Assessment, Feedback & Reporting Policy

DOCUMENT CONTROL

Table of Contents

1. Rationale
2. Aims of the Assessment & Reporting Policy
3. Nature of Assessment a. Baseline Assessments b. Formative Assessment (Assessment FOR Learning, also known as AFL) c. Summative Assessment (Assessment OF Learning)
4. Methods of Feedback a. Visual feedback b. Written feedback c. Verbal feedback
5. Students' Age-Appropriate Response to Feedback
6. Reporting to Parents a. Parent consultation meetings b. Grade cards c. Formal reports
7. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Assessment

1.0 Rationale

1.1 Assessment is the process of gathering, reviewing, and evaluating evidence of students' learning. This information enables students, parents, teachers, subject coordinators, and grade-level leads [NEEDS AFS INPUT: confirm AFS academic leadership titles] to check on progress and achievements, and to improve learning by providing feedback that identifies the next steps needed in the learning process. The purpose of this policy is to make clear to AFS teachers the school's philosophy of assessment and feedback, and to provide a framework for individual and subject-level assessment and feedback practice. It is expected that all teachers will be familiar with this policy and implement it fully.

1.2 Core to Al Fajer Private School's assessment philosophy is the acknowledgment that "Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement" (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). At AFS, teachers should provide constructive feedback to every learner, focusing on success and improvement against learning objectives. It should also help children become reflective learners, able to narrow the gap between current and desired performance. Ultimately, "Feedback should cause thinking and should be more work for the recipient than the giver" (Wiliam, 2011).

1.3 This policy upholds Al Fajer Private School's values — loyalty and integrity; intellect, optimism, and creativity — and the laws of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

2.0 Aims of the Assessment & Reporting Policy

2.1 To establish common standards and procedures for assessment and monitoring within the school.

2.2 To ensure effort is judged together with attainment.

2.3 To establish a common approach to grading literacy, particularly spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

2.4 To establish consistency about the regularity of assessment.

2.5 To ensure there is regular formative assessment. The focus of assessment must be to provide guidance that informs a student how they can improve. This should ensure that a dialogue is established and is evident between the teacher and a student.

2.6 To ensure that practical, project-based subjects have regular assessment, even if a whole project may extend over a lengthy period of time.

2.7 To ensure that students and parents understand, and can recognize, the common principles of assessment across all parts of the school, without having to learn how each teacher assesses differently.

2.8 To ensure that teachers provide mechanisms through which students can respond to the feedback and guidance they receive, as appropriate for their age. Teachers should provide time within class in order to facilitate this.

3.0 Nature of Assessment

3.1 Al Fajer Private School employs a balanced assessment system for both summative and formative purposes.

3.2 Assessment must be meaningful, manageable, and motivating.

3.3 Assessment is a system of dialogue between the teacher and the student to ensure rapid progress is made in learning.

3.4 Assessment should be the tool that validates students' understanding and provides a basis for future progression.

3.5 Assessment should inform students of their effort and their attainment in equal measure.

3.6 Assessment helps to raise achievement by identifying a student's strengths and weaknesses and explaining how they can raise their level of attainment.

3.7 Feedback within assessment, and a student's response to feedback, opens a dialogue between the student and the teacher which is a key part of the teaching and learning process that raises attainment.

3.8 Assessment must be consistent between teachers within grade levels and within subjects.

3.9 Standardized assessment across the school is essential in order that students, teachers, and parents can understand how well each student has achieved and is achieving.

3.10 Assessment, feedback, and student response are an integral part of the teaching and learning process that supports rapid progression for all students.

3.11 Assessment in the school needs to constitute a coherent system, involving common standards and procedures.

3.12 Baseline Assessments

3.12.1 Baseline assessments are carried out in the first few weeks of each new academic year.

3.12.2 These assessments provide teachers with an understanding of students' levels of attainment, and allow for the early identification of areas for development and overall gaps in students' knowledge and understanding.

3.12.3 Information from baseline assessments is used to inform planning to ensure all identified gaps and areas for development are addressed.

3.12.4 External baseline assessment at AFS uses Renaissance STAR 360, which is internationally benchmarked:

[NEEDS AFS INPUT: confirm the STAR 360 assessment windows and which STAR assessments each grade level completes] [NEEDS AFS INPUT: any additional screeners AFS uses]

3.12.4.1 STAR 360 results are used by teachers to set challenging but realistic targets for students, and growth between assessment windows is monitored against international benchmarks to evaluate progress across the year.

3.12.4.2 Students who join AFS during the academic year complete STAR 360 assessments on entry so that teachers can plan from an accurate starting point.

3.13 Formative Assessment (Assessment FOR Learning, also known as AFL)

3.13.1 Formative assessment guides students about their understanding and what more they should do to improve.

3.13.2 Formative assessment should contain a written comment and, most importantly, what can be done to improve.

3.13.3 This comment may be written by other students if peer assessed.

3.13.4 The written comment may be written by the student themselves if self-assessed.

3.13.5 Formative assessment may take the following forms:

3.13.5.1 Teacher assessment and grading whereby advice and targets are tailored directly to the learner's needs. This may be through the school's learning platform. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: which learning platform AFS uses]

3.13.5.2 Self-assessment by students reviewing their work and evaluating learning objectives.

3.13.5.3 Peer assessment through which students appraise one another's work and suggest ways that it could be improved.

3.13.5.4 Guided reading programs, e.g., STAR Reader and Accelerated Reader (Renaissance — the same vendor family as STAR 360). [NEEDS AFS INPUT: confirm AFS's STAR Reader / Accelerated Reader subscription]

3.13.5.5 A guided math-fluency program. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: which math-fluency program AFS uses]

3.13.6 Formative assessment must focus on key areas:

3.13.6.1 Is age and maturity appropriate.

3.13.6.2 Gives clear strategies on how to improve work.

3.13.6.3 Targets are tailored directly to individual students' needs.

3.13.6.4 Scaffolds learning for the students.

3.13.6.5 Strengths of the work.

3.13.6.6 Identified weaknesses, if any.

3.13.6.7 Areas and methods to improve the work or understanding, including stretching the most able students through further challenge.

3.14 Summative Assessment (Assessment OF Learning)

3.14.1 Summative assessment is used to determine what a student does and does not know. It is generally used to measure student performance and attainment after teaching has taken place.

3.14.2 Summative assessment takes place at regular intervals at the end of a period of learning in order to evaluate the extent to which students have succeeded.

3.14.3 Summative assessment does not always take the form of written tests but takes a variety of forms that take into account the maturity and age of the student.

3.14.4 The purpose of summative assessment is to:

3.14.4.1 Prove that learning has taken place.

3.14.4.2 Assist in measuring the extent of the learning.

3.14.4.3 Be externally referenced.

3.14.4.4 Be focused on the outcome.

3.14.4.5 Be an accountability mechanism.

3.14.5 Summative assessment may take the following forms:

3.14.5.1 Teacher-set standardized tests.

3.14.5.2 Teacher-set assessed tasks completed under supervision in class.

3.14.5.3 Cycle testing: in Grades 4 – 6, cycle tests are held in English, math, science, and Arabic. Cycle assessments are included on the school calendar.

3.14.5.4 Renaissance STAR 360 assessments (Early Literacy, Reading, and Math), which provide internationally benchmarked measures of attainment and growth.

3.14.6 Kindergarten (KG1 – KG3) specific summative assessments:

3.14.6.1 Assessment in Kindergarten is primarily based on teachers' knowledge of what the child can do on a day-to-day basis, gathered in a variety of ways. Teachers record achievements and difficulties to enable them to plan what is required to be taught next. Assessments and tasks are completed by each student to help gather evidence of their attainment across the areas of the KG developmental framework. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: which early-years framework AFS follows]

3.14.6.2 Math assessments are administered at the end of each teaching block so that sections can be reviewed as necessary. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: which math program and end-of-block assessment materials AFS uses]

3.14.6.3 Writing is assessed at the end of each unit against the school's writing standards in KG3 – Grade 1. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: AFS writing standards and exemplars] Several pieces of work are taken into account when ascertaining an overall level. Writing is moderated regularly within grade levels, overseen by the subject coordinator, and exemplars aligned to the adopted standards are used to support teacher judgment.

4.0 Methods of Feedback

4.1 Effective feedback:

4.1.1 Involves the student directly and is age and maturity appropriate.

4.1.2 Identifies achievements and the next steps in a student's learning.

4.1.3 Relates to learning objectives or targets.

4.1.4 Gives students clear strategies so they can improve their work.

4.1.5 Helps inform future planning.

4.1.6 Can be used as a tool for teacher assessment.

4.1.7 Helps parents to understand their child's strengths and areas for development.

4.2 Visual Feedback

The following visual-feedback convention is carried over from the source policy as a proposal. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: confirm AFS adopts this pink/green highlighting convention]

4.2.1 Across KG1 – Grade 6, visual feedback is provided to all students based on the learning objective.

4.2.2 A student who has achieved the learning objective has the objective highlighted pink.

4.2.3 A student who has only partially achieved the learning objective has the objective highlighted green.

4.2.4 Assessment of progress toward the learning objective can be made by:

4.2.4.1 Self-assessment.

4.2.4.2 Peer assessment.

4.2.4.3 Teacher or learning-support assistant assessment.

4.2.5 This visual feedback is accompanied by either written feedback or verbal feedback, as appropriate.

4.3 Written Feedback

4.3.1 Comments and annotations written throughout a piece of work are an acceptable form of providing written feedback. The comment at the end of a piece of assessment should highlight the key points listed above.

4.3.2 This comment should be more than a simple statement. The comment is also a good method of creating dialogue between teachers and students. Specificity of feedback determines its effectiveness and impact.

4.3.3 Where age appropriate, an identifiable target should be separated from the comment. The target should direct the student to exactly what needs to be improved before the next piece of work. This target may be subject specific or could be focused on a key element of literacy, e.g.:

"You must use named examples within your answers to illustrate/prove your point."

4.3.4 Age-appropriate students should have a role in setting their own targets.

4.4 Verbal Feedback

4.4.1 In certain circumstances — such as the age of the student, the nature of the task, the nature of the subject, or the quantity of feedback required — feedback may be given verbally to the student. For our youngest students in Kindergarten, verbal feedback is often the most effective form.

4.4.2 It is expected that even in practical subjects, either written feedback is given to students on a regular basis or students are made to respond to verbal feedback in some way. There should be a clear record of feedback and target setting within all subjects.

5.0 Students' Age-Appropriate Response to Feedback

5.1 It is important that age-appropriate students engage with the comments written and the feedback received. This allows for the dialogue between teachers and students and ensures that students understand and act upon the comments made.

5.2 Students should be provided with time in class in order to consider and respond to the formative assessment they have received.

5.3 These strategies may include:

5.3.1 Students setting their own targets at the end of a piece of work, which are then checked by the teacher.

5.3.2 Students summarizing the feedback and adjusting their work accordingly.

5.3.3 Students having to respond to the feedback.

5.4 Checking that feedback has been read and acted upon should become part of a teacher's normal grading routine.

6.0 Reporting to Parents

6.1 Parent Consultation Meetings

6.1.1 Parent consultation meetings are held each term for each grade level.

6.1.2 At these meetings, subject teachers or homeroom teachers have the opportunity to report to parents on each student's:

6.1.2.1 Progress and achievement.

6.1.2.2 Class work and homework.

6.1.2.3 Attitude to learning.

6.1.2.4 Presentation and organization.

6.1.2.5 Behavior.

6.1.2.6 Targets for improvement.

6.1.3 Parents will also be given clear information on their child's progress targets.

6.1.4 Please check the school calendar for dates for each grade band.

6.2 Grade Cards

The following grade-card scales are carried over from the source policy as a proposal. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: confirm the grade-card scales AFS adopts]

6.2.1 Student attainment and motivation-to-learn scores are reported to parents regularly via grade cards.

6.2.2 Motivation scores are awarded as follows:

6.2.2.1 E (Excellent) — a student who consistently goes above and beyond what is expected of an AFS student.

6.2.2.2 G (Good) — a student who sometimes goes beyond what is expected of an AFS student.

6.2.2.3 I (Inconsistent) — a student who sometimes fails to do what is expected of an AFS student or is making little progress.

6.2.2.4 U (Unacceptable) — a student who regularly fails to do what is expected of an AFS student.

6.2.3 Attainment grades are reported using these terms:

6.2.3.1 Working Towards (upper, middle, lower).

6.2.3.2 Working On (upper, middle, lower).

6.2.3.3 Working Above (upper, middle, lower).

6.3 Formal Reports

6.3.1 The school provides progress reports to families three times a year — once each term.

6.3.2 Reports are made available to parents electronically. Paper reports are not issued unless specifically requested. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: AFS reporting platform / parent-communication channel]

6.3.3 If a student leaves mid-year, a leaver's report is issued if requested by parents and/or the receiving school.

6.3.4 Each report provides parents with current information on:

6.3.4.1 Progress and levels of attainment, including Renaissance STAR 360 results where applicable.

6.3.4.2 Effort and attitude to learning.

6.3.4.3 Pastoral matters, including attendance and punctuality.

6.3.5 Where there are specific concerns, parents will be contacted by the school as and when the need arises — the termly report is never the first time a parent hears of a significant concern.

6.3.6 Schedule of reports (proposed for AFS's three-term year):

[NEEDS AFS INPUT: confirm the report and grade-card schedule for each grade band, including issue months within each term]

7.0 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Assessment

7.1 The growing accessibility of artificial intelligence (AI) tools affects how schools protect the integrity of assessment. AI will continue to develop, so these guidelines are reviewed regularly alongside the Academic Honesty Policy.

7.2 Assessment exists to give a true picture of each student's own knowledge, understanding, and skills. Work produced wholly or partly by AI and presented as the student's own does not give that true picture and is treated under the Academic Honesty Policy.

7.3 At AFS (KG1 – Grade 6), any classroom use of AI tools by students is age-appropriate and is directed and supervised by staff, in line with the Online Safety Policy. Where an AI tool has contributed to a piece of work (for example, during a supervised research activity in the upper grades), students are taught to say so, in the same way they acknowledge any other source or helper.

7.4 Teachers design assessment tasks so that they evidence the student's own learning — for example, work completed in class under supervision. Any student (or parent) who is unsure whether AI may be used for a task should ask the teacher.