Belconnen Assessment and Reporting Policy
Assessment A primary purpose of assessment is to enhance learning and to enable the reporting of students’ achievement. Assessment practices have a powerful impact on learning and teaching. Assessment uses both summative and formative evaluation to monitor each student’s progress. Assessment is a broad term covering items of student work/tasks such as: tests, assignments, essays, reports, practical work, class work and exercises, bookwork, homework, performances, speeches, seminars and oral presentations. Students are assessed according to the degree to which they achieve in relation to the unit outcomes.
At BHS Assessment
- is conducted in all units studied throughout the year
- should provide valid information on the ideas, processes, products and values expected of students
- should make a positive contribution to student learning
- should be demonstrably fair to all students
- criteria should be explicit so that the basis for judgements is clear and
- judgements on student progress should be based on multiple kinds and sources of evidence
Unit Outlines
Within the first three weeks of the commencement of a semester students will be issued with unit outlines for each subject. The unit outline will clearly document the assessment outcomes for the unit, assessment tasks, the weighting of each assessment item and the week the item is due. The assessment components may include – but are not limited to - tests (given to an individual class or to all classes studying the same unit), written assignments, practical work, homework, group work, oral presentations, bookwork and participation in the classroom.
Where more than one class is studying the same subject at the same level, moderation procedures are used. This may be through administration of common tests, marking of selected items by a number of teachers or exchange of information between the teachers involved.
Other assessment commitments for ACT school students can include
- National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy – NAPLAN - (Years 3, 5 , 7 and 9)
- PISA international assessment (for 15 year olds)
- Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) international assessment (in Years 4 & Year 8)
- National academic competitions (English, Science, Maths, Computing, Languages etc)
Reporting
Reporting can be both informal and formal. Informal reporting to parents might include: telephone calls, emails, student-led conferences, parent-teacher conferences, open days, assemblies and the use of journals and homework books. Formal reporting occurs twice a semester (four times a year) – at mid semester and end of semester.
Mid-Semester Reports
These are issued to all students towards the end of Terms 1 and 3, prior to Parent/Teacher evenings. Teachers report on the student’s
Achievement – Student assessment in class and
Application – Student applying themselves to learning in the classroom as satisfactory or causing concern.
Teachers must ensure sufficient assessment has been completed to make a realistic judgement on a student’s progress before mid-semester reporting to parents occurs. Teachers are encouraged to phone parents where this is not possible.
Semester Reports
These are issued to every student at the end of Terms 2 and 4.
The student’s performance is indicated on a scale for achievement of outcomes, specific to each subject. They are as follows
E – Excellent
H - High
S – Satisfactory
P - Partial
L – Limited
NAS – Not Assessed
Student performance on organisational and time management skills, completing set tasks and participation are assessed using the following scale on Work Patterns:
C – Consistently
S – Sometimes
R – Rarely
N – Not Assessed
Grades
Teachers are required to submit grades to their executive teacher prior to finalising and communicating grades to students.
Grades for each subject studied are awarded for achievement and effort through the descriptors in the tables below. In Years 9 and 10 these achievement grades are transferred to the Year 10 Certificate or to their High School Records if they leave the school during Years 9 or 10.
Achievement Grades
GRADE | DESCRIPTOR GUIDELINES |
A or Outstanding Achievement is demonstrated by |
|
B or High Achievement is demonstrated by |
|
C or Sound Achievement is demonstrated by |
|
D or Limited Achievement is demonstrated by |
|
E or Very Limited Achievement is demonstrated by |
|
S or Status |
|
N or Not Assessed |
|
Effort Grades are derived from the rubric below.
Work Patterns | Excellent (5) | Good (4) | Satisfactory (3) | Limited (2) | Poor (1) |
Submit assessment by the due date
| All assessment submitted on the due date | All assessment submitted. Most by the due date. | Most of assessment submitted. Most by the due date. | Some work submitted. Most work was not submitted by the due date. | Significant teacher intervention required for student to submit work. |
Be respectful of resources and the environment | Student leads others in the respect of resources and environment. | Resources and environment are always used appropriately. | Resources and environment are usually used appropriately. | Sometimes uses resources and environment appropriately. | Significant teacher intervention is required for student to respect resources and environment. |
Respect others’ right to learn | Models and promotes an environment where students listen to instructions and participate appropriately. | Listens to instructions. Consistently participates appropriately. | Usually listens to instructions and participates appropriately. | Often needs reminders to listen or participate appropriately. May discourage others from participating. | Significant teacher intervention required for student to listen to instructions and participate appropriately. |
Complete class work | Always completes classwork to their potential in the time allocated. | Always completes classwork in the time allocated. | Most classwork completed in the time allocated. | Teacher supervision often required for student to complete classwork. | Significant teacher intervention required for classwork to be attempted. |
Work cooperatively | Models and promotes working well with all members of the class. | Consistently works well with others. | Usually works with others. | Supervision required for student to work well with others. | Refuses to work with others. |
NB: The related DET policies that informed the development of this policy include
- Reporting on Student Achievement and Progress to Students and parents policy
- Certification Year 10 Certificate and the Appeals Process document Parents can request in writing that their child does not receive the A – E summary Report for each semester. In these cases, students continue to receive a graded report for each subject studied during the semester.
Review and Appeal Processes
Students have the right to seek a review against achievement grades and do so by following these procedures in the order listed.
- Review of Results by Teachers Discuss the problem informally with the class teacher as soon as possible after receiving the semester report. In most cases the problem is resolved at this level. It is possible for clerical errors to occur or for the student to overlook a factor such as assignments or other pieces of work not handed in. It is good to have evidence as to why a grade is appealed
- Review of Results by Executive Teachers Discuss the problem with the Executive Teacher of the faculty, providing evidence why the problem has not been resolved.
- Review of Results by Principal If the matter is still unresolved, the Principal must be notified in writing of the student’s intention to seek a review of results. This is normally expected on the day following the issue of reports or soon afterwards.The Principal calls a meeting of the parties involved at which the student presents any further evidence. This is the highest level of review for students in Years 7 and 8.
- Appeal to the Chief Executive Students in Years 9 and 10 may subsequently request a System Level Appeal. Such an appeal may be made against particular assessments on the High School Record or against a decision not to award a Year 10 Certificate. Appeals against the non-award of a Year 10 Certificate should be made before the end of the school year. An ACT Department of Education & Training leaflet issued to all students gives information about appeals and is available at the school. Further information may be obtained from:
Educational Performance and Reporting Section
Department of Education and Training
GPO Box 158
Canberra ACT 2601
All appeals must be made by the student not a second party acting on their behalf.
Late Work
Adequate time will be given for the completion of all assessable work. In preparing our Year 10 students for college Belconnen High School is implementing an assessment late policy which closely reflects that of the Board of Secondary Studies policy being implemented in colleges. This will allow students to experience one of the many changes that will occur next year and therefore making the transition to college easier. This policy will apply to Year 10 students. The policy specifies that late work is to be penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks for each day late (including weekends and public holidays). Work that is handed in more than 7 days late will receive “zero” for that item. If there is a valid reason why the work is late, adequate documentary evidence must be provided and consideration may be applied. Requests for extension to deadlines for assessment tasks must be made in advance.
Students are encouraged to seek assistance if they are having difficulty in completing assessment tasks and can ask their teacher and/or attend the library (Catch Up) in break 1 where teachers are available to assist students. It is expected that all students complete every assessment task on time. Year 7-9 students are not penalised for late work but still may receive “zero” for non-submission after a period of time set by the teacher.
Extensions
If students experience difficulties completing tasks they should negotiate an extension with the teacher prior to the due date. Lack of organization or leaving things until the last minute is not an acceptable reason for an extension. When requesting an extension, students should show evidence that they have work in progress. Students are expected to make up work missed while absent from classes at excursions or sporting events.
Return of Student Work
Teachers are required to mark and return student work promptly. Students must be provided with formative feedback. A two week turnaround, on returning student work is realistic, an exception to this maybe a moderated task.
Consideration is provided at the discretion of the class teacher usually following advice from the school executive and or the school psychologist. This isapplied when a student has been absent, ill or experienced difficulties outside school that have impacted on their ability to complete the set work.
Status is awarded to those students who have recently enrolled or have hadprolonged absences from school and have provided a legitimate reason (i.e. doctor’s certificate). It is only awarded when the student’s assessment has been adversely affected by their absence. If enough assessable work has been completed a pro rata grade can be calculated. Teachers are expected to assess students against the relevant learning outcomes and comment on the student’s level of ability and skill development. The decision to award a status grade can only be made by the Principal.
Modified Programs
Some students may have their program and assessment modified. This will include students with special needs, EALD students and students that are not able to work at the level of the Australian Curriculum.
For students who are completing a personalised curriculum program (such as students with additional learning needs) the ACT A–E System Report will incorporate a ‘P’ identifier. The ‘P’ will appear next to the subject area on the report.
The ‘P’ identifier is intended for only a small number of students who are accessing an adjusted curriculum designed by their teacher to meet their learning needs. As such, no cohort data will be available for students enrolled in a ‘P’ subject. It does not include students accessing extension or enrichment programs.
The report template includes the following advice to parents and carers regarding the ‘P’ identifier:
A ‘P’ after the Learning Area name indicates your child had been provided with a learning program that does not align with Australian Curriculum content at this year level. For further information on your child’s personalised learning program, please contact your child’s teacher.
Teachers need to provide information to parents and carers about the nature and extent of the curriculum adjustment that has been made for their child where a ‘P’ identifier has been used.
Students with special needs have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP). Some students on an ILP require assessment tasks to be modified and LSU staff are available to assist with this. LSU students may receive support from LSU staff to meet the assessment requirements.
Exempt Students
There are a small number of students currently exempt from A-E reporting. Letters are sent home to the parents of these students to give them the option of receiving the A-E report.