Assessment is a crucial part of student learning at Tucker Road Bentleigh Primary School.
Assessment occurs in a number of ways:
- Student prior knowledge is always assessed as part of all areas of learning – this assessment guides teachers on what areas of learning are to be the focus for the cohort, small groups and individuals.
- Student understanding and capability is constantly evaluated during work tasks and activities. Teachers will provide ongoing feedback to students about their progress and areas for improvement.
- The learning journey as well as the final product provided by students will be assessed to determine learning from the activities and instruction. This assessment will be against key understandings and skill criteria (rubrics) or the clear focus statements that were made explicit to students prior to the task. This assessment could be in the form of a project, task or a test for example.
- Student self-assessment is also an integral part of our structures, where children demonstrate their capacity to understand the required criteria or goal and assess their achievement against the set standards. This capacity is also extended to peer assessment – again using a pre-determined criterion.
Reporting at Tucker Road Bentleigh Primary School also occurs in a number of ways:
Written Reports
Two written reports are provided to parents – the first in June and the second in December. Both of these reports will summarise the student’s major achievements and the next important learning step for the student in relevant areas.
The report will provide the teacher’s judgement of the student’s progress for English (Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening), Maths (Number & Algebra, Measurement & Geometry, Statistics and Probability) and Personal and Social Capabilities using the Standards set out in the Victorian Curriculum. These areas are reported on in both reports.
A variety of assessments, anecdotal notes, student-teacher conferences and colleague discussions (moderation practices) are used to provide teachers with the evidence they require to make their judgements.
Student progress in science is reported on once a year and all other learning areas and capabilities are reported on over a 2-year cycle.
These include:
- Health Education
- the Humanities: History (years F-6), Geography (years F-6), Civics and Citizenship (years 3-6) and Economics and Business (years 5-6)
- the Technologies both Design and Technologies, and Digital Technologies
- the 4 capabilities (Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Capability, Intercultural Capability, and Critical and Creative Thinking).
These areas will be assessed using school determined outcomes (using the Victorian Curriculum) that will include student knowledge, understanding, skill and capacity to implement and evaluate.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
The school provides a formal opportunity for parents and teachers to discuss students learning progress. These take the form of Parent-Teacher Conferences and occur in Term 3.
Of course, parents are always welcomed to speak to teachers about their child’s learning at any time. The regularity may be different for each student as it is often based on need and circumstances. Teachers will inform parents on the number of meetings required based on each student’s circumstances or set a schedule that suits both parties.