Holistic Assessment at Haig Girls' School: Knowing and Developing the

Whole Child for the 21st Century

HGS - a prototype school for Holistic Assessment in partnership with the

Ministry of Education since 2010

HGS Distinctive Learning

Experience

Knowing and developing the whole

child HGS pupil outcomes which focus

on character, leadership and 21st

century competencies

Valuing every child for who she is –belief that every child is different,

special and talented in her own way

Giving pupils a voice through

creative expression, advocacy, service

and innovation

Education for Life

Holistic assessmentInstruction customised to

pupils’ needs

Pedagogies that engage the whole child and

leverage pupils’ strengths and interests, e.g.

learning through the arts

Opportunities for development in different

domains at different levels of depth, including

talent development

Emphasis on Character &

Citizenship Education and leadership development

Holistic Assessment

• Ongoing gathering of information from various sources on different facets of the child to provide feedback to support and guide the child’s holistic development

:Purpose of Holistic Assessment

• Know and develop the whole child, to build her confidence and desire to learn

• Encourage pupils to be self-directed learners - more reflective, independent and involved in their own learning.

• Provide timely and regular feedback for parents and enable them to support the child’s holistic development and growth.

Assessment Culture:Key Paradigm Shifts

From To

Purpose

Measuring achievement

and reporting evidence of

learning

Knowing and developing the

whole child

Nature of

assessment

Assessment taking place

after a lesson, a topic, unit,

term, semester

Assessment embedded

seamlessly into instruction –

ongoing, takes place all the

time

Assessment

mode

Primarily pen and paper

tests

A range of appropriate

methods and modes of

assessment, allowing pupils

to express what they know

and can do

Assessment Culture:Key Paradigm Shifts

From To

Who assesses

Assessment by the teacher Teacher, self- and peer-

assessment Pupils take

ownership of their learning

Assessment Focus

Cognitive domain /

‘academic’ subjects

Holistic assessment of

knowledge, skills and

attitudes in the cognitive,

social-emotional, physical

and aesthetic domains,

including, PE, Art & Music,

values, leadership and 21CC

Reporting Pupil Learning

Grades and marks with a

focus on ‘academic’

subjects’

Documentation of

pupils’ learning and

progress

Holistic development

report: learning

outcomes

Assessment at P1 & P2

• Oral tasks

• Written tasks

• Activity-based tasks

• Mid-Year Exam (P1 & P2)

• End-of-Year Exam (P1)

• End-of-Year Exam (P2)

Bite-sized assessments

More feedbackgiven

Wider range ofassessment tasks

Engaging Pupils in Taking Responsibility for Their Learning

Engaging Pupils in Taking Responsibility for their Learning

• Pupils setting individual and group learning goals and monitoring their own progress

• The following are used:

– Teacher’s feedback

– Peer assessment

– Self-assessment

– Reflections

Oral presentation – Teacher’s Feedback and Student’s Reflection

Science “Busking” – Student’s Reflection

Peer Assessment – Science “Busking”

Holistic Reporting

Reporting Tool Purpose Frequency

Holistic Report

Card

Provides an overview of the pupil’s total development

(e.g. pupil’s marks, conduct, attendance, awards,

Co-Curricular Activities, Values in Action)

Once a

semester

Holistic

Development

Report

Provides information on the child’s development in

personal qualities and attainment of learning outcomes

for English, Mathematics, Science, Mother Tongue, Art,

Music and Physical Education (Semester One)

Provides information on the child’s development in values,

leadership attributes and 21st Century Competencies

(Semester Two)

Once a

semester

Holistic

Development

Portfolio

Showcases pupil’s best works and documents pupil’s learning

and progress across all domainsOnce a

term

Parent-Child-

Teacher

Conferencing

Pupil takes the lead in communicating with her parents and

teachers her learning, progress and areas for improvementOnce a

year

Assessment Culture that Strengthens Holistic Education –Holistic Reporting System

Holistic Development Report - English

Holistic Development Report - Math

Holistic Development Report - Science

• Teacher and students clarify and set learning goals [skills, knowledge, habits]

• Teacher guides students in the reflection

Student • takes ownership of her

learning goals• reflects on her

strengths and areas for improvements

• Communicates her reflections & learning plans to her parents and teacher

Students as Self-directed LearnersOur distinctive approach to Holistic Reporting

- Parent-Child-Teacher Conferencing

Our belief: Students should have a voice in the learning process

Parent-Child-Teacher Conferencing

• Lower primary pupils

– Use portfolios as a conversation piece

– Choose pieces of work that represent their best work and demonstrate improvements in learning

– Share learning challenges with parents and teachers

Video:Holistic Assessment: Parent-Child-Teacher Conferencing in Primary 1

@ Haig Girls’ School

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee8nDg6Hah8

Video:Holistic Assessment: Parent-Child-

Teacher Conferencing in Upper Primary@ Haig Girls’ School

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqYV-Zm-S7Y

Holistic Assessment in HGS

• Focus: knowing and developing the whole child, to build her confidence and desire to learn

• Supports our emphasis on

– educating the whole child

– giving pupils a voice

– nurturing self-directed learners who take responsibility for their learning

• Integral to the distinctive HGS learning experience

Thank You