Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of learning at Springwest Academy. It helps teachers understand what students know and can do, identify gaps and misconceptions, adapt teaching and provide appropriate support. It also helps students understand their progress and take greater responsibility for their learning.

Formative Assessment (Every Lesson)

Formative assessment takes place in every lesson through:

• Targeted questioning and teacher–student dialogue.
• Mini-whiteboards, verbal feedback and short quizzes.
• Do Now Activities (DNA) to retrieve prior learning and identify gaps.

Homework is reviewed weekly and provides opportunities to practise and consolidate learning. Summative Assessment and Progress Checks

Summative assessment takes place every half term to:

• Measure attainment and identify gaps.
• Inform teaching and intervention.
• Provide feedback and develop subject-specific knowledge and skills.

Students complete at least one formally assessed piece of work each half term.

Progress Checks (PCs) provide centralised assessment points:

• KS3: 2 per year.
• KS4: 3 per year.

Key Stage 3

KS3 progress tracking uses a rank-order profile aligned with a Relative Progress Index (RPI). Students are ranked across their year group and re-ranked at each Progress Check, with progress identified through changes in their overall position.

Key Stage 4

Teachers record a Current Grade (CG) and Predicted Grade (PG):

• Current Grade: the grade a student would be likely to achieve if they sat their final examinations at that point.
• Predicted Grade: the grade a teacher believes the student is most likely to achieve in their final examinations.

Grades are informed by assessment evidence, standardised examination materials, mark schemes, grade boundaries and departmental moderation.

At both KS3 and KS4, students are also assessed on Attitude to Learning (ATL) and homework completion, providing additional insight into their engagement and learning behaviours.

Our assessment approach ensures that progress is monitored closely, gaps are identified and teaching is responsive to students' needs, helping every student to flourish.