Pinderfields Hospital

Assessment

Pupils who attend The Limes are in Key Stage Two. However, they are not often able to work at an age appropriate level and they require different assessments in order to ensure they are making progress. 

Engagement Steps

All children are currently assessed against the Engagement Steps. Engagement Steps are specifically designed for children where subject specific learning is not appropriate. (For example, their main learning foci are not solely English, maths, science, geography, history etc.)

The assessment is split into four broad areas. Each area is split into smaller groups. These are:

Cognition & Learning

• Responsiveness

Assessment of responsiveness should evaluate any change in a pupil’s behaviour that demonstrates he or she is being attentive to a new stimulus or reacting in a meaningful way. This type of assessment is important for establishing what differing stimuli motivate a pupil to pay attention. This is a prerequisite for learning. It is particularly relevant for assessing pupils with multiple sensory impairments who have reduced and/or atypical sensory awareness and perception.

• Curiosity

Assessment of curiosity demonstrates how a pupil is building on an initial reaction to a new stimulus, perhaps by reaching out or seeking the source of a new stimulus.

• Investigation

Assessment of investigation measures the extent to which a pupil is actively trying to find out more about an object or activity via prolonged, independent experimentation. This demonstrates a more advanced degree of autonomy than the other aspects of engagement and is important for ongoing learning.

• Discovery

Assessment of discovery provides information about the changing ways in which a pupil interacts with, or responds to, a new stimulus, sometimes accompanied by expressions such as enjoyment and excitement. Curiosity and discovery are closely linked. At a more advanced point of development they both help to demonstrate a pupil’s degree of interest in, and exploration of, activities and concepts. These both help to drive the acquisition of new knowledge and skills.

• Anticipation

Assessment of anticipation should demonstrate whether a pupil is able to predict, expect or associate a particular stimulus with an event. This is important for measuring a pupil’s concept of cause and effect.

• Persistence

Assessment of persistence measures the extent to which a pupil is sustaining attention towards a particular item or action and is therefore beginning to develop conceptual understanding. The ability to sustain attention is important for maintaining an activity long enough to develop the learning associated with it and for consolidating that learning.

• Initiation

Assessment of initiation demonstrates the different ways, and extent to which, a pupil investigates an activity or stimulus in order to bring about a desired outcome. It is an important part of developing the autonomy required for more advanced cognitive development and learning.

Communication & Interaction

• Expressive Communication

Assessment of Expressive Communication measures intentional and pre-intentional patterns of behaviour and communication which help the pupil get their needs met.

• Reception Communication

Assessment of Receptive Communication measures the extent to which a pupil comprehends simple verbal, symbolic and body language.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health

• Social Affection

Assessment of Social Affection measures the extent to which an individual uses the skills required in order to be able to get their needs met, co-operate with others and share understanding in their environment.

• Emotional Affection

Assessment of Emotional Affection measures the extent to which an individual uses the skills required in order to recognise their own feelings, control some behaviours and demonstrate their own emotions.

Sensory & Physical

 - Sensory Operation

• Visual

Assessment of Visual Sensory Operation measures the extent to which a pupil reacts to the sensation and perception of light.

• Auditory

Assessment of Auditory Sensory Operation measures the extent to which a pupil reacts to the sensation and perception of sound.

• Tactile

Assessment of Tactile Sensory Operation measures the extent to which a pupil reacts to the sensation and perception of touch.

• Olfactory/Gustatory

Assessment of Olfactory/Gustatory Sensory Operation measures the extent to which a pupil reacts to the sensation and perception of taste.

• Vestibular

Assessment of Vestibular Sensory Operation measures the extent to which a pupil reacts to the sensation and perception of balance and motion.

• Proprioceptive

Assessment of Proprioceptive Sensory Operation measures the extent to which a pupil reacts to the sensation and perception of one’s own body.

 - Physical Operation

• Fine Motor

Assessment of Fine Motor Physical Operation measures the extent to which a pupil controls the precise movements that use the small muscles of the fingers, toes, wrists, lips and tongue.

• Gross Motor

Assessment of Gross Motor Physical Operation measures the extent to which a pupil controls the bigger movements that use the large muscles in the arms, legs, torso and feet.

Each area has six stages of assessment, Engagement (E.) Step 1-6. 

Children who are engaging in subject specific learning will also be assessed for the areas they are accessing using the Pre-key stage 2 standards as set out by the government.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-key-stage-1-standards

Key Stage Two End of Year Six Testing Arrangements

It may be possible for pupils to access year 6 SATs. If this is the case, pupils and their families will be fully supported and the child will be submitted for the tests n an individual basis.

Other Assessments

The above areas are not the only ones in which a child will develop and make progression. Alongside the above, as appropriate to each individual child, we assess:

• Autism Progress (also through B Squared)
• The Stages of Play
• Intensive Interaction
• The Stages of Communication
• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
• Stages of Development for Objects of Reference
• Attention Autism
• Significant Achievements

This list is not exhaustive and we will continue to develop it as required.

For further information about assessment at The Limes, please contact the centre.