Data and Meaningful Assessment In The EY

This support them in making the most informed decisions when transforming academic content and knowledge into the beginnings of a successful learning journey. Nothing is more important than the levels of Wellbeing in our pupils but added to this, levels of Involvement are also monitored and reported to ensure that each child reaches their potential. The following article outlines how all our schools in China, bilingual and international use the Leuven Scales to measure Wellbeing and Involvement and how their central place in accurate, meaningful assessment impacts directly on progress and the quality of our teaching offer.

So what are the Leuven Scales? They are a system of monitoring a child`s levels of WB and I whereby the teacher makes a judgement of a child`s level on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Judgements are against a series of descriptors and all our teachers, teaching assistants and leads are trained in how to use them.

The aim of the teacher is to create conditions for learning which enable the pupil to score as closely to 4 or 5 as possible in both domains and once this is reached, we know the child is thriving in their school environment. We use observation as the means of deciding on a child`s levels of WB and I but if this is not conclusive, all those who work with the pupil, including the family will come together and share what they see and know about the child. Recognizing and monitoring levels of Wellbeing and Involvement is about understanding the process of what is going on inside the child and, as such, is an active switch from a product to process oriented approach. The best way of doing this is by observing behaviours, verbal and non-verbal communication in a range of everyday contexts – from the classroom to information from home. As we judge pupils against the 5 scales of WB and I, any scores which fall at 3 or less are then cross checked in a different situation, for example, when the child is working within a different group and/or outdoors to not only ensure a holistic view of the pupil but also to consider any external factors which are influencing their levels of engagement or how they are feeling about school life.  The rationale behind this approach is that the higher the levels of WB and I, the greater the rate of progress in all areas of their development.

The structure of the approach is in 3 phases from termly group screenings to individual observation and analysis, with the final stage being intervention where teachers take the initiative to raise levels in a range of ways. Some interventions result in higher scores almost immediately and some take longer as the teacher considers what is preventing the child from having high levels of WB and/or Involvement in their learning. What are they missing in terms of their knowledge of the child?

As we have a cross group policy on the importance of WB and I, we use this very systematic approach to evaluate the context, process and quality of the child’s experience alongside the impact or outcome of any changes in teaching. We ask ourselves about the progress which can be seen in a child’s Characteristics of Effective Learning as well as in their knowledge and skills in all subject areas. All the time the focus is on the educator’s responsibility to raise the levels and swiftly changes the teacher`s mindset from what is wrong with the child to what do we NOT know about them and/or what are not doing well enough. Parents are very much part of the discussion if a lower level persists and always very willing to embrace such a personal and insightful approach. All our Learning Walks and Board reporting include narratives from each school on levels of WB and I and what has had the greatest impact that term. If there is a significant period of low WB and I for a particular child, we then look at extra causes such as an undiagnosed learning need in communication and language, social-emotional development or significant changes in the home.

The impact of the approach has been seen in many ways. Attainment data shows striking evidence of much greater progress in all areas of development but particularly in English Communication and Language and Literacy as pupils are more motivated to learn a second language from higher levels of engagement in the classroom. Equally visible is the improvement in the quality of teaching from the ways in which learning environments have been transformed into spaces where children are learning so much more independently to the responsiveness of leaders to changing daily routines and intentional teaching approaches. Finally, all teaching teams refer to WB and I as the first indicators of how a child is thriving or not fulfilling their potential and it has become second nature to consider these elements in planning, monitoring and reporting the quality of teaching and learning.

Together with measuring WB and I, we assess 7 areas of learning and development in the Early Years and Communication and Language and Literacy are monitored equally in English and Chinese. Baseline assessment supports our understanding of each pupil's individual needs, the skills they bring to the learning environment and their internal 'will' to learn. It demonstrates a critical reference point for assessing and measuring changes and impact on a pupil's learning throughout the year as it establishes a basis for comparing attainment and achievement before, during and after learning takes place as we navigate through the Wellington/Huili curriculum. Beginning of year assessments are vital in allowing us to see the whole child and understand their individual potential.

Before

What do pupils bring with them to their new learning environment and what are they able to do? What skills do they already have and on what can we build?

During

As teachers explore with their pupils, they need to quickly measure levels of interest, engagement, skills   and knowledge. Also, is this meaningful for their pupils? Is it inspiring them to learn?

After

Based on the data gathered – what learning can take place that is fit for purpose, meaningful and with the exact level of challenge to drive learning forward?

From these initial judgements, accurate data tracking will further assist to set appropriate, achievable, and ambitious targets for a whole class, groups of, and individual pupils.