Assessments

Overview

Assessments represent the final and most granular level of the academic structure. These are the specific tests, assignments, or exams for which marks are captured. For schools following the CAPS curriculum, assessments are pre-loaded; however, administrators can create custom assessments or edit existing ones to align with specific school needs.

Navigation Path

My School > Curriculum > Databases:  Assessments

Purpose of Feature

The Assessments module is used to:

• Define the specific tasks where Learner marks are recorded.

• Categorise assessments by type (e.g., SBA, Practical, or Exam) for correct weighting.

• Set the "Mark Out Of" values and internal ordering for reporting.

• Ensure data alignment with Department of Education (DOE) requirements.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Viewing and Filtering Assessments

1. Select the Curriculum, Grade, Subject, and Learning Outcome/Task from the filters.

2. Use the status toggles to view Active, Inactive, or Deleted assessments.

3. The list will display all assessments currently linked to the selected task.

2. Adding a New Assessment

1. Click the Add New button. (The filter fields will auto-populate at the bottom of the screen).

2. Assessment Type: Choose from SBA, PAT (Practical), Examination, or ANA.

   • Note: The system defaults to SBA. Ensure you select the correct category to avoid calculation errors in Step 2 of the Learning Programme Setup.

3. Name & Keyword: Enter the assessment name and a short keyword in both English and Afrikaans.

4. Official DOE: Check this box if the assessment is a mandatory requirement from the Department of Education.

5. Mark Out Of: Enter the maximum possible mark for this assessment.

6. Weighting Factor: Enter the weight this assessment carries within the parent Learning Outcome/Task.

7. Ordering: Enter the sequence number for internal reports.

8. DOE Ordering: Enter the sequence number required for official departmental schedules.

9. Click Submit.

3. Editing an Existing Assessment

1. Locate the assessment in the grid and click on the row to open the editable fields.

2. Adjust the name, weighting, or ordering as required.

3. Click Accept Changes.

System Behaviour

• Hierarchical Linkage: Assessments created here automatically become available for selection in Step 5 of the Setup Learning Programme button.

• Automatic Mark Recalculation: If an assessment type is changed, the system automatically triggers a recalculation of subject totals and term marks to reflect the new SBA/Exam/Practical distribution.

• Keyword Functionality: Keywords are often used on condensed mark sheets or digital interfaces where full assessment names are too long to display.

Restrictions & Reasons

• Locked "Mark Out Of": You cannot change the "Mark Out Of" value if marks have already been captured for that assessment.

  • Reason: Changing the total possible mark would mathematically invalidate existing Learner scores and percentages, leading to inaccurate report cards. All marks must be deleted before the total can be modified.

• Assessment Type Changes: Regular users cannot change the Assessment Type (e.g., changing SBA to Examination) once marks are captured. This requires intervention from Admin staff or Support.

  • Reason: This change shifts how the mark is handled in the final promotion formula and can significantly impact a Learner's passing status.

• DOE Ordering Integrity: Modifying the DOE Ordering on pre-loaded CAPS assessments is discouraged.

  • Reason: This field is specifically mapped to SA-SAMS export structures; incorrect ordering can result in data being rejected by departmental systems during quarterly uploads.