Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP): ICT

Publication date:

Jan 2009

DCSF ref:

00712-2008

Audience:

Deputy headteacher, Head of school department, Headteacher, Subject leader, Teacher

Function:

Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP), Assessment, Initial teacher training (ITT), Subject specific guidance

Format:

Key document

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Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) is a structured approach to periodic assessment. It enables teachers to:

• diagnose pupils' strengths and areas for development
• track pupils' progress in ICT across Key Stage 3
• review and revise schemes of work and approaches to teaching and learning.

Based on three assessment focuses (AFs) drawn from the National Curriculum Programme of Study, periodic assessment using the APP materials improves the quality and reliability of teachers' assessment. It has proved to be robust, manageable and effective in practice.

The basic approach

The APP approach is straightforward. At regular intervals, which are planned to fit in with school assessment policy, teachers review pupils' work using APP guidelines to build a profile of their attainment. The information gained from the process allows teachers to:

• analyse by AF the relative strengths and weaknesses of each pupil (pupils at levels 3–8)
• assign each pupil an overall National Curriculum level for ICT
• use this information to set curricular targets to strengthen pupils' learning and inform their own future teaching by making links to the relevant objectives from the renewed Framework.

Resources

The materials for Assessing Pupils' Progress in ICT can be downloaded from the ‘Attachments and resources' menu on the right:

• The APP in ICT at Key Stage 3: Teachers' Handbook provides detailed advice and guidance on implementing APP across the ICT department and is an essential starting point for subject leaders and teachers.
• The APP in ICT at Key Stage 3: Assessment guidelines allow teachers to record progress for each pupil and cover two levels of progress on one A4 sheet.
• The Standards Files exemplify each National Curriculum level. They contain pupils' work with a detailed commentary and provide an essential guide for teachers to standardise their judgements.
• The APP in ICT at Key Stage 3: Assessment criteria, summarising the progression from level 3 to 8 and covering all three assessment focuses (AFs), are available on one A3 sheet.
• APP guidance for senior leaders reinforces a whole school strategic approach to assessment.

Standards Files

Standards Files are currently available to exemplify levels 3 to 8.

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• Order from DCSF Publications

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