ACADEMIA - KS1 Assessment Series

Session 1 |Policy Context and Principles of Assessment, Grading, and Reporting in Key Stage 1

Welcome to Session 1 of the Revised Key Stage 1 Assessment, Grading, and Reporting System.

This session establishes the policy foundation and guiding principles of the revised KS1 assessment system. It explores why assessment practices are evolving and how assessment can better support young learners’ development and progress.

In this session, teachers will explore:

the rationale for the revised KS1 assessment system;
key principles of classroom assessment;
the connection among assessment, grading, and reporting; and
the assessment cycle that supports continuous learner growth.

Assessment in KS1 is not simply about determining a grade. It is about understanding what learners can do, what they are developing, and what support they need next.

Session 2 | Understanding Descriptive Grading and Learner Progression in KS1

Welcome to Session 2 of the Revised Key Stage 1 Assessment, Grading, and Reporting System.

This session focuses on understanding descriptive grading and learner progression in Key Stage 1. It helps teachers move beyond numerical scores and recognize learner achievement through meaningful descriptions of demonstrated competencies.

In this session, teachers will explore:

the purpose of descriptive grading;
how learner progress is understood in KS1;
the use of descriptive levels to communicate achievement; and
how learner progression is viewed as developmental and continuous.

Descriptive grading helps us describe where the learner is in relation to the learning competency and how the learner is progressing over time.

Session 3 | Gathering Evidence of Learning Through Daily Teaching and Classroom Routines

Welcome to Session 3 of the Revised Key Stage 1 Assessment, Grading, and Reporting System.

Assessment in KS1 happens every day. This session focuses on how teachers can gather meaningful evidence of learning through daily instruction and classroom routines.

Teachers will explore how evidence can be gathered through:

formative assessment;

learner outputs and performance;
questioning and oral responses;
classroom observations;
anecdotal records; and
authentic classroom activities.

Every learning experience can provide evidence. What matters is how teachers observe, document, interpret, and use that evidence to support learning.

Session 4 | Determining Learner Needs and Identifying Learners for Intervention

This session focuses on moving from identifying learning difficulties to providing appropriate support. Teachers will learn how evidence from different assessment sources can inform timely and differentiated intervention.

The session explores:

evidence-based identification of learner needs;
early intervention checkpoints;
the use of formative evidence, CRLA, RMA, summative assessment, and classroom observations;
differentiated support according to learner needs; and
monitoring the learner’s response to intervention.

Intervention should be timely, evidence-based, differentiated, and responsive to what the learner needs.

Session 5 | Designing Developmentally Appropriate and Integrative Assessments

This session focuses on designing assessment experiences that are appropriate for young learners and connected to meaningful learning experiences.

Teachers will explore:

characteristics of developmentally appropriate assessment;
integrative assessment across learning areas;
authentic and meaningful assessment tasks;
opportunities for learners to demonstrate multiple competencies; and
considerations in designing assessment for KS1 learners.

Assessment for young learners should provide meaningful opportunities to demonstrate what they know, understand, and can do.

Session 6 | Developing Rubrics for Integrative and Play-Based Tasks

This session focuses on developing and using rubrics for integrative and play-based assessment tasks. It highlights how clear criteria can help teachers make assessment more consistent while recognizing the different ways young learners demonstrate learning.

Teachers will explore:

the purpose and elements of a rubric;
developing appropriate assessment criteria;
aligning criteria with learning competencies;
using rubrics for integrative and play-based tasks; and
using rubric evidence to support teacher judgment.

A well-designed rubric helps teachers make clear, consistent, and evidence-based judgments about learner performance.

Session 7 | Determining Descriptive Ratings and Corresponding Letter Grades

This session focuses on how teachers use evidence of learner performance and professional judgment to determine the appropriate descriptive rating and corresponding letter grade.

Teachers will explore:

the meaning of the descriptive performance levels;
the relationship between evidence and descriptive ratings;
the importance of consistency and patterns of performance;
avoiding judgments based on a single assessment or isolated performance; and
using professional judgment in determining learner progress.

A descriptive rating should reflect the learner’s most consistent demonstrated performance in relation to the learning competency, based on sufficient evidence.

Session 8 | Accomplishing Reporting Tools

This session provides practical guidance on progressively documenting and reporting learner progress using the appropriate assessment and reporting tools.

Teachers will explore:

the Performance and Competency Evaluation (PACE) Form;
the Learner’s Progress Report;
teacher assessment records and documentation of evidence;
the relationship among evidence, documentation, and reporting; and
principles for making reporting meaningful and evidence-based.

Documentation should reflect the learner’s actual and most consistent performance, supported by evidence gathered throughout the learning process.

Session 9 | Communicating Learner Progress to Parents and Guardians

This session focuses on communicating learner progress in ways that are clear, caring, objective, evidence-based, and collaborative.

Teachers will explore:

communicating learner strengths and progress;
describing areas that are still developing;
writing meaningful and parent-friendly narrative comments;
discussing learner needs and next steps; and
building partnerships with parents and guardians to support learning.

Reporting is not simply about telling parents a grade. It is about helping them understand what their child can do, what the child is developing, and how school and home can work together to support continued growth.