Key Stage 2 Mathematics (Numeracy)
Pupils' Record of Achievement/Self Assessment Sheets
Assessment for Learning in the renewed framework
These sheets (see links below) are closely linked with the Renewed Framework for Mathematics (2006) in the UK.
The purpose of the sheets is to provide a manageable way for teachers to give relevant, individual pupil or group targets
in maths which will contribute to the children’s record of achievement, encourage them to reflect on and monitor their
own performance and recognise their achievements. As such, they can play a valuable part in a school's approach to
Assessment for Learning.
Items on the sheets are based on the Key Objectives for the year group and objectives (or part of the objectives) related
to these drawn from the two previous years' programmes of study and following two years' programmes of study where available.
Thus, for most of the objectives, there are five related target statements (with the middle one representing the
"expected" level of achiement for most pupils in that year group).
Use the links below to download the Numeracy Pupil Target/Record of Achievement and Self Assessment sheets for Years 3-6:
For further information about the sheets and a way in which they could be used, please read on.
I would very much appreciate some feedback on the likely usefulness of this resource to other practising teachers.
Please contact me if you have any comments at: g.jennings@ntlworld.com
What are the main features of the Numeracy Pupil Target/Record of Achievement and self assessment sheets?
There are four sheets - one each for Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6.
The targets for a year group address the Key Objectives for that year group.
The targets, therefore, cover a range of mathematical ideas and skills and directly apply to the designated
teaching for the year group. (This may not be the case for targets based on NC Attainment Target levels.)
The target statements are intended to be clear and understandable to children without compromising mathematical meaning.
There are between six or seven targets for each year group – one for each of that year’s Key Objectives.
Every target is presented in a series of graded statements. There are usually five target statements for each Key Objective – the middle statement (presented in the middle one of five columns) represents the Key Objective for the year group. Before it are statements based on related objectives for the two earlier year groups (representing easier targets) and after it are statements based on related objectives for the two following year groups (representing more challenging targets) where these are available.
The target statements, therefore, become progressively more difficult from left to right.
For each statement there are ten empty boxes available for the pupils to use to record their achievement on a particular occasion (guided by the teacher perhaps). The idea is that these may be shaded or ticked depending on the teacher’s preference.
The children have a new sheet (and therefore a fresh start in relation to their targets) each year.
How are the pupil target/Record of Achievement and self assessment sheets used?
Preparation:
Children are given the appropriate sheet for their year group – it might be taped into their maths book,
placed in the front or back of a maths folder or be part of a self assessment booklet which is available lesson by lesson.
Through discussion between teacher and pupil, each child should know the standard that they are normally
expected to achieve by the end of a lesson or series of lessons. That is, whether – for them – they should normally be
expecting (and be expected) to be able honestly to tick off that they can do and understand the work it the column
indicated by the middle statement or the final statement in a target series for example.
This is how the targets are individualised and this aspiration level can be altered
(again through teacher/pupil discussion) through the year.
For example, after I have discussed maths work with an individual pupil, we agree the standard which they should
normally expect to reach. (This is informed by my knowledge of their work, past test performance and their comments.)
We may write "usually" at the top of this column and "sometimes" at the top of the next column as a reminder of the
expectations.
Week by week, day by day:
Children can be asked to look at the sheet at the beginning of a lesson or activity when learning activities
address one of the Key Objectives for the year group. (Teachers using on-line planning tool will find these in blue print on the website.)
Following work pertaining to one of the Key Objectives, children can indicate their level of achievement on
their sheet. This could be done in various ways:
children could be asked to tick a box to show which level on that target strand they felt they had achieved or
were comfortable with;
the class, a group or individuals could be given a series of questions (perhaps as an informal test)
graded in line with the five statements to help them to distinguish their level of capability at that time;
sometimes there could be discussion between teacher and pupil(s) about the level of achievement that
the child’s work represents – or the teacher might sometimes provide a written indication having marked work.
(Some of the value of the activity is lost if the sheets merely reflect teacher assessment of the children’s performance.
If the children know that they are expected to come to some judgement about their work and working,
I believe that the reflection they have to make enhances their learning and their focus on the main thrust of the lesson.
Why use targets based on Key Objectives?
There need to be the “right” number of targets at the “right” level.
There need to be enough targets to cover a good range of mathematical ideas – but not so many that each one
cannot be revisited a number of times.
Each term’s work outlined in the Framework for Mathematics addresses a large number of objectives – too many (in my view)
to give to pupils as individual targets. However, the document identifies the most important objectives for each year
group as Key Objectives. Most of these are (or can easily be) visited several times over the year – either as
main learning or in the mental starter - making them suitable as pupil targets. The Key Objectives cover a
range of mathematical ideas (although I am considering discussing with colleagues the possibility of adding a
target across the year groups to encourage a focus on an area of maths that monitoring has shown to be
comparatively weak in our school.
Why offer a series of statements for each target?
To work best, targets need to be at the individual pupil’s level, and these levels will be different for
different children. However, a system of targets needs to be manageable for the class teacher and children in any
class will be working at different levels. Different targets can be given to different pupils, but then these have
to be updated or new ones provided, when they have been achieved. This needs a lot of monitoring and doesn’t easily
allow for the forgetting/relearning cycle that teachers recognise as a normal part of children’s progress.
By offering a series of graded statements, the same target – at different levels – can be used with whole class groups.
This makes class management relatively easy.
Through class activities and plenary discussions, the children (with the help of the teacher) would reflect on
their work and indicate (by ticking or shading, for example) the level of work/understanding they had been capable of.
Use the links below to download the Mathematics Pupil Target/Record of Achievement and Self Assessment sheets for Years 3-6.