At New Horizons Academy, we believe that assessment is an ever evolving and continuous journey with the needs of the children centered at the heart of our processes. Due to the fact that many of our pupils have faced challenges in formal testing environments, have different barriers to standard formalised testing and have become disengaged from learning, we use a "whole-child" approach to measure success. This ensures our pupils feel safe, supported, and empowered to show us what they truly know. Effective and purposeful assessment tells us our children’s starting points, what they have mastered and where they need further support. It allows all staff to adapt to the needs of their children and to plan accordingly to ensure that every child at New Horizons is able to reach their full potential.
Starting the Journey: Baseline Assessment
When a child joins us, our priority is to help them settle, this means that we will dynamically adapt our approach to meet the needs of the children. This may be based on how they present on the day, information previously obtained and parental feedback. To ensure we have an accurate picture of their starting point without causing "test anxiety," we conduct non-invasive baseline assessments.
- Holistic Data: we combine our initial observations with data and history from previous settings.
- Pathways: This information allows us to place each child in the specific class and learning pathway that best suits their academic and emotional needs.
Assessment for Learning (Formative AfL): Responsive Teaching
This is the "heartbeat" of our classrooms. It happens every minute of every day to ensure no child is left behind.
- Responsive Teaching: Our staff adapt lessons "on the ground." If a child struggles, we pivot; if they excel, we provide immediate next steps.
- Marking & Feedback: We use marking to inform our future planning. It isn't just a tick—it’s a dialogue that helps set personalised targets.
- Retrieval Practice: Daily "recall" sessions help children move knowledge from their short-term to their long-term memory.
- Strategic Questioning: We use purposeful questions to check for understanding and bridge gaps in real-time.
Assessment as Learning: Empowering the Learner
We want our pupils to be the "drivers" of their own education. We foster an environment where taking a risk and being wrong is celebrated as a vital part of learning.
- Metacognition: Children are taught to ask and reflect upon their learning, behaviour and emotions: “What do I already know?” and “How can/have I been successful today?”
- Purple Pen Feedback: Pupils use "purple pens" to respond directly to teacher feedback, making active improvements to their work.
- Peer & Self-Assessment: Students learn to evaluate their own work and support their classmates where appropriate, building a sense of responsibility and reflection.
Summative Assessment: Measuring Progress
While we prioritise emotional well-being, we also maintain high academic standards. We use formal evidence to track progress against national standards and provide clear data to parents, governors, and our other stakeholders. Whilst our expectation is that the majority of our children will sit these tests, we do also recognise that some of our children may not be able to due to their various needs. This will be decided on a case by case basis with the best interests of the children at the heart of this choice.
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Phonics & Reading |
Regular RWI (Read Write Inc) intervention half termly Full RWI screening Termly Half termly Phonics Screening checks FFT Aspire Termly in addition to baseline assessment at the beginning of the academic year Weekly spelling tests |
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Mathematics |
End-of-unit "mini" assessments and formal end-of-term White Rose Maths assessments (Reasoning & Arithmetic) White Rose Maths intervention assessments used where appropriate |
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Writing |
Termly teacher assessments using evidence from final written pieces from the taught Literacy Tree unit. This is where evidence, including and beyond the specific skills taught, are used to assess the pupils’ levels. |
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P.E. |
End of unit assessments using the Primary PE Planning assessment grid and end points of each lesson. |
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PSHE, RSHE and SEMH |
Readiness for Reintegration is used to establish the emotional position, emotional resilience and attitude to learning of the student and is carried out regularly to monitor the impact of any changes. School rewards system; linked to our school ethos and character attributes. |
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Speech Language and Communication |
The Progression Tool. Observations and questions used to identify both individual and class profiles and used to inform Teaching and Learning practices, interventions or referral for SALT |
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Statutory |
National SATs, Phonics Screening, and MTC (Multiplication Tables Check) |
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Observations |
Ongoing qualitative evidence of child development |
Teacher assessment is collected termly in Reading, Writing and Maths at 3 points in the year at the end of each term. This data is recorded on our school tracking system: Insight. The information is also recorded on our pupil overview documents, these detail specific support in place for children who are identified as needing it. Assessment data is shared with governors and used by SLT to ensure that appropriate support is in place for all children.
Children can be identified as working:
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P-Scales |
Working Towards (Emerging) |
Working Towards |
Expected |
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Children who are not working at the expected level or working towards their key stage level will be assessed using P-Scales to more accurately gauge their level. |
Children working towards an age related level may be classed as emerging if they are able to achieve some of the level objectives. |
Children working towards an age related level will be assessed as such if they are achieving most but not all objectives. |
Children working at age related curriculum expectations * Year 6 children may be assessed at GDS (Greater Depth) level if appropriate. |
SEMH & Reintegration: The Bridge to the Future
For all of our pupils, the ultimate goal is a successful transition to their next educational setting, wherever that may be. To support this process, we track our pupils’ “readiness” in addition to Writing, Reading and Maths etc.
Every half-term, we use “Readiness for Reintegration” testing. This allows us to:
- Analyse the SEMH progress of every child.
- Target specific social or emotional barriers.
- Identify the exact moment a child is ready to transition back into a mainstream or specialised long-term setting.
Readiness for Reintegration to be reviewed 4 times a year in September, December, March and June.
Pupil Overviews to be reviewed and targets reset 3 times a year in June/July to be ready for the new teacher in September, reviewed and reset in December for January and then reviewed and reset in March.
Our Goal
To provide every child with the tools, confidence, and academic foundation they need to succeed in their next chapter.
