Assessment

We aim to provide a supportive environment in which all students thrive and grow into articulate, well-rounded global citizens. Assessment plays a vital role in ensuring high-quality teaching and learning. It enables teachers to plan effectively and helps students to recognise their progress and identify their next steps. 

Our assessment policy seeks to ensure a whole-school approach to assessment and feedback, while allowing departments the flexibility to adopt methods that best suit the nature of their subject. 

How Assessment Supports Learning

Throughout their time at KE Aston, students experience purposeful assessment that provides a clear picture of their developing knowledge, skills and understanding. Teachers use this insight to shape personalised targets, plan high‑quality lessons and identify where extra support or challenge may be needed.

Our approach blends whole‑school consistency with flexibility for different subjects, recognising that what works best in Mathematics may look different from what works best in Drama or Science.

Our Three‑Strand Approach

Assessment and feedback at KE Aston are built around three complementary strands:

Strand 1: Year‑Group Assessments

At key points, all students in a year group take the same assessment.
These tests provide a consistent measure of attainment across the cohort and help us understand how well the curriculum is being understood. The results guide future teaching, curriculum adjustments and any additional support students may benefit from.

Strand 2: Class Teacher Assessment

Teachers also assess their own classes in ways that best suit the subject and the needs of their students. This may include written feedback, whole‑class discussion or verbal guidance in more practical subjects. Students are encouraged to reflect on this feedback and use it to improve their knowledge, understanding or performance.

Strand 3: Everyday Classroom Feedback

Great teaching involves ongoing checks for understanding. These are quick, responsive techniques used during lessons, such as questioning, mini whiteboards or reviewing students’ work to ensure learning is secure.
While these checks happen continually and informally, they work alongside the more structured assessments in Strands 1 and 2.