CISH Assessment Policy

PURPOSE

The Canadian International School of Hefei (CISH) has implemented the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs across its Primary, Middle School, and High School levels. These programs are known as the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). The IB framework guides schools worldwide in organizing the teaching 2 and learning under their jurisdiction. The IB programs are student-focused and inquiry-based. Interested parties are invited to explore the International Baccalaureate Organization's (IBO) online resources, attend our informational sessions, or directly contact the school for further details. CISH is a private school that employs a Canadian curriculum from the province of New Brunswick within the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework.

At CISH, assessment is integral to all teaching and learning. The primary objective of assessment is to provide feedback to students, parents, and teachers on the learning process. This process entails the collection and analysis of data to assess students' learning abilities, skills, and knowledge. Assessment at CISH is a collaborative endeavor that engages students, teachers, families, and school administrators.

The purpose of this document is to clarify our learning community's understanding of the assessment process within our school. This is a dynamic policy designed to meet the distinct assessment needs of our educational community. Our assessment philosophy applies to the whole school, including teachers, students, parents, and administrators. It is directly linked to our mission statement:

The Canadian International School of Hefei challenges its students through an internationallyminded holistic approach to education that engages students through authentic, skills-based teaching and learning.
CISH is committed to developing life-long learners by preparing our students to become active global citizens through the power of inquiry, knowledge and empathy.

CISH ASSESSMENT PHILOSOPHY

CISH believes that assessment is an opportunity for students to produce work that demonstrates their learning, reflect on their strengths, and plan for their improvement. This process is both cyclical and progressive, as tasks are designed to build upon one another. Assessments are used for evaluating, recording, and reporting student progress, with the primary function focusing on enhanced learning and informing teaching. We navigate our students through the core components of learning, which include the comprehension of concepts, knowledge acquisition, skill mastery, attitude development, and the making of responsible choices. Our aim is to inspire our students to engage responsibly, succeed, and act with integrity in both local and global communities.

Within the IB Continuum—comprising the PYP, MYP, and DP—assessment is segmented into three essential components:

Assessing – discovering what students have learned.
Recording – noting our findings about what students have learned.
Reporting – sharing that information with students, parents, administration, and other parties directly involved in students ’learning.

PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT

The following lists delineate the multifaceted purposes of assessment:
Assessment Allows Students to:
Share their learning and understanding with others
Demonstrate a range of knowledge, conceptual understanding, and skills
Use a variety of learning styles and abilities to express their understanding
Understand in advance the criteria essential for producing a quality product or performance
Engage in reflective practices, including self-assessment and peer assessment
Ground their learning in real-world experiences, fostering further inquiries
Express different points of view and interpretations
Analyze their educational progress and identify areas for improvement
Co-construct learning goals to meet expected learning outcomes

Assessment Allows Teachers and Administrators to:

Inform every stage of the teaching and learning process
Adapt planning based on verified student comprehension
Develop criteria and task-specific clarification for producing a quality product or performance
Gather evidence through a variety of assessment tools
Provide evidence that can be effectively reported and understood by the whole school community
Collaboratively review and reflect on student performance and progress
Take into account a variety of learning styles, abilities, and backgrounds
Offer feedback that is simultaneously analytical and comprehensive

Assessment Allows Parents and Guardians to:

Observe tangible evidence of student learning and developmental progress
Develop an understanding of the student’s progress
Furnish opportunities to endorse and celebrate student achievements

TYPES OF ASSESSMENT

Pre-Assessment

Also known as diagnostic assessment, this occurs to inform instructional decisions about students' strengths and needs. Typically implemented at the onset of a new term or unit, it uncovers students' prior knowledge and experiences. This guides teachers through the planning, teaching, and learning cycle and identifies individual learning needs.

Assessment as Learning (Reflection/Self and Peer Assessment)

This method enables students to reflect on their learning journey, perform self-assessment tasks, and receive peer feedback. Regularly conducted throughout the unit, it often serves as a supplementary action following the final summative assessment.

Formative Assessment

Aimed at informing the next stage of learning, this approach is interwoven with the educational process. It provides frequent and detailed feedback while collecting ongoing data (e.g., observations, anecdotal records, checklists). This helps teachers identify areas requiring program adjustments and to continue to offer learning opportunities that expand students' knowledge, understanding, and skills. It also empowers learners to foster enthusiasm for learning, engage in thoughtful reflection, develop self-assessment abilities, and recognize success criteria.

Sumative Assessment

This formal assessment provides insights into students' understanding and offers an opportunity for all stakeholders to evaluate progress. Conducted at the end of a teaching and learning cycle, it serves as a concluding point but not necessarily the termination of student learning in the assessed areas.

In the Diploma Programme, Summative Assessment manifests in three forms:

CISH-Specific Assessments: Class-based assessments crafted by CISH teachers, used for predicting grades and quarterly progress reports.

Internal Assessments (IAs): Assessments contributing to final "official" IB grades, written and assessed by CISH teachers. These undergo an external moderation process, with any adjustments made by IBO examiners overriding the internal grades.

External Assessments (EAs): Making up 40-80% of students' final grades, these are directly assessed by IB examiners and take various forms, including IB DP Examinations, Extended Essays, Theory of Knowledge Essays, and Subject-Specific Essays, among others.

Please note that all final grades on report cards are predictive and based on in-class progress and achievement. The official final grade for full DP and DP course students is released directly by the IBO in July of the students' Grade 12 year.

OTHER EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT

CISH is an institution that integrates the Canadian Curriculum (specifically, the Province of New Brunswick) within the framework of the International Baccalaureate (IB). To satisfy Canadian educational standards, CISH students are subject to New Brunswick Provincial Assessments. The specific grade levels at which these external summative assessments occur may fluctuate annually. Importantly, these assessments have no bearing on students' progression through the PYP and MYP programs. The current assessment schedule is as follows:

Grades 4, 6: Reading Assessment
Grades 9, 11/12: English Language Proficiency Assessment

Data from these assessments offer insights into individual student performance and contribute to understanding trends at the school, district, and provincial levels in literacy.

For Grades 9 and 11/12, successful completion of the English Language Proficiency Assessment is a New Brunswick provincial requirement for graduation and the issuance of a Canadian diploma.

ASSESSMENT SUPPORT

Differentiation serves as a regular teaching strategy aimed at offering targeted support to students needing additional assistance. This ensures equitable opportunities for success without altering the course's specific or overall expectations. Should students need more than what standard accommodations offer, modifications to their expectations are permissible and must be documented on transcripts. For more information and examples on differentiation, consult our Inclusion Policy.

ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE(EAL)

Students with EAL are assessed according to grade-level standards for each subject and receive additional support via our EAL program. Their language proficiency is gauged against internal standards and through WIDA testing. Anecdotal remarks and feedback related to EAL proficiency will be included in their report cards.

Student progress in the EAL program is measured using WIDA assessments and teacher evaluations, examining abilities in four English domains: speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Upon demonstrating English proficiency—determined through assessments and classroom performance—students exit the EAL program. For more details, refer to our school Language Policy.

For Grade 11/12 students in the New Brunswick and IBDP programs, a separate EAL class or program is not offered. Admission requires meeting a minimum English proficiency standard (WIDA 5.0), and support is provided through differentiation and accepted accommodation practices.

DESIGNING ASSESSMENT

In alignment with IB philosophies, our Primary, Middle Years, and Diploma Programs utilize IB unit plan templates to construct each instructional unit. We employ a backward design methodology that begins by identifying learning outcomes and key understandings to be assessed. Subsequent teaching and learning experiences are then strategically developed to meet these defined objectives. Built-in flexibility within these unit plans accommodates active student inquiry.

For Grade 11/12 courses aligned with New Brunswick's curriculum, teachers predominantly employ the IB unit plan template for instruction and learning activities. Differentiation and alternative assessment methods are utilized to accommodate the diverse learning needs and styles within the combined DP/New Brunswick classroom.

Criteria and Performance Indicators

Student work is evaluated against subject-specific criteria as set forth by the IBO for both MYP and DP. Task-specific clarifiers offer students further insights into the elements and expectations of the assessment task. These criteria and customized rubrics are communicated and explained to students before the assessment task is assigned.

Collaborative Planning

Our pedagogical approach involves consistent collaborative planning, ensuring uniformity within grade levels and across subject areas. This planning phase is formalized within each teacher's schedule and encompasses discussions on standardization—such as the creation and results of assessments, alignment with standards and performance indicators, and the moderation of marking. Specific guidelines for collaborative planning are issued by the IBO.

ASSESMENT PRACTICES

At CISH, teachers adhere to a set of best practices to ensure optimal student learning. Below are the methodologies we employ:

Collecting Evidence of Student Learning

Gather empirical data on student performance aligned with targeted standards and performance indicators prior to instruction.
Craft tasks centered on specified standards and performance indicators.
Pre-communicate criteria for successful task completion prior to assessment.
Construct assessment tools tailored to elicit the most accurate indicators of intended learning, while accommodating diverse learning styles and needs.
Implement continuous assessment mechanisms throughout each unit.

Evaluating Evidence of Student Learning

Administer formative tasks primarily as learning exercises.
Offer supplementary opportunities for learners to demonstrate competency post-feedback, as program constraints permit.
Incorporate self-assessment components within summative tasks.
Utilize unified mark schemes and engage in an internal standardization process.

Feedback Mechanisms

Deliver prompt, descriptive, and actionable feedback.
Allocate time to facilitate student action on feedback.
Recording and Reporting
Utilize standards and criteria as the foundation for record-keeping.
Establish the final achievement level based on the most consistent evidence of learning.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Observations

Continuous observation is a cornerstone of our teaching methodology, aimed at assessing student understanding and identifying support requirements to ensure steady academic growth.

Performance Assessments

These encompass goal-oriented tasks with established criteria, presenting students with authentic challenges and dilemmas. The tasks are multidimensional, requiring diverse skill sets, and are generally not limited to a singular correct solution.

Performance Assessments may manifest as portfolios that are a curated assembly of students' work intended to showcase success, growth, critical thinking, creativity, and self-reflection. Portfolios may include feedback from students, peers, and teachers.

Summative Assessments

Designed to certify and report on learning milestones, these are usually conducted at the culmination of a unit, academic year, or developmental stage within the educational program.

Open-Ended Tasks

Scenarios in which students engage with a query or stimulus and formulate their own responses. Possible formats include short written answers, presentations, illustrations, schematics, or solutions.

Process-Focused Assessments

Regular observations of students' learning approaches are recorded to understand and improve their methodology.

Selected Responses

One-time assessments designed to evaluate knowledge on specific topics and their direct applications, such as tests, quizzes, and examinations.

Reflections

Insights from students, peers, teachers, or parents constitute an integral part of the learning trajectory. Peer reflections could involve students from varying grade levels, while teacher reflections may come from educators other than the homeroom or primary subject teacher.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Marking Schemes (Rubrics)

These are predefined sets of criteria that guide the assessment of student work. Descriptors help the evaluator identify what to look for in the students' outputs and how to score them based on a specific scale. Although grade descriptors and assessment criteria are provided by the IBO for the Middle Years and Diploma Programmes, additional task-specific clarifications and examples are developed collaboratively by both students and educators.

Exemplars

These are ideal samples, often derived from student work, serving as tangible benchmarks for both learners and assessors. At CISH, we curate or create exemplars that resonate with our school's specific academic and cultural context. For the Diploma Programme, exemplars may also be "answer keys," particularly in Group 4 and 5 subjects (Sciences and Mathematics), against which student responses are evaluated.

Checklists

Structured lists enumerating the necessary components or attributes that must be included in a given assessment task.

Anecdotal Records

Brief observational notes regarding students, which are meticulously compiled and organized for future reference.

Continuums

Visual schemas that illustrate progressive stages of learning, providing a framework to gauge a student's current position in their learning journey.

CONFERENCES

Conferences serve as a vital avenue for sharing information among teachers, students, and parents, and for setting developmental goals for students. Conferences may be formal or informal in nature. Scheduled dates for formal parent-teacher conferences can be found on CISH's academic calendar.

Teacher–Student Conferences

These sessions provide feedback to students to help them reflect on and further hone their skills. Frequent one-on-one conferences are crucial for supporting student learning and refining teaching strategies.

Teacher–Teacher Conferences

Focused on sharing insights about student progress, challenges, and effective pedagogical approaches, these conferences are essential for collaborative educational planning.

Parent–Teacher Conferences

These meetings offer parents an overview of their child's academic performance, developmental needs, and the school's programs. Teachers can use this opportunity to gather contextual information, address parents' queries and concerns, and clarify their role in the learning process.

Student-Led Conferences (PYP)

In these conferences, the student takes the lead in presenting and discussing their learning process with their parents. The teacher acts as a facilitator. Students prepare for these conferences by selecting samples of their work for discussion, identifying their strengths and areas for improvement. This offers parents a comprehensive view of their child's academic journey.

Preparation for student-led conferences is intensive, requiring practice and a clear understanding of the format by all participants.

REPORT CARDS

PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME (PYP)

Students receive four report cards throughout the academic year. These reports include comments and anecdotal records that shed light on your child's academic progress and behavior.

The grading system evaluates both personal behavior and academic performance using the following performance indicators:

EE: Exceeding Expectations: Reflects achievement that goes beyond grade-level standards.
ME: Meeting Expectations: Aligns with grade-level standards and prepares students for future academic work.
AE: Approaching Expectations: Nearly meets grade-level standards but requires attention to learning gaps.
NI: Needs Improvement: Significantly below grade-level standards and requires focused improvement.
NA: Not Assessed
PYP Exhibition: A culminating, student-led project in Grade 5 that serves as an authentic, collaborative experience, highlighting the student's PYP journey.

MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME (MYP)

Students receive four report cards per academic year, covering aspects like the IBO’s 'Approaches to Learning', IB concepts, and subject-specific content. The final grade is a 'best-fit' numerical grade based on the student’s year-long performance and teacher's professional judgment.

Criteria and Grading: Each subject has specific criteria and numerical bands as per MYP Subjectspecific guides. The final grade combines these criteria based on summative assessments and professional judgment.
MYP Personal Project: Included in the report cards for Year 5 (Grade 10) students.
MYP Summative Assessment: Teachers create academically rigorous tasks that are ageappropriate. Each task must align with at least one IBO objective to be valid. Task-specific clarifications like rubrics, checklists, and project sheets are published on ManageBac. The MYP subject-specific assessment criteria can be found in APPENDIX A.

Grading in the Middle Years Program (MYP)

All students are evaluated based on the Assessment Criteria outlined in each MYP Subject Guide. These criteria are broken down into bands, each of which contains descriptors that qualitatively define achievement levels. According to IB MYP guidelines, each criterion strand must be assessed at least twice during the academic year across all grade levels and subjects. The best-fit mark will correspond with subject-specific grade descriptors found in each subject-guide.

MYP External Assessment: The Personal Project

All MYP Year 5 students must complete a personal project. This project demands a minimum of 25 hours of work and is completed during the fifth year. Students are supported by assigned supervisors, with whom they are required to meet at least three times over the course of the project. Internal Standard.

Internal Standardization and External Moderation

According to MYP: FPIP guidelines, external moderation is mandatory for the validation of personal project grades. This involves a rigorous process of internal standardization among a panel of MYP project mentors. These teachers meet to establish a shared understanding of the assessment criteria and achievement levels. (Refer to MYP: FPIP, IBO. 2014, pages 83 and 95 for more details.)

DIPLOMA PROGRAMME

Grade 11 and 12 students receive four report cards each year, contributing to a cumulative twoyear grade. The first report card in Grade 11 offers only qualitative comments and no grades. Subsequent reports include grades according to the IB scale, along with a New Brunswick equivalent for NB-specific curricula in the comments section.

Academic Grading and Comments

Students' academic grades reflect progress toward learning objectives and benchmarks. Qualitative comments are provided for all subjects, covering academic achievement, development of ATL skills, and personal attributes like effort and attitude.

Full Diploma Program Students

For those enrolled in the complete Diploma Program, progress in Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, Service is documented on ManageBac.

Streams for DP Students

Students may opt for the full Diploma Program, select DP courses, or the complete New Brunswick stream. All students attend the same classes and undertake a variety of assessments. SL/HL students must complete official IB internal and external assessments, while New Brunswick students complete equivalent projects and summative work.

Grading Procedure

All IBO DP courses require both Internal (IA) and External Assessments (EA). These are combined to produce a final IBO grade between 1 and 7, released in July of the graduation year. Final New Brunswick grades, included in university-bound transcripts, and predicted IB grades are reported in the final quarter.

DP Assessment Criteria

Assessment in the DP is based on official IB criteria and markschemes, or on an examination markscheme and grade boundaries.

Methods of Assessment

Like the MYP, the DP also utilizes assessment markschemes containing hierarchical descriptors to evaluate student performance. These descriptors are quantified into numerical grades. Standardized markschemes are generally used for DP examinations.

Achievement Grade Scale

Achievement grades for all subjects in Groups 1-6 follow a 1-7 scale. Detailed descriptors for each grade level on this scale are provided. General descriptorscan be found in APPENDIX B.

IB DP Assessment Components

Each subject in the IB DP has its own assessment components, graded using specific IB rubrics or markschemes. Grades are determined on a 1-7 scale (A-E for TOK and EE, Pass/Fail for CAS).

IB DP Grade Boundaries

Grade boundaries are annually published by the IB. They may vary each year; CISH uses these as a reference for student assessment.

IB DP Overall Achievement Grades

An overall achievement grade is calculated by combining numerical marks for each assessed component. Weightings are applied to arrive at a total score, which is then graded on a 1-7 scale (A-E for TOK and EE, Pass/Fail for CAS).

IB DP Predicted Grades

At the end of Grade 11, teachers provide predicted grades for each subject. These grades are separate from internally reported grades and are used for Higher Education applications and IBO requirements.

Grade Conversion Scale for DP

For specific circumstances like university requirements or high school transfers, a percentage conversion scale will be used to align IB grades with other grading systems. The grade conversion scale can be found in APPENDIX C.

HIGH SCHOOL COURSES (NEW BRUNSWICK)

Four reporting periods exist annually. Interim grades are issued halfway through each semester, based on assessments to date. Final reports are issued at semester's end for completed courses, which are then finalized on student transcripts and do not carry over to future semesters or grades.

Academic Credits

To earn a New Brunswick diploma, students need at least 17 credits by grade 12's end. Credits are awarded upon the successful completion of courses, reflected on the year's final report card.

Grading

Teachers assign percentage grades, with academic credits awarded for courses successfully completed with a grade over 60%.

Supplemental Exams and Credit Recovery

Students failing to achieve a passing grade may be eligible for a supplementary exam or an alternative summative task. Credit recovery options are assessed individually, requiring the student to have sought tutoring and demonstrated reasonable effort and behavior.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Training & Policy Revision

Training and policy updates occur at various times throughout the year. New staff receive orientation from department heads on expectations for their subjects and relevant programs (PYP, MYP, DP/NB) at CISH. The assessment policy is integrated into our internal assessment calendar to maintain a balanced approach over the years.

Staff Involvement

All CISH academic staff participate in policy revision to align with the latest IBO requirements. Staff are responsible for implementing and adhering to the assessment policy.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND ASSESSMENT

The Assessment policy requires students to produce authentic academic work, following the CISH Academic Honesty policy. Misconduct cases are investigated and addressed accordingly.

INCLUSION POLICY AND ASSESSMENT

Accommodations and alternative assessments can be provided when necessary. Necessary documentation and prior work samples may be required. Refer to the Inclusion Policy and the IB document "Candidates with special assessment needs" for more information.

LANGUAGE POLICY AND ASSESSMENT

Instruction is in English, Mandarin, and Korean. Assessments are designed to minimize language barriers, except in language-specific courses.

ADMISSIONS POLICY AND ASSESSMENT

Prospective students and parents are briefed on the assessment policy during the admissions process. Special assessment needs can be discussed with the relevant administrator.

POLICY REVIEW PROCESS

Reviewed biennially by the school's pedagogical leadership team, proposed changes are shared with the school community for input before implementation.

Note: The latest review of this policy was carried out in September 2023.

CISH Assessment Policy