Managing the Statutory Requirements for Assessment

April 2011

Purpose of the Day

1. To ensure a greater understanding of the statutory assessment arrangements for introduction in 2012/13

2. To consider the management and coordination issues associated with the development of Literacy and meeting the statutory requirements for the assessment of Communication

3. To start to consider and plan the next steps within your own school

Overview of the Day

1.The Statutory Requirements …. What is required? By when?

2. Assessing Communication – Key Messages

3. Managing and Coordinating the Assessment Requirements

i. Planning for Assessment

ii. Assessment Task for Communication

iii. Quality Assurance of Assessment Outcomes

4. Planning the Next Steps

The Statutory Requirements

What is required? By when?

Dates for Implementation

“… the future new statutory assessment arrangements

for Communication and Using Mathematics will be

introduced in the 2012-13 school year, and the

arrangements for Using ICT one year later in 2013-14.”

(Department of Education, 17 September 2010)

Dates for Implementation

Academic Year Year Group

Transitional Levels2010/11 Year 10

2011/12 Year 10

2012/13 Year 10

(Year 8, 2010/11)

Incoming Levels of Progression:

Communication and Using Mathematics

2013/14 Year 10

(Year 8,2011/12)

Incoming Levels of Progression:

Communication, Using Mathematics and Using ICT

Proposed Support Programme

November

2010

- Awareness raising for Principals and Senior Managers

April

2011

- Managing the Statutory Requirements for Assessment:

Communication and Using Mathematics

August 2011

to

March 2012

- School-based clusters, full system training: 3-5 schools per cluster;

average of 12 teachers per school- Task Approval System

September 2012

to

May 2013

- Agreement Trials- Moderation (rolling programme begins)

Assessing Communication

Key Messages

Levels of Progression

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Primary: Levels 1 to 5

Key Stage 3: Levels 1 to 7

Expected Outcomes:

End of Key Stage 1 Level 2

End of Key Stage 2 Level 4

End of Key Stage 3 Level 5

Department of Education Circular No. 2010/06

“The Department is also making clear

its expectation that every pupil should

progress at least one level during each

Key Stage.” (para 2.12)

(Department of Education, 2011)

Levels of Progression

Expansion of the Levels of Progression

“ An emphasis on literacy and numeracy exists across the curriculum.”

(Department of Education, 2009)

Assessing Communication

“It is important that post-primary schools ensure that teachers of all subjects help to develop and promote pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills through a whole school approach.” (para 4.25)

(Department of Education, 2011)

“While recognising that Communication and Using Mathematics are cross-curricular,the mathematics and English (and, in Irish-medium schools, Irish) departments should lead the assessment of numeracy and literacy and be provided with sufficient time and support from school leaders to undertake this role. The cross-curricular nature of Communication and Using Mathematics should be reflected through the whole-school approach to planning for literacy and numeracy, with assessment supported by feedback to the English and mathematics (and, in Irish medium schools, Irish) departments as appropriate.” (para 4.27)

(Department of Education, 2011)

Reflection

Consider the messages presented so far today.

Where are you now?

What is already happening?

Managing and Coordinating the

Assessment Requirements

Planning for Assessment

Planning for Assessment

The Four Steps

Acquisition

Development(promoting, demonstrating, transferring)

AssessmentReporting

Language

Development:

All other

subject areasLiteracy

Acquisition:English Department

Communication = Literacy/ the Assessment of Literacy

How to make this happen?

Consider:

- the experience of the pupil in Years 8, 9

and 10?

- evidence of progression?

- schemes of work?

- coordination over the three years?

Planning for Development

Communicate effectively in oral, visual, written, mathematical and ICT formats, showing clear awareness of audience and purpose

Assessment Tasks

for Communication

Let us look at…

A Communication Task

Assessment Tasks for Communication

Purpose of an assessment task

Assessment task design

Assessment task approval process

Support Materials

Quality Assurance

of

Assessment Outcomes

Quality Assurance of Assessment Outcomes

Agreement Trials for Communication

Internal Standardisation

Moderation arrangements

Communication

Planning

the

Next Steps

Plenary

Evaluation