“A picture paints a thousand words”
Here at Cherry Garden School, we have developed a bespoke assessment package for children with SEN and complex needs. The Cherry Garden Branch Maps are based on years of SEN teaching experience and are targeted at children who are working below Year 1 expectations.
Assessment frameworks are an important part of tracking progress. But traditional assessment systems based on linear progress analysis aren’t always the best way to show it, especially to the students and their parents.
The Cherry Garden Branch Maps allow pupil achievement to be assessed in a broader, more holistic way in order to truly celebrate the breadth of their experience and the range of their skills.
We have worked with Tapestry to enable our assessment package for SEND children to be available online through their Online Learning Journal. Through the Tapestry app, teaching staff and parents and carers can share photo and video observations of learning and a unique visualisation can be shown, which represents the child’s growing knowledge through the growth of petals on a flower or leaves on a tree.
The 6 Branch Maps, covering the 6 areas of our curriculum can be downloaded below. These are free to use for all schools to support their assessment of pupils with SEND who are working below Year 1 expectations.
If you would like to receive training in the use of the Branch Maps for assessment or to be part of moderation sessions with other schools, please contact our outreach team or go to the outreach section of our website for details of upcoming sessions.
