Assessment Policy
At Dafna International Kindergarten, we follow Montessori way of teaching and the Montessori approach to education shares the underlying principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The Montessori practices relate to the revised EYFS, which is implemented from September 2012, and includes the learning and development requirements as well as those for welfare and assessment.
In all Montessori settings assessment of children is based on observations and recording of children’s progress supported by samples of their work and photographs documenting their engagement with activities within the setting both inside and outside. These documents describe the child’s unique learning and should be kept in a portfolio providing on-going evidence and the basis for the assessment of individual children’s learning and progress within the setting. Evaluated observations help practitioners understand children’s achievements, interests and learning styles, and will be reflected in planning for individual children attending the setting.
As each child enters the Early Years Foundation Stage, we use our professional judgement to assess the age band children are working ‘within’ the EYFS 17 areas of learning. Within 6 weeks of the child starting they will be given a ‘baseline’ assessment and the teachers will record their evaluation in the baseline assessment sheets.
Following assessment / evaluation methods are in place at Dafna KG.
- Baseline Assessments
- Assessment Trackers
- On -going assessments ( English, Maths, Arabic and Science – Evidence will be recorded by the teachers)
- Daily Observation and Evaluation
- Class Work and Homework
Upon admission into Dafna KG, the children will be formally assessed. Results are used to create /modify planning, set targets and aid early identification of special needs. Children will be observed and assessed regularly to ensure that the next steps in learning are appropriately planned in order to help children make progress.
The teachers at Dafna KG undertake observations and assessments in the following seven learning areas of Learning and Development:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social, and emotional development
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding of the world
- Expressive arts and design Characteristics of effective learning.
Records and Record Keeping
Teachers use records to review pupil’s progress, set appropriate targets for the future and to form the basis of reports to parents. Records are kept in many ways. These include:
- Teacher’s plans (Semester and weekly plans)
- Children’s work sheets, workbooks and copy books
- Teacher’s notes
- Pupil progress meeting records
- A written report for each child is sent to parents thrice a year for Pre KG, KG1 and KG 2 children. Parents are invited to attend formal Parent Teacher Meetings with the teacher during the 2 Semesters of the year. Should the need arise, parents are welcome to discuss the progress of their child with the teacher at other times on an individual basis with prior appointments.
We believe reporting reports promote and provide:
- Good home / school relationships
- Information for parents
- An opportunity for discussion with parents
- Targets for children (included in the progress report)
- A written report for each child is sent to parents thrice a year for Pre KG, KG1 and KG 2 children. Parents are invited to attend formal Parent Teacher Meetings with the teacher during the 2 Semesters of the year. Should the need arise, parents are welcome to discuss the progress of their child with the teacher at other times on an individual basis with prior appointments.