Assessment

Assessment at Goldsmith Primary Academy

At Goldsmith Primary Academy, assessment is central to ensuring every pupil can belong, achieve and thrive. We use assessment not just to measure attainment, but to understand learning, remove barriers, and help every child fulfil our vision to Dream, Rise and ASPIRE.

Our assessment systems are purposeful, supportive, and rigorous. They provide valuable insight into how well pupils are progressing and allow teachers and leaders to identify next steps, celebrate success, and secure improvement for all learners.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Across EYFS, children are assessed upon entry using a Windsor Academy Trust-agreed baseline assessment. For children joining our 2-year-old provision, the statutory two-year-old progress check also takes place.

Reception pupils complete the statutory Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) within the first six weeks of starting school, followed by ongoing assessments throughout the year. At the end of Reception, pupils are assessed against the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) to determine whether they have achieved a Good Level of Development (GLD).

Language development is prioritised across the early years. Pupils in Nursery and 2-year-old provision are screened using WellComm, while Reception children are assessed using Talk Boost, which has replaced NELI. This ensures that speech and language needs are identified early and that targeted interventions can be swiftly implemented.

Phonics is assessed half-termly using Read Write Inc., ensuring that every child’s reading journey is precisely matched to their phonetic knowledge.

Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2

Across Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils follow a consistent and structured assessment cycle that balances standardised testing with teacher assessment.

• Mathematics: Pupils complete ARK Maths Mastery assessments termly in both arithmetic and reasoning.

• Reading: All pupils undertake HeadStart Reading assessments, which provide detailed analysis of comprehension, inference, and fluency.

• Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GaPS): Pupils in Years 2–6 complete HeadStart GaPS assessments each term.

• Writing: Pupils complete assessed pieces of independent writing, which are moderated against school-developed Teacher Assessment Frameworks (TAFs) derived from the National Curriculum and end of Key Stage 2 expectations.

Assessment data from each term is moderated nationally and gap-analysed using Smart Grade, enabling teachers and leaders to target support and accelerate progress.

Foundation Subjects

Foundation subjects are taught and assessed discretely to ensure depth, rigour, and clear progression in knowledge and skills. Teachers use formative assessment within lessons and summative assessment at the end of each unit. Subject leaders monitor this information carefully to ensure that standards are consistently high across the curriculum.

Statutory Assessment Points

From 2024–25 onwards, there are no statutory outcomes in Key Stage 1 for Reading, Writing, and Maths. However, a range of national assessments continue across the primary phase.

At Goldsmith Primary Academy, pupils complete the following statutory assessments:

• Reception:

  • Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA)

  • Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) – measures attainment against Early Learning Goals (GLD).

• Year 1:

  • Phonics Screening Check

• Year 2 and Year 3:

  • Phonics Screening Rechecks (for pupils who did not meet the expected standard in Year 1).

• Year 4:

  • Multiplication Tables Check (MTC)

• Year 6:

  • End of Key Stage 2 Assessments in Reading, Writing, Maths, Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling, and Science.

Monitoring, Moderation and Impact

Assessment outcomes are reviewed each term by senior leaders, including the SENDCo and Head of Student Services, ahead of Pupil Progress Meetings. These discussions focus on identifying barriers to learning—whether academic, social, emotional, or contextual—and ensure that plans are in place to remove them.

Moderation takes place internally and across the Windsor Academy Trust, providing consistency and quality assurance across all subjects and year groups. External moderation also occurs for statutory outcomes where applicable.

Communicating Progress

We value strong partnerships with families and ensure they are well informed about their child’s progress. Parents and carers receive updates through termly parent consultations and annual written reports, which include next steps and celebrate achievements. Statutory results (e.g. Phonics Screening, MTC, and SATs) are shared in line with government guidance.

Our Approach in Action

At Goldsmith Primary Academy, assessment is not simply about numbers or tests — it is about knowing every child. Through high-quality assessment, careful analysis, and responsive teaching, we ensure that every pupil is supported to belong, achieve and thrive, realising our vision to Dream, Rise and ASPIRE.

Impact of Assessment

How is impact measured?
Progress for all pupils across the National Curriculum is tracked termly using:

• ARK Maths Mastery (Arithmetic & Reasoning)

• HeadStart Reading (all years)

• HeadStart Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling (Years 2–6)

• Assessed writing moderated against school-developed TAFs (derived from the National Curriculum and KS2 TAF)
  All assessment data is moderated nationally and gap-analysed via Smart Grade, with subject leaders reviewing discrete foundation subject assessments for progression in knowledge and skills.

How do we know children have made progress?
Termly standardised scores and TAF-aligned writing judgements are compared with teacher assessment to validate progress and pinpoint gaps. Smart Grade analysis highlights pupils, groups and domains requiring attention, ensuring teaching is precisely targeted to accelerate learning.

How do we challenge and support lack of progress?
Teachers meet half-termly with SLT, the SENDCo and the Head of Student Services for Pupil Progress Meetings. Barriers to progress (academic, SEMH, EAL, disadvantage or attendance) are identified and immediate, time-bound interventions are agreed. Impact is reviewed at the next meeting; where progress is not yet sufficient, support is adapted or intensified (e.g., adjusted scaffolds, targeted group work, forensic domain teaching, or wider pastoral support) to secure swift improvement.

Belong. Achieve. Thrive. — Dream. Rise. ASPIRE.

How are we inclusive?

At Goldsmith Primary Academy, inclusion underpins everything we do. We ensure that every pupil—regardless of need, background, or starting point—can access and achieve success across the full breadth of the National Curriculum.

Through carefully scaffolded teaching and adaptive practice, all children are challenged appropriately to reach their potential. Assessment arrangements are flexible and responsive: timings, formats, and environments are adapted in line with government guidance to ensure all pupils are able to demonstrate what they know and can do.

Pupils with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or Behaviour Profiles have personalised, measurable targets that are both ambitious and achievable. These are formally reviewed each term in partnership with parents and carers, with targets adjusted dynamically when progress is secured.

During assessment periods, we review access arrangements in the same way we would for statutory assessments. This may include smaller group ratios, the use of assistive technology, or 1:1 reader support in mathematics where permitted. Throughout the year, pupils are familiarised with assessment-style questions and conditions to build confidence, reduce anxiety, and promote independence.

Our approach is built on the principle that what is essential for some is useful for all. By embedding inclusive practices at every level, we ensure that assessment at Goldsmith is equitable, empowering, and accessible—removing barriers so that every pupil can belong, achieve and thrive, fulfilling our vision to Dream, Rise and ASPIRE.