Pop on a postit Why do we assess

Pop on a post-it: Why do we assess? What should students ‘take away’ from Key Stage 3 RE?

Slaying the assessment beast! Alice Sarbicki asarbicki 175@redlandgreen. bristol. sch. uk https: //sites. google. com/redlandgreen. bristol. sc h. uk/celestialteapot

ls e v e Life l r e aft …

Post levels. . . “The situation feels akin to starting a journey with a backseat driver who insists that I use their Sat. Nav and leave all other navigation aids behind. Then, halfway through the journey, they demand the Sat. Nav back and tell me to navigate on my own. The rest of the journey is spent trying to drive and navigate, while all the time being petrified that the backseat driver will tell me I’m going in the wrong direction” (The Teacher, NUT Magazine, Jan/Feb 2015. )

BUT this change doesn’t need to be chaotic OR a lot of work

What are the reasons for the change? (Df. E and Ofsted) - Focus was on progress NOT secure understanding of content. - Students deploy the skills (e. g. evaluation) BEFORE they have understood the ideas. - Illusion that evaluating is a higher level, depends on content. Also: - Levels use confusing language for schools, parents, students. - AT 2/personal evaluation is hard to assess. If personal and uninformed is the opinion creditworthy?

It's clear this is not just about assessments This is about taking a step back and looking at the subject as a whole BUT I still promise this change doesn’t need to be chaotic OR a lot of work

Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

Suggested solutions (Df. E, Ofsted and RE advisors) - Fewer things in greater depth (content). - Simple ideas = lower level of attainment. Complex ideas = challenge. - Work with primary schools to ensure academic transition/continuity. - Ask the right questions. Dispassionate, not empirical, rooted in religious knowledge e. g. not ‘Who inspires you? ’ but ‘Why does Jesus inspire Christians? ’

Suggested solutions (Df. E, Ofsted and RE advisors) - AT 2 depends on your department: • Blaylock (2017) says keep it. • Hunt (2013) says it doesn’t lend itself to assessment. • Francis (2016) says can we be the judge of personal progress?

RE assessment, the ‘Bake Off Way’! It's Assessment Week!

Assessment the ‘Bake Off Way’ Signature: purpose of RE in your school/skills/’take aways’ Technical: Key stage plan Signature: Creative assessments

Step 1: Signature Bake What is RE about in your school? Task 1: Aims of RE in your school Task 2: Skills to develop Task 3: Content students ‘take away’

2. RGS Technical so far… Work these into a key stage plan:

Step 3: The Showstopper The assessments themselves Assessments: - Enquiry based. Lead with the right questions, not empirical, not personal. - Demand ‘secure knowledge of content’ - Be careful how you use reflection/empathy/learning from, you choose Marking: - Make sure feedback inspires further conversation - Marking is manageable - Self and peer assessment are meaningful

Redland Green School Bristol The Good • 6 major religions (and Rastafarianism) • Compulsory GCSE (good results) • Students are engaged • Enquiry based learning • Our feedback is based on a continued discussion

Redland Green School Bristol The OK • Levels were best fit • Reworked progression system is still based on Blooms skills • RE comparable with other subjects (no longer essential but school expects it) The Ugly • The Key Stage 3 curriculum did not build from one year to another • Students not clear on how they should progress beyond each scheme of work • Assessment questions did not always demand secure knowledge of content • Assessments were based on a whole humanities model - extended essays in every year

So far… • Clarified our aims using Kathryn Wright’s 3 aims of ‘religious literacy’. • Wanted to include more specific knowledge and knowledge checks. • Decided to do this through core ‘religious concepts’. • Needed to keep the skills as a measure of progression because our school has BUT we have added in mastery. • Took our skills and core concepts from the GCSE. • Keen to keep the 6 religion (and Rastafarianism) • Exploring religious concepts (Islam and Christianity GCSE) THROUGH those religions e. g. ‘incarnation’ through Rastafarianism, ‘creation’ through Hinduism.

RGS Technical so far… We interpreted AT 2 as using empathy, offering an informed opinion which suggests empathy with the feelings of others Have a look at our key stage plan which includes our signature, technical and suggestions for showstoppers.

RGS Technical so far… • Safeguard KS 3 • Build to GCSE • Combo of skills & content (school assessment model = skills only) • ‘Teachers were rarely able to explain how any unit of work built on previous learning. . . Many RE topics lacked clear structure… (Ofsted, 2013, p 13) We interpreted AT 2 as using empathy, offering an informed opinion which suggests empathy with the feelings of others

RGS Showstopper Q: Are religions doing enough to ensure the future of the planet?

Assessment the bake off way Signature: purpose of RE in your school/skills/’take aways’ Technical: Key stage plan Signature: Creative assessments

Slaying the assessment beast! Alice Sarbicki asarbicki 175@redlandgreen. bristol. s ch. uk https: //sites. google. com/redlandgree n. bristol. sch. uk/celestialteapot/

Focus has been on progress through skills NOT secure understanding of content which should now be our priority (Oates, 2014). Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

There is an illusion that evaluating is a higher level but this depends on the content you are evaluating. Students often deploy skills (e. g. evaluation) BEFORE they have understood the ideas. Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

There are no ‘knowledge checks’ built into the Key Stage 3 curriculum. It does not spiral with one year adding to the last. Students are often not asked to recall anything specific. Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

Levels use confusing language for conversations with teacher, schools, parents and students. Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

“Teachers were rarely able to explain how any unit of work built on previous learning. . . Many RE topics lacked clear structure…” (Ofsted, 2013, p. 13) Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

Level and sublevel data is ”unreliable and generated spurious information” (Ofsted, 2013, p. 13). Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

Transition from primary is poorly handled, learning slows down particularly for the most able (Ofsted, 2015) Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

KS 3 is not a priority in most schools. Learning slows down and students are not challenged. Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

“Assessment of RE was inadequate in. . . a fifth of the secondary schools visited. A key reason for this was a lack of clarity about defining attainment and progress in RE. ” (Ofsted, 2013, p. 14) Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

“Widespread misunderstanding of the levels of attainment led to poor practice in assessing pupils’ progress. ” (Ofsted, 2013, p. 14) Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

We need to be really clear about what it would mean for different students to master the content of our curriculum (Brine, 2017) Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?

“Personal evaluation is a valuable part of RE but it does not lend itself to assessment” (Hunt, 2013). Is a personal and uninformed opinion creditworthy? Do you see this as an issue? Should we try and find a solution, if so what?