“B Squared has played an important role in our school in terms of unifying our school’s assessment approach, reducing workload, and clarifying how we measure steps of progress made by our pupils.”
Joanne Watson, Assistant Head Teacher, Bluebell Park School
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Bluebell Park School is using
B Squared’s Connecting Steps assessment software with our Engagement Steps and Progression Steps assessment frameworks.
Engagement Steps has been designed to support The Engagement Model. It is used to assess the progress of pupils working below the Pre-Key Stage Standards, who aren’t yet engaged in subject specific learning.
Progression Steps is used to assess pupils who are engaging with subject-specific learning. This framework covers an ability range from Pre-Key Stage Standards up to pupils working towards the lower GCSE grades.
Using multiple assessment frameworks within Connecting Steps enables Bluebell Park School to assess the progress of ALL of its pupils across a wide range of abilities in one assessment system!
To find out how B Squared can help your school
Call: 01252 870 133
Email: hello@bsquared.co.uk
Visit: www.bsquared.co.uk
Unifying our assessment approach and reducing teacher workload
Bluebell Park School is a special school in Kirkby catering for pupils from 3-19 years with ASC, PMLD, SLD and a range of other needs. The school is in its tenth year and uses B Squared as its main assessment tool.
Before working with B Squared, the school used learning journals to demonstrate pupils’ progress. The journals consisted of photographs of pupils completing tasks and comments annotating their progress. According to Assistant Head Teacher, Joanne Watson, “These were very time consuming but also did not show sequenced progression, as they were based on teacher judgement and a range of different assessment tools.”
A consistent whole school approach to assessment
“Using Connecting Steps from B Squared, we have been able to approach assessment as a whole school in a more consistent way and show progress for pupils who have plateaued in their learning. It has also been crucial in helping to create a common language around steps of progress that our pupils make. The data that we collect is reviewed in pupil progress meetings, supporting teachers to identify next steps.”
Assessments inform planning to meet EHCP outcomes
“Working with B Squared has enabled us to show progress for pupils who have only made the slightest amount of progress. It has also meant that we have complied with the new Engagement Profile and were already familiar with it through the different areas within Connecting Steps.”
“Our teachers are now more confident with baselining pupils and identifying gaps in their learning. We do not ‘teach to the test’ but use our assessments to inform planning to meet outcomes within EHCPs and IEPs, as well as what is on our school curriculum.”
Teachers’ assessment workloads have reduced
“The system saves teachers time in terms of carrying out assessments over the course of the year. The new approach to baselining has made this a much quicker process, enabling teachers to spend more time teaching than completing formal assessments. It also saves time for me as an assessment lead in being able to pull up specific areas of a pupil assessment to monitor progress.”
“Connecting Steps has decreased our teachers’ workloads over time and allows more staff within the school to play their own part in assessing pupils. Teachers are now more confident in being able to go into a pupil’s assessment area, look at the progress that they have made, and find areas that will meet outcomes linked to the curriculum that they are working on.”
Joanne Watson, Assistant Head Teacher, Bluebell Park School.
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