Supporting teacher assessment

1
Supporting teacher assessment
Assessment Conference 2004

• Optional tasks above and below the level of the
  tests
• 14 October 2004
• Andy Allcorn,
• Rose Clesham,
• Natalie Coney,
• Margaret Farragher

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Optional tasks above and below the level of the
tests

• Purpose
• To provide assessment material appropriate to
  pupils working above or below the level of the
  tests.
• To support teachers in judging the level at which
  a pupil is working.

3
Optional tasks above and below the level of the
tests

• What tasks are available?
• A suite of tasks across KS1/2/3 in English,
  science and mathematics for pupils working above
  and below the levels covered by the national
  curriculum tests.
• Further tasks will be available next year to
  complement tasks already on the website.
• Tasks consist of
• teacher guidance
• pupil resources
• exemplar material and commentaries
• level criteria descriptions.
• Available to download and print
  from www.qca.org.uk/ages3-14/tests_tasks/

4
Optional tasks above and below the level of the
tests

• How are the tasks administered?
• Not stand alone timed assessments, but should
  support/confirm teacher assessments.
• Open - ended.
• Assessed not by marks but by a level - based
  discursive framework.
• Designed to encourage discussion/stimulus from
  the teacher and between pupils.

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Optional tasks above and below the level of the
tests

• How can tasks be used?
• During the year in a formative manner.
• At the end of the key stage to provide evidence
  to support teacher assessment.
• To support an assessment for learning approach,
  adapting the materials to reflect techniques and
  strategies used.
• As downloaded, or adapted or even as a starting
  point for producing further material.

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Optional tasks above and below the level of the
tests

• Tasks BELOW the level of the tests
• Cover KS2 and KS3 only.
• Are of a similar nature to tasks that were
  produced in the past.
• A good alternative to using optional tests for
  pupils working below the levels covered by the
  tests.
• A good alternative for pupils who have difficulty
  accessing the written tests.

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Optional tasks above and below the level of the
tests

• Tasks ABOVE the level of the tests
• In addition to the common purpose tasks above the
  level provide opportunities for
• Breadth extending the range of learning beyond
  the statutory requirement.
• Depth encouraging more sophisticated, complex or
  abstract thought.
• Pace giving pupils the chance to engage with
  more demanding material not normally encountered
  within the key stage.