Assessing Student Learning
The paramount objective of the board of St Joseph's School is to ensure that every student at the school is able to attain their highest possible standard in educational achievement (Education and Training Act, s 127). To meet the paramount objective, the board meets the supporting objectives of:
- ensuring that the school uses good quality assessment and aromatawai information to monitor and evaluate student progress and achievement, including any assessment or aromatawai specified in a foundation curriculum policy statement
- giving effect to board obligations in relation to:
- any foundation curriculum statements, national curriculum statements, and national performance measures
- teaching and learning programmes
- monitoring and reporting student progress.
Requirements around monitoring and reporting on the progress, achievement, and performance of students are also set out in section 165 of the Education and Training Act and the Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020 (s 21).
Our assessment processes are guided by 
curriculum statements and national performance measures (Education and Training Act, s 90).
Foundation curriculum policy statements
These are statements of policy concerning teaching, learning, and assessment that underpin and give direction to:
- the way in which curriculum and assessment responsibilities are managed
- national curriculum statements and locally developed curricula.
The foundation curriculum policy statements provide direction for implementation of the national curriculum statements.
National curriculum statements
These are statements of:
- the areas of knowledge and understanding to be covered by students
- the skills to be developed by students
- desirable levels of knowledge, understanding, and skill to be achieved by students.
National performance measures
These are targets against which the performance of the board can be measured, including achievement measures within The New Zealand Curriculum or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
Education and Training Act 2020, s 90
Foundation Curriculum Policy Statements and National Curriculum Statements / Ngā Kaupapa Here Tauākī Tūāpapa Marautanga me ngā Tauākī Marautanga ā-Motu
Purpose of assessment
The principal and staff collect and analyse assessment data to:
- monitor and report on the progress of students
- support student learning and achievement (e.g. understanding current progress, personalised feedback to guide next steps)
- support teachers to understand how students are achieving against expected progress and goals and adapt teaching and learning programmes to respond to student needs
- improve student learning outcomes and teaching programmes.
The principal regularly reports to the board on assessment trends and outcomes, and the board uses assessment information to inform strategic planning, including identifying students whose needs have not yet been well met. The board evaluates student progress and achievement in the annual report and uses this information in the annual implementation plan as needed. See School Planning and Reporting.
The Education (School Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2023 define students whose needs have not yet been well met as including, without limitation, the following students:
(a) Māori students:
(b) Pacific students:
(c) disabled students:
(d) students with learning support needs, including gifted and talented students:
(e) students who are, or are at risk of, not progressing towards or achieving against curriculum expectations:
(f) students in respect of whom a care or protection order has been made under the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989:
(g) students in the youth justice system.
School boards must address the needs of students whose needs have not yet been well met in their strategic plans, annual implementation plans, and annual reports.
Assessment processes
We use good quality assessment and aromatawai information to monitor and evaluate student progress and achievement, including any assessment or aromatawai specified in a foundation curriculum policy statement. Good quality assessment and aromatawai information draws on a range of evidence to evaluate the progress and achievement of each student and build a comprehensive picture of the learning of each student. We collect information about student progress through formal and informal assessment processes.
We ensure that any assessment tools and strategies:
- are valid, fair, and fit for purpose
- support teaching and learning goals
- meet the needs of students, including those with learning support needs
- are clearly communicated between students and teachers
- allow for constructive feedback appropriate to student ability and understanding
- meet all relevant school and external guidelines.
We ensure consistency in our assessment processes through moderation of assessment decisions that involve teacher judgement. We regularly review how assessment supports our teaching and learning programmes, and adapt our assessment processes as required.
Our school supports students to understand that all learning tasks and assessments they complete should be their own work. Concerns are managed with a focus on education, and behaviour management when needed.
Record keeping
We follow our privacy and records retention policies for maintaining assessment records, and we comply with any external requirements.
See Privacy and School Records Retention and Disposal.
The principal assures the board that the school monitors and evaluates the progress and achievement of students through the analysis of good quality assessment information, and evaluates the performance of students in relation to foundation curriculum policy statements, and national curriculum statements. See Review Schedule and Board Assurances.
Related policies
Legislation
- Education and Training Act 2020
- Education (School Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2023
Resources
Term 4 2025, Term 2 2024
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