Learning and Teaching
Sacred Heart Parish School
Assessment Time
It’s nearly that time of year again when teachers and the whole school begin gathering information to celebrate how much each child has grown along their individual learning journey. We do this by triangulating our data sources to form an accurate and well-rounded picture of each child’s achievements.
What is “Triangulation of Data”?
“Triangulation of data” is a method teachers use to make balanced and reliable judgments about student progress. Rather than relying on a single test or piece of work, teachers draw on three key sources of evidence to form a complete picture of learning.
The term comes from orienteering: just as we take our bearings from several reference points to find our location on a map, teachers use multiple data points to understand each learner’s growth and needs.
- Assessment Data - This includes both formal and informal assessments, such as tests, and checklists that measure specific skills and knowledge. At Sacred Heart, teachers use a mix of summative (end-of-unit or standardised) and formative (ongoing classroom-based) assessments to gain a clear understanding of student learning. These are carefully analysed using evidence-based tools to ensure accuracy and consistency.
- Work Samples - Work samples provide a snapshot of how students apply their learning over time. These may appear in student books, on display around classrooms, or in learning portfolios, showing effort, creativity, and progress across subjects.
Teacher observations – Teachers continuously gather insights from classroom participation, mini-whiteboard responses, discussions, and how students respond to feedback and new challenges. These observations reveal learning behaviours, engagement, and the application of knowledge in real time.
By bringing three points of evidence together, like the corners of a triangle, teachers can form a clear and fair understanding of each child’s learning journey, growth since the last report, and next steps for development.
This process ensures that report comments and grades are fair, consistent, and evidence-based, reflecting learning across a variety of settings, not just a single test or moment in time.