Assessment in Key Stage 3 at Acorn House is continuous and allows the students to demonstrate their achievement according to the objectives for each subject.
Assessment tasks include:
- Open-ended, problem-solving activities
- Research projects and investigations
- Hands-on experimentation
- Design projects
- Analysis and reflection
- Peer and self-assessment
- Specific oral interrogation or written test at the end of work unit
When a student is given a work or an assignment, the teacher provides Success Criteria with which the student’s work will be graded. Success Criteria describe what must be done to be successful.
Students are assessed against specific standard clarified to them by teachers and available as reference.
Student’s achievements are communicated and targets for improvements are established together. Marking is regularly reported in the Regel digital system open to parents’ scrutiny. Achievements are translated into grades following the KS3 Assessment & Marking Policy.
At Acorn House two report cards summarise how the student progressed in the term/year: An Interim Report in January and a Final Report in June.
Positive notes may be posted, via Regel System, when a student is performing particularly well or has made remarkable improvement. In case of special mention successes are published on the Acorn House website as a particular award. Request for a meeting with parents/teachers/department coordinator may be sent any time if a student is consistently or suddenly performing below his/her potential.


Rationale
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Marking
Aims
- Assist learning
- Provide information for assessment
- Encourage, motivate, support and promote positive attitudes
- Inform planning
- Promote higher standards
- Correct errors and clear up misunderstandings
- Recognise achievement, presentation and effort
- Provide constructive feedback
- Show pupils that we value their work
- Allow pupils to reflect on their past performances and to set new targets together with the teacher.
Objectives
- Constructive
- Related to needs, attainment and ability
- Related to specific targets and learning objectives which are shared and made clear to the pupils in advance
- Following a consistent practice throughout the school
- Ensuring that pupils know how well they are doing and what they need to improve to make further progress
- Providing pupils with opportunities to assess their own work and that of others
- Positive and constructive with appropriate praise given.
- Setting targets for children to ensure pupil motivation and involvement in progress
- Encouraging a dialogue between teacher and child