Assessment

Assessment and feedback play an essential and fundamental part in enabling student learning. The ultimate aim of assessment and feedback is to empower students to lead their own learning, to be independent and reflective thinkers. Students and parents can see their individual grades by login onto the Gateway and viewing the Evidencer. Click the link to see A guide to Evidencer for parents.

Teachers use formative assessment (at the start of a topic or unit) to gauge where students are in the learning process and then modify teaching and learning activities accordingly.

Whilst an important part of assessment involves a certain amount of “testing”, we understand that students do not improve by continually being tested. Summative assessments take place at the end of units of work. In addition to providing the final grade for a task, the accompanying feedback will be used to inform further teaching and learning.

Grades Reported

Grades are reported on a scale of  1-7. GCSE grades are recorded in two ways A*-G or 1-9. The table below explains how these can be converted into the IB grading system.

IB Level and Island School internal assessment

Cambridge IGCSE

EDEXCEL IGCSE

7

A*

9/8

6

A

7

5

B

6/5

4

C

5/4

3

D

3

2

E

2

1

F/G

1

0

U

The main channels for communication about students’ progress are:

  • One-to-one conversations between students and subject teachers
  • One-to-one conversations between students and form tutors
  • Ongoing, live reporting throughout the year, with student and teacher comments recorded on Evidencer
  • Tutoring for Learning (TFL) conversations once a year. These involve House staff, student and parent setting measurable and attainable goals for students to aspire to.
  • parent consultations once a year, in which students and parents meet with subject teachers

Teachers, council members and student learning advisors regularly review assessment policies and procedures.