Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision

Assessment and planning

Contents

Expectation

Schools and settings have an inclusive approach to assessment and planning that considers all aspects of progress including academic, social and emotional development, alongside a holistic understanding of individuals. 

  • Accordion

    • Why? Evidence base

      • It is important to assess and communicate all aspects of progress that is meaningful to an individual. This enables children, young people and parent carers to experience and celebrate success which contributes to a sense of belonging and achievement.

    • How? Whole setting

      • There are clear systems and processes for recording, tracking and evaluating children and young people’s learning and development, starting points, progress, areas of strength and areas for development.   
      • Leaders ensure that staff have a clear understanding of the purpose of assessment and are confident in using a range of assessment types including observation, questioning, marking, pupil and parent voice and screening tools.
      • Staff are supported to use a range of screeners to assess and identify needs where difficulties are identified.
      • Reasonable adjustments are made to marking and assessment policies, for example, considering the most effective way to provide feedback where a pupil is unable to read written comments.
      • Clear systems are in place to identify pupils who are making less than expected progress given their age and individual circumstances, for example termly pupil progress meetings.
      • Parents are actively involved in the assessment process. They are given regular opportunities to contribute to the holistic picture for an individual child where appropriate or needed. Assessment information from school is clearly shared with parents.

    • How? Early years

      • Planning starts with the child and grows in partnership. Practitioners have a good understanding of developmental milestones, and a clear knowledge of what children know, understand and can do.
      • Leaders will ensure statutory assessments are completed in line with requirements: The setting completes the progress check for all 2-year-olds.
      • The setting carries out an integrated review process with the health visiting team if a need is identified.
      • Observation and assessment processes are carried out through a range of approaches to gather information.
      • Practitioners are supported to use a range of tools, for example the Early Communication and Language Monitoring Tool, to assess and identify needs where difficulties are identified.
      • All practitioners contribute to the observation and assessment of all children in partnership with parents and carers. Wider successes and achievements are explicitly celebrated with both children and parents and carers.
      • Tasks are clearly planned to enable children to achieve success.

    • How? Classroom

      • Staff have a good understanding of developmental milestones and academic expectations in each year group.
      • Staff are supported to use a range of strategies to evidence learning, for example, photo, video or audio evidence.
      • Tasks are clearly planned to enable children to achieve success.
      • Wider successes and achievements are explicitly celebrated with both the pupils and parents and carers.
      • Teachers consider appropriate ways to celebrate achievements depending on the preferences of the individual, for example some children need something more subtle than others.
    Assessment and planning resources

Expectation

Staff make daily, ongoing formative assessments of learning and progress for all pupils and use this to plan meaningful adaptations to teaching.

  • Accordion

    • Why? Evidence base

      • Formative assessment strategies are central to effective and responsive teaching and learning. When delivered effectively, they can support motivation, independent learning and enhance progress.

    • How? Whole setting

      • There is a whole school or setting culture where staff feel confident to make ‘in the moment’ adaptations to teaching based on their assessment for learning.
      • All staff are responsive and are skilled in adapting their teaching and practice before, during and after teaching moments, according to assessment and observation.  

    • How? Early years

      • Practitioners use a range of assessment strategies to check on learning and understanding, including observation, questioning and meaningful conversation.
      • Where progress or understanding is not as expected, practitioners are equipped to find potential barriers to learning, and adapt practice and strategies accordingly.
      • There are opportunities in the setting to repeat, revisit and rehearse learning.
      • Assessment does not take practitioners away from children for long periods and is not about collating lots of data and evidence but is used to inform provision and next steps.

    • How? Classroom

      • Teachers use a range of assessment strategies throughout a lesson to monitor learning and understanding, including observation, questioning or live marking.
      • Where progress or understanding is not as expected, teachers are equipped to find potential barriers to learning and adapt teaching methods and strategies accordingly.
      • Children and young people have opportunities to revisit or repeat learning where needed.
    Assessment and planning resources

Expectation

Staff give high-quality feedback to all pupils using different forms depending on needs.

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  • Accordion

    • Why? Evidence base

      • Feedback is an essential part of any learning journey. It supplies an insight into misconceptions, builds on previous learning and supports pupil progress.
      • It must be well planned, prompt and purposeful in order for it to have the biggest impact.

    • How? Whole setting

      • There is a whole school or setting expectation that children and young people are supported to reflect upon their own achievements and learning.
      • Feedback is prompt, task specific, and non-comparative. It highlights specific strengths and achievements as well as giving constructive next steps to support further progress.

    • How? Early years

      • All practitioners engage in high-quality, meaningful interactions with children to support learning and development and are skilful in using open-ended questions.
      • Practitioners identify gaps in learning and misconceptions and use this knowledge to support planning for next steps.
      • Practitioners use the language of thinking and learning and they model this. They encourage children to reflect upon and evaluate their progress and learning.
      • Practitioners use the characteristics of effective learning to reflect on practice, and this is embedded in the pedagogy of the setting.

    • How? Classroom

      • Teachers are supported and equipped to supply feedback in a range of forms, for example, written, verbal or peer.
      • Teachers use a range of methods to give feedback where there are difficulties with language or reading skills.
      • Teachers gather feedback from the pupils on how well the learning has been understood using different techniques, for example, questioning, mini whiteboards, peer talk.
      • Teachers explicitly teach the skills of self and peer assessment to all pupils.
    Assessment and planning resources

Expectation

Assessment of learning (summative assessments or nationally standardised test) is relevant and meaningful for all pupils and appropriate reasonable adjustments are made for those who require them.

  • Accordion

    • Why? Evidence base

      • Summative assessments help to monitor achievement and progress over time.

    • How? Whole setting

      • There is a clear tracking system that enables the progress of all children to be tracked from their starting points, no matter what stage they are working at.

    • How? Early years

      • Practitioners gather information about the child on entry and gather ongoing assessment in partnership with parent carers and outside agencies. They use this to plan next steps.
      • Clear systems are in place to identify children not meeting developmental milestones. The setting follows a graduated approach to identifying, assessing and meeting the needs of children.
      • Practitioners tune in to the needs of children to make reasonable adjustments and adaptations to support next steps.

    • How? Classroom

      • Reasonable adjustments and adaptations are made to support all pupils access end point assessments. These should align to a pupil’s normal way of working, for example, additional time, use of a reader, scribe, laptop or rest breaks.

Resources

Useful resources for school leaders, teachers, SENCOs and early years practitioners.