Assessment is a continuous process, which is integral to teaching and learning, allowing pupils to achieve their true potential.

Assessments aim to:

• Gather information about the performance of individual pupils, groups and cohorts in order to inform target setting and to monitor progress
• Provide information to inform the school’s strategic planning
• Gather information to inform teachers’ planning
• Track individual, group and cohort progress
• Allow pupils to be involved in their own learning
• Inform the Governing Body of the school’s standards and achievement
• Recognise positive achievements and progress of a pupils and plan for the next steps
• Identify learning difficulties more quickly so that appropriate help can be given
• Record the overall achievements of the pupil systematically
• Monitor the school and pupil’s achievements
• Meet the legal requirements for record keeping, assessing and reporting to parents, the local authority and central government departments
• Ensure all assessments and record keeping are manageable and meaningful and not add to teacher workload unnecessarily

Gifford is a part of the PiXL network, which is a collaboration of over 1300 schools across the UK who share a common goal to raise standards.

The key strategic approach PiXL promote within every day teaching, is through effective use of data to sharpen the focus on the key gaps in students learning and then the implementation of specific personalised whole class teaching or group intervention for each pupil to enhance standards.

In Gifford, PiXL is used to assess Reading, Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling and Maths in all years for Year 1-Year 6. Teachers carry out assessments, identify gaps and then plan to address the gaps.

To ensure assessments are accurate, Gifford take part in regular moderations, both internally and externally with colleagues from across the borough.

Gifford Primary likes to work in partnership with parents and so regularly shares assessment information with parents both formally and informally though daily interactions, parents evenings and end of year reports.

Annual reports to parents include:

• Brief details of achievements in all subjects and activities forming part of the school curriculum, highlighting strengths and areas for development
• Comments on general progress
• Arrangements for discussing the report with the pupil’s teacher
• The pupil's attendance record
• The results of any public examinations taken (Year 6 and Year 4)