Briar Hill Primary School and Nursery

Our Approach to Assessment

At Briar Hill Primary School and Nursery, we are committed to ensuring that every child succeeds. We believe that effective assessment is not simply about collecting data or producing scores; it is about developing a clear understanding of what each child knows, understands and can do, and using this knowledge to determine the next steps in their learning to create a long term love for learning.

Our assessment practice draws upon the professional experience, knowledge and expertise of our teachers and support staff. We use a combination of formative and summative assessment approaches to build a comprehensive picture of each child's attainment and progress.

Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. It enables us to identify strengths, recognise gaps in knowledge and understanding, provide appropriate support and challenge, and ensure that teaching is responsive to the needs of every pupil.

Assessment at Briar Hill

We use a range of assessment approaches throughout the school year, including:

• Formative Assessment (AfL) – assessment that takes place continuously within lessons and informs teaching in real time.
• Summative Assessment – more formal assessments used at key points (KPI) during the year to evaluate pupils' attainment and progress using TestBase. 
• Questioning and discussion – teachers use carefully planned questions to check understanding, identify misconceptions and deepen learning.
• Low-stakes quizzes and retrieval practice – regular opportunities for pupils to recall and apply previously taught knowledge using our established reviews and hinge questions. 
• Independent work – pupils are given opportunities to demonstrate what they can do independently.
• Books Looks– teachers use pupils' work to evaluate understanding, progress and the impact of teaching.
• Observations and professional dialogue – staff use their knowledge of pupils to identify strengths, barriers and next steps.
• Standardised and statutory assessments – where appropriate, these provide additional information about attainment and progress.

We do not rely on any single assessment or data point. Instead, teachers triangulate information from a range of sources alongside their professional judgement.

Assessment for Learning (AfL)

Assessment for Learning is at the heart of our classroom practice.

Teachers continually assess pupils during lessons to establish whether learning is secure and to decide what needs to happen next. This may include:

• Effective questioning
• Checking for understanding
• Retrieval activities
• Mini-whiteboards
• Partner and class discussion
• Independent practice
• Live marking and feedback
• Identifying and addressing misconceptions
• Adapting teaching during a lesson
• Providing additional support or challenge

This allows teachers to respond immediately rather than waiting for a formal assessment to identify a gap.

Our teachers know their pupils well and use this knowledge to make informed decisions about when to move on, when to revisit learning and when additional teaching is required.

Summative Assessment

Summative assessments are used at appropriate points throughout the academic year to provide a broader picture of pupils' attainment and progress.

These assessments help us to:

• Evaluate what pupils have learned.
• Identify areas of strength.
• Identify gaps in knowledge and understanding.
• Identify pupils who may require additional support.
• Identify pupils who require further challenge.
• Monitor progress over time.
• Inform future teaching and intervention.
• Support pupil progress discussions.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of our curriculum and teaching.

Summative assessment information is considered alongside the wider evidence teachers have gathered through their day-to-day practice.

A test result is not viewed in isolation. It is one piece of evidence that contributes to our understanding of a child.

Using Assessment to Improve Teaching

Our assessment cycle follows a simple principle:

Assess → Identify → Respond → Reassess → Revisit

Teachers use assessment information to identify what pupils need next. This may result in:

Whole-class teaching
Where a misconception or gap is common across the class, teaching is adapted to address it.

Small-group support
Where a group of pupils has a particular area of need, targeted teaching or additional practice is provided.

Individual support
Where appropriate, individual pupils receive carefully targeted support based on their specific needs.

Challenge and depth
Assessment is also used to identify pupils who are ready to deepen their understanding, make connections or apply their learning in more complex contexts.

Revisiting learning
Once a gap has been addressed, teachers provide further opportunities for pupils to retrieve and apply the knowledge and skills so that learning becomes secure and embedded.

Question-Level and Skill-Level Analysis

Where appropriate, teachers analyse assessment information at a question or skill level rather than simply considering an overall score.

This helps us to understand why a pupil may have achieved a particular outcome.

For example, a pupil may achieve an overall strong result in mathematics but demonstrate a specific misconception around fractions. This information is more useful to the teacher than simply knowing the pupil's overall score.

The information gathered can therefore be used to identify:

• Individual gaps
• Common misconceptions
• Small-group needs
• Whole-class teaching priorities
• Curriculum areas requiring further development
• Opportunities for greater depth and challenge

Our Professional Judgement

Assessment data is important, but professional judgement remains central to our assessment approach.

Our teachers know their pupils extremely well. They consider a wide range of evidence, including:

• Day-to-day classroom performance
• Independent work
• Responses to questioning
• Retrieval and low-stakes assessment
• Formal assessment outcomes
• Application of knowledge in different contexts
• Previous attainment
• Progress over time
• SEND and individual needs
• Attendance and engagement
• Intervention and support provided

This allows teachers to form a well-rounded understanding of each pupil and this is also reviewed with half-termly PPM meetings. 

We recognise that children do not all learn at the same pace or in the same way. Our assessment systems therefore help teachers to respond to individual needs rather than simply categorising children according to a score.

Pupil Progress

Assessment information is used to support regular pupil progress discussions.

These discussions provide an opportunity for teachers and leaders to consider:

• What does the child know and understand?
• What are they currently able to do independently?
• What progress have they made?
• What are their strengths?
• Where are the gaps or misconceptions?
• What does the child need next?
• What support or challenge will make the greatest difference?
• How will we know whether this has been successful?

Particular attention is given to pupils who may be at risk of falling behind, as well as those who have the potential to achieve highly.

The focus is always on what we can do next to improve outcomes for the child.

Using Assessment to Support Every Child

Our assessment approach helps us to ensure that no child is overlooked.

We carefully consider the needs of:

• Pupils with SEND
• Disadvantaged pupils
• Pupils who are working below age-related expectations
• Pupils who are making slower than expected progress
• Pupils who have gaps in prior learning
• Pupils who require additional challenge
• Pupils who are working at greater depth

Where additional support is required, assessment information helps us to determine the most appropriate response. This may include quality-first teaching, targeted intervention, additional practice, pre-teaching, small-group work or specialist support.

Assessment Is More Than Data

At Briar Hill, we believe that assessment should serve teaching and learning, not the other way around.

We use assessment information intelligently and proportionately. We do not assess simply to generate data. Instead, we ask:

What does this information tell us about this child, and what are we going to do about it?

Our teachers combine assessment evidence with their experience, professional knowledge and understanding of individual pupils.

This enables us to make informed decisions, adapt our teaching and provide the right level of support and challenge.

Our ultimate aim is simple:

To know every child well, understand what they need to learn next, and ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed.