Assessment

At St. Columbanus’ College, we believe that internal assessment is a vital tool for growth. Its primary purpose is to provide both teachers and pupils with a clear ‘snapshot’ of progress at a specific moment in time. These assessments are not just about grades; they are about the feedback that follows. By identifying strengths and areas for development, pupils receive the guidance they need to refine their skills and improve for their next challenge.

We encourage our pupils to remember that the only true competition in an assessment is with themselves. Every student should aim to either match or improve upon their previous results, focusing on their own personal journey toward excellence.

True learning often happens after the assessment is over. We expect pupils to act on the feedback they receive by reviewing their work, practicing difficult sections again, and using provided answers to improve their performance. There is immense value in repeating an assessment at home, multiple times if necessary, until a student is confident they can achieve 100%. This process of repetition and refinement is the very definition of learning.

As pupils progress through the College, their internal assessment results play a helpful role in shaping their future. When it comes time to choose GCSE subjects, we review assessment scores from across Year 9 and Year 10 to help guide pupils toward the subjects where they show the most potential.

It is important to understand that we do not use a single "high-stakes" test on one specific day to determine these pathways. Instead, we look for a consistent pattern of achievement and engagement over time, ensuring that every student is supported in making the best choices for their individual strengths.

In addition to our internal subject tests, all Key Stage 3 pupils participate in external GL Assessments in English (PTE) and Mathematics (PTM). These are completed at the end of Primary 7, Year 8, Year 9, and Year 10.

These assessments provide our teaching staff with standardised statistical data and valuable insight into how a pupil is performing compared to regional benchmarks. Furthermore, this data allows our leadership team to ensure that pupils are placed in the learning environments best suited to their current needs, ensuring that every child receives the appropriate level of pace and challenge to thrive.

In March 2026, the Department of Education will introduce new system-level Key Stage 3 assessments focused on Communication and Using Mathematics. Unlike school-based tests, a random sample of Year 10 pupils will be selected to participate in these assessments. It is important to note that these are intended as a high-level monitoring tool for the Department; therefore, individual results will not be made available to the pupils or the College. Instead, the data will be analysed at a departmental level to gain a comprehensive understanding of the standards of Year 10 pupils across all of Northern Ireland. This regional overview ensures that our curriculum continues to meet the needs of all pupil as they move toward Key Stage 4.

Assessment Schedule

Each Key Stage follows a cycle of three assessment windows throughout the academic year:

• In-Class Feedback Windows (Two per year): For two of these windows, feedback is provided directly to pupils in the classroom. Students are expected to reflect on this guidance and use it to set targets for improvement.  These assessments will all take place during regular class time.

• Formal Reporting Window (One per year): For one window, progress is communicated to parents through a formal school report.  For Key Stage 4 and 5 pupils, these assessment will take place in a formal examination setting.  For Key Stage 3 pupils, these assessments will take place during a structured assessment window for which the regular College timetable will be paused.

Reports will be shared with parents via the SIMS Parent App approximately four weeks after the end of each formal reporting window.  We ask all parents to ensure they have active access to the app, as it is our primary method for delivering important information and progress reports.

The following table outlines the designated windows for the current academic year. Specific dates for individual subjects will be communicated to pupils by their classroom teachers.