Ilmesters Assessment Policy

Mission Statement

Motivated to work for a tolerant and peaceful world, our mission is to create a learning environment that promotes intercultural understanding and helps young learners grow academically and personally as socially responsible citizens of the  world.

Our challenge is to merge knowledge of a rich and diverse tradition with the openness and flexibility of an international curriculum and deliver it through an  enthusiastic faculty that works collaboratively with students and parents.

Fig.1: Inquiry focus in curriculum – From principles into practice

Assessment is integral to all teaching and learning as per International Baccalaureate philosophy. At Ilmesters teachers ensure transparency of assessments and in addition uses their professional insight to make fair program specific decisions about students’ achievement.

Everyone concerned with assessment – students, teachers, parents, program coordinators, principal, and Head of School – must have a clear understanding of the reasons for the  assessment, what is being assessed, the criteria for success, and the method by which the  assessment is made.

Both children and teachers should be actively engaged in assessing student progress as part of the development of their wider critical thinking and self-evaluation skills. Teachers should also be concerned with evaluating the efficacy of the programme.

 

AIMS OF THE ASSESSMENT

The prime objective of assessing students’ learning and performance is to give feedback to:

• Students – to help broaden their horizon of lifelong learning across disciplines such as PYP Exhibition, MYP Personal project and Interdisciplinary unit assessments and DP Extended Essay.
• Teachers – to support their reflection on what to teach and how to teach it ● Parents – to identify their child’s learning and development

KEY FEATURES OF THE ASSESSMENT

Assessment takes place in some manner every day at Ilmesters. We believe that every child learns at a different pace, in a different way and at a different time. Assessments help the teachers to improve inquiry in their units.

At Ilmesters, assessments are based on a variety of activities like projects, products, exhibitions, oral presentations, quizzes, performances, analytical tasks, investigation reports and demonstrations as well as written papers or essays all provide evidence for the assessment  of your child’s learning throughout the terms. These tasks will stem from learning experiences and will be learning experiences themselves.

 

Assessments in PYP

PYP: 

We keep in mind the following principles when assessing work within the PYP.

• Both teachers and students’ self-reflections are included in the process of assessment.
• Observations are maintained through continuous update of anecdotal records. These observations are included in the portfolios.
• Where possible, authentic assessment strategies are used. Recording children’s performances and responses in real-life situations.
• Rubrics, checklists, KWL charts, reflection ideas picked from IB collaborative groups or given by IBO are used.
• Students are assessed through hands-on activities especially in the early years.
• The essential elements of the PYP are all assessed through the UOIs.

ASSESSMENTS IN PYP

In PYP, diagnostic, formative assessments and summative assessments are included within the teachers’ PYP planners for all six UOI. The mix of all these assessment strategies at different stages keep the learning ongoing and ensures continuous growth.

Diagnostic assessments are taken at the beginning of the unit to know students’ prior knowledge. These assessments are used to inform teaching and learning and to connect the topic with students’ prior understanding so they can experience the learning and make authentic connections.

Formative assessment gives students an opportunity to demonstrate what they know. The main purpose is to check ongoing knowledge by throwing a topic that raises several questions and elicit answers from children. This allows the teacher to measure students’ understanding and adjust teaching and learning if needed for the benefit of the students.

Summative assessments give students an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned in the six weeks of the UOI. At times summative assessment is taken in form of a group or individual project, research report, etc.

Culture 5.5: The school describes in its assessment policy the value of assessment for continuous learning and growth (0301-05-0500). (Programme Standards and Practices 2018).

LERNER PROFILE STATEMENT

Throughout the year, opportunities are provided for teachers, students and parents to develop and report on the ten attributes of the Learner Profile. The feedback on the attributes is then filed in the portfolios of PYP students.

 

PYP EXHIBITION AS A CULMINATION OF PYP

The fifth graders are expected to carry out an extended, collaborative inquiry project known as exhibition. The topic of the exhibition is a student – selected real – world problem which warrants an extended investigation. This exhibition incorporates the five essential elements of the PYP. The project must display their knowledge about the topic, ATL skills, learner profile attributes and concepts they have acquired during their PYP years.

 

MEETINGS

1. Parent-teacher Meeting:

Two parent-teacher meetings are scheduled in a year i.e., October and March to discuss the progress of each child. The parents and teacher discuss the areas of improvement and strengths of the child and analyzes goals for the remaining term. The parents also review portfolios and other work done by the students during these meetings.

2. Meetings on Request:

Parents or teachers can request for an individual meeting other than the scheduled one if needed. These meetings are usually organized to discuss an urgent matter or to discuss any change observed in child’s behavior or academic achievement.

PROGRESS REPORTS

In PYP progress report is a consolidated report having details of UOI sent at the end of each term i.e. December and May.

 

Assessments in MYP & DP

MYP:

• Distinction between internal summative assessment and the supporting formative processes
• Attention to the most accurate demonstration of student performance, rather than mechanically and uncritically averaging achievement levels over given reporting periods
• Assessment of student understanding at the end of a course, based on the whole course and not individual components of it.

Students must be able to recall, adapt and apply knowledge and skills to new questions and contexts.

Students need to understand assessment expectations, standards and practices, which teachers  can introduce early and naturally in teaching, as well as in class and homework activities.

(MYP: From Principles into Practice, September 2014) 

Culture 5.1: The school implements and reviews an assessment policy that makes the school philosophy clear and is aligned with the IB philosophy concerning learning and assessment (0301-05-0100). (Programme Standards and Practices 2018)

TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS IN MYP and DP

1. PRE-ASSESSMENT:

Pre-assessment takes place prior to the unit. It helps the teachers to know the student’s current level of knowledge and understanding of concepts, and helps them in taking students from known to the unknown.

2. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:

Formative assessment is directly linked with teaching. It takes place during course of teaching of the unit. It helps the teachers to reflect on students’ learning and to modify the next stage of learning as and if needed. It evaluates students’ ongoing understanding.

3. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT:

Summative assessment takes place at the end of the unit or a learning experience. Summative assessments may take a variety of formats (including, for example, tests, term examinations, reports, essays, presentation, projects, etc.).

Summative assessments allow teachers to measure the progress of students’ learning as per assessment objectives in their subject group. This also inform students’ of their learning and the areas of improvement.

 

 

MYP ASSESSMENTS AND GRADING

Assessments help to gather the data and analyse the information regarding students’ learning. It identifies what students know and understand, what they can do and how they feel at different stages in the learning process. 

In MYP, all teachers are required to report all criteria (Not necessarily all strands) four times in a year for reporting child’s progress to the parents. All teachers are required to assess all strands of all criteria twice in a year as per IB requirement.

The MYP requires teachers to assess prescribed subject group objectives using assessment criteria in every MYP year. Each subject is assessed using four criteria having Maximum achievement level of 8.

Summary of criteria against subjects:

 

Subjects/Learning Objectives	Criterion A	Criterion B	Criterion C	Criterion D
Language & Literature	Analysing	Organizing	Producing Text	Using Language
Language Acquisition	Comprehending Spoken & Visual Text	Comprehending Written & Visual Text	Communicating	Using Language
Individuals & Societies	Knowing and understanding	Investigating	Communicating	Thinking Critically
Sciences	Knowing and understanding	Inquiring & Designing	Processing & evaluating	Reflecting on the Impacts of Science
Mathematics	Knowing and understanding	Investigating Patterns	Communicating	Applying mathematics in real-world contexts
Physical & Health Education	Knowing and understanding	Planning for Performance	Applying & Performing	Reflecting and Improving Performance

 

 

Arts	Knowing and understanding	Developing Skills	Thinking Critically	Responding
Design	Inquiring & Analyzing	Developing Ideas	Creating the Solution	Evaluating
Interdisciplinary	Disciplinary grounding	Synthesizing	Communicating	Reflecting

 

 

Use of criteria in MYP: At Ilmesters Academy prescribed IB MYP year 1 assessment criteria are used to assess MYP 1 in all subjects

At Ilmesters Academy prescribed IB MYP year 3 assessment criteria are used to assess MYP  2 and MYP 3 in all subjects

At Ilmesters Academy prescribed IB MYP year 5 assessment criteria are used to assess MYP  4 and MYP 5 in all subjects

Use of criteria in DP: At Ilmesters Academy prescribed IB DP relevant subject criteria are used to assess students work using the IB scale of 1-7.

In MYP & DP, teachers design different tasks during and at the end of the unit to develop understanding and to provide students with opportunity to achieve highest level of criteria.

Formative assessments take various forms like pop quiz, projects, oral presentations, role plays, class discussions, peer evaluation etc. Formatives are conducted throughout the unit.

Summative assessments are taken at the end of the unit and at the end of the year. These can be multiple choice questions, structured questions’ test, projects, lab work, open book tests,  reports, presentations, essays etc.

Teachers ensures that their designed tasks will allow the assessment of different objectives against relevant subject criteria as per IB subject group requirements.

MYP Minimum Task Requirement (2017 updated)

 

Following Minimum Task Requirement chart gives an overview of different summative tasks against criteria in different subjects as taken from IB MYP subjects and eAssessment guide.

 

Subject	Tasks	MYP-1	MYP-2,3	MYP-4,5	Criteria  Assessed
Language &  Literature	Textual analysis				ABD
	Producing literally text (Creativity short story, poetry, dramatic scene etc.)	300	400-500	500-1000	BCD
	Producing non literally text (Perspective research based)	300	400-500	500-1000	BCD
Mathematics	Knowing and understanding				AC
	Investigating patterns				BC
	Apply Math in real life situation				DC
Sciences	Knowing and understanding				A
	Investigation skills				BC
	Applying Science	300-400	400-600	700-1200	D
Individuals &  Societies/  Islamiat/  Pakistan Studies	Thinking critically (timed, in-class conditions)				ACD
	Investigating and communicating	300-400	400-600	600-1000	ABC
Arts (Visual and Performing)	Presentation	5 minutes video recording including 8 visual images OR 10 pages (no more than 650 words)			AD
	Proposal	3 minutes audio or video recording OR 6 pages (no more than 400 words) including 5 images			C
	Process and product	3 minutes audio or video recording OR 6 pages (no more than 400 words)  including 5 images			BC

 

 

	Commentary	4 minutes audio or video recording OR 8 pages (no more than 550 words)  including 6 images			AD
Design	Digital / product design work portfolio	20-25 pages	30-35 pages	40 pages	ABCD
Physical &  Health  Education	Research (client interview, video analysis, benchmark testing)	2-3 pages	3-4 pages	5 pages	A, D
	Action plan, training plan and interim result analysis	2-3 pages	3-4 pages	5 pages	A,B,D
	Final performance/play ng situation	3 mins. Video recording			C
	Evaluation of plan, performance and skill	2-3 pages	3-4 pages	5 pages	D
Language  Acquisition		Emergent (Ph-1,2)	Capable  (Ph 3-4)	Proficient (Ph 5-6)
	Aural comprehension (spoken & 2-3 visual texts)	5 mins.	7 mins.	10 mins.	A
	Written comprehension (written & 2-3 visual texts with questions relating  to both)	Roman alphabetical: 400–500 words Non Roman alphabetical: 240–400 words	Roman alphabetical: 800–900 words Non Roman alphabetical: 560–720 words	Roman alphabetical: 900–1000  words Non Roman alphabetical: 720–800 words	B
	Interactive Oral (based on an oral  or written stimulus  between student &  teacher)	5 mins (3 mins must be the student)	6 mins (4 mins must be the student)	7 mins (5 mins must be the student)	C & D

 

 

 

Interdisciplinary	Disciplinary Grounding				A
	Synthesizing and Communication of Interdisciplinary  Understanding				BC
	Reflecting				D

 

 

DP subject requirements:

The minimum task requirement for every subject is one test and/or assignment per month. The tasks are designed keeping in mind the requirement for final moderation and examination in the respective subject. Teachers are required to ensure that these are modelled as per IBDP final assessment components, Internal Assessments and IBDP Exams. This is to ensure that students are familiar with the DP requirement for the particular subject and are well prepared  for IBDP exams.

All assignments are graded as per criteria given in the respective subject guide.

Both in MYP & DP, all assignments and assessments’ dates along with task specific clarifications and instruction sheets are uploaded on Managebac. All teachers are required to upload all unit related tasks/assignments on Managebac. With the exception of paper based tasks/tests that are given by the teachers, students are require to submit all tasks/assignments on Managebac until if instructed specifically otherwise by the teachers to submit the hard copy or via email.

Approaches to learning skills (ATL) and Learner Profile (LP) attributes are documented in unit plans, task sheets and in students’ unit, services and event reflections. In MYP ATL are also documented in progress reports for all subjects.

Culture 5.2: The school identifies in its assessment policy all necessary local and IB requirements, and outlines how the school is adhering to these requirements (0301-05-0200). (Programme  Standards and Practices Jan 2018)

 

The final achievement level in MYP is on a 1-7 scale. All subjects have the same level descriptors defined below:

 

IB  Grade	Boundary Guidelines	MYP General Descriptor
1	1-5	Produces work of very limited quality. Conveys many significant misunderstandings or lacks understanding  of most concepts and contexts. Very rarely demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Very inflexible, rarely using knowledge or skills.
2	6-9	Produces work of limited quality. Expresses misunderstandings or significant gaps in understanding for many concepts and contexts.  Infrequently demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Generally inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, infrequently applying knowledge and skills.
3	10-14	Produces work of an acceptable quality. Communicates basic understanding of many concepts and contexts, with occasionally significant misunderstandings or gaps. Begins to demonstrate some basic critical and creative thinking. Is often inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, requiring support even in familiar classroom situations.
4	15-18	Produces good quality work. Communicates basic understanding of most concepts and contexts with few misunderstandings and minor gaps. Often demonstrates basic critical and creative thinking. Uses knowledge and skills with some flexibility in familiar classroom situations but requires support in unfamiliar situations.
5	19-23	Produces generally high-quality work. Communicates secure understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, sometimes with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar classroom and real-world situations and, with support, some unfamiliar real world situations.

 

 

6	24-27	Produces high quality, occasionally innovative work.  Communicates extensive understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, frequently with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar and unfamiliar classroom and real-world situations, often with independence.
7	28-32	Produces high quality, frequently innovative work.  Communicates comprehensive, nuanced understanding of concepts and contexts. Consistently demonstrates sophisticated critical and creative thinking. Frequently transfers knowledge and skills with independence and expertise in a variety of complex classroom and real-world situations.

 

 

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SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS 

It is student’s responsibility to meet all deadlines provided by the teachers.  Late/Non submissions:

It is student’s responsibility to meet all deadlines provided by the teachers. If a work is submitted one day after the due date, it is considered to be late. In case of an excused absence work can be submitted the next day without it being considered a ‘late’. In the case of an unexcused absence, the assignment is considered as ‘non-submission’

When the student fails to submit the work on time, he/she is given an extension on teacher’s discretion. If the student fails to submit the work even after the extended date, zero is awarded to the student on the particular criterion. However, if due to some reason teacher feels that further extension is necessary or can be given then teacher is require to consult the respective  Coordinator before taking a decision.

Absenteeism during Assessments:

If a child is absent on the day of a particular summative assessment (which are taken in class conditions and are timed), he/she is marked absent and the child get zero in that particular test.  However, student missing any summative assessment doesn’t mean getting zero in the term report, as the term report represents a consolidated progress of a child in the whole term.

REFLECTION ON SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

MYP and DP students are required to reflect on the summative assessments taken in every subject. Students are allowed to reflect how they like, reflections can be in form of written document, a drawing, recording, etc. which are to be uploaded on Managebac. Following set of prompt questions are shared with students to help in reflecting.

Teachers must ensure regular reflections are taking place Teacher are responsible to go through reflections to make changes in unit as/if required. Three reflection samples are randomly collected and attached with unit plans in teachers’ evaluation folder.

MYP/DP Unit Reflection Questions for Students:

1. Were the SoI/Concepts/Context conveyed explicitly through this unit? 2. What did you find interesting in this unit?
2. How were you able to practise certain ATL skills through this unit?
3. How do you think that a particular learner profile attribute(s) were enhanced through this unit?
4. How do you feel you can improve on your learning experience for future units? 6. Which teaching strategy did you find helpful?
5. How did this unit enhance your understanding of IM/Services?
6. What (if any), Interdisciplinary (MYP) connections were you able to identify with other subjects and units?
7. What (if any) TOK (DP) connections were you able to identify in the unit? 10. What resources do you think were useful in teaching this unit?
8. What concepts in the unit are you still struggling with?

C4.8: The school provides opportunities for students to participate in, and reflect on, the  assessment of their work. (Programme Standards and Practices Jan 2014)

ACADEMIC HONESTY AND MALPRACTICE

Academic Honesty is an important aspect and a key focus at Ilmesters Academy. School encourages the use of APA format for acknowledgement of sources.

No plagiarized work will be accepted by any teacher under any circumstances. ZERO will be awarded in the work which is found to be plagiarized.

All teachers are responsible for ensuring that such things don’t happen and hence will be providing guidance to all students on how to acknowledge resources. Turnitin is used for this purpose by all teachers. Student may face suspension or expulsion in serious circumstances.

Malpractice includes:

• Plagiarism: taking words, ideas or work or information of another person as one’s own · Collusion: helping malpractice by another student
• Duplication: submitting the same work for assessment in different subjects without consent of all teachers involved.
• Any behavior that gains an unfair advantage for the student or disadvantages other student.
• Falsifying data: creating or altering data which have not been collected in an appropriate way
• Exam cheating: communicating with other students, bringing unauthorized material or consulting material to gain unfair advantage during examination.

While for the most part students produce assessed work independently with support from the subject teacher, there are occasions when collaborative work is encouraged. Nevertheless, the final work must be produced independently even if based on the same data.

REPORTING

MEETINGS

1. Teacher-Student Meeting:

Individual and group feedback is provided to students to strengthen skills in required area of knowledge. This is an ongoing process and takes place regularly. These help students to  identify their learning challenges and enhance their knowledge respectively.

2. Parent-Student-Teacher Meeting (PSTM):

Parent student teacher meeting takes place once in a term. These are three way conferences which help parents to understand the progress and educational need of their children. These meetings are aimed to identify problems and suggest solutions to help students progress in their  learning and skill development.

In addition, individual teacher-parent meetings are scheduled if and when need arise for a particular child during the academic year. These might be requested from parents or teacher/s initiated.

PROGRESS REPORTS

In MYP two types of progress reports are sent to parents to keep them updated of their child’s progress.

1. Interim reports are sent after 12 weeks and contain the details of students’ progress in that time period. These reports have grades for all criteria however not necessarily all strands. No IB Grade is awarded if all strands all criteria are not assessed in all subjects.
2. Semester reports are sent at the end of the term stating the child’s overall performance in a particular term which is typically of 22-24 weeks. It is a consolidated report having overall grades based on progress in a term. These reports have grades of all criteria all strands assessed in a term and therefore include and IB Grade with on-track and off-track status.

	Reporting Sessions
1.	August-October
2.	October-December (Semester I Exam)
3.	January-March
4.	March-May (Semester II Exam)

 

 

In DP, Semester reports are sent to parents to keep them updated of their child’s progress throughout the term.

	Reporting Sessions
1.	August-December (Semester I/Mid-Term Exam)
2.	January-May (Semester II /Final/Mock Exam)

 

 

ILA MYP and DP Promotion Requirements

To be promoted from MYP 1-4, a student’s second semester final report should demonstrate:

∙ at least a 4/7 in each subject area;

∙ at-least 50% marks in Non-IB subjects

∙ that the student has met ILA’s expectations for Action as Service;

∙ attendance of at least 90% in each course.

To be promoted from MYP to DP, a student’s MYP-5, mock exam report should demonstrate:

∙ 5 or above for each Higher Level subject;

∙ 4 or above for each Standard Level subject.

Students who fail to meet few of these criteria will have their promotion reviewed by the  school. Student might be promoted on two months’ probation, after consultation with  concerned teachers, parents and student.

IB Diploma Passing Requirements

All IB courses are assessed on a 1-7 scale. Consequently, the maximum score a student can  earn from IB courses is 42 points. The overall maximum points from subject grades, TOK and  the EE is therefore 45: ((6 × 7) + 3).

The minimum threshold for the award of the diploma is 24 points, which works out to be an  average score of 4 for each class; and the ToK assessments, CAS and Extended Essay must be  successfully completed. If a candidate scores less than 24 points, the diploma is not awarded.

There are, however, other possible failing conditions for the IB Diploma, which include the  following:

1. CAS requirements have not been met.
2. Candidate’s total points are fewer than 24.
3. An N has been given for theory of knowledge, extended essay or for a contributing subject.* 4. A grade E has been awarded for one or both of theory of knowledge and the extended essay. 5. There is a grade 1 awarded in a subject/level.
4. Grade 2 has been awarded three or more times (HL or SL).
5. Grade 3 or below has been awarded four or more times (HL or SL).
6. Candidate has gained fewer than 12 points on HL subjects (for candidates who register for four HL subjects, the three highest grades count).
7. Candidate has gained fewer than 9 points on SL subjects (candidates who register for two SL subjects must gain at least 5 points at SL).
8. The candidate has received a penalty for academic misconduct from the final award committee.

* If “N” appears in the place of a grade, it means that no grade has been awarded for one or  more of the following reasons:

• withdrawal from the examination
• absence from one or all parts of the examination
• failure to meet one or more of the examination requirements
• breach of regulations.

Predicted Grades

In DP Yr-2, subject teachers are asked to submit a predicted grade for each student taught. This  is based on past performances on assessments, attitude toward learning, ability to respond to  criticism and guidance, and motivation levels. It is important to remember that predicted grades  are just a prediction. There are a variety of factors that could impact a given student’s final  grade but the predicted grade is the teacher’s professional judgement based on the criteria  mentioned above.

In the second semester of DP Yr-2, these predicted grades are sent to the IB (and those universities who request them). These final predicted grades will also take into account the results of the Semester-I and Mock Exams of DP Yr-2.

ANALYSIS OF PROGRESS REPORTS

At the end of every term, in MYP class teachers are required to analyse the progress report  results with the help of subject teachers and in DP subject teachers are required to analyse  subject progress. The reports are then presented to the coordinator and head of school. Analysis is done to get the clear picture of students’ progress and to devise teaching strategies  to help students improve their learning.

C4.7: The school analyses assessment data to inform teaching and learning. (Programme  Standards and Practices Jan 2014)

COMMUNICATION OF THE ASSESSMENT POLICY

The Assessment Policy is made available in school library, with school secretary and on school’s website with the other school policy documents for parents to view. Excerpts of this document are included in the yearly MYP/DP Parent-student handbook.

ASSESSMENT POLICY REVIEW

Ilmesters Academy Assessment policy is a working document. The policy is reviewed and revised annually by the Head of School, Junior School Principal, PYP, MYP and DP coordinators and teachers. Changes are implemented if and when needed.

 

REFERENCES

Assessment Policy. (2016). Retrieved from http://angelscollege.edu.pk

Bloomsfieldorg. (2016). Bloomsfield Hill School. Retrieved 2016, from  https://www.bloomfield.org/uploaded/Parents_Students/IB/MYP_AssessmentPolicy.pdf

Gateway International School Assessment Policy. (2016).

1. (n.d.). International education. Retrieved December, 2016, from http://www.ibo.org/

IB MYP Handbook. (2016). Retrieved September/October, 2016, from

http://www.isparis.edu/uploaded/Documents/M/IB_MYP_Handbook.pdf 

Rockridge Secondary School Assessment Policy. (2014). Retrieved October/November, 2016,  from http://westvancouverschools.ca/rockridge-secondary/wp content/uploads/sites/20/2016/06/Rockridge-Assessment-Policy-2014.pdf

IB DP Handbook. (2016). Retrieved September, 2015, from

https://www.isu.ac.ug/uploaded/Learning_at_ISU/Senior_School/Docs/20180816_SS_Parent_ and_Student_Handbook_2018-19.pdf