At St Joseph’s, assessment is a part of the learning process and is planned into everyday classroom activities for the purpose of improving student learning. The teaching and learning programs are written to be contextual and relevant to students at the school, and incorporate a variety of assessments of learning to allow all students to demonstrate what they are capable of.

Assessment is divided into three categories;

Assessment For Learning – The process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there. This type of assessment informs the teacher as to how best proceed with the learning, whilst catering for all learners in the class.

Assessment As Learning – Assessment as learning occurs when students are their own assessors. Students monitor their own learning, ask questions and use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and how to use assessment for new learning. Assessment As learning encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning, as well as giving them the opportunity to create learning goals in collaboration with their teacher, promoting an authentic growth mindset.

Assessment Of Learning – Assessment Of Learning assists teachers in using evidence of student learning to assess achievement against outcomes and standards. Sometimes referred to as ‘summative assessment’, it usually occurs at defined key points during a unit of work or at the end of a unit, term or semester, and may be used to rank or grade students. We also utilise a range of standardised and diagnostic assessments and the use of NAPLAN data to gather evidence about student achievement and growth. Assessment of Learning is used to plan future learning goals and pathways for students, as well as providing evidence of achievement to the wider community, including parents, educators, the students themselves and outside groups

Feedback and conferencing is used regularly within the classroom setting. Studies have shown that this is a more authentic method of feedback and is vital to the ongoing growth of students. Formal feedback is provided to students and parents through our Semester Reports, which are distributed at the end of Terms 2 and 4. Staff at St Joseph’s are committed to working with parents to encourage and support students in their learning and there are provisions made  for communication as required by individual families, as well as Parent Teacher Interviews and information evenings.