The assessment of students’ knowledge, skills and abilities is an integral part of learning and teaching. The purpose of assessment is to support the development of each individual student. Feedback encourages and directs students to lead their own studies and guides them to study independently and purposefully. Continuous feedback supports the growth of students as individuals and helps them to plan their future careers.
In grades 4–9 Tartu International School uses a six-point, letter-based evaluation system (A–F). In grades 1–3 a descriptive evaluation is used. Students’ self-evaluation is an important part of the learning process. Self-evaluation helps our students to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and to set goals for their learning.
At Tartu International School, our assessments are either formative or summative. Formative assessments take place during the learning process and focus on comparing the student‘s development with his or her previous accomplishments. Formative assessment is expressed and received mainly through oral or written feedback and includes the evaluation of general competences, learning and educational objectives and interdisciplinary topics. In summative assessment, the student’s subject-related knowledge and skills are compared with the expected learning outcomes listed in the school curriculum and subject syllabi.
The assessment of student progress and development is presented in the school’s online study system (e-diary). This includes grades, notices, approvals and comments from teachers. Additional feedback about the students’ development is given at our parent–teacher–student conferences, which are held twice a year. Report cards are issued twice a year – in December and in June.
TIS Assessment Policy can be found here.
