insights into the student’s preferred learning style and potential challenges.

TALA

TALA provides a standards-based measure of the Arabic reading and writing proficiency of children who are mother-tongue speakers of Arabic. is the first internationally recognized certification that assesses your proficiency in modern standard Arabic. It is the first internationally recognized certification that assesses the child’s proficiency in modern standard Arabic.

Progress Test

The Progress Test in English (PTE) assessment enables teachers to accurately measure how the school and the students are performing – student by student, class by class and year by year. Students will be assessed once every year from year 3-year 10

Assessment For Secondary

Key Points :

Assessment in primary school

Internal Assessment

External Assessment (Standardized tests)