Holistic Assessment

Assessment in Primary 1 and Primary 2

Assessment is an important part of learning and teaching and helps provide useful information to the pupils, teachers and parents. Assessment is carried out for two main purposes; to measure pupils’ attainment and report evidence of learning and also to support and improve classroom teaching and pupil learning.

At Primary 1 and 2, the key focus will be on building the pupils’ confidence and desire to learn. Thus, assessment will focus on providing rich information on the learning progress of the pupils. Quantitative feedback in the form of grades and marks, and qualitative feedback in the form of teacher comments and rubrics will help pupils learn about their strengths, weaknesses and the steps they can take to improve in their learning. This feedback can also help parents better support their child’s learning and development.

Under Holistic Assessment, the school will explore the use of appropriate assessments for different purposes to support the development of the whole child. At Primary 1 and 2, single-point assessments such as semestral examinations will be de-emphasised to ensure a smoother transition from pre-school to primary school. Bite-sized forms of assessment, such as topical tests and performance tasks, will be used to provide pupils with more opportunities to experience success and build their confidence and desire to learn. Teachers will also use a range of assessment strategies such as questioning and conferencing to support pupils’ learning.

Parents will receive information about their child’s progress through termly progress cards as well as mid-year and end-year report cards. Parents will also receive information through a portfolio containing artifacts of their child’s work.

In summary, Holistic Assessment aims to provide information on pupils’ mastery and attainment, as well as information to improve learning and teaching, and ensure the balanced and appropriate use of different assessment methods, in order to better support pupils’ holistic development. 

For more details on the assessment framework, coverage and schedule, please refer to the Parents Information Booklet that was issued in Term 1 and letters on assessment for each term.