Assessment
Rationale
At Longwick C of E Combined School, our approach to assessment aligns with the current best practice outlined in the Department for Education’s (DfE) guidance and reflects the recommendations set out in the Final Report of the Commission on Assessment Without Levels (2015). This approach emphasizes a shift away from a rigid, levels-based system, focusing instead on a more flexible, evidence-based assessment process that supports our pupils' individual needs and promotes deep learning. In addition, we draw on the most current research, including the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) Guidance Reports (2020), which highlight the importance of using assessment to inform teaching, reduce cognitive load, and support high-quality feedback. These reports further reinforce the value of formative assessment in improving learning outcomes.
We work closely with the Oxford Diocese Board of Schools Trust (ODBST), who regularly monitor our assessment practices through data drops, ensuring that we are meeting the expectations for both accountability and effectiveness. Our approach is built on a clear understanding that assessment is integral to improving outcomes and guiding teaching and learning.
At Longwick, the needs of every pupil are central to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of the curriculum. Through accurate and meaningful assessments, we ensure that we identify and challenge more able pupils, providing opportunities for them to deepen their learning. At the same time, we give targeted support to those who need additional help, ensuring that all pupils make strong, sustained progress and achieve their personal best.
Our assessment practice is built around three key components:
Formative Assessment: This ongoing process is used daily by teachers to evaluate pupils’ understanding, identify misconceptions, and tailor teaching to meet their needs. We use strategies such as pre-assessment tasks (referred to as "cold tasks") to inform our planning, especially in subjects like Maths and Writing, ensuring that lessons are pitched appropriately from the outset. This dynamic approach allows us to make real-time adjustments to teaching and support.
In-School Summative Assessment: At key points during the school year, we assess pupils’ progress to evaluate how much they have learned and retained. These assessments help us monitor pupils' progression and inform next steps in their learning. The findings are shared with parents/carers and used by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Local Governing Body, and ODBST to evaluate the overall effectiveness of our teaching.
Nationally Standardised Summative Assessment: These assessments, such as end-of-key-stage assessments, provide a broader picture of pupil achievement and allow comparison against national standards. Results are reported to parents/carers and also serve as important data for the SLT, Local Governing Body, ODBST, and OFSTED, contributing to the monitoring of learning over time.
Feedback is a key element of our assessment approach. We believe that timely, specific, and constructive feedback helps pupils understand where they are in their learning, what they need to improve, and how to achieve their next steps. Feedback may take various forms, including marked work, verbal feedback during lessons, group discussions, or recaps at the end of sessions. This feedback ensures that pupils are continually progressing and have clear goals to work towards.
All assessment data is recorded within our school system, which allows us to track and analyse progress regularly. This data is also shared with the ODBST, providing a transparent view of pupil performance across the trust. We are committed to ensuring that our assessments are not only effective in measuring progress but also in supporting the individual needs of all our pupils, enabling them to thrive in their learning journey.
In line with the DfE’s rationale for assessment and the latest research, we ensure that our approach is embedded in the curriculum and that assessment drives teaching and learning rather than simply measuring it. This enables us to improve outcomes for all pupils and achieve the highest standards of educational practice.
Accountability
At Longwick, accountability is central to ensuring that our learning practices are both effective and focused on continuous improvement. Every half term, the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) conducts pupil progress meetings with teachers to identify students who may be at risk of underachieving and those who would benefit from a more challenging curriculum. This process guarantees that all pupils receive the support they need to make at least good progress.
The Local Governing Body’s Data Group works closely with the SLT to monitor and evaluate pupil progress across the school. During termly governing body meetings, data and progress reports are reviewed to ensure that all pupils are meeting their potential.
Additionally, the Oxford Diocese Board of Schools Trust (ODBST) conducts termly data drops, holding school leaders accountable for the outcomes and ensuring that our assessment practices align with the trust’s expectations.
It is essential that parents and carers are kept fully informed about their child’s progress. Each term, parents/carers receive clear and up-to-date information on their child’s achievements, as well as specific next steps to support continued progress. In addition, parents are invited to regular book looks and parent evenings twice a year, providing opportunities to discuss their child's development in more detail. An annual report is also shared with parents, outlining academic achievements and the progress made throughout the year.
Statutory Assessment
At Longwick, we ensure that all statutory assessments are conducted in line with Department for Education (DfE) guidelines, tracking and supporting the academic progress of each child throughout their education.
Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA):
At the start of the Reception year, all children undergo the Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA). This assessment measures children's early literacy, language, and mathematics skills, providing a baseline against which their progress can be tracked throughout their time in primary school. The results of the RBA are not used to judge individual school performance but are an important tool for understanding each child’s starting point.
Phonics Screening Check:
In Year 1, all pupils take the Phonics Screening Check, which assesses their ability to decode words using phonics skills. This check helps to identify children who may need additional support with reading. If a child does not meet the required standard in Year 1, they will re-take the test in Year 2. The results of the Phonics Screening Check are shared with parents and provide valuable insights into each child's progress in early reading.
Multiplication Tables Check (MTC):
At the end of Year 4, pupils take the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC), a statutory assessment designed to measure their recall of times tables up to 12x12. This check is conducted using an online system and helps identify areas where pupils may need additional support in mastering their multiplication skills, which are crucial for success in mathematics.
Key Stage 2 (KS2):
In Year 6, pupils take statutory assessments in English reading, mathematics, and English grammar, punctuation, and spelling (SPaG). Teacher assessments are also made for writing and science, based on evidence gathered from classwork and practical tasks throughout the year. These assessments provide an important measure of pupil progress and attainment, and the results are reported to parents at the end of the academic year. These outcomes also contribute to school performance data, which are used for accountability measures such as progress and attainment, and are considered during Ofsted inspections.
Reporting to Parents:
To keep parents fully informed, we provide termly progress updates for every child, which include four individual targets to guide their learning. At the end of the academic year, parents receive a comprehensive report detailing their child’s achievements and progress, including the results from statutory assessments.
At Longwick, we use these statutory assessments as part of a broader strategy to support each child's learning journey, ensuring that every pupil receives the support they need to achieve their best and make excellent progress.
At the end of each academic year, we will report a pupil's achievement in relation to age related expectations e.g. At for most pupils who are working within age related expectations, Working Towards or Working Above as a Greater Depth learner.
Moderation/Benchmarking
Moderation is a key part of ensuring the accuracy and consistency of our assessments. Teachers collaborate regularly with colleagues both within the school and across other schools in the ODBST to agree on assessment judgements and ensure they align with agreed standards. This process allows us to maintain consistency and reliability in our assessments, ensuring that every child's progress is measured fairly and accurately. By engaging in moderation both internally and externally, we ensure that our assessment practices are rigorous and that the judgements we make are consistent with wider expectations.
Target Setting
At Longwick, we set clear and ambitious targets for all pupils in Maths, Reading, and Writing, with the goal of achieving age-related expectations by the end of each academic year. We also establish targets for the Phonics Screening Check and the Times Tables Check to ensure pupils are meeting key milestones in their learning journey. These targets are agreed upon by teachers based on ongoing assessments of each child's progress.
The school has a whole-school target that at least 80% of pupils will meet age-related expectations by the end of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Additionally, we aim for at least 75% of pupils to be working at the expected standard in all three core areas (Maths, Reading, and Writing), exceeding the national target of 65%. We also set an ambitious target for at least 20% of pupils to be working at a Greater Depth across these areas.
Reception Baseline Information for parents 2025-2026
Phonics Screening Check information for parents 2025
Multiplication Times table Test information for Year 4 parents 2025
Key Stage 2 SATS 2025 information for parents