Understanding the National Curriculum and Key Stage Tests
All schools are permitted to ensure that each and every child's performance is assessed at specific times and intervals; this is all part of the National Curriculum.
These teacher assessments, as they are commonly referred to, are designed to give you, your child and the school, information about their progresses.
From this, we will be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
It is imperative that this is done early.
Teacher assessments have been introduced to give the teacher an insight into the progress of their class and also allow them to identify which children require extra help and in which subjects.
An example of this is the phonics test, which takes place in year one of schooling and only takes a couple of minutes for each child to complete.
It has been suggested that phonics is the easiest and most effect way of teaching children to read and they learn to recognise sounds of individual letters and how they are combined together to make words.
These tests are used at the end of the year to help create an overall perspective.
Individual tests and assessments will be carried out on a daily basis during lessons which are all part of each lesson plan; this can differ from school to school.
During the key stages of 1-3, a child's progress in most National Curriculum subjects is assessed at eight different levels.
Then, towards the end of each key stage, each parent or guardian will receive a report identifying which level their child is working at.
The levels are broken down as follows.
Key Stage 1 - this level will be based on the teacher's assessment with reference to several tasks which will have been carried out throughout the academic period.
Key Stage 2 - this will be a reflection from the teacher based on the children's national test results.
Key Stage 3 - this level will also be based on the teacher's assessment regarding tasks and assignments carried out throughout the academic period.
Key Stage 4 - at the end of this, most children will undertake GCSE's or other national qualifications.
The reason why the curriculum is broken down like this is to allow progress to be monitored accurately and effectively and so that each child will receive any extra help that is needed.
Each curriculum has a programme of study which defines and determines the subject knowledge, skills and understanding which the children are expected to develop throughout the time period.
The actual understanding, knowledge and skills of each child are revealed when they undertake the tests, which are then cross referenced with the programme of study to give an accurate indicator of their progress.
These teacher assessments, as they are commonly referred to, are designed to give you, your child and the school, information about their progresses.
From this, we will be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
It is imperative that this is done early.
Teacher assessments have been introduced to give the teacher an insight into the progress of their class and also allow them to identify which children require extra help and in which subjects.
An example of this is the phonics test, which takes place in year one of schooling and only takes a couple of minutes for each child to complete.
It has been suggested that phonics is the easiest and most effect way of teaching children to read and they learn to recognise sounds of individual letters and how they are combined together to make words.
These tests are used at the end of the year to help create an overall perspective.
Individual tests and assessments will be carried out on a daily basis during lessons which are all part of each lesson plan; this can differ from school to school.
During the key stages of 1-3, a child's progress in most National Curriculum subjects is assessed at eight different levels.
Then, towards the end of each key stage, each parent or guardian will receive a report identifying which level their child is working at.
The levels are broken down as follows.
Key Stage 1 - this level will be based on the teacher's assessment with reference to several tasks which will have been carried out throughout the academic period.
Key Stage 2 - this will be a reflection from the teacher based on the children's national test results.
Key Stage 3 - this level will also be based on the teacher's assessment regarding tasks and assignments carried out throughout the academic period.
Key Stage 4 - at the end of this, most children will undertake GCSE's or other national qualifications.
The reason why the curriculum is broken down like this is to allow progress to be monitored accurately and effectively and so that each child will receive any extra help that is needed.
Each curriculum has a programme of study which defines and determines the subject knowledge, skills and understanding which the children are expected to develop throughout the time period.
The actual understanding, knowledge and skills of each child are revealed when they undertake the tests, which are then cross referenced with the programme of study to give an accurate indicator of their progress.
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