Assessments are a way of teachers checking children's understanding of new concepts. These may be carried out in many ways such as questioning and feedback, marking, working alongside a group, observation and mini 'quizzes' at the end of a term or unit of work.

At Westmeads we know that on-going assessment is vital as it informs the next steps in both planning and teaching successful lessons. It also helps us to identify any children who may be having particular difficulties in specific areas of their learning. This may lead to a short-term intervention or support to help children to understand or find strategies to support them in their learning journey.

Class teachers and the leadership team meet at the end of each term to look at the children's progress and to see if there are any areas where additional support may be needed for individuals, groups or the whole class.

There are also national assessments in which all children are required to participate. In Year 1, there is the 'Phonics Check' during June. This is a short assessment which assesses whether children are able to decode real and nonsense words. Using phonics is one of the cueing strategies that children may use when learning to read.

At the end of Year 2, during the month of May, children will participate in Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) in reading; grammar, punctuation and spelling; and maths. The results from these tests are used to support the end of Key Stage 1 teacher assessments. More information is given to parents regarding the SATs during the summer term in Year 2. Please be reassured that these are carried out in a sensitive manner suitable to the age of the children and should not give children or parents any concerns.

If you have any questions regarding assessment, please talk to your child's teacher or the Head teacher.