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Standards files

Introduction to the standards files for reading, writing, mathematics and science, and their importance in the Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) approach.

Pupils' work in the standards files

An overview of how pupils' work – and the assessment of it – features in the standards files.
National standards exemplified

An overview of the four kinds of annotation or commentary that may support the assessment of pupil's work. This is exemplified throughout the standards files.
Using the standards files

Guidance on using the standards files including: Standardising judgments, reference for assessing your own pupils, support moderation activity, clarifying progress and to exemplify the APP approach.
Mathematics standards files

A grid containing links to the mathematics standards files. These standards files support Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
Reading standards files

A grid containing links to the reading standards files. These standards files support Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
Writing standards files

A grid containing links to the writing standards files. These standards files support Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
Science standards files

A grid containing links to the science standards files. These standards files support Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
Speaking and listening standards files

Speaking and listening standards files showing examples of pupils' assessment in the related assessment focuses.
Training standards files

Links to the exemplar standards files (training standards files) that have been made available without the annotations that reveal the level at which each pupil is working. These provide a useful resource when training staff and can be used with groups of staff to show the process of making a level judgement.

APP mathematics standards file: Kate (Year 5, secure level 4)

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) mathematics standards file showing the assessment for a Year 5 child working at secure level 4. Illustrated examples of the child’s work for assessment focuses (AFs) Ma1 to Ma4 and the teacher’s assessment of each focus are included.

Ma2 Number

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) mathematics standards file showing the assessment of Ma2 – 'Number' for a child working at secure level 4. The illustrated examples of the child's work cover addition and subtraction of decimals, multiplication and division.
Ma3 Shape, space and measures

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) mathematics standards file showing the assessment of Ma3 – 'Shape, space and measures' for a child working at secure level 4. The illustrated examples of the child's work cover perimeter and area.
Ma4 Handling data

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) mathematics standards file showing the assessment of Ma4 – 'Handling data' for a child working at secure level 4. The illustrated example of the child's work covers line graphs studying temperature over time.
Overall assessment summary for Kate

Overall assessment summary for a pupil at secure level 4, which includes assessment guidelines and teacher judgements.

APP mathematics standards file: Peter (Year 5, low level 4)

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) mathematics standards file showing the assessment for a Year 5 child working at low level 4. Illustrated examples of the child’s work for assessment focuses (AFs) Ma1 to Ma4 and the teacher’s assessment of each focus are included.

Ma2 Number

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) mathematics standards file showing the assessment of Ma2 – 'Number' for a child working at low level 4. The illustrated examples of the child's work cover percentages, long multiplication, decomposition and word problems.
Ma3 Shape, space and measures

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) mathematics standards file showing the assessment of Ma3 – 'Shape, space and measures' for a child working at low level 4. The illustrated examples of the child's work cover coordinates and measuring (distance and angles).
Ma4 Handling data

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) mathematics standards file showing the assessment of Ma4 – 'Handling data' for a child working at low level 4. The illustrated examples of the child's work cover bar and tally charts.
Overall assessment summary for Peter

Overall assessment summary for a pupil at low level 4, which includes assessment guidelines and teacher judgements.

APP reading standards file: Molly (Year 1 below level 1)

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) reading standards file showing the assessment for a Year 1 child working below level 1. Illustrated examples of the child’s work and the teacher’s notes and assessment summaries are included.

Working with words

Molly used an alphabet mat and a programmable robot to spell words. She worked with the support of her teacher in this activity.
Evidence from independent writing

Children frequently wrote short recounts of events out of school, sometimes using the computer to generate images. Two pieces of writing separated by a couple of months show Molly's progress from somewhat random word order and incomplete letter strings and clauses, to writing a complete sentence. At the same time, Molly worked on the 'challenge table', where the task was to find words that rhymed with 'hat' and 'log'.
Reading and writing about minibeasts

As part of the class work on minibeasts, Molly used several books to find out information. The video evidence shows her reading Are you a Ladybird? by Judy Allen with her teacher. She then uses some of this information to write about ladybirds and read this to others in the class. Her teacher comments on Molly's work in the unit as a whole, pointing out her tendency to rely on memory and on cues from illustrations to compensate for uncertainties in decoding words.
Evidence of reading from writing

Molly's evidence of reading from writing.
Reading conference: By the stream

At the end of the summer term, Molly's teacher carried out a reading conference to assess her progress in AF1. To do this, she selected a book graded as Stage 3 from the Oxford Reading Tree series and completed a running record as Molly read the text.
Assessment summary

Molly is taught in a Year 1 class where the practice continues some of the philosophy and observational practices of the Early Years Foundation Stage. At the start of the year, her teacher commented that she mainly wanted to be in the home corner, engaged in role-play - typically being the teacher with a group of friends.
Making a level judgement

Molly's reading was assessed using the L1/L2 assessment guidelines. Despite considerable progress in AF1, the evidence shows she is working below level 1, with relatively few high frequency words able to be read fluently and automatically, and some difficulties in blending phonemes in both familiar and unfamiliar words.
Next steps

It will be important to develop Molly's confidence in phonics, using Letters and Sounds or a similar systematic phonics programme. She will also need to be taught to recognise more high frequency words so that she reads these words automatically as soon as possible. Molly can then move into Phase 3 of the phonics programme, working on two-letter graphemes, within the teaching sequence of revisiting and reviewing, teaching, practising and applying.

APP writing standards file: Farida (Year 6, secure level 5)

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) writing standards file showing the assessment for a Year 6 child working at secure level 5. Illustrated examples of the child’s work and the teacher’s assessment summary are included.

Too much TV causing weighty children - discursive article/report

Exemplar standards file covering a response to a newspaper article for a pupil at secure level 5, which contains an illustrated assessment the piece of writing.
How the ear works - explanatory/informative writing

Exemplar standards file covering explanatory/informative writing for a pupil at secure level 5, which contains an illustrated assessment of the explanation text.
Magazine article - discursive response to Macbeth

Exemplar standards file covering a response to a magazine article for a pupil at secure level 5, which contains an illustrated assessment of the journalistic-style report.
Ghost story - narrative writing

Exemplar standards file covering narrative writing for a pupil at secure level 5, which contains an illustrated assessment of a ghost story.
'The Dancing Flame' - poem

Exemplar standards file covering poetry writing for a pupil at secure level 5, which contains an illustrated assessment of the poem.
Overall assessment summary for Farida

Overall assessment summary for a pupil at secure level 5, which includes assessment focuses and teacher judgements.

APP writing standards file: Jason (Year 5, secure level 3)

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) writing standards file showing the assessment for a Year 5 child working at secure level 3. Illustrated examples of the child’s work and the teacher’s assessment commentary are included.

A letter related to events in a legend

Exemplar standards file for a pupil at secure level 3, which contains an illustrated assessment of the pupil's work.
Explanatory and informative writing

Exemplar standards file covering explanatory and informative writing for a pupil at secure level 3, which contains an illustrated assessment of a piece of extended writing.
A persuasive letter to a character from a famous duo

Exemplar standards file covering persuasive texts for a pupil at secure level 3, which contains an illustrated assessment of the pupil's work.
A fable - independent narrative writing

Exemplar standards file covering independent narrative writing for a pupil at secure level 3, which contains an illustrated assessment of the pupil's work.
Overall assessment summary for Jason

Overall assessment summary for a pupil at secure level 3, which includes assessment focuses and teacher judgements.

APP writing standards file: Mark (Year 1 low level 1)

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) writing standards file showing the assessment for a Year 1 child working at low level 1. Illustrated examples of the child’s work and the teacher’s assessment commentary are included.

Story writing: middle and ending

At the beginning of the spring term, Mark attempted to write the middle and ending for a story. The work was introduced to the whole class as part of the unit on stories with familiar settings. Following class discussion, Mark wrote without further support and was able to read his work back to his teacher.
Illustrated instructions: How to make a potion

Mark drew and numbered pictures for his set of instructions following class work on fairy tales in the spring term. The work shows some developments from the instructional writing completed earlier in the year, but although Mark could read it back, his writing is very hard for an outside reader to decipher.
Recount of family outing

Children were prompted to think about when, where, how and who in planning to write about their outing. The picture Mark drew of the event possibly took as much energy as the writing itself. Mark then wrote on his own and was able to read the writing back.
Story ending: Witch on a Broom

Near the start of a unit of work on fantasy, the class listened to the story Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
Non-fiction writing: about dinosaurs

Mark read an information book on dinosaurs with his teacher. Dinosaurs are his favourite subject and he was inspired to write independently and at greater length on the basis of his reading. The idea was to present information to other members of the class.
Narrative writing: fantasy story

This piece drew on several weeks' work exploring fantasy worlds. Mark planned his story using pictures, although the significance of these is not obvious to an outsider. Nevertheless, the piece is notable for its greater length, suggesting increased stamina and concentration on task.
Assessment summary

Mark is taught in a mixed-ability Year 1 class. Evidence for his writing comes from the summer term and is based on the Primary Framework. This assessment summary draws together evidence from Mark's writing as well as from teacher knowledge and observation.
Making a level judgement

Mark's writing was assessed using the L1/L2 assessment guidelines.
Next steps

Mark has difficulty with spelling simple high-frequency words and in using his phonic knowledge to make phonetically plausible attempts at spelling words.

APP writing standards file: Joe (Year 1 secure level 1)

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) writing standards file showing the assessment for a Year 1 child working at secure level 1. Illustrated examples of the child’s work and the teacher’s assessment commentary are included.

Story: Once Upon a Time There Was a Flower

This independent writing was produced at the end of May as part of a cross-curricular theme of 'Things that people make and do'. Working as part of a group, Joe looked at some information books on rainforest plants and animals to get inspiration for his story.
Diary: plant growth

As part of work on living things, the class planted some beans and observed their progress. Joe kept a weekly diary of one plant's growth, recording observations in pictures and words.
Making a spider

Working with his friends Dylan and Elliot, Joe made a spider out of a construction kit. They used information books to find out about spiders and then wrote this collectively. The teacher noted that these were Joe's and Elliot's ideas and that Dylan scribed for them.
Information page on spiders

As part of work on a minibeasts theme, Joe chose to research spiders. He worked as part of a group with his teacher who was able to support him with transcribing his ideas and ensuring his understanding of what he had written.
Assessment summary

Joe is very keen on model-making and imaginative play based on his models and the ideas they provoke; much of his best writing has been produced as a result of cross-curricular and self-initiated learning. Gradually his knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, writing has increased, particularly when he works with a partner or in a group.
Making a level judgement

The L1/L2 assessment guideline was used to assess Joe's writing. Criteria for level 1 were met in AF1, AF2, AF3, AF4, AF5 and AF7, but not for AF6, AF8 and handwriting. Most of the evidence for level 1 comes from supportive contexts where Joe worked with friends contributing ideas or writing when closely prompted by his teacher.
Next steps

Joe's progress in writing is encouraging and highlights the importance of engaging his interest and linking writing to a rich, lively curriculum.

APP reading standards file: Mark (Year 1 low level 1)

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) reading standards file showing the assessment for a Year 1 child working at low level 1. Illustrated examples of the child’s work and the teacher’s notes and assessment summaries are included.

Retelling a traditional tale: The Elves and the Shoemaker

This piece was work completed unaided at the end of the unit. Mark chose the traditional tale that he wanted to retell and made a simple plan of beginning, middle and end, using pictures.
Whole-class reading - Room on the Broom

Near the start of a unit of work on fantasy stories the teacher read the story Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson to the whole class, using the interactive whiteboard to display the text.
Running record: How do I put it on?

Mark read a book selected for him at an appropriate instructional level, How Do I Put It On? by Shigeo Watanabe, and his teacher completed the running record during the reading.
Observational notes: summer term

Mark has a real interest in dinosaurs and thoroughly enjoys talking about them. He often brings in a dinosaur for 'show and tell' and is able to give lots of information about it to the rest of the class.
Guided reading assessment: Preston Pig

In a group with four other children, Mark read part of Preston Pig by Colin McNaughton. The book was chosen to link with the unit of work on Fantasy worlds.
Assessment summary

Mark is taught in a mixed-ability Year 1 class. Evidence for his reading comes from the summer term and is based on the Primary Framework. This assessment summary draws together evidence from Mark's reading as well as from teacher knowledge and observation.
Making a level judgement

Mark's reading was assessed using the L1/L2 assessment guidelines. He is working at level 1 in AF2 and AF6 and some of the time at level 1 in AF1.
Next steps

Mark's reading was assessed using the L1/L2 assessment guidelines. He is working at level 1 in AF2 and AF6 and some of the time at level 1 in AF1.

APP mathematics standards file: Charlotte (Year 1 high level 1)

Exemplar Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) mathematics standards file showing the assessment for a Year 1 child working at high level 1. Illustrated examples of the child’s work for assessment focuses (AFs) Ma1 to Ma4 and the teacher’s assessment of each focus are included.

Ma1, Using and applying mathematics

Charlotte's assessment in Ma1 Using and applying mathematics.
Ma2 Number

Charlotte's assessment in Ma2 Number.
Ma3 Shape, space and measures

Charlotte's assessment in Ma3 Shape, space and measures.
Ma4 Handling data

Charlotte's assessment for Ma4 Handling data.

Standards files

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