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English: Page1 of 32
GUIDELINES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL PROTOCOL ON ASSESSMENT (NPA) FOR SCHOOLS IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING BAND (GRADES R-9)
- INTRODUCTION
The National Protocol on Assessment (NPA) for Schools in the General and Further Education and Training Bands (Grades R - 12), as approved by the Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM) on 21 October 2005, forms the basis for this circular.
- PURPOSE
The Minister of Education commissioned the development of the NPA in 2004 to:
2.1 standardise and regulate recording and reporting.
2.2 address teacher workload stemming from assessment administration and management.
2.3develop one document for Grades R - 12.
- LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
This document must be read in conjunction with the following policy documents and guidelines:
3.1The National Protocol on Assessment for Schools in GET and FET (October 2005).
3.2National Assessment Policy in the General Education and Training Band, Grades R - 9and ABET. (Regulation published in terms of the National Education Policy Act, 1996, No. 27 of 1996, Government Gazette, Vol. 402, No. 19640, 23 December 1998.)
3.3The National Curriculum Statement Policy Document for Grades R - 9 (Department of Education, 2002).
3.4Language in Education Policy (Department of Education, 1997).
3.5The National Curriculum Statement for Grades R - 9 (Schools) (Government Gazette,Vol. 443, No. 23406, May 2002).
3.6Admission Policy for Ordinary Public Schools (General Notice 2432 of 1998 as amended).
3.7Interim framework for the assessment and promotion of learners in Grade 9 (Government Gazette,Vol. 461,No. 25669,7 November 2003).
- IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL PROTOCOL ON ASSESSMENT(NPA)
4.1The NPA is policy and must be implementedin Grades R - 7 and Grade 10 with effect from January 2006. In line with the phasing in of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), the NPA will be implemented in Grades 8, 9 and 11 in 2007. In 2008 it will be implemented inGrade 12.
4.2Principals and School Assessment Teams must ensure that the requirements of this policy are adhered to.
4.3The NPA focuses specifically on recording and reporting of assessment. All other aspects of assessment as outlined in the relevant assessment policies must be adhered to.
4.4Where other assessment policies mention recording and reporting that may be perceived as being in contradiction with the NPA, the NPA will supersede such policy documents.
4.5The NPA provides for Learning Programme (Foundation Phase), Learning Area (Intermediate and Senior Phase) and Subject (FET Band) assessment guidelines,which will assist teachers to effectively implement assessment in the classroom.
4.6Subject assessment guidelines (FET) were developed and distributed to all schools in 2005.
4.7The Learning Programme and Learning Area assessment guidelines (GET) are currently being developed and will be distributed to schools when ready.
- PLANNING FOR ASSESSMENT
5.1At the end of each year all schools must develop an annual assessment programmefor the following year.
5.2The annual assessment programme of the school must outline the following:
- How CASS is planned and implemented.
- How records are kept, stored and accessed.
- Assessment codes.
- Internal verification.
- Moderation.
- Frequency and method of reporting.
- Monitoring of assessment processes.
- Training of staff.
5.3The annual assessment programme must be developed by the School Assessment Team and/or the School Management Team and representatives of each phase.
5.4The school’s annual assessment programme must be made available to all teachers as it will influence the teachers’assessment plan.
5.5Every year, teachers must develop anassessment plan for each of the Learning Programmes / Learning Areas in each grade.[1]
5.6The teachers’ assessment plansare derived from their work schedules.
5.7Teachers who teach the same Learning Programme / Learning Area in the same grade may plan together. However, care must be taken to keep the context of different classes in mind when planning.
5.8The teachers’ assessment plans must be made available to learners and parents at the beginning of the year in order for them to take note of formal assessments planned for the year.
5.9A copy of the teacher’s assessment plan must be kept in the teacher’s portfolio.
5.10The assessment plan for each individual Learning Programme / Learning Areamust be submitted to the Heads of Department for the purpose of drawing up a consolidated school assessment plan.
5.11The school assessment plan will provide the School Management Team (SMT) with a comprehensive picture of the spread of assessment across Learning Programmes / Learning Areasto ensure that learners are not unduly disadvantaged or overloaded with assessment tasks or activities in the same period of time.
6. RECORDING AND REPORTING
6.1General Information
6.1.1The general principle that should apply when recording and reporting is as follows: Not everything that is taught and assessed should be recorded.
6.1.2The teacher does not have to assess everything that is taught. Self-assessment, peer assessment and group assessment must also be employed for formative purposes.
6.1.3Whilst these methods of assessment must be used, it remains the responsibility of the teacher to provide clear guidelines and criteria for assessment.
6.1.4Only assessment tasks assessed by the teacher can be formally recorded.
6.1.5Recording and reporting of learner performance in the Foundation Phase must be done in the three (3) Learning Programmes offered. In the Intermediate and Senior Phases the recording and reporting must be done in the eight (8) Learning Areas.
6.1.6Learning Outcomes (LOs) and Assessment Standards (ASs) should be used to inform the recording and reporting of learner performance.
6.1.7The NPA differentiates between recording and reporting in the following ways:
6.1.7.1In the Foundation Phase, only codes should be used for recording purposes. When reporting, a comment is added where appropriate.
6.1.7.2In the Intermediate and SeniorPhases, marks(percentages) and/or codes must be used for recording and reporting purposes. Comments could be added where appropriate when recording, but must be added for reporting purposes.
6.1.7.3Teachers must ensure that comments are directly linked to the Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards addressed. Comments such as “well done”, “work harder”, etc. do not communicate anything about the learners’ strengths or weaknesses in relation to the Learning Outcomes or Assessment Standards.
6.2Recording
6.2.1Recording must be done against an assessment taskinformed by the Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards addressed by the task.
6.2.2The Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards assessed in each task should be indicated on the Learning Programme / Learning Arearecord sheet. This does not imply that a mark (percentage) or a code should be provided for each learner in each of the Learning Outcomes and/or Assessment Standards assessed.
6.2.3All assessed tasks provide valuable feedback to the learner to improve his/her performance, however only the evidence of tasks used for formal assessment should be used as a basis for making decisions on learner progression / promotion.
6.3Overall Rating
6.3.1The overall rating for an assessment task or Learning Programme / Learning Area should be based on the professional judgement of the teacher, using the evidence accumulated in the learner portfolio.
6.3.2Teachers should therefore not engage in the technical determiningof averagesof marks to get to the overall rating for an assessment task or Learning Programme / Learning Area.
6.3.3The overall rating against an assessment task or Learning Programme / Learning Areacan be either a mark (percentage) or a code, supported by a comment where appropriate (to clarify learner’s competence).
6.4Reporting
6.4.1Once a term learner performance must be reported formally on a report card.
6.4.2Report cards should reflect the three (3) Learning Programmes in the Foundation Phase and the eight (8) Learning Areas in the Intermediate and Senior Phases. Each language offered should be reported on separately.
6.4.3The overall rating of a learner’s performance against each Learning Programme / LearningArea must be indicated on the report card, using either a mark (percentage) or a rating code.
6.4.4The term report reflects the learner’s performance for that particular term. The final report card must reflect the learner’s performance for the full academic year.
6.4.5A comment on a learner’s overall performance in each Learning Programme /Learning Areamust also be provided on the report card. Comments should be based on the learner’s strengths and/or weaknesses in relation to the Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards.
6.4.6A legend (key) must be provided on the report card to explain the marks (percentages) or rating codes.
6.4.7Assessment in an outcomes-based education environment is for the development and growth of a learner, thus informal reporting in the form of feedback to the learner can never be overemphasised.
6.4.8Informal reporting to parents / guardians is vital to keep theminformed about the performance of their children. Informal reporting can be done by means of parents’ meetings, school visitation days, parent-teacher conferences, phone calls, letters, class or school newsletters, etc.
6.4.9Where individual learners struggle and need additional support (especially learners who are in danger of being retained at the end of the year), teachers must ensure that individual contact is made with the parents/guardians of such learners in order to keep them informed about the learners’ areas of need, the interventions planned for these learners, as well as the outcomes of such interventions. This information must be captured on the GDE support form (Annexure B) and submitted with the possible retention schedule (Annexure C, E & G) during the third term.
6.4.10No learner will be retained without proof of support provided.
6.4.11The District Assessment Team (DAT) will review all evidence provided. Based on the sufficiency of the evidence provided, a decision will be made either to approve or not approve the retention.
7.SCHEDULES
7.1Teachers are expected to complete the following five (5) schedules for the year:
- Three (3) term schedules.
- A possible retention/failure schedule.
- One (1) end-of-year progression/promotion schedule.
7.2The main purpose of the term schedule(Annexure I)is to provide the class teacher with a composite record of the learners’ performance in all Learning Programmes /Learning Areas. A term schedule should be designed by the school and used to complete report cards.
7.3Possible retention / failure schedules will be provided by the province and should be ready for submission during the second half of August, accompanied by the GDE supportformand other relevant evidence.
7.4The purpose of the possible retention schedule is twofold:
- Firstly, it gives the opportunity to teachers to signal to parents that learners are in danger of being retained if intervention and support is not stepped up.
- Secondly, it provides District Assessment Teams with an opportunity to check the nature and quality of interventions provided to learners who experience barriers to learning.
7.5Only learners who are in danger of being retained at the end of the year should be placed on the retention schedule.
7.6Learners who do not appear on the possible retention schedule can not be retained at the end of the year.
7.7Placement on the retention schedule does not guarantee automatic retention at the end of the year, as it is the DAT’s responsibility to scrutinise every application for retention so as to ensure that no learner is being retained unfairly.
7.8End-of-year progression/promotion schedules(Annexure D, F & H) will be provided to schools by the province in either electronic or hard copy format.
7.9If schools opt to use computerised systems, care should be taken that all the minimum requirements for schedules are adhered to. Onlyhard copies of these schedules must be presented to the DAT.
7.10Codes or mark (percentages) and comments(where appropriate) must be used in the final schedules.
7.11The final code for progression or retention(RP or NRP) must also be used.
7.12Schools are not allowed to issue report cards to learners if schedules have not been signed (verified) by the DAT.
7.13Copies of progression schedules must be kept for a period of at leastfive (5) years by the school and the District Office.
8. LEARNER PROFILES
8.1The NPA makes it compulsory for schools to keep a profile of each learner throughout his / her schooling career.
8.2The NPA endeavours to ensure that learner profiles are uniform throughout thecountry, therefore the National Department of Education will develop and provide provinces with a uniform learner profile.
8.3The existing learner profiles in all GDE schools will still be used until the learners exit the system.
8.4The new learner profile will systematically be introduced for all learners entering Grade 1.
8.5The learner profiles remain confidential and it is the responsibility of schools to ensure they are securely stored.
8.6If a learner moves from one school to another within the province or to another province, the school must send the learner profile with the learner in a sealed enveloped.
9. PORTFOLIOS
9.1 Teachers’ Portfolios
9.1.1It is compulsory for all teachers to keep a portfolio for each Learning Programme / Learning Area taught.
9.1.2Teachers’ portfolios must adhere to the requirements as outlined in the NPA.
9.2 Learners’ Portfolios
9.2.1 A learner’s portfolio must be kept for all Learning Programmes /Learning Areas.
9.2.2 When a learner changes schools during the year he/she should take his/her portfolio to the new school.
9.2.3Incases where tasks are to be formally recorded, it is the responsibility of learners to ensure that they complete their assessment tasks and hand them to the teacher to be formally assessed.
9.2.4 If learners are absent when formal assessment is done,teachers must provide them with extraopportunities to complete tasks.
9.2.5 When learners habitually absent themselves during periods when formal assessment tasks are done, the matter has to be referred to the Principal of the school. If prima facie evidence exists that a learner evades assessment, such a learner should be given a zero. In such cases the school must provide evidence to the DAT. The DAT will evaluate the evidence of the learner’s attendance record,as well as the teacher’s assessment plan, in order to make a decision on whether or not the learner should be retained.
10. ASSESSMENT TASKS
10.1 Teachers are required to record a prescribed minimum number of recorded pieces as indicated in the National Protocol on Assessment. These formal recorded pieces refer to assessment tasks.
Note: The four (4) tasks per term indicated for Literacy in the Foundation Phase (Grade 3) should be divided as follows:
- Home Language – three (3) tasks.
- Additional Language – one (1) task.
10.2 An assessment task consists of a number of related assessment activities. The final result for an assessment task should be done in accordance with paragraph 6.3.
10.3 Assessment tasks are planned and reflected in the work schedule.
10.4 The NPA states that assessment tasks should be carefully designed to cover all the Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards of the Learning Programme /Learning Area. The design of these tasks should therefore ensure that a variety of skills are assessed. This does not mean that each assessment task should coverall Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards. If, for example, teachers are expected to have four (4) assessment tasks for the year, these four (4) tasks collectively should cover all the Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards.
10.5 Similarly, the assessment tasks and assessment activities should reflect at least three (3) to five(5) forms of assessment in order to ensure that the different learning styles of all learners are accommodated.
______
MALLELE PETJE
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
ANNEXURES
ANNEXURE / TITLEAnnexure A / Glossary
Annexure B / GDE Support Form
Annexure C / Possible Retention Schedule for the Foundation Phase
Annexure D / Progression Schedule for the Foundation Phase
Annexure E / Possible Retention Schedule for the Intermediate Phase
Annexure F / Progression Schedule for the Intermediate Phase
Annexure G / Possible Retention Schedule for the Senior Phase
Annexure H / Progression Schedule for the Senior Phase
Annexure I / Example of Term Schedule
Annexure J / Example of Teacher Assessment Plan
Annexure K / Example of Teacher Recording Sheet
Annexure L / Example of Formal Recording Sheet
Annexure M / Example of Report Card
English: Page 1 of 32
Annexure A
GLOSSARY
Annual Assessment Programme
/An assessment policy framework of the school.
Assessment Standards
/The knowledge, skills and values that learners need to show to achieve the Learning Outcomes in each grade.
Assessment Task
/Consists of a number of related assessment activities planned and reflected in the work schedule.
Foundation Phase
/The first phase of the General Education and Training Band: Grades R, 1, 2 and 3.
General Education and Training (GET) Band
/The ten compulsory schooling years, made up of the Foundation, Intermediate and Senior Phases.
Intermediate Phase
/The second phase of the General Education and Training Band: Grades 4, 5 and 6.
Learning Outcomes
/A description of what (knowledge, skills and values)learners should know, demonstrate and be able to do at the end of GET.
Learner Profile
/An all-round record of a learner’s progress, including personal information, social development, support needs and annual reports.
Moderation
/The process of ensuring that teachers are assessing work according to agreed standards, and that there is consistency from year to year within districts, provinces and nationally.
Monitoring
/The process of continually evaluating teaching, learning and assessment or checking that the aims of particular instructional activities have been achieved.
National Coding System
/A standard national system of performance codes used to report on a learner’s progress.
Parent
/The (a) parent or guardian of a learner; (b) the person legally entitled to custody of a learner; or (c) the person who undertakes to fulfil the obligations of a person referred to in (a) and (b) towards the learner’s education at school.
Progression
/A key principle of the Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R to 9 (Schools) that enables the learner to gradually develop more complex, deeper and broader knowledge, skills and understanding. It also refers to a learner’s movement from one grade to another.