Curriculum Impact: How do we achieve impact?

Understanding of cognitive science tells us that learning builds on what children already know and therefore children are more likely to remember new knowledge when it can be integrated with what they currently know – the development of schema.

Knowledge needs to be rehearsed and retrieved in order to ensure this knowledge moves from the working memory to the long-term memory. Each time knowledge is retrieved our long-term memories are strengthened, reshaped and adapted.

Principles of Assessment

• All assessment is a true reflection of where children are in their learning.
• Everything we do as part of the assessment process has an impact on learning and progress.
• Children, parents and staff have a clear picture of what children know and can do and their next steps.
• Assessment processes are accessible to all: everyone understands the system and its purpose.

Assessment for Learning and Assessment as Learning

Teachers regularly assess pupils know and remember more within each lesson. This formative assessment will support:

Assessment for learning: Using regular assessment opportunities to adapt planning and teaching between lessons and during lessons to meet the needs of pupils.

Assessment as learning: Using assessment opportunities to secure knowledge in the moment.

Retrieval Practice

At the start of every lesson, children are supported to recall knowledge from the previous lesson, week, month or draw on related learning from previous terms or years. Regular checks are made throughout lessons to ensure children are building greater knowledge and understanding. Checks are made on whether substantive knowledge and vocabulary has been retained to the working memory at the end of every lesson.​

Retrieval tasks are planned into learning journeys to assessment retained knowledge and to provide opportunities to revisit key content.

Example tasks to support retrieval practice:

• Retrieval grid
• Retrieval pyramid
• Picture prompt
• Misconception grid

Assessment of Learning

At the end of the unit of work a short assessment task is completed by the children to demonstrate their knowledge retention:

• Quiz covering key knowledge and vocabulary
• Written task e.g., message in a bottle, letter to the future, poster, PowerPoint
• Pupil led display e.g., museum showcase

There is flexibility within learning journeys for teachers to revisit key content, to address misconceptions and any learning gaps.

Teachers use a range of evidence to complete the unit assessment grid. This helps teachers identify knowledge and concepts that need to be revisited. It also supports future teachers.

 At the end of each term teachers make an overall judgement in each subject as to whether each pupil is:

• Working below the standard (entering or developing)
• Working at the standard (secure)
• Working at greater depth within the standard (embedding)

Working towards the expected standard

Pupils working towards the expected standard for the unit (entering/developing) will be able to remember some of the substantive knowledge and show this through retrieval practice. They may be able to demonstrate some of the disciplinary concepts

Working at the expected standard

Pupils working at the expected standard will know most of the substantive knowledge and show this through retrieval practice.

They should be able to demonstrate competence in some of the disciplinary concepts and historical enquiry skills, making connections between their substantive knowledge.

Working at greater depth within the expected standard

Pupils working at greater depth will show detailed knowledge and be able to make connections between the knowledge learnt. They show this deeper understanding. This should also have been demonstrated through discussion and the tasks designed throughout the unit of work

Assessment Criteria

The links below provide information on the year group objectives children will be assessed against in English and Maths. These are presented as year group expectations. Some children may be working on objectives from a year group below or above their chronological age.

Statutory Assessment

To assess the impact of the school curriculum and standards of teaching, national statutory assessments take place each year for:

Reception Baseline Assessment

Year 1 Phonics Screening Check

Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check

Year 6 Statutory Assessments in Reading, Writing, Grammar and Spelling and Mathematics.

Please refer to the Parent Information Guidance from the DfE below for further information about the SATs and other assessments, including the Year 1 Phonics Screening and the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum-assessments-information-for-parents 

Reporting to Parents

At St John the Evangelist CE Primary School, we believe that learning is a partnership between school and home. In Early Years the online platform Tapestry is used to share the children’s experiences, successes and milestones, as well as an end of year report.

In Years 1 to 6 parents are provided with a written report three times a year, which provides details on the attainment and progress of their children in all curriculum subjects.