Principal's Message - 7th October 2019

Dear Parents,

Once again this week I have been thinking about raising academic standards. One tool which can help is standardized testing. Standardized tests are used globally as they allow schools to see where their pupils are in relation to their age-related expectations and other ‘norms’. They can be used to good effect to measure the progress and attainment of students as they move through the academic year and into the next years of study. Here at NAISAK, some standardized testing already occurs but I am happy to announce an expansion of the programme to include all students in Years 4 to 9. The school will be using the ‘MAP Growth’ assessment programme, which consists of tests taken three times a year in the core subjects of English and Maths. The information produced from these tests will then be used by teachers to plan next steps for the students in their care. The results of these tests can also be shared with parents, providing valuable information on how your child is doing at school and how you can support them at home. We are excited to be using MAP Growth here at NAISAK, which will bring us into line with many of our Nord Anglia sister schools. If you would like to find out more about MAP tests, you can take a look here https://www.nwea.org/parent-toolkit/. We will also run workshops for parents to help explain more about these useful tests. Primary parents, please note that MAP testing will replace the InCAS test previously used here at NAISAK, as it provides a more comprehensive view of your child’s progress and attainment. For children of Year 3 age and below, standardized tests are far less useful, so teacher assessment will remain the process of choice for our youngest pupils. For older students in Yrs10-12, their external courses have their own benchmarks on the path to GCSE and AS level so MAP will not be necessary. The first MAP tests will take place in the next few weeks; no special revision is necessary. However, your teachers will let you know when the tests will take place so you can ensure you send your child to school well-rested, well-fed and on time. I look forward to sharing more information about MAP with you over the course of the year.

Click here for the PDF about MAP Growth in English, and here for the Arabic version. 

Liz Lamb
Principal