Assessments

Classroom Assessment

On-going assessment of the individual skills and abilities of each pupil is an important feature of the education provided at Bettridge School. Teachers keep detailed records of the work undertaken and the response made to the curriculum by every pupil. Classroom support staff are also involved in observing the pupils in their care and contribute to the professional discussion of the best approaches to enable learning for the individual child. Pupils’ progress is assessed in this way using the individual learning objectives set in each subject and their achievements noted.

This classroom assessment then informs the setting of the next set of objectives as the pupil moves through the school. Parents are encouraged to keep staff informed about their child’s achievements at home so that this knowledge can also be used to inform the work in school.
Other professionals may contribute to the assessment process from time to time. In particular the therapists working in school monitor the progress of each pupil with whom they work and discuss the needs to be addressed with teaching and support staff. For some pupils there will also be professional assessments made by educational or clinical psychologists or by specialist teachers in visual or hearing impairment.

There are regular visits to the school by consultant paediatricians who are able to assess the physical and development needs of pupils from a medical perspective. If pupils are to be seen by any professionals who do not work in the school on a daily basis parents are always fully informed of both their involvement and any outcomes.

Formal Assessment and Annual Reviews

The majority of pupils in the Assessment Centre and all those being educated in the school from the age of five have their needs assessed by a multiprofessional team as part of the “formal assessment “ process. This informs a Statement of Special Educational Needs that is issued by the Local Authority. The advantage of this process is that it ensures that all aspects of the child’s development are considered and their needs specified. Any resources allocated to meet these needs are then safeguarded in a contractual arrangement between parents and the Local Authority. This includes the provision of a place within the school.

All pupils at the school have a formal review of their progress and provision on at least an annual basis. Parents are expected to take a full part in this process together with the professionals working with their child. Older pupils are also encouraged to contribute their views to the Review. From the age of fourteen, review meetings are termed “transition reviews” and these are particularly concerned in planning the next steps for pupils as they leave the school. These reviews include contributions from the specialist Connexions Adviser, representatives of Further Education provision and Social Services.

Reports to Parents

In addition to the Annual Review, parents of pupils of statutory school age receive a full written report showing progress in each area of the curriculum at the end of the summer term.

Achievement within the National Curriculum is assessed at the end of each key stage (7, 11, and 14) according to statutory requirements. Formal testing procedures are often difficult for pupils to access and levels of achievement are usually measured using standardised tasks and teacher assessment. The school uses national materials produced to support the assessment of pupils achieving below National Curriculum levels.  These are known as “P” levels and give an indication of the pupils progress towards National Curriculum levels.  Pupils in KS4 work towards certificates of achievement in the National Skills Profile and ALL accreditation.