Assessing Progress in Science

There is a QCA ‘Assessing Progress in Science’ pack for each of key stages 1, 2 and 3. Each pack contains a set of units describing activities to cover the full breadth of the national curriculum. A teacher’s guide outlines the underlying rationale and gives advice on collecting and interpreting assessment evidence to inform teaching.

Russell, T and McGuigan L (2003) Assessing progress in Science KS1, KS2 & KS3 Pub QCA

Ordering

Assessing Progress in Science support materials can be ordered online from the QCA website:

QCA Orderline
PO Box 29
Norwich
NR3 1GN

Tel: 08700 60 60 15
Fax: 08700 60 60 17
Email: orderline@qca.org.uk

All schools quoting a valid DfES number will be entitled to a 50 per cent discount off the quoted price.

QCA has supported our development of formative assessment materials for science at key stages 1, 2 and 3. As a result an 'Assessing Progress in Science' pack has been published for each of these key stages in September 2003.

Each unit contains a detailed description of typical learning sequences based on extensive research. These summarise the levels in the national curriculum, and describe developments in understanding that can be expected between the formal level statements.

Key Stage 1 pack

Scientific enquiry
Living things in their environments
Materials
Forces
Electricity
Light and sound
Teacher's guide

Key Stage 2 pack

Scientific enquiry
Living things in their environments
Materials
Forces
Electricity
Light and sound
Solids, liquids and gases
Human body
Teacher's guide

Key Stage 3 pack

Scientific enquiry
Living things in their environments
Materials
Forces
Electricity
Light and sound
Solids, liquids and gases
Human body (1)
Human body (2)
Metals and non-metals
Teacher's guide

Teaching and learning sequences

Activities include teacher notes offering suggestions for:

• eliciting children’s ideas about particular science concepts
• gathering feedback in a structured way
• probing understanding, including suggested questioning strategies to encourage the elaboration of ideas
• criteria to assess the quality of pupil’s responses from a developmental perspective

Activities are fully signposted to show:

• suitability for each attainment level
• relevant ideas sheets (photocopiable masters) are included with each unit
• the pupil-response mode suggested to complete each activity
• a full listing of the resources suggested to complete each activity
• the suggested time to complete each activity

Using assessment evidence

Each activity is accompanied by a chart showing how typical pupil responses might be mapped to the teaching and learning sequence of progression.

Also included are:

• examples of pupil responses, together with suggestions for how similar responses might be interpreted,
• ideas for giving feedback to pupils,
• advice on formulating teaching and learning plans informed by the evidence of pupils’ current thinking.