Assessment and Internal Exams

At Howden, we believe that the primary purpose of assessment is to inform staff and students of the priority for the next phase of teaching and learning.

Using the Assessment for Learning approach, the measurement of student attainment and progress is not to judge the outcomes of the end of a journey but to inform all involved about what knowledge has been retained and understood, what skills have been acquired and are embedded and how further progress can be made in the future.

Our curriculum model sequences the acquisition of knowledge into a coherent journey and the formative assessment used will aid the teacher to respond to the needs of the students as they embed prior knowledge and acquire new knowledge.

Work is teacher assessed through ‘Key Marked Pieces’ of work. Students complete these at key points within a Scheme of Learning. Key Marked Pieces are a mixture of formal tests, extended pieces of work completed over a number of weeks and shorter pieces of work completed within a lesson. At GCSE, these pieces are frequently past exam papers which are marked against the published mark schemes to provide students with a clear picture of their progress. The majority of these Key Marked Pieces are fixed in exercise books. There are, however, exceptions if they are completed electronically or are practical tasks. 

Internal Examinations

A formal internal, end-of-year examination is taken by all students in Years 7 – 10. These examinations are designed to prepare students for the external linear examinations they will take at the end of Key Stage 4.

Towards the end of Year 10 and in Year 11, students sit mock exams. These examinations, completed under the same conditions as the external GCSE examinations, are designed to provide a realistic experience and prepare students for approaching examination seasons. A formal mock exams Results Day is held following each set of mock exams.