Assessment
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The Assessment of Proficiency in Written English

Overall Objective: 

Pupils should develop the ability to construct and convey meaning in written language, appropriate to context, purpose, reader or audience. The pupils should be taught to use:

  1. Compositional Skills: Developing ideas and communicating meaning to a reader, using a wide-ranging vocabulary and an effective style, organising and structuring sentences grammatically and whole texts coherently.
  2. Presentational Skills: Accurate punctuation, correct spelling and legible handwriting.
  3. A Widening Variety of Forms for Different Purposes: The forms should include diaries, stories, letters, observational records, instructions, lists, captions, notices, poems and messages.

Content Objectives:

In order to assess competence in written language, it is necessary in the first instance to outline content objectives which are arranged in ascending order. The objectives at Level 1 relate specifically to pupils in the Infant Classes, but there will be some pupils who cannot attain these objectives, and others who can attain far more. In this sense, the objectives may be looked upon as a series of targets which it is hoped that pupils will attain as they progress through the primary school, but it is accepted that by the end of their primary school careers, there will be some pupils who may not have attained the targets at Level Three.

Level One: [Infants]

1. Pupils should be able to use pictures, phrases, symbols or simple sentences to communicate meaning. 
Example: Retell part of a story in pictures and captions.
2. Write, under the guidance of the teacher, phrases or simple sentences to communicate meaning.
Example: Trace, write under and eventually copy teacher’s writing which records pupils' oral language. 
3. Show some control over the size, shape and orientation of letters or lines of writing. 
Example: Follow guidance relating to size, shape and direction of individual letters, knowing the names of some of the letters.

Level 2:  [First/Second Class]

1. Pupils should be able to produce simple stories and other forms of writing.
Examples:

Write lists, captions, notices and labels.
Write a story involving their pet.
Write a letter to Santa Claus.
Write about a visit to a farm
2. Write a text which shows the beginning of a sense of structure, through planning and shaping.
Example:

Ex: Write a time-related story.
3.

Show in the context of their writing that they can compose in complete sentences, space words and demarcate sentences with capital letters and full stops.
4.

Spell a range of familiar words so that they are recognisable and correct or mostly correct.
Examle:

Ex: Look, Granny, dinner, sweet, school.

Level 3: [Pupils of average ability in Third Class]

1.

Pupils should be able to compose independently, writing in complete sentences, mainly demarcated with capital letters and full stops or question marks.
2.

Use a range of sentence conjunctions other than "and" and "then".
Example: because, but, after, when, so.
3

Spell correctly words familiar or important to them and words which observe common patterns. Example: friend, yesterday, after, because, teacher, supermarket.
4.

Show the beginning of an ability to use a well-formed connected style of handwriting.
5.

Show a sense of structure which is appropriate to the form of writing.
Example: Compose a story based on their own experience.
6.

Demonstrate a growing awareness of the purposes of punctuation.

Level 4: [Pupils of average ability in Fourth Class]

1.

Pupils should be able to write independently in a wider range of forms which vary according to purpose, topic and readership.
Examples:

Write a news report about a local event.
Write a letter to a newspaper about some issue.
Write an alternative ending to a story.
2.

Spell accurately most words which they use regularly in their writing and show a widening active vocabulary, spelling accurately or mostly accurately, words unfamiliar to them which conform to the main patterns of English spelling.
3.

Generally use correct sentence punctuation.
4.

4. Present subject matter in a structured form.
Example:

Ex: Beginning, middle and end.

Level Five: [Pupils of average ability in Fifth Class]

1.

Pupils should be able to produce independently writing of various forms for a range of personal purposes.
Examples:

Write an account of a sporting event.
Express an emotion in prose or poetry.
2.

Show an awareness of contexts.
Example:

Write short accounts of an event from 2 different points of view.
3.

Demonstrate a more assured of the conventions of punctuation, the use of the comma, the apostrophe and the setting out and punctuation of direct speech.
4.

Spell correctly words which make increasing demands on their active vocabulary.
5.

Organise and structure appropriately what is written.
Example:

Use paragraphs when writing stories.
Make use of titles or headlines.
6.

Revise final drafts for faulty expression, inappropriate style, flawed organisation, mis-spelling.

Level Six:  [Pupils of average ability in Sixth Class]

1. :Pupils should be able to write independently in appropriate forms and styles.
Examples:

Express, in writing, an opinion about school rules.
Express personal reactions to an issue in poetry or prose.
2.

Use structures and layout which take account of purpose and readership; in this context, demonstrate competence in choosing and using a language style appropriate to the task, in organising subject matter clearly and appropriately and in using language strategies to engage the reader.
3.

Show independence and competence in handling the preparation and revision of written work
4.

Show a clear understanding that writing carries with it a different set of demands and constraints from those of spoken language.
Example:

Write a brief guide to school routines and contrast them with a spoken exposition on the same subject.
5.

Use punctuation and syntax so that the meaning of pieces of work is clear to the reader.
Example: Use speech marks, commas and brackets with reasonable accuracy.

Suggested Scheme for the Assessment of Competence in Written Language 
Second Class]

Half to one page required

Ideas:

  1. None
  2. Very few.
  3. Basic, but nothing special.
  4. Above average, well written.
  5. Well written, clearly expressed, creative imagination.   [20 marks]

Organisation of Ideas:

  1. No sequence.
  2. Sequence - beginning, no end.
  3. Sequence - beginning, middle and end. [10 marks]

Sentence Structure:

  1. Non-sentences included.
  2. Simple sentences.
  3. Simple sentences which contain some subordinate and/or co-ordinate clauses.
  4. Complex sentences, with correct use of conjunctions. [10 marks]

Handwriting:

  1. Poor, some of it illegible.
  2. Printed and legible.
  3. Printed and very good
  4. Joined and good.
  5. Joined and very good [10 marks]

Spelling: [Based on School Spelling Scheme]

  1. Many primary word errors.
  2. Some primary word errors.
  3. Primary words correct.
  4. Some difficult words correctly spelled.
  5. No errors. [10 marks]

Use of Capitals and Punctuation

  1. Many errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  2. Some errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  3. No errors in use of capitals and full stops.  [10 marks]

Suggested Scheme for the Assessment of Competence in Written Language [Third Class]

One page required

Ideas:

  1. None
  2. Very few.
  3. Basic, but nothing special.
  4. Above average, well written.
  5. Well written, clearly expressed, creative imagination.  [10 marks]

Organisation of Ideas:

  1. No sequence.
  2. Sequence - beginning, no end.
  3. Sequence - beginning, middle and end.. [10 marks]

Sentence Structure:

  1. Non-sentences included.
  2. Simple sentences.
  3. Simple sentences which contain some subordinate and/or co-ordinate clauses.
  4. Complex sentences, with correct use of conjunctions. [10 marks]

Handwriting:

  1. Poor, some of it illegible.
  2. Printed and legible.
  3. Printed and good.
  4. Joined and good.
  5. Joined and very good. [10 marks]

Spelling: [Based on School Spelling Scheme]

  1. Many primary word errors.
  2. Some primary word errors.
  3. Primary words correct.
  4. Some difficult words correctly spelled.
  5. No errors. [10 marks]

Use of Capitals and Punctuation

  1. Many errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  2. Some errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  3. No errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  4. No errors in use of capitals and full stops, use of question mark, commas.
  5. Apostrophe used correctly. [10 marks]

Suggested Scheme for the Assessment of Competence in Written Language [Fourth Class]

One to one and a half pages required

Ideas:

  1. None
  2. Very few.
  3. Basic, but nothing special.
  4. Above average, well written.
  5. Well written, clearly expressed, creative imagination. [10 marks]

Organisation of Ideas:

  1. No sequence.
  2. Sequence - beginning, no end.
  3. Sequence - beginning, middle and end. [10 marks]

Sentence Structure:

  1. Non-sentences included.
  2. Simple sentences.
  3. Simple sentences which contain some subordinate and/or co-ordinate clauses.
  4. Complex sentences, with correct use of conjunctions. [10 marks]

Handwriting:

  1. Poor, some of it illegible.
  2. Printed and legible.
  3. Joined.
  4. Joined and good.
  5. Joined and very good. [10 marks]

Spelling: [Based on School Spelling Scheme]

  1. Primary word errors.
  2. Primary words correct.
  3. Some difficult words correctly spelled.
  4. Many difficult words correctly spelled.
  5. No errors. [10 marks]

Use of Capitals and Punctuation

  1. Errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  2. No errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  3. No errors in use of capitals and full stops, use of question mark, commas.
  4. Apostrophe used correctly.
  5. No punctuation errors. [10 marks]

Suggested Scheme for the Assessment of Competence in Written Language [Fifth Class]

One to two pages required

Ideas:

  1. None
  2. Very few.
  3. Basic, but nothing special.
  4. Above average, well written.
  5. Well written, clearly expressed, creative imagination. [20 marks]

Organisation of Ideas:

  1. No sequence.
  2. Sequence - beginning, no end.
  3. Sequence - beginning, middle and end.
  4. Some paragraphs.
  5. Paragraphs correctly used. [10 marks]

Handwriting:

  1. Poor, some of it illegible.
  2. Printed and legible.
  3. Joined.
  4. Joined and good.
  5. Joined and very good. [10 marks]

Spelling: [Based on School Spelling Scheme]

  1. Primary word errors.
  2. Primary words correct.
  3. Some difficult words correctly spelled.
  4. Many difficult words correctly spelled.
  5. No errors. [10 marks]

Use of Capitals and Punctuation

  1. Errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  2. No errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  3. No errors in use of capitals and full stops, use of question mark, commas.
  4. Apostrophe used correctly.
  5. No punctuation errors. [10 marks]

Suggested Scheme for the Assessment of Competence in Written Language [Sixth Class]

One to two pages required

Ideas:

  1. None
  2. Very few.
  3. Basic, but nothing special.
  4. Above average, well written.
  5. Well written, clearly expressed, creative imagination. [20 marks]

Organisation of Ideas:

  1. No sequence.
  2. Sequence - beginning, no end.
  3. Sequence - beginning, middle and end.
  4. Some paragraphs.
  5. Paragraphs correctly used. [10 marks]

Handwriting:

  1. Poor, some of it illegible.
  2. Printed and legible.
  3. Joined.
  4. Joined and good.
  5. Joined and very good. [10 marks]

Spelling: [Based on School Spelling Scheme]

  1. Primary word errors.
  2. Primary words correct.
  3. Some difficult words correctly spelled.
  4. Many difficult words correctly spelled.
  5. No errors. [10 marks]

Use of Capitals and Punctuation

  1. Errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  2. No errors in use of capitals and full stops.
  3. No errors in use of capitals and full stops, use of question mark, commas.
  4. Apostrophe used correctly, quotation marks used correctly.
  5. No punctuation errors. [10 marks]

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