ASSESSMENT PHILOSOPHY:

Pak Shamaa School, Al-Mashaf Branch offers British Curriculum. Our approach to assessment reflects the philosophy and objectives of these programs. The main objective of assessment at PSS is to provide students with feedback on their learning in order to allow students to learn and improve further. Teachers are expected to use assessment results to inform their planning for further learning experiences. Frequent, regular, continuous assessment is integral to all teaching and learning.

WE BELIEVE ASSESSMENT SHOULD:

  • Be varied – using a variety of tools and strategies, both formal and informal.
  • Be done formative as well as summative.
  • Allow for all students to be successful.
  • Be differentiated according to the needs of students.
  • Provide opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding and broad interpretation of concepts learned.
  • Be transparent to all stakeholders – with clear criteria for success.
  • Allow for student choice – putting the student at the center.
  • Assess all elements of the programs offered – not just knowledge and skills.
  • Drive instruction, guide learning and inform curriculum planning.
  • Lead to reflection about learning.
  • Provide opportunities to give merely feedback on the learning process.
  • Involve teachers, students, peers and parents.

ASSESSMENT IN THE PRIMARY

Assessment – How will we know what we have learned? Assessment is integral to all teaching and learning.

It is central to the primary goal of thoughtfully and effectively guiding students through the five essential elements of learning:

1. The acquisition of knowledge.

2. The understanding of concepts.

3. The mastering of skills.

4. The development of attitudes.

5. And the decision to take action.

“The prime objective of the assessment is to provide feedback on the learning process.”

TYPES OF ASSESSMENT

Most of the ongoing assessment is formative in nature, meant to inform planning and instruction. Formative assessment is an assessment for learning and plays an integral part in the teaching and learning cycle.

 

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Summative assessment tasks are designed to give information on what students can do, know and understand at the end of a unit of work. Each unit of Inquiry or stand-alone unit of work in any subject has a summative assessment task(s) at the end of the unit, feedback on which is reported to head of Wing/Coordinator for parents to see.

 

ASSESSMENT TOOLS AND STRATEGIES

We use a wide variety of assessment tools and strategies, always aiming for the tool or strategy that is most appropriate and will give us the most reliable information. We aim to give all students the opportunity to be successful and to be able to show what they know, can do and understand.

SAMPLES OF TOOLS AND STRATEGIES ARE:

  1. Observation
  2. Written responses
  3. Checklists
  4. Oral test
  5. Class activities and small projects 6. Quizzes
  6. Class presentations

 

REPORTING PROCEDURE AT PRIMARY

School follows the following reporting cycle throughout each school year:

  • Weekly and monthly reports based on class tests and results are attached with students notebooks.
  • Written reports or result cards are published in December, March and June.

Exam coordinators receive an internal Memo from the coordinator before term or semester. All assessment dates for the term exam are published by exam coordinators. School offers three semesters or terms in an academic year.