Rationale
Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. The purpose is to identify students’ strengths and to build on their needs , helping students to learn and grow at the appropriate pace, as set out in their learning, through informed and detailed planning . This assessment policy is designed to reflect and support the philosophy and objectives of St. George International School and Preschool.
St. George International School and Preschool is committed to providing the high est standards of teaching and learning and all staff are accountable for providing quality feedback which is understood, clear and can be inferred by all pupils, always, enabling them to self-correct, identify their own mistakes and correct their shared, taught and independent learning. Every opportunity must be made by all teachers to improve their understanding of assessment either through CPD or other means. A shared
Language is not a determiner for overall progress but should be seen as a potential barrier to explaining and interpreting taught methods and therefore may have an impact on both formative and summative assessment.
All teachers must understand the main types of assessment and have a clear direction on how to evaluate pupil progress.
I. Rationale
St. George International School and Preschool Students and Children:
Have differences in how they learn Have different cultural experiences, expectations and need May perform differently depending on the type of assessment Need to receive clear, understandable, fair, and critical feedback including strengths and weaknesses, in order to improve Should receive feedback that encourages self-improvement Are often required to follow two National Curricula in full (constituting of Bulgarian standards for education and the Cambridge international programme) May retain and forget information in different subjects at different times in their academic development May progress at faster and slower rates in comparison to their peers. St. George International School and Preschool uses assessment to:
Measure individual achievements and student progress to produce coherent feedback for student, parents, teachers, school administration, and external institutions Monitor the effectiveness of teaching and learning across the school Inform curriculum, assessment review and planning Inform parents and other relevant parties of the progress being made by students; Plan effectively. Assessment must:
Be fair, consistent and based on clear, understandable criteria Allow students to track and monitor their own performance Provide parents with accurate feedback on their child’s progress Allow teachers to monitor the effectiveness of lessons in relation to the desired learning goals Be differentiated: must provide material for students working at different levels, including children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), English as a Second Language (ESL *MFL departments), non-Bulgarian speaking and Gifted and Talented (GandT) students Allow students to develop examination techniques and manage stress. Differentiation :
Differentiation is the process by which curriculum objectives, teaching methods, assessment methods and learning activities are planned to cater for the learning needs of the individual student. To provide for this basic entitlement, students in the same group must have learning opportunities matched to their particular needs and teaching must take into account the differences in learner characteristics. This in turn requires flexible planning, careful assessment and the provision of a variety of approaches to learning and teaching. Mixed ability teaching implies that all abilities must be catered for when planning a lesson. Assessment must be fair and considered in-line with the school’s differentiation approach to teaching.
II. Forms of Assessment
St. George International School and Preschool uses a variety of assessment techniques in order to meet taught objectives. All students in the Primary School are be assessed in line with the school’s requirements.
Examples of assessment terminology used:
Formative assessment Summative assessment Formative assessment
Assessment used to provide ongoing feedback to improve teaching and learning A good measure of where strengths and weaknesses lie and where interventions need to be implemented Examples include: tests and quizzes, questions during lessons, oral tests, marking students’ work, using mini whiteboards, etc. Formative assessment could also form the basis for a plenary. Clear, honest and fair feedback is essential for students to become reflective learners Portfolios of achievement are kept for each student in paper form as well as recorded in the school’s official platform Summative assessment
An overall form of assessment comprising an exam, project, oral exam or a piece of coursework A form of assessment that is graded against a benchmark (Bulgarian or CIE) Summative assessment should result in a final grade being issued The assessment results should be recorded in Shkolo Assessment will take the following forms:
Internal examinations
Entry Level (Baseline) at the start of each semester (based on previous learning) Mid-term – to assess learning since the start of semester Exit Level Diagnostic – to assess the semester’s learning End-of-Unit tests – to assess the level of knowledge after completing a unit Current tests/checks - to assess the level of knowledge on a learning nugget smaller than a unit CEM tests (Centre of Evaluation and Monitoring) are computer adaptive tests administered by the Admissions Team for all new students as well as for all primary school students at the beginning of the academic year Project work – individual or group assignments related to a topic which the student(s) research(es) independently and present(s) to the class Oral examinations - to assess the level of knowledge through discussions of QandA sessions Mock exams – aiming to establing the level of knowled skills prior to the Primary Checkpoint and NVO External Examinations
NVO – national assessment in Bulgarian language and Mathematics for the students in G4 Cambridge Primary Checkpoint – exam series in English, Mathematics and Science run for the students in G4 All tests from internal examinations must be sent home, signed by parents, and returned to the relevant subject teacher to be used for monitoring, moderation, and portfolio purposes. The tests are kept by the relevant subject teacher until the end of the academic year. The entry- and exit-level diagnostic tests will be sent home as copies.
CEM Testing and Data
CEM data is useful for when no other data is available It should be used in conjunction with other assessment methods to build a fuller picture of a student’s capabilities Frequent feedback and varied forms of assessment should form the backbone of predicted outcomes Moderation and Peer Review
Moderation should be an integral part of assessment to ensure that standards are unified and adhered to Book Looks will take place at the discretion of the Head of Primary.
Moderation is the process of teachers sharing their expectations and understanding of standards with each other in order to improve the consistency of their decisions about student learning. St. George International School and Preschool are no different in that we must use moderation processes to increase assessment dependability. Moderation is at the discretion of the Head of the School and given as a directive to Head of Primary, as seen fit.
Frequency of ‘Book Looks’ are based solely at the discretion of the Head of the School as well as the Heads of the Preschool, Primary; these instances may be at a higher frequency than normal during given periods which are deemed more important for state exams or for Cambridge learning.
Each child will be formatively assessed in each lesson by the class and subject teachers, daily. Records of formative assessment include work completed in the class, notes in students work, verbal and written feedback, and communication to the subject leads. Assessment for learning must take place at the end of each lesson through quality plenaries, as well as monitoring progress through curriculum set objectives. Question and answer sessions must be used, regular checking of all written and electronic work; including the school's official academic platforms, with quizzes and games which enhance learning methods and interactive assessment. Teacher must have a clear understanding of where their students are formatively.
Every member of staff is accountable for pupil’s progress, and we must ensure that we are clear on pupil development while preparing them for the future academic years and the school’s curriculum needs.
As regulated by the Bulgarian educational legislation, primary school students who have been awarded a qualitative grade which shows that they have not reached the expected standard, or have been given a grade Poor (2) as an end-of semester mark for a certain subject in G4, must be provided additional learning programme under the regulations of art 178, par.1, p.2 from the Law of School and Preschool Education.
III. Grading
St. George International School and Preschool is required to adhere to Bulgarian legislation with regards to the format and type of quantitative and qualitative grades awarded. All grades must be aligned to the Bulgarian grading scales but also meet the grading scales requirements set by CIE.
Grading scales
Primary School Grading scale
To establish a unified approach towards awarding grades, SGIS Primary Section follows a grading scales which combines the requirements of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and of CIE, and aims at setting a high standard of achievement for all students.
90 – 100 % - excellent performance
76 – 89 % - very good performance
62 – 75 % - good performance
49 – 61 % - average performance
0 – 48 % - poor performance
SGIS Primary School Summative Assessment Grading Scale – applicable across all grades – for Cambridge only
CIE Percentage grade 0 - 36% - BG Grade Poor 2
CIE Percentage grade 37 - 52% - BG Grade Average 3
CIE Percentage grade 53 - 68% - BG Grade Good 4
CIE Percentage grade 69 - 84% - BG Grade Very good 5
CIE Percentage grade 85 - 100% - BG Grade Excellent 6
SGIS Primary School Summative Assessment Grading Scale – applicable across all grades – for Bulgarian subjects only
BG Percentage Grade 0 - 48% - CIE Poor 2
BG Percentage Grade 49 - 61% - CIE Average 3
BG Percentage Grade 62 - 74% - CIE Good 4
BG Percentage Grade 75 - 89% - CIE Very good 5
BG Percentage Grade 90 - 100% - CIE Excellent 6
Awarding grades
The students in grades PG – 3 are given a qualitative grade only. Results from summative assessments are recorded as percentages. Students in grade 4 are given both a qualitative and a quantitative grade. Under the Bulgarian educational legislation, the students must be awarded a defined number of grades depending on the specifics of the subject taught. Each grade must be entered in Shkolo. There is not a set maximum number of grades a teacher is allowed to award per semester, however you must set the minimum as per the school’s official educational plan for each subject. The statutory minimum of grade per semester is shown in the table below: Number of minimum current grades per term:
- Subjects taught up to twice/week - Minimum number of grades per term 2
- Subjects taught 2,5/3,5 lessons/week - Minimum number of grades per term 3
- Subjects taught minimum 4 lessons/week - Minimum number of grades per term 4
The teacher should personally enter the grades in the obligatory school documentation and platforms.
The deadlines for entering the grades in the documentation are as follows:
In case of oral examination – class teachers must enter the current grades on the day of the examination For current grades awarded for written examinations – teachers must enter the current grades up to one week after the examination For end-of-year exam – teachers must enter the grades up to two weeks after the examination For end-of-term and end-of-year grades – on the day when they are formed. IV. Types of Grades
Students should receive the following grades:
Current grades
They are awarded following the completion of an assessment in accordance with Tables 1 and 2. The results are recorded in the documentation and platforms required to allow quick and easy monitoring by staff.
Current grades can be formed using a variety of assessment techniques including:
Oral examinations Coursework Written examinations Written assignments Project work Homework Preparation for class Independent learning. The weight of the techniques listed above is determined by each teacher, in accordance to the specifics of each subject.
End-of-term grades
End-of-term grades provide an evaluation of the student’s performance throughout each term. The term grade is formed no earlier than one school week before the end of the respective term, and no later than two school days before the end of the respective term. It is based on:
End-of-term test (20%) Mean score of current grades (30%) Class work (40%) Presentation of their notebook (10%) For a subject, taught for only one term, the end-of-year grade is formed based on that grade.
If the student has been absent from more than 25% of the lessons and has not received the minimum number of current grades, the term grade cannot be formed and the student should sit an exam for awarding an end-of-term grade.
Students who are unable to do Physical Education due to health reasons must present a medical document for verification. After that, they will be exempt from having a term grade for this subject.
End-of-year grade
End-of-year grade summarises the progress and achievements of students at the end of each academic year. It must be given for every subject and should be based on an end-of-year exam, the average current grade as well as the end-of-term grades (in accordance to the weights of all these grades as determined in each subject’s In-House Assessment Policy).
For subjects studied only one semester, the end-of-year grade is the grade for the semester.
Effort grade
Effort grades are awarded following the criteria described in the table below:
Effort grades and criteria
Grade A - Outstanding effort: The student is clearly dedicated an extraordinary amount of effort towards this piece of work.
Grade B - Good effort: The student has clearly shown that they have put a sensible amount of effort into their work.
Grade C - Satisfactory effort: The student has put an acceptable amount of effort into their work. No more, no less.
Grade D - Poor effort: The student has not put an acceptable amount of effort into their work and this is preventing success at fully achieving the learning objectives.
Grade E - Unacceptable: The student has put little or no effort into their work and this is having a serious effect on their ability to achieve. There is a barrier to learning.
V. Feedback
Feedback is central to teaching and integral to progress and attainment. Feedback should motivate and focus on strengths and achievement. Forms of feedback could include: peer, group or verbal as well as AfL (assessment for learning).
Effective feedback requires:
Regularity Setting and communicating with the students clear assessment criteria for every subject Sharing of learning objectives with the student Timeliness so that a student can respond effectively Feedback guidelines:
Verbal is the most common form of feedback given and leads to direct student action. This can be planned but it should always encourage the student to improve Written feedback should clearly identify the strengths and strategies for improvement Written feedback should be phrased as a question to allow the student to reflect and act Strategies include: give a strength and one/two areas to develop, write a hint for development More practical subjects may have very little written feedback When returning books or tests, it is essential to give the students time to take in and ask questions of their work Self-assessment should be encouraged and developed as the student goes through the school. (Spellings, grammar, letter formations etc) VI. Responsibilities in the Process of Assessment
Subject teachers
Assess the achievements of the students according to the Bulgarian standards and CIE Record assessment data and enter it into the relevant platforms Where students are struggling academically it is the responsibility of the class teacher to inform Head of Stage. Subject Coordinators
Monitor the subject teachers compliance with the assessment policy Where necessary plan and implement effective intervention strategies (to include HoP) Adhere to the timetabled schedule of end of semester tests Heads of Stage (HoS)
Monitor the success rate, process and provide information regarding top and bottom 25% of achievers and coordinate plans for the success of these students. Academic Supervisor
Work alongside with the subject coordinators to ensure assessment, which is fair, consistent, and based on clear, understandable criteria done across each department. Ensures that intervention is carried out appropriately in order that the needs of different types of learners are met. Quality control of assessment, including: grades, homework, formative assessments, summative assessment and homework is monitored and adhered to in the given deadlines set by the class teachers. All planning and information with schemes of work are checked and administered by the class teachers, as checked by the academic supervisor Heads of a respective school section
Monitor the work of the Subject Coordinator and Heads of Stage, the success rates and obligatory submission of student data onto the relevant platforms. Analyse the data from said platforms and manage interventions when necessary. Approve the end of semester test schedule. Learning support
At SGIS we have school counsellors, psychologists and a speech therapist All students have access to the above but special attention is given to SEND and GandT students Other roles include delivering CPD to the pedagogical and non-pedagogical staff relating to SEN, organising and controlling the preservation of relevant students’ documents Marking
Please also refer to the marking policy of the school*
Crucial information pertaining to the progress and attainment of the student can be assessed by marking Marking should be linked to the learning objectives of each lesson and this information must be shared with the students Marking should be meaningful, manageable and motivating for each student As a rule of thumb, marking should be undertaken approximately every two – four weeks Tests and graded assignments must be checked and returned within a given timescale Students should present neat work with a good structure and presentation. They should also proof-read and correct the work before presenting it to the teacher - to check for technical mistakes, spelling mistakes, if it flows and makes sense, etc. Finally, they should self-asses against the success criteria for the task. These criteria should have been shared at the start of the task. Academic Honesty
Corresponding to the school’s core values of honesty and transparency, St. George International School and Preschool does not tolerate cheating and plagiarism. Instances like this are dealt with all seriousness.
The consequences are as follows:
1 st offence - the student receives a poor mark and his/her parents are informed; 2 nd offence - the student receives a poor mark and his/her parents are called for a meeting; 3 rd offence - the student receives a poor mark and a formal warning "Note" as his/her parents are informed. Sessions with the school counsellor are organised and started with the student on a weekly basis. Assessment during online learning due to COVID-19 pandemic
The assessment in the situation of online learning due to pandemic must be done carefully and with consideration of the student’s well-being.
Online assessment can be carried out in the following ways:
Orally Via tests or quizzes Via assigned tasks Grades should not be awarded based on the student's participation in online lessons due to the possibility of the students’ encountering technical difficulties.
All the grades will be written in the formal documentation and platofrms.
Younger students (Grades 0-2) should receive only technical assistance by their parents when being assessed during online learning, should the student’s overall performance demonstrate that the online learning/test/assessment has been supported and it is clear that family or friends have completed learning, which is not representative of the student’s own learning, the respective Grade is disqualified and a following 1:1 with the subject teacher is organised to repeat or resit assessment/s.
The current Assessment Policy of St. George International School and Preschool is written in compliance with the Bulgarian educational legislation which could also be used for all other cases, not described in the current document. All additional policies of assessing processes within specific subjects in specific are in direct submission to the current Assessment Policy.
