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Consultancy, Training and CPD Courses

Assessment

	Visit www.hertsforlearning.co.uk - your one stop shop for school improvement support
What's New	Primary Quality Assuring your EYFSP Data - 24 May 2012 Strategies for Assessing Reading - 30 May Primary & Secondary Moderation of teacher assessment using the P-scales 31 May 2012
Search all Assessment CPD Courses:	Assessment: Primary and Secondary
Training/Consultancy Sessions:	School Based Support/CPD Training/Consultancy Sessions
Contact the Team:	Team Contacts
Feedback School staff who have recently attended training by the Assessment Team have commented:
Half Day Whole Staff Inset on AFL "Very good, Extended staff knowledge on AFL and gave practical useful ideas for classroom practice" "Made clear links between AFL and quality teaching and Learning" Primary headteacher
Half Day Session on RAISE and FFT for Head and SLT "Excellent! We asked the adviser to highlight information in the different sections of the full RAISE report and key places to find attainment/progress data... He did all of this and also discussed the FFT reports and how these could be used with middle and subject leaders" Secondary headteacher

The Hertfordshire Assessment Team supports schools through consultancy, central training or bespoke training for individual or groups of schools enabling staff to present data effectively and demonstrate good practice.

We can provide support for:

• developing Assessment for Learning with classroom teachers and school leaders
• enhancing the accuracy and consistency of teacher assessment e.g. through levelling and moderation activities
• enabling schools to make best use of their performance data) e.g. RAISEonline, FFT etc) to inform self evaluation and school improvement

The Assessment Team works across all phases, from Foundation Stage to KS5, and with all levels of staff; teachers, senior and middle leaders, headteachers, governors, teaching assistants.

The Assessment Team is highly regarded for providing engaging, stimulating training that reflects up-to-date thinking in the field of Assessment for Learning (AfL). Through its work with nationally renowned figures, including Shirley Clarke, and work with teachers on action research, it is at the forefront of cutting edge developments and  produces high quality publications on this subject. The team is uniquely positioned  to deliver both theory, whole-school guidance, and on the ground tried, tested and evaluated practical classroom strategies.

The team is also responsible for statutory assessment, including moderating teacher assessments (EYFS and KS1), dealing with applications for additional time in KS2 NC tests and conducting monitoring visits to inspect the administration of KS2 NC tests.

Please contact us to discuss your requirements:

Assessment Team
Tel: 01438 844767
Email: hdc.assessment@hertscc.gov.uk

Paul Wilson Senior Adviser	Ben Fuller Adviser	Clare Hodgson Adviser

School Based Support / CPD

Moderation Cluster Meetings

We run an extensive programme of assessment moderation cluster meeting, which are held in schools across the county. Precise venues and dates are yet to be finalised, but the fortnight window in which each set of meetings will be held can be seen below.

Details of venues and dates will be posted online as soon as possible, and letters sent to schools.

• KS1 Moderation
• KS2 Moderation

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Training/Consultancy Sessions

Below are some examples of how the Assessment Team can help you. We will be happy to put together a bespoke package for you around any of the themes below.

Please contact the Assessment Team to discuss your requirements. Tel: 01438 844767.

Assessment for Learning (AfL)

To secure good or outstanding progress for all pupils, school leaders and teaching staff need to have a thorough understanding of the principles of Assessment for Learning (AfL) and how these can be put into practice in the classroom. In addition to central training, assessment advisers can offer training and consultancy for individuals, small groups or the whole staff tailored to your school’s needs.

Shirley Clarke AFL Action Research

We have worked with Shirley for a number of years now. This 3 day action research project is an excellent way to develop the AfL practice of 2 teachers in your school. Please contact us directly to discuss booking.

Learning and Progressing

The progress of groups of pupils including those with SEND is a key element of the Ofsted framework and a major focus for schools in their work to narrow the attainment gap between vulnerable groups and all pupils.

The Hertfordshire Assessment Team, with its expertise in the use of data packages such as RAISEonline and Fischer Family Trust and up to date knowledge of current policy and guidance, can assist school leaders, assessment co-ordinators and INCOs in analysing progress and setting challenging, realistic targets for this key group of learners.

Through consultancy visits, we can ensure staff are confident in the use of filters and groups in RAISEonline to monitor the effectiveness of interventions and enable detailed analysis of progression of groups or individuals.

Leadership and Management

The Assessment Team can provide support to senior and middle leaders in exploring these questions and identifying how existing good practice can be enhanced and developed. Membership of national organisations, such as AAIA and CIEA, and collaboration with subject advisers and consultants ensures that Hertfordshire’s assessment advisers are knowledgeable regarding current thinking in this area and all have experience of leadership and management in educational settings.

Support available includes:

• Centralised training and briefings for assessment co-ordinators.
• Consultancy/support for senior leaders and assessment co-ordinators tailored to individual needs.
• Audits of leadership and management of assessment at whole school or subject area/faculty level (conducted independently or jointly with school leaders.

Moderation and Transition

How can we improve the quality and reliability of information transferred from one school to the next? 
How can we build trust in the quality of teachers’ assessments, so that the next school can effectively build on pupils’ attainment? 

The answer lies in collaborative networks, involving feeder and receiving schools moderating teachers’ judgements and finding out more about each others’ practices.

The Assessment Team has many years of experience in facilitating cross-phase moderations across the county and has successfully enabled many school networks to develop a ‘community of assessment practice’, building trust in colleagues’ judgements. Network clusters are held in Hertfordshire schools at various points during the school year. In addition, Hertfordshire’s Assessment advisers can give schools and individuals guidance on best practice approaches to forming summative assessment judgements and provide a challenging, ‘critical friend’ element to an assessment moderation meeting.

Raising Standards

The use of assessment to support high quality teaching and learning is a key factor in raising standards of attainment and increasing rates of progress. The Hertfordshire Assessment Team provides high quality training and consultancy covering all aspects of assessment in the different phases of education. 

In addition to central training, the team can offer bespoke training or consultancy to provide support to schools in:

• developing Assessment for Learning in the classroom
• developing a learning culture and a “growth” mindset
• developing Periodic Assessment
• use of data to inform school improvement
• ambitious target setting and effective tracking

School based training for individuals, small groups or the whole staff can be provided and is always tailored to the needs of the school. Hertfordshire’s Assessment Advisory team combines a high level of expertise with an ability to make information accessible and clear and reflects up-to-date thinking in the field of assessment.

Self Evaluation/Ofsted

Being able to demonstrate effective use of assessment is key to successful self evaluation and Ofsted inspections. 

Effective self evaluation is a key aspect of the school improvement cycle and a feature of good and outstanding schools. The Hertfordshire Assessment Team can work with schools, individuals and governing bodies in a variety of ways to support self evaluation and plan for improvement in outcomes for pupils and overall school effectiveness.

Advisers have excellent knowledge and understanding of best practice in both formative and summative assessment and of the data available to schools in supporting judgements, including in EYFS and post 16 provision. We support with analysing and presenting data, auditing aspects of current assessment practice and supporting subject leaders or co-ordinators in preparing for a subject survey inspection.

Our work with nationally known figures, such as Shirley Clarke, effective communication with the providers of data packages and a thorough knowledge of the Ofsted framework ensures support provided always reflects current thinking.

The team provides a variety of high quality training courses at Hertfordshire Development Centre throughout the year, covering all aspects of assessment. In addition the team of highly skilled advisers can provide support to schools through consultancy visits or bespoke training for headteachers, senior and middle leaders and governors. Areas for which support is available include: 

• developing understanding and use of school performance data in judging school effectiveness.
• identifying strengths and areas for development in leadership and management of formative assessment, day-to-day classroom formative assessment and periodic assessment (APP).
• Supporting subject leaders with self evaluation and planning for improvement through the use of data and Ofsted evaluation schedules.
• The highly skilled and knowledgeable advisers can provide support in developing understanding and use of school performance data in judging the effectiveness of the Sixth Form.
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