ASSESSING PUPILS’ PROGRESS
APP – are you ready?
Assessing
smoother at the end of each year has actually brought
The benefits of APP
which teachers execute their assessment, will undoubtedly
each student’s various teachers together to enhance For any secondary schools looking to embrace APP start to be replicated in the secondary arena.
Pupils’ Progress
their learning according to their individual needs. ahead of government targets of implementing the By relieving the burden of paperwork and giving
Some teachers and senior staff may question framework by 2012, I strongly recommend that they all staff a clear overview of their pupils’ progress to
what true benefit another framework can bring look for an electronic means to deliver the reports and help them improve their planning, secondary schools
is on the radar
to secondary schools, but having seen this work manage the volume of data that is required. can complement the framework being used by many
first-hand, I can vouch that the advantages are self- This will also give class teachers, subject leaders and primary schools. SecEd
for both primary
evident. senior staff the perfect means to analyse and track the
In 2007, we were invited in the county, through performance not only of individuals, but also of groups • Graham Horton is the strategic manager at
and secondary schools.
Woolaston Primary School, to join the Department of students – crucial in the new Ofsted framework. Gloucestershire local authority.
for Children, Schools and Families’ Making Good The introduction of AfL to primary schools across
Progress pilot scheme. This involved the use of the the board has undoubtedly given teaching staff within
Further information
With a focus on transition,
APP framework covering English and mathematics, this field a stronger framework to fit their planning and For more on APP, visit www.qca.org.uk and www.
the trialling of single-level tests, and the opportunity reporting into. standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies and search for
Graham Horton from
to offer some of our pupils the experience of one-to- The further advent of APP, structuring the ways in Assessing Pupils’ Progress.
one tuition.
Gloucestershire local
With APP sitting at the core of this programme,
the scheme also focused on the transition of pupils
authority discusses the
from primary to secondary level, by keeping a track
of how pupils were developing and ensuring they
were progressing at an appropriate rate.
work they have been doing
The role of technology
to pilot the initiative, and
We have found that using an electronic assessment
tool helps immensely in our embedding of APP,
discusses how electronic
alleviating the need for paper-based reporting and
also giving teachers the opportunity to add details in
assessment has helped
school hours or remotely online, as required.
The Classroom Monitor tool that we use was
brought on board to maintain consistency for
assessment practice throughout the school. The
S A former teacher and headteacher, application had already been designed to adapt to
More Choice. More Opportunity
A
I am all too familiar with the levels these changes in the framework, permitting teachers
of reporting expected nowadays to grade students against the new set of descriptors,
from staff, the added burden of matching that of the assessment focuses in APP.
paperwork it presents, in addition During this pilot scheme we witnessed the
Here in Hertfordshire, we are home to an
to the planning required to tailor benefits this enhanced assessment brought to our
lessons to the personalised needs staff. It raised our awareness of how each student
of each student. was developing and certain attainments they were exceptional range of schools - from small
It is, however, also understood that ongoing meeting as part of their move from key stage 2 to 3.
assessment continues to be vital in giving teachers a Although there is always a strong dialogue between
clear indication of how students are progressing. This feeder and secondary schools, it was evident that the
village primaries to large secondaries.
is especially relevant when a child comes to leave reports produced as part of the APP requirements
primary school, embarking on their next chapter into generated a much more granular breakdown of
We also offer superb induction and CPD.
key stage 3 learning. how each student was performing, areas they might
Now working in a different capacity, from a strategic require additional support, and steps that had already
perspective, I have been given a different outlook on been made to address any underlying issues. Within this very supportive environment,
assessment in the introduction of the new Assessing For such an important stage of a learner’s
Pupils’ Progress (APP) assessment framework. development, transparent assessment is paramount
to ensure a high level of trust between the schools’
you will have every opportunity to
What is APP?
staff.
May 2008 saw the Department for Children, Schools
and Families (DCSF) publishing the Assessment for
Collaborative reporting
establish and develop your career.
Learning (AfL) strategy, enabling schools to apply In Gloucestershire, we are finding clusters of schools
three aspects of assessment across curriculum areas and are now looking to implement the assessment tool to
phases, covering day-to-day, periodic and transitional sit at the heart of their ongoing reporting framework,
For more information about opportunities in
methods. permitting an easy move towards APP.
To ease the adoption of the AfL strategy, a systematic Teachers in these schools now use a wide
Hertfordshire Schools, log on and apply at
structured framework called APP has been additionally range of information-gathering techniques – notes,
developed. post-its, videos, digital photographs, and even
Initially introduced as a strategy for primary sound recordings – to make ongoing assessment
www.teachinherts.com
schools, the benefits of ongoing reporting have become collaborative, which also generates clear evidence of
apparent and, as such, will be pushed out to secondary how each student is progressing.
schools to further enhance the transition of key stage 2 With this wealth of information, they are able Tel: 01438 844871
learners to key stage 3. to eliminate the need for archaic, time-consuming
paper-based reporting and instead update each pupil’s
APP at secondary school
Email: teachinherts.hdc@hertscc.gov.uk
progress via their laptops as required.
Secondary schools always endeavour to make the move By having a unified central resource for all Hertfordshire is committed to the protection and safety of children and young people.
to key stage 3 as smooth a process as possible, but each authorised parties to access and the ability to view
year presents added paperwork for all teachers with the this detail securely online, all can share this wealth
additional need to trail through copious test results and of knowledge and use it to the best of their ability
data from multiple sources. to make the learning as seamless and tailored to the
The method we have used to make this transition appropriate level into key stage 3.
SecEd • June 11 2009 15
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