Assessing Without Levels

Early Years – Nursery and Reception

Children in Nursery and Reception are assessed against the Prime and Specific areas of learning in the EYFS profile. Assessments are based on daily activities and events. At the end of Reception, for each Early Learning Goal, teachers will judge whether a child is meeting the level of development expected at the end of the Reception year:

Emerging – not yet reached the expected level of development
Expected – at the expected level of development for their age
Exceeding – beyond the expected level of development for their age

KS1 – Year 1 & Year 2

Since 2014, children in Ks1 have been taught a revised curriculum, which includes ‘assessment without levels’. Children are taught a curriculum, outlined in the National Curriculum’s Programmes of Study, for which they will be assessed against ‘age-related expectations’. Each year group has a number of objectives that will be covered in the academic year. Your child will be assessed against these objectives. This assessment will be reported to you for reading, writing and mathematics.

What does this mean for you as a parent?

Assessment is ongoing, lesson by lesson/week by week, but we collect assessment data formally three times a year prior to Parent Meetings so that we can update you on the progress your child has made.

At Parent Meetings your child’s class teacher will be able to report to you as to how they are progressing within the ‘age related expectations’.

Terminology	What does it mean?
Working Below	Your child is either working on a previous year’s curriculum or they have just started to access the age related expectations for their year.
Working Towards	At this moment in time, your child is accessing the curriculum expected for their age but they are inconsistent in achieving objectives. Your child might require extra time and support.
Working Towards +	Your child often performs well against the curriculum objectives but sometimes requires extra time and support.
On Track	If your child is ‘On-Track’ they are comfortably working at age-related expectations. They are able to access most of the curriculum and complete independent work accurately.
Greater Depth	Your child is working at Greater depth if they have demonstrated a high ability in a curriculum area. They can apply their knowledge in other curriculum areas and confidently tackle complex activities.

Testing in School

Outlined below is an overview of the statutory tests (tests all schools are legally required to undertake) and the internal testing that takes place in school for each year group.

Year	Statutory Testing	Internal Assessment
Nursery	None	Baseline Assessments plus termly assessments
Reception	End of year assessment against the Early Learning Goals	Baseline Assessments plus termly assessments
Y1	National Phonics Screening Check	Ongoing teacher assessment plus termly tests
Y2	End of year Standard Assessments (SATs) in Reading, Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling and Mathematics, which are used to inform a final teacher assessment. In addition, Year 2 pupils will receive a teacher assessment in Writing.	Ongoing teacher assessment plus termly tests
Y2	National Phonics Screening Check Resit for those children who did not meet the required standard in Year 1.	Ongoing teacher assessment plus termly tests

Reporting to Parents

In addition to our open door policy, informal open afternoons for parents and ongoing conversations and feedback between Parents and teachers, we report to parents formally through Parent Meetings in Autumn and Spring Term and in the Summer term through the annual Pupil Report. Included in the annual Pupil Report will be information about the Statutory Tests outlined above. Parents of Reception children will be given their summative assessment against the Early Learning Goals. Year 1 parents (and parents of those Year 2 children who did not meet the required standard in Year 1) will be given the result of the phonics screening check for their child and Y2 children will be given their Teacher Assessment for the end of KS1.

Supporting Different Groups of Children

Children with specific difficulties

Some children have specific learning needs and as such have plans that will meet their needs. They will be supported to make progress in line with their peers but they may not, because of their special needs, meet year group objectives. We do however have assessment and tracking systems that support, challenge and monitor their progress.

Children who are falling behind

Any child who is working below the age-related expectation is given personalised learning objectives to help them reach their potential. We have intervention groups in place that aim to address difficulties as they arise. Over time, intervention strategies and quality first teaching help children with large gaps to make accelerated progress and being to catch up with their peers.

More Able Children

Children who are assessed as ‘Working at Greater Depth’ are also supported to continue working at the highest standard. We do this through providing children with a rich and stimulating curriculum. Rather than moving on to the next year’s programme of study, children will work on ‘deepening’ their knowledge through the application of skills in different contexts, including solving complex problems.

Year Expectations

Each year group has its specific targets. The children will be assessed against these targets during the year. Class teachers will be able to report to you as to how children are progressing within the ‘age related expectations’.

Adobe Reader
You may need a product like Adobe Reader (free download) to view our PDF documents on our website.