Pearson Schools Blog

By now you may have carried out the Spring 1 assessments in the Progress Tests, and the Spring 2 tests may not be far away. This blog summarises the averages from all schools, using the Spring term data in the online Markbook, in case it’s useful to compare. Don’t forget that you can enter scores into the Markbook to track and analyse results against age-related expectations. (Just click the Markbook tile when you log into Power Maths. There’s a walkthrough video here.) 

LGBT+ History Month provides schools and their learners with a useful reference point for the much-needed discussions around the issues of equity and inclusion in the LGBT+ community - discussions that can and should be held all year round.

When it comes to low-stakes assessment, the consensus is that it is assessment which is not pass or fail, does not cause added stress or anxiety for pupils (Bain, 2004) (children can make mistakes without a penalty) and aims to get children to retrieve information. This blog looks at how Maths Flex can be used for low-stakes assessment.

On 27 January we held a webinar to share advice from our authors, Tony Staneff and Josh Lury, about how to use Power Maths flexibly in response to the current situation. Many children are not going into each new unit at the usual, expected starting point, and the volume of missed learning is variable. Please watch the webinar if you have time (it’s 1 hour). Otherwise, this blog is designed to sum up some key points.

When it comes to low-stakes assessment, the consensus is that it is assessment which is not pass or fail, does not cause added stress or anxiety for pupils (Bain, 2004) (children can make mistakes without a penalty) and aims to get children to retrieve information. This blog looks at how Abacus can be used for low-stakes assessment.

On the 11th November, in a Pearson webinar, former Headteacher and specialist speaker on anti-racism, Alison Kriel, shared her views about ‘broadening the curriculum’, opening up conversations about identity, race and inclusion with the audience. Here, Alison reflects on key points for teachers to consider – starting with the incredible power of words.

It's time for your December Power Maths update! This month we will be talking about using Power Maths flexibly with children working below age-related expectations. 

Teachers often ask for guidance on using Power Maths with children with SEND or who are significantly behind age-related expectation. This blog focuses on the latter, although the advice and info below can of course be adapted for SEND children, depending on their specific needs. Teacher judgement will be crucial in terms of where and why children are struggling, and choosing the right approach, but hopefully the 9 general suggestions below will be helpful.

On the 16th of November, in a one-off Pearson webinar, Laila El-Metoui, founder of Pride in Education, Stonewall Lesbian Role Model of the Year (2020) and Equity Educator, shared with teachers and senior school leaders, what they can do to further diversify the curriculum, highlighting how inclusion at school can have a life-long impact on all learners including those who are LGBTIQA+.

Laila reflects on the key points teachers need to consider supporting a super diverse curriculum – starting with our own biases.

At Pearson, we believe great assessments further learner progression, and are dedicated to ensuring we can fully support primary schools and teachers with the right assessment tools. Lindsay Nadin, Director of Primary, discusses our commitment to, and exploration of, the UK’s primary assessment offering.