Target Tracker is the assessment tool used at Southfields to support and track both formative and summative assessment.  

Within Target Tracker, the national curriculum of the core subjects (Reading, Writing, Mathematics and Science) as well as foundation subjects, is broken down into learning ‘statements’ associated to each year group that can be used to plan out the learning journey; as self assessment tool to mark progress; and to assess the progress and attainment of pupils’ learning. 

Prior to planning, teachers plan out the teaching of the national curriculum statements, with a particular emphasis on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This is to ensure that the content of learning is age appropriate and progressive. Through term, teachers assess children against the learning statements of the band they are working within. These are set as ‘working towards’, ‘achieved’ or ‘mastered’. From these assessments, summative ‘bands’ can be assigned to pupils at the end of each half term (see TT guide).

The formative use of Target Tracker ensures teachers are aware of the next steps in learning of individuals, groups or whole cohorts of children. Following teaching an element of the national curriculum, teachers assess individual pupil’s mastery of statements using ‘working towards, achieved or mastered’. At the end of each half term, the number of KPI and TT statements achieved supports the teacher assessment of the curriculum (see Southfield’s Guide to Target Tracker - Appendix B).

The summative use of it is to track levels of progress and identify areas or specific groups of pupils who may require further support. These termly assessments form the basis of Pupil Attainment and Progress Meetings to put actions in place to ensure high standards are being expected of each child and optimum progress for all groups and individuals is being made.

There is a planned assessment period at the end of each half term where teachers use Target Tracker, as well as other assessment methods collected through the half term, to make judgements about attainment, and this is collected by the Senior leadership team, Phase leaders and subject leaders and reported to Governors with action plans for the following term. 

‘I Can’ statements of the KPIs are inserted into the front cover of the pupils’ exercise books inline with the band they are working in as a self assessment tool and in order for pupils to be aware of their targets and progress towards them. These are reviewed lesson by lesson or half termly.