Education
Assessment
Our students’ progress through the curriculum and personal development is extremely important to us.
Kickstart Academy have three main strands to measuring progress through the assessment of personal development, knowledge based learning and holistic skills.
Personal Development
Comprehensive personal development and behaviour assessments take place during the transition period to enable staff to analyse the functions of previous behaviours that have led to exclusion or referrals to Kickstart Academy. This initial assessment intelligently combines themes from a variety of well- being measurement frameworks by Anna Freud and behaviour and emotional resilience scales, with key skills expected in preparation for next steps beyond school. This information helps the school to plan interventions and develop robust behaviour support plans containing evidence- based support strategies.
The assessment outcomes guide staff in setting relevant, personalised and aspirational targets to provide students with a clear sense of what they are working towards. These are consistently referred to across all lessons to help students to progress and stay on task, especially when they might struggle with self-regulation. Progress is routinely measured in a quantifiable way to enable staff to quickly intervene where students aren’t making expected progress.
Knowledge based learning
Upon entry to Kickstart Academy, students are given baseline assessments for core subjects, the results of which will be analysed by staff to ensure future lessons are prepared to build upon current ability, catering for any additional needs or gaps in learning identified.
All students’ single word reading, spelling and maths skills will also be assessed using the standardised assessments contained within the WRAT 5. The results of these will be used to develop a personalised approach to the curriculum, as well as identifying any potential additional needs of students.
If there is concern regarding any possible learning difficulties, further assessments may be used, and may include the following:
- Phonics assessments – to assess gaps within phonics knowledge that may impact upon reading and spelling skills.
- Visual Stress Test – to investigate whether students benefit from coloured overlays due to visual stress.
Our Holistic Assessment Tracker (HAT) is an overarching assessment to measure the impact of interventions and personalised learning. It considers the student’s personal, social, and emotional development. It provides a HAT score based on 6 areas of personal growth:
- Behaviour
- Engagement
- Self Regulation & Co-Regulation
- Self-Esteem
- Social Skills
- Wellbeing
Assessment For Learning (AfL) is assessment that occurs at every stage of the learning process, with effective feedback used to improve students’ performance. With assessment for learning, the main purpose is to close the gap between where the young person is at that point in time, to where they want to be. Teachers use assessment information to adjust their teaching strategies, with the emphasis on student progress and student achievement.
Results of any assessments will inform the provision that is put in place for students, as reflected in our Kickstart offer.
Our assessment procedures are an essential part of ensuring a personalised approach to our provision and student learning. The adjustments we make as a result of these assessments will help to develop student engagement, self-esteem and confidence, as well as helping our students to become more successful learners.
Key formal assessment dates
| Type | Assessment period |
|---|---|
| Baseline Assessments | On arrival as part of our induction process |
| Assessment Week 1 | Wednesday 3rd September 2025 to Friday 12th September 2025 |
| Assessment Week 2 | Monday 24th November 2025 to Friday 28th November 2025 |
| Assessment Week 3 | Monday 16th March 2026 to Friday 20th March 2026 |
| Assessment Week 4 | Monday 6th July 2026 to Friday 10th July 2026 |
| Student Reports | December 2025 and July 2026 |
| Functional Skills | Regular opportunities dependent on student progress |
| GCSE examination (Year 11 only) | Year 11 MOCKS 19th January 2026 to 26th January 2026 Summer Exam Season is May - June 2026 |
| Standardised Assessments | On-going throughout the academic year to monitor and track progress |
