ASSESSMENT

Rationale

We believe that effective assessment provides information to improve teaching and learning. We give our children regular feedback on their learning so that they understand how they can do better. We give parents regular reports on their child’s progress so that teachers, children and parents are all working together to raise standards for all our children.

 Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of assessment in our school are to:

• Enable our children to demonstrate what they know and understand what they need to do to improve their work.
• Allow teachers to plan work that accurately reflects the needs of each child.
• Provide regular information to parents to help them support their child’s learning.
• Provide the Principal with information that enables analysis in order to make judgements about the effectiveness of the school.

Assessment

The assessment is divided into two parts – Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment.

Formative Assessment

Formative Assessment includes checking students’ progress in knowledge, skills, understanding and the application of learnt concepts. It takes place as a day-to-day practice in the course of ongoing teaching and learning.

• Teachers and Learning Assistants monitor pupils’ performance on a continuous basis. This information provides appropriate support or extension to evaluate teaching and plan future lessons.
• Pupils measure their knowledge and understanding against learning objectives, and identify areas where they need to improve.
• Enables pupils to take an active role in the learning process and the setting of short-term targets.
• Parents gain a broad picture of where their child’s strengths and weaknesses lie, and what they need to do for improvement.

Summative Assessment

• This is used to identify learning gaps and misconceptions that need to be rectified for future learning.
• This takes place after the completion of learning, focuses on pupils’ overall achievements and is used to provide quantitative information on the progress of pupils.
• School leaders monitor the performance of pupil cohorts, identify where interventions may be required, and work with teachers to ensure that pupils are supported to achieve sufficient progress.
• Teachers and Learning Assistants evaluate learning at the end of a unit or period and also analyse the impact of their own teaching.
• Pupils evaluate how well they have learnt and understood a topic or course of work taught over a period of time. It is used to provide feedback on how they can improve.
• Parents are able to stay informed about the achievement, progress and wider outcomes of their child across a period.

Kindergarten

In K.G. 1 and K.G. 2, a student profile is developed through observations, checklists and anecdotal records collated by the teachers to get an understanding of student learning in the cognitive, creative, physical, social and emotional domains. Students are, however, not graded.

A Progress Performance Report is generated for KG 1 and KG 2 twice in an academic year (September and March) and shared with the parents. The Monthly Rubrics created by the school are used every five weeks to monitor the growth and development of children over the school year.

A Developmental Checklist is prepared twice a year and portfolios are maintained for each child in the classroom. A portfolio helps teachers to understand the students’ strengths, track their progress and reflect on the information to make instructional decisions. A portfolio includes work samples of:

Art (drawings, paintings and collages).

Writing samples (scribbles, labels, letters, names, words, numbers and signs).

A story dictated to a teacher and/or illustrated by the child.

Cutting samples (indicating scissor skills).

Photograph of the child’s work and activities (block creations, Lego creations, dress up, favorite area to play in, a science experiment, group activity, etc.)

Anecdotal Records (a written note describing what the child said or did, the child’s favorite book, answers to questions, comments on an activity, description of drawing or other work).

The work samples are shared with parents on ‘Open Days’.

The student profiles are shared with parents bi-annually – in September and March.

Primary

For Grades 1 to 5, the school follows a two-semester system. Continuous assessment is done through Unit tests, class review exercises and terminal evaluations. The conceptual knowledge gained in each term has equal weightage.

Middle School

In Middle School, two cycles of unit tests will be conducted – one before the half yearly and the other before the final examination. The dates for the same will be as mentioned in the Examination Schedule.

External Exams

Students of Grade 3, 4 and 5 will participate in International Benchmark Tests such as ASSET, CAT, TIMMS, PIRLS as mandated by the UAE National Agenda parameters.

Students of Grades 1 onwards are offered opportunities to compete in the Green Olympiad conducted by TERI, National Cyber Olympiad (NCO), National Science Olympiad (NSO), International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) and International English Olympiad (IEO) conducted by SOF.

Promotion Policy

1. The academic year is divided into two terms and examinations are held at the end of each term.
2. Evaluation of Scholastic Aspect will be conducted according to the C.B.S.E guidelines.
3. Attendance for tests for all classes is compulsory.
4. If a child misses out on any Periodic Test or Term examination, he/she will be marked zero in that subject. Re-test will be conducted only on the discretion of the Principal.
5. Promotion to the higher grade will be based on Annual Exam which is 40% of the I term and 60% of the II term.

It is mandatory for all students to appear and to pass in the aggregate of the first and second term exams.

Pass criteria for subjects are as given below:

• Minimum Score of 33% in English, Language, Science and Math
• Minimum of 40% in SST including UAE SST
• Minimum 50% in Arabic Language
• Minimum 50% in Islamic Studies
• A clear pass in Moral Education

Skills Development

The curriculum contains a range of subjects to provide experience and develop skills in the following domains:

Linguistic, Mathematical, Scientific, Technological, Human and Social, Physical, Spiritual, Moral and Social.

Additionally, the 4C’s (Twenty-first century skills) are integrated seamlessly into the curriculum. These are: