Assessment

At Cheam High School, we believe that effective assessment is central to student progress, combining robust summative tracking with responsive formative practice. Below is an overview of our assessment approach, alongside details on how students can access tailored preparation materials ahead of assessment windows.

 

1. Summative Assessment

The purpose of summative assessment is to evaluate how securely students have learned and retained the curriculum at key milestones. These assessments are not designed to pinpoint isolated elements of individual underperformance; rather, they provide collective data to help us evaluate our teaching, shape department-wide interventions, and inform future curriculum planning.

We assess students infrequently—no more than 3 times a year (4 times in Year 11). These tests are cumulative, evaluating everything taught up to that point in the key stage to ensure genuine long-term retention.

Our formal assessment windows are pencilled into the school calendar at the start of the year. Exact dates for individual exams will be published on this page closer to the respective window.

All assessments are standardised across classes and administered under timed, unseen exam conditions.

Teachers log scores as percentages into our central database, enabling departments to identify and systematically address broader curriculum gaps.

Predicted grades or references to final end-point exams are not issued to Years 7–10. We do not provide formal grades (beyond a rough guide) to any student unless they are sitting full past papers.

 

2. Assessment Preparation Resources for Summative Assessments

To support our students, build confidence, and foster a culture of success, subject-specific revision materials are provided in the run-up to each assessment window. All materials will be available three weeks before a pencilled-in assessment window opens and will remain accessible on an ongoing basis.

  • Years 7–8: Students will primarily find structured Learning Reviews and Knowledge Organisers designed to consolidate core knowledge, skills, and vocabulary. These may also contain supporting revision tools such as mind-maps and Frayer flashcards.
  • Years 9–11: Resources shift toward formal exam readiness. Folders contain resources such as core knowledge organisers alongside past exam papers, revision guides, and targeted exam-style questions.
  • Key Stage 5 (Sixth Form): Due to the specialised nature of post-16 study, resources are organised internally by individual subject teachers and shared directly with students via Arbor.

 

To access Year 7-11 resources, click the secure link below to open our central drive. Resources are organised by year group, allowing you to navigate the folders to find the files you require:

Click here to access the Cheam High School Assessment Revision Folder (Google Drive Link).  This folder will be populated throughout the Autumn term and currently contains revision information for the following:

Assessment Window 1 (Oct-Dec 2026)
Year 11

 

3. Formative Assessment

Formative assessment and daily feedback go hand in hand at Cheam High School. This represents our ongoing, lesson-by-lesson practice of checking student understanding so that we can teach responsively, adapting our pace and focus to the immediate needs of students.

  • Teachers check understanding and learning using methods such as low-stakes tracking, "Do Now" activities, and in-class questioning.
  • We prioritise time-efficient, high-impact feedback methods over heavy, exhaustive book marking to ensure guidance directly benefits student progress.
  • All feedback is followed by prompt student practice. The goal is never just to fix a past mistake, but to actively build new knowledge onto existing understanding.
  • We intentionally plan opportunities for students to reflect on and review their own work, helping them build the metacognitive habits needed to become independent learners.
  • While not all literacy errors are addressed in every instance, teachers consistently provide feedback on common spelling and grammar misconceptions, particularly regarding subject-specific key terminology.