Assessment and Progression in Writing Skills
Bright Futures Education Trust
Assessment and Progression
In Writing Skills
Structure
Each year is broken down into specific criteria against which writing can be assessed.
How to use the Criterion Scale
· The assessment system is straightforward. Count one mark (tick) when you are sure the child meets the criteria in the writing sample, a dot indicates this has been seen during in class teacher assessment. Both ticks and dots count as a mark. At the end, total the marks and use the scoring system to decide on a stage using the BFET Primary Tracker Grid.
· In class teacher assessment judgments must be used in addition to the writing sample to make the final judgment.
· It is very important that you see enough evidence, both in the writing sample and across the curriculum through teacher assessment, to give a mark for any criteria. For example, one or two adventurous or ambitious words would not qualify.
· Remember that assessing writing is inevitably subjective. So it is important that teachers regularly compare and discuss work for moderation and consistency.
Using the criterion scale to set targets for future teaching
When assessing writing samples for an individual or a group, take note of which criteria are missing. Then decide on priorities for next steps in learning and teaching.
BFET Primary Assessment Tracker
These are the pupils who are working more than 1 year group below. These are the pupils who will have case studies. / Working Towards
These are pupils who are working within the KPI statements for the year below their chronological age i.e. 1 year behind. / Working Within
These are the pupils who are working within the KPI statements for their year, or working at in the case of years 2 and 6. / Working At
These are the pupils who have all KPI statements, or working at in the case of years 2 and 6. / Working
in Greater Depth
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9
Less than 50% of KPI statements from the year below. In the case of Y2 and Y6 this may also include the Working towards statements for their year. / Between 50% and 75% of KPI statements from the year below. In the case of Y2 and Y6 this may also include the Working towards statements for their year. / More than 75% of KPI statements from the year below. In the case of Y2 and Y6 this may also include the Working towards statements for their year. / All working KPI from the previous year plus less than 50% of KPIs statements for their year. / Between 50% and 75% of KPI statements / More than 75% of KPI statements / All KPI statements / Now working confidently in all KPI statements / The pupil now has all the statements from their year group, KPIs and additional non highlighted statements.
In the case of years 2 and 6 these may be gold in colour.
Using this system you can track progress by numbering year groups and having a decimal point showing where they lie within that year:
Year 1 / 1.1 / 1.2 / 1.3 / 1.4 / 1.5 / 1.6 / 1.7 / 1.8 / 1.9
Year 2 / 2.1 / 2..2 / 2.3 / 2.4 / 2.5 / 2.6 / 2.7 / 2.8 / 2.9
Year 3 / 3.1 / 3.2 / 3.3 / 3.4 / 3.5 / 3.6 / 3.7 / 3.8 / 3.9
Year 4 / 4.1 / 4.2 / 4.3 / 4.4 / 4.5 / 4.6 / 4.7 / 4.8 / 4.9
Year 5 / 5.1 / 5.2 / 5.3 / 5.4 / 5.5 / 5.6 / 5.7 / 5.8 / 5.9
Year 6 / 6.1 / 6.2 / 6.3 / 6.4 / 6.5 / 6.6 / 6.7 / 6.8 / 6.9
This table shows the progression across the years. Highlighted boxes indicate points at which pupils in different years are working on the same KPIs.
Rec / 1 / 2 / 3Y1 / 1.1 / 1.2 / 1.3 / 1.4 / 1.5 / 1.6 / 1.7 / 1.8 / 1.9
Y2 / 2.1 / 2.2 / 2.3 / 2.4 / 2.5 / 2.6 / 2.7 / 2.8 / 2.9
Y3 / 3.1 / 3.2 / 3.3 / 3.4 / 3.5 / 3.6 / 3.7 / 3.8 / 3.9
Y4 / 4.1 / 4.2 / 4.3 / 4.4 / 4.5 / 4.6 / 4.7 / 4.8 / 4.9
Y5 / 5.1 / 5.2 / 5.3 / 5.4 / 5.5 / 5.6 / 5.7 / 5.8 / 5.9
Y6 / 6.1 / 6.2 / 6.3 / 6.4 / 6.5 / 6.6 / 6.7 / 6.8 / 6.9
Stanley Grove Primary Academy 2016
Assessment and Progression in Writing Skills
Working Towards Year 1
(to be used for Year 1 pupils working below Year 1, pupils to be moved onto Year 1 statements as soon as the teacher feels they are ready)
Name ______Class______
Autumn / Spring / SummerMaking marks
Will tolerate hand manipulation
Will work with another to allow mark marking using body parts or an implement
Attempts mark making independently e.g. uses paints and crayons to make random marks.
Imitates writing by making marks.
Might be able to copy a circular shape or might use strings of circles to represent ‘writing’.
Copies letters
Beginning to learn some letter sounds (might say “My name begins with …”
Can hold a pencil and use it to make marks showing some control
Will successfully attempt to copy under or over letters as ascribed by an adult
Beginning to form some letter like shapes independently when mark making
Writes some letters independently
Knows a few Phase 2 letter sounds e.g. s a t p and possibly some sounds in their name
Can form some recognisable letters independently
Will attempt to write things, including own name using random letters
Writes initial sounds and beginning to write CVC words
Knows some Phase 2 letter sounds
Can write most initial sounds and might hear other sounds in the word
Shows some awareness of sequencing of letters
CVC words
Knows most Phase 2 letter sounds
Can usually write CVC words (might confuse the middle sound e.g. writes ‘bos’ for ‘bus’)
Will attempt to write a sentence (strings of letter sounds) – often omitting finger spaces
‘Reads’ what has been written back to themselves or another person
Simple phrases
Very familiar with Phase 2 letter sounds
Can write CVC words confidently
Will attempt to write some longer monosyllabic words e.g. might write ‘wet’ for ‘went’
Will write a sentence – finger spacing is not consistent
Might need support with full sentence composition
Writing simple sentences
Beginning to learn Phase 3 phonemes/graphemes
Can write words containing consonant clusters (e.g. CCVC or CVCC)
Can write some common high frequency words correctly (e.g. the, a, do, to, said)
Can write a simple sentence which can be read by an adult (without asking the child to read it back)
Writing simple sentences
Knows a range of Phase 3 phonemes/graphemes
Can write phonetically plausible attempts at two syllable words
Can write at least 10 high frequency words
Can independently construct and write a simple sentence which can be read by an adult without support
Can read own writing to an adult
Evidence of Mastery
Year 1 Expectations
Name ______Class______
Rec Sum / Baseline / Aut / Spr / SumTranscription: Spelling
Spell words containing each of the 40+ phonemes already taught
Spell common exception words
Spell the days of the week
Name the letters of the alphabet in order
Use letter names to distinguish between alternative spellings of the same sound
Use the spelling rule for adding -s
Use the spelling rule for adding -es as the plural marker for nouns and the third person singular marker for verbs
Use the prefix un-
Use the suffixes -ing, -ed, -er and -est where no change is needed in the spelling of root words
Apply simple spelling rules and guidance from Year 1
Write from memory simple dictated sentences inc the words taught so far
Transcription: Handwriting
Sit correctly at a table, hold a pencil comfortably and correctly
Begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
Form capital letters
Form digits 0 – 9
Understand which letters belong to which handwriting ‘families’ (i.e. letters that are formed in similar ways) (GH 1:14)
Writing: Composition
Write sentences: saying out loud what they are about to write and composing a sentence orally before writing it
Write sentences: sequencing sentences to form short narratives
Write sentences: re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense
Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
Read aloud their writing clearly enough to be heard by their peers and the teacher
Writing: Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation
Leave spaces between words
Joining words and clauses using and
Begin to punctuate sentences using a capital letter, full stop, question or exclamation mark
Use capital letters for names of people, places, days of the week, personal pronoun ‘I’
Learn how to use Y1 Grammar
Use the grammatical terminology for Year 1 in discussing their writing
Evidence for Mastery
Y2 Expectations
Name ______Class______
Y1 Sum / Base line / Aut / Spr / SumTranscription: Spelling
Spell by segmenting spoken words into phonemes and representing these by graphemes, spelling some correctly
Learn new ways of spelling phonemes for which one or more spellings are already known, learn some words with each spelling inc a few common homophones
Spell some common exception words
Spell many common exception words
Spell most common exception words
Spell some words with contracted forms
Spell most words with contracted forms
Spell more words with the possessive apostrophe (singular)
Distinguish between homophones and near homophones
Add suffixes to spell some words in their writing e.g. –ment, –ness, –ful, –less, –ly
Add suffixes to spell most words in their writing e.g. –ment, –ness, –ful, –less, –ly
Apply spelling rules and guidelines for Year 2
Write from memory simple dictated sentences including the words and punctuation taught so far
Transcription: Handwriting
Form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
Form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another in some of the writing
Using spacing between words
Using the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join letters in some of their writing
Write capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower case letters
Use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters
Using the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join letters in most of their writing
Writing: Composition
Write sentences that are sequenced to form a short narrative, after discussion with the teacher
Write a narrative about their own and others’ experiences (real and fictional), after discussion with the teacher.
Write for different purposes, after discussion with the teacher
Consider what they are going to write by: planning/saying what they are going to write about; writing down ideas/key words/new vocab; encapsulating ideas sentence by sentence
Make simple additions, revisions and corrections to their writing by: evaluating writing with others; re-reading to check that it makes sense; proof-reading spelling, grammar, punct
Read aloud what they have written with appropriate intonation to make the meaning clear
Writing: Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation
Demarcating some senences with capital letters and full stops
Demarcating most sentences with capital letters and full stops and with some use of question marks and exclamation marks
Use the apostrophe for contracted forms/possessive (singular)
Use commas for lists
Use sentences with different forms: statement, question, exclamation, command
Use expanded noun phrases to describe and specify
Use the present and past tenses mostly correctly and consistently including in the progressive form
Use subordination using when, if, that, because and co-ordination using or, and, but
Use the full range of punctuation taught at key stage 1 mostly correctly
Evidence for Mastery
Y3 Expectations
Name______Class______
Y2 Sum / Base line / Aut / Spr / SumTranscription: Spelling
Use further prefixes and suffixes and understand how to add them
Spell further homophones
Spell words that are often misspelt
Use the first two or three letters of a word to check its spelling in a dictionary
Write from memory simple sentences that include words and punctuation taught so far
Transcription: Handwriting
Use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters
Increase the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting (by ensuring that the downstrokes of letters are parallel and equidistant)
Writing: Composition
Plan writing by discussing writing similar to that which they are planning to write to learn from its structure, vocab and grammar
Draft & write by composing & rehearsing sentences orally, progressively building a varied & rich vocabulary & an increasing range of sentence structures
Organise paragraphs around a theme
In narratives, create settings, characters and plot
In non-narrative material, using simple organisational devices such as headings and sub-headings
Evaluate and edit by assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing and suggesting improvements
Evaluate and edit by proposing changes to grammar and vocabulary to improve consistency, including the accurate use of pronouns in sentences
Proof-read for spelling and punctuation errors
Read aloud own writing to a group or whole class, using appropriate intonation and controlling tone and volume so that the meaning is clear.
Writing: Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation
Extend the range of sentences with more than one clause by using a wider range of conjunctions e.g. when, if , because, although
Use the perfect form of verbs in contrast to the past tense
Use conjunctions, adverbs and prepositions to express time and cause
Y3 Grammar: formation of nouns using a range of prefixes, use of a/an, word families
Use extended noun phrases, including prepositions
Begin to identify main and subordinate clauses)
Indicate possession by using the possessive apostrophe with singular nouns and regular plurals
Use inverted commas to punctuate direct speech
Use and understand the grammatical terminology for Year 3
Evidence of Mastery