ISO MYP Assessment Policy

Philosophy of Assessment

At ISO 4 School, our assessment policy is grounded in the school’s values and the IB’s philosophy, both of which emphasize the importance of fostering lifelong learners. We view assessment as a key component in enhancing student learning, supporting both the academic and personal development of each student. The purpose of assessment is twofold: to inform instruction and to provide students with feedback on their progress, allowing them to reflect on their learning. This process aims to support student development in alignment with the attributes of the IB Learner Profile, encouraging students to be inquirers, thinkers, communicators, and principled individuals. We believe that assessment should be ongoing, incorporating both formative and summative assessments to provide a complete picture of student achievement and progress.

Aims of the MYP Assessment

The aims of assessment within the MYP framework at ISO 4 School include:

1. Support and encourage student learning: Through timely feedback, we aim to motivate students to reflect on their learning and take ownership of their academic growth. Assessment provides students with opportunities to recognize their strengths and areas for improvement.
2. Inform and enhance teaching practices: Teachers use assessment data to adapt and refine their instructional strategies, ensuring that each student’s learning needs are met. The data helps in identifying trends, adjusting teaching approaches, and supporting student progress.
3. Demonstrate skill transfer across disciplines: Through interdisciplinary projects and community engagement, students demonstrate their ability to apply skills and knowledge across multiple subjects, fostering holistic development.
4. Promote positive attitudes towards learning: Assessment is structured to encourage curiosity and inquiry, helping students to engage deeply with subject content in real-world contexts. The process of reflection and feedback also helps students build resilience and perseverance.
5. Develop critical and creative thinking skills: The assessments are designed to challenge students to think critically and creatively, pushing them to make connections between ideas, evaluate evidence, and solve problems in innovative ways.

Implementation of Formative and Summative Assessments

Assessment at ISO 4 School is a continuous process that incorporates both formative and summative assessments. Teachers use formative assessments to monitor student progress throughout the learning process. These assessments are typically informal, providing immediate feedback to students to help them improve before final evaluations.

Formative assessments may include activities such as quizzes, peer assessments, self-reflections, and ongoing feedback from teachers. These assessments allow students to practice skills, receive constructive feedback, and make adjustments to their learning strategies.

Summative assessments, on the other hand, are used to evaluate student achievement at the end of a unit or course. These assessments are aligned with the MYP subject-specific criteria and measure the extent to which students have met the learning objectives. Examples of summative assessments include final exams, major projects, presentations, and written assignments.

Table 1. Formative and summative assessment

Formative assessment	Ongoing assessment aimed at providing information to guide teaching and improve student performance.
Summative assessment	Assessment aimed at determining the competency or level of achievement of a student generally at the end of a course of study or a unit of work.

Glossary of MYP terms (MYP: From Principles into Practice 125, 133)

MYP Assessment Criteria and Achievement Levels

In the MYP, each subject group is assessed using four criteria, each of which is equally weighted. These criteria are designed to assess different aspects of student performance, such as knowledge and understanding, communication, and application of skills. Students are assessed against these criteria using a scale of 0–8, with descriptors that indicate the level of achievement for each criterion.

The achievement levels are divided into four bands: limited (1–2), adequate (3–4), substantial (5–6), and excellent (7–8). Teachers use the ‘best-fit’ approach to make professional judgments about student performance, ensuring that students are evaluated fairly and consistently. The assessment criteria are transparent and communicated to students at the beginning of each unit, allowing them to understand the expectations and goals of their learning.

The MYP assessment criteria across subject groups

Table 2. The MYP assessment criteria across subject groups

	A	B	C	D
Language and literature	Analyzing	Organizing	Producing text	Using language
Language acquisition	Listening	Reading	Speaking	Writing
Individuals and societies	Knowing and understanding	Investigating	Communicating	Thinking critically
Sciences	Knowing and understanding	Inquiring and designing	Processing and evaluating	Reflecting on the impacts of science
Mathematics	Knowing and understanding	Investigating patterns	Communicating	Applying mathematics in real-world contexts
Arts	Knowing and understanding	Developing skills	Creating/Performing	Evaluating
Physical and Health Education	Knowing and understanding	Planning for performance	Applying and performing	Reflecting and improving performance
Design	Inquiring and analyzing	Developing ideas	Creating the solution	Evaluating
MYP Project (Community project)	Investigating	Planning	Taking action	Reflecting
Interdisciplinary	Evaluating	Synthesizing	Reflecting	–

 

Community Project

The Community Project in the MYP is an opportunity for students, typically in Year 3 or 4, to engage in a self-directed inquiry that addresses a need within their community through service learning. The project allows students to investigate an issue, plan and take action, and then reflect on the process and its impact. It emphasizes the development of skills, knowledge, and attitudes through a sustained project that is deeply connected to real-world contexts and the student’s personal interests.

Community project assessment criteria: Years 3 or 4

Criterion A: Investigating

Maximum: 8

In the community project, students should be able to:

1. define a goal to address a need within a community, based on personal interests
2. identify prior learning and subject-specific knowledge relevant to the project

• demonstrate research skills.

Criterion B: Planning

Maximum: 8

In the community project, students should be able to:

1. develop a proposal for action to serve the need in the community
2. plan and record the development process of the project

• demonstrate self-management skills.

 

Criterion C: Taking action

Maximum: 8

In the community project, students should be able to:

1. demonstrate service as action as a result of the project
2. demonstrate thinking skills

• demonstrate communication and social skills.

 

 

Criterion D: Reflecting

Maximum: 8

In the community project, students should be able to:

1. evaluate the quality of the service as action against the proposal
2. reflect on how completing the project has extended their knowledge and understanding of service learning

• reflect on their development of ATL skills.

 

ISO Platform

ISO 4 utilizes an integrated information system, ISO Platform for gathering and reporting assessment information. This summative and formative assessment information is accessible to students, parents and teachers.

ISO Platform is the primary data management system used for all matters concerning planning and assessment. It provides the basic means through which staff should record details of teaching and assessment along with communication of these to students and parents. It should contain any documents relating to subject group procedures and practices (Syllabi, Course Outline etc.) along with daily notification of work covered. A student’s achievement levels for each assigned task will automatically be visible in ISO Platform along with any comments posted by staff. Notice of homework and formative and summative assessment tasks will be posted as well.

ISO Platform information system creates ISO MYP reports that are specifically designed for the MYP programme and will help promote an in-depth evaluation of a students’ learning.

Recording and Reporting Student Achievement

ISO 4 School uses a comprehensive system for recording and reporting student achievement. Assessment data is recorded in the ISO Platform, which tracks both formative and summative assessments throughout the school year. This platform allows teachers, students, and parents to access assessment information in real-time, providing transparency and clarity on student progress.

ISO produces four report cards each year, two progress reports and two final semester reports. These reports include achievement levels for each assessment criterion, student reflections, and teacher comments. The goal is to provide students and parents with a clear understanding of the student’s academic performance and areas for improvement.

Common Practices in Recording and Reporting

The reporting schedule at ISO includes regular communication with parents and students regarding academic progress. In addition to formal report cards, ISO conducts Student-Parent-Teacher conferences, where portfolios of student work are shared to demonstrate growth and achievement over time. This collaborative process ensures that students, parents, and teachers work together to set goals and address challenges.

Internal Standardization

Internal standardization ensures consistency and fairness in the assessment process at ISO. Teachers meet regularly within subject groups to review student work and align their grading practices with the MYP criteria. This process builds shared understanding and ensures that students are assessed according to the same standards across all subjects.

Standardization Procedures:

• Sample Selection: Samples of student work are taken from each year group.
• Collaborative Review: Teachers from the same subject group meet regularly to review and compare student work using the MYP assessment criteria.
• Standardization Form: After reviewing, teachers fill in a standardization form documenting the agreed levels and any justification for adjustments.
• Sharing with Coordinator: Completed forms and student samples are shared with the MYP coordinator for record-keeping and quality assurance.
• Student-Initiated Review: If a student requests a review of their assessed work, teachers must respond within 48 hours. The student’s level will be adjusted—higher or lower—based on the outcome of the re-evaluation.

• The same procedure applies for the Community Project.

Policy Review

The ISO MYP assessment policy is subject to an annual review by the pedagogical and leadership teams. The review process involves gathering feedback from students, parents, and teachers to ensure that the policy remains relevant and effective. Changes to the policy are implemented at the beginning of each school year, with the goal of continuously improving assessment practices.

Bibliography

International Baccalaureate Organization. (2017). *MYP: From Principles into Practice*. International Baccalaureate Organization. Retrieved from https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=m_0_mypxx_guu_1409_2_e&part=8&chapter=1

International Baccalaureate Organization. (2022). *General regulations: Middle Years Programme*. International Baccalaureate Organization. Retrieved from https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/new-structure/become-an-ib-school/pdfs/general-regulations-myp-en.pdf

International School of Estonia. (2015). *MYP Assessment Policy*. Retrieved from https://www.ise.edu.ee/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/MYP/Assessment-Policy.pdf