Homework and Assessment and Policy

SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT

In meeting the challenges of an increasingly complex world, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has, in recent years, announced changes to School-Based Assessments to help our students discover more joy in learning and to develop them to become lifelong learners. This year, the school continues to make changes to our school-based assessments to create time and space for teachers and students to achieve that.

Modes of Assessment

All modes of assessments are important as they provide feedback to the students, teachers and parents about what the students have learnt and how well they have applied their learning.

(a) Formative Assessment

Formative Assessment is carried out during lessons to provide feedback to adjust on-going teaching and learning in order to improve students’ learning in the classroom. They are often given in the form of class assignments, mini quizzes and presentations aimed to help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need support. Timed practices will continue to be given to students to prepare them for formal assessments and to ensure that they are ready for the end-of-year examinations. Teachers use these practices as formative assessments to give students feedback on areas for improvement. Formative assessment scores, if any, are not weighted.

(b) Weighted Assessment (WA)

Weighted Assessments (WAs) are carried out once a term and the scores attained are weighted and count towards the subject grade. It gives students, teachers and parents information on students’ mastery of content, knowledge and skills.

Termly WAs are often carried out in the form of a class test, a project, or standardised assignments. Standardised examinations conducted in Term 4 (all levels) are also considered WAs that evaluate our students’ academic progress and achievement.

Weighting of Assessments)

The following table details the weighting for the different assessment in each term.

Removal of Mid-Year Examination for Sec 1 to Sec 5

With the removal of Mid-Year Examinations for Sec 1 to Sec 5, the school will continue with the current practice of gathering information about students’ learning through checkpoints such as class assignments, mini quizzes, presentations, and WA. Whilst only the WA counts towards the overall result, all other forms of assessment and learning are still crucial in helping our students develop the necessary knowledge and skills for the various subjects.

Assessment Regulations

In the event of absence from any assessment due to urgent family or medical reasons, official documentation such as medical certificates from recognised medical practitioners (i.e government medical officers or those registered under the Medical Registration Act) must be presented upon return. Medical certificates issued by doctors who are currently not registered under the Medical Registration Act will not be accepted.

Students who are absent will be given the assessment as practice but the mark obtained will not be included in the overall mark computation.

A medical certificate or a copy of the death certificate must be submitted to the form teacher when the student returns to school. All other reasons will be considered on a case-by-case basis subject to the school’s approval.

Students who are absent for a WA with no valid reason will be given a zero mark for that assessment and this assessment mark will be included in the overall mark computation.

Please refer to the student handbook for other examination regulations.

Homework Policy

Homework is work that is set to be done outside the time-tabled curriculum. Pei Hwa Secondary School believes that reasonable amounts of academic effort outside the class can enhance student learning, improve achievement and develop students' study skills. Homework provides an opportunity for students to revisit the concepts or skills taught during lessons.

Homework refers to any task which students are required to carry out for a subject outside of time-tabled curriculum time, regardless of the mode of delivery. This includes projects or research work, but not revision of school work or studying for tests and examinations.

Suggested Homework Duration

Suggested homework maximum average duration per day (including weekends):

1. Lower Secondary – 2 hours
2. Upper Secondary – 2½ hours

Other Guidelines on Homework

Suggested homework maximum average duration per day (including weekends):

1. During the school holidays: