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9
ASSESSMENT
IN THEMIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME
As a requirement of the IBO, assessment in the MYP is criterion referenced, which means that
teachers measure student attainment against specified criteria.
At the end of each semester, each student receives a final criterion score, a subject total out of 32
and a grade for each of the eight subject areas.
The objectives which are to be assessed in any task are made explicit to the students in class at the
time the task is given. Task specific descriptors make it clear to all students, expectations for each
assessment piece.
Feedback on assessment is made available to students either at the time of the assessment, or as
soon as possible afterwards.
CRITERIA AND ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS
Each of the eight subject areas detailed on the following pages have four criterion specific to their
subject. These form the basis of assessment in that subject. Each of these criteria has associated
with it levels of achievement and associated descriptors by which the student’s work is assessed.
Teachers will set tasks to address one or more criteria and will assess students against the relevant
criteria by matching the student’s performance against the descriptor that best reflects the
performance of the student. To further assist students, the generic descriptors will be clarified with
accompanying task specific descriptors. Task specific descriptors make expectations clear and
transparent.
Most criteria identify two levels against each descriptor to discriminate between higher and lower
levels of attainment in each level.
Each Semester, for Reports, teachers establish a final grade based on the levels achieved for subject
criteria. Teachers use these to guide them in the final selection of a General Grade Descriptor to
ensure it is an appropriate reflection of the student’s achievement. Grades are selected based on
International Grade Boundaries. These are as follows:
Grade Boundary
1 - 5
6 - 9
10 - 14
15 - 18
19 - 23
24 - 27
28 - 32
Grade
1
2
3
4
5
6
7