The mechanics of assessing and evaluating student performance at The York School is guided by the principles set out below. Our policy is informed by the Ministry of Education’s Growing Success document, and by relevant IB guidelines. 

Frequent and Meaningful Feedback

Student performance is assessed on a frequent basis and receives meaningful feedback in order that students can make appropriate adjustments to their learning and performance behaviours. 

Assessment for Learning

Students are given the opportunity to attempt new skills and demonstrate recent learning on a trial basis without fear of their first attempts affecting their overall grade at the end of the year. 

Assessment as Learning

Students will be guided to independence as learners by helping them develop their ability to set goals and assess their own performance and the performance of others. 

Assessment of Learning

Once a student has had opportunities to demonstrate their learning and has received feedback, they are then assessed, and the results of that assessment are recorded for final evaluative purposes. 

Variety of Assessment Tools

Students are subject to a wide range of assessment types that are engineered to test students’ knowledge and understanding of a subject, as well as their abilities to think, inquire, communicate, and apply their knowledge. Such assessments are appropriate to the specific skills and content of the subject area, but also give students the opportunity to utilize the wide range of intelligences that they bring to the subject.

Criteria-Based Evaluations

Student performance is evaluated in terms of criteria that is presented to the students ahead of time, and is based on the achievement level descriptions set out in the Ministry of Education documents, and where appropriate, on the descriptions set out in IB guidelines.  

Evaluation: Current Measure of a Student’s Potential based on Consistent Performance

Evaluation is the process of judging the quality of student learning on the basis of established criteria and assigning a value to represent that quality. Evaluation is based on assessments of learning that provide data on student achievement at strategic times throughout the grade/subject/course, often at the end of a period of learning (Growing Success). Thus, the mark a student receives at the end of the year is based on evidence of past performance, with due regard being given to both consistency and the most recent achievement levels attained.