GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 8) GAUTENG PROVINCE Enquiries: Ms, Songine Mangeiphy ‘puto Hoad Offes: GD EPUBLCOF SOUTH ARICA “ols 010 601 80038090, MEMORANDUM Motte District Directors CES: CLI CES: GET Subject Coordinators ult Managers District Assessment Officials District Subject Advisors Principals Of Schools Teacher Organisations and Unions From: Ms Nadine Pote CD: Examinations and Assessment ASSESSMENT GUIDELINE No. 03 of 2023 GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4-9) Dear Colleagues This Assessment Guideline serves to inform Heads of Institutions and District Offices of the guideline regarding the moderation of School-Based Assessment (SBA) for 2023 in the GET Band (Grade 4-9). Regards fes___ MS NADINE POTE, CHIEF DIRECTOR: EXAMINATIONS AND ASSESSMENT DATE: 26 January 2023 Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment 1 Flor, 39 Loveday too, sonanrecburg 2001 P.0. ox 7710, chant, 2080 Ta (O19) 2550301 Fa! (01) 355 0215,GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 9) §\, GAUTENG PROVINCE EOUCATION REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA GAUTENG DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DIRECTORATE: ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT GUIDELINE No. 03 of 2023 TOPIC : GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 9) TO : DISTRICT DIRECTORS CES: CLI DCES: GET SUBJECT COORDINATORS CIRCUIT MANAGERS DISTRICT ASSESSMENT OFFICIALS DISTRICT SUBJECT ADVISORS PRINCIPALS OF SCHOOLS TEACHER ORGANISATIONS AND UNIONS ENCLOSURES : Annexure A: 2023 Management Plan ENQUIRIES TEL: 010 601 8003 e-mail: Ernest.Rana jauteng.gov.za Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment ‘7 Flor, 0 Loveday Stool, dhannasturg 200 .0,8ox 710, Johansasbny, 2000 Ta fT) 385 6807 Fax 011) 8660218GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 9) 4. INTRODUCTION Moderation is the quality assurance and contro! process aiming at ensuring that assessment is accurate, consistent and fair. It also entails a programme which ensures that assessment procedures, practices and the scores awarded to leamers are valid, fair, consistent and reliable, The moderation of SBA should yield timely, specific, relevant and informative feedback to learners, teachers and schools on the status of school-based assessment tasks and the implementation of recommendations emanating from moderation process. 2. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK 2.1. National Education Policy Act, 1996 (Act No 27 of 1996). 2.2. South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No 84 of 1996). 2.3. Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) for all approved subjects. 2.4, Revised National Protocol for Assessment. 2.5, National Policy Pertaining to the Programme and Promotion Requirements, 2.6, Regulations pertaining to the National Curriculum Statement Grade R-12 as published in Government Gazette No 36041 and 36042 on 28 December 2012 as amended. 2.7. Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education, July 2001 2.8, SIAS: Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support. 3. PURPOSE This guideline seeks to provide the procedures and processes of SBA Moderation for 2023 in the GET Band (Grade 4-9) to all the Heads of Institutions and District Offices. See Annexure A for the 2023 SBA Moderation Management Plan. 4. SCOPE 4.1. Moderation of SBA comprises different forms of assessments which are conducted and marked by a teacher at school level. This includes assignments, projects, simulations, research, demonstrations, role plays, listening exercises, homework pieces, classwork pieces, tests and examinations. In subjects with a practical component, SBA includes assessment of the practical skills and in the case of languages, assessment of the oral skill. Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment 7 Foor, 30 Loveday Ses, Johannasburg 2001 0, Box 7710, Jonannesburg. 2000 Tet (011) 8550307 Fax: (011)95500218GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4- 9) 4.2. All formal assessment tasks for all subjects in Grades 4 - 9 must be moderated by the departmental head! subject teacher deemed to be competent in the subject prior to their administration to learners. 4.3. For subjects that have a practical component (LO, NS-TECH, Creative Arts) or an oral component (languages), moderation of practical and oral work will be conducted in accordance with the criteria outlined in the relevant policy documents, 4.4 The moderator must also ensure that every assessment task is accompanied by a detailed marking guideli various alternatives that may be provided to the assessment task. Which is accurately formulated and makes provision for 4.8 The recommendations for improvement from the moderation process must be incorporated into the assessment instrument before it is administered, and this should be verified by the departmental head/teacher deemed to be competent in the subject. ‘The composition of SBA for each subject is detalled in the relevant CAPS documents. 5. MODERATION PROCESS Schools and Districts must fully moderate each block of assessment to ensure that SBAs are in {ine with national standards. The moderation process should be incorporated in the planning process for teaching, leaming and assessment at the school. The following stages of moderation should be adhered to at school level before any moderation could be conducted by the school, district, or province. 5.1 Pre-assessment moderation Pre-assessment moderation is the process of quality assuring a task prior to it being administered to the learners, This must be conducted by the Departmental Head (DH)! senior teacher! lead teacher at the school or the District Subject Advisor (DSA). Pre-assessment moderation must ensure that the assessment instruments: a) Have clearly articulated instructions and questions that are appropriate, fair and unambiguous. b) Enable learners to provide evidence corresponding to the stated learning outcomes. c) Are pitched at the appropriate cognitive level. 4) Are aligned to the assessment criteria, €) Are free of any bias. f) Are accompanied by marking guidelinesimemoranda that provide a range of evidence and altemative responses required to ensure consistency. smont "Floor, 30 Lovey Svea, ssrannacbirg 2001 P.O, Bex 7740, sehansberg, 2000 Ta (011) 3550907 Fat: (D1) 365.0215GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 9) g) Where methods of assessment have been altered to meet the requirements of different modes of delivery, these assessment tasks must be moderated to ensure reliability. 5.2 On-Task moderation 2) This process occurs while the assessment process is taking place to ensure the accuracy and consistency of work allocation, b) The DH senior teacher! DSA should conduct this moderation particularly during practical and language oral assessments. ©) The subject teacher administering the assessment must ensure that all the resources required to complete the task are available. d) The moderation process must ensure that the assessment instruments are administered in fair and conducive conditions. €) It is during this stage of moderation that teachers must share their expectations and understanding of assessment standards with each other to make consistent and credible judgements on leamer performance. 5.3 Post-assessment moderation Post-assessment moderation involves the moderation of completed learner evidence of work, which has already been assessed and marked to verify the accuracy, consistency and comparability of results and provide feedback on judgement of assessment. After moderation has been completed, the DH/ senior teacher! DSA must provide feedback to the teacher and the learners. The findings/ feedback entail the identification of Issues related to learner performance, curriculum coverage, teaching, marking, learning and quality of assessment. Feedback must be used as a platform to discuss recommendations in order to enhance future assessments, At this stage, the moderator must: ) Monitor consistency of marking and record the findings. b) Check the resuits and decisions of the teacher for consistency. ¢) Provide appropriate and necessary support, advice and guidance to teachers. d) Provide immediate moderation feedback to all parties during a meeting and ‘complete a post-moderation report. Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment ‘Foor, 20 Loveday Soe Joheanesurg 2001 P.O, Box 771 Jonannesourg. 2000 Tot (014) 388 G80? Fax (691) 955 0216GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 9) 6. MODERATION APPROACH The Gauteng Department of Education employs an integrative pyramidal approach to the improvement of SBA administration across all levels of operation, that is, at the School, Circuit Cluster, District and Provincial levels, This pyramidal approach to moderation is based on the developmental and operational elements required to ensure that all SBA standards are consistently applied across all schools. The developmental elements include the implementation of the moderators’ and DSAs’ recommendations with the aim of improving the standards of assessment practices in schools. The operational elements of this model encompass the moderation process that cuts across the four levels of moderation. These elements provide the much-needed feedback to the system in the form of reports that indicate areas for improvement, uniform interpretation and application of standards to ensure consistency of assessments, ‘The moderation of SBA should be conducted at each of these levels to: a) Confirm the validity, faimess and practicability of the assessment instruments. b) Establish whether assessments are conducted in a fair and consistent manner. c)} Establish the reliability and faimess of the assessment score. 4) Provide feedback on the moderation findings with view to improve the quality of SBA. The moderation of school-based assessment, at all levels of operation, will focus on the moderation of assessment tasks/ instruments, marking, use of marking guideline/ memorandum, learner evidence of performance and content presentation. 6.1 Moderation Procedure 6.1.1 Moderation of Assessment instruments/ tasks a) All assessment tasks for all subjects must be moderated by the DH or Senior Teacher at school, prior to their administration b) Moderation of the assessment instruments should ensure that the: |. The assessment tasks are aligned to the assessment criteria for each subject. The instructions relating to the assessment tasks are clearly stated. The content is relevant to what the learners have been exposed to. The assessment tasks are free of any form of bias and ambiguity. v. The language is proportional to the language level of the learners for which it is designed; and Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment ‘7 ler, 30 Loveday Sto Johannesburg 2001 .0. Boe 7710, Johannesburg, 2000 Te (017) 396 0307 Fax (011) 955 0215,GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 9) vi. The distribution of cognitive levels is consistent with the policy presoriptions, ©) The moderation of subjects with a practical or an oral assessment component will be conducted in accordance with the criteria outlined in the Practical Assessment Task and Official Languages’ assessment guidelines. d) The moderator must also ensure that every assessment task is accompanied by a detailed marking guideline, which is accurately formulated and makes provision for various alternatives that may be provided, especially during the memorandum discussion. e) The moderators’ comments must be incorporated into the assessment instrument and any changes must be made before it is administered. f) The HISTORY (copies of previous changes, adjustments and acceptance) of the moderated assessment instrument must be available on request by the relevant authorised official. 6.1.2 Moderation of marking a) Moderation of the marking of learner evidence of work is undertaken to ensure that the marking guideline is consistently applied by the teacher. b) Moderation of marking should ensure that the marking guideline accommodates relevant altemative responses. c} Moderators should identify any form of shadow and/or global marking 6.1.3 Moderation of learner evidence of work a) _Leamer evidence of work must be moderated at School, Circull/ Cluster, District and Provincial levels. b) At Schoo! level 2 random selection of 6 learner evidence of work in a 2 High, 2 Middle and 2 Low performance categories, for each assessment task, must be moderated by the teacher deemed to be competent in the subject or DH. c) At the District and Provincial level, a minimum of 6 learners’ work must be moderated. The sample must be selected from the following categories of performance: i. Above average. ii, Average; and ii, Below average. 4) Moderation of learner evidence of work include inter ali i, Checking if all sections are marked. Accuracy in addition of leamer's marks. Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment ‘7 Flor, 30 Lovecay Steet, Johannesburg 2004 0. Box 7710, eranesburg, 2900 Tat (011) 2950807 Fax: (01) 355.0215GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 f IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 8) ji, Recording of leamers’ marks on the correct SA SAMS working mark sheet. iv. Detection of technical and serious SBA irregularities. Awritten report on the findings of the moderation process must be provided by officials involved in the various levels of moderation with a view to improve quality of the assessment practices within the system. The report must focus on the findings, good practices, challenges and recommendations based on the criteria stipulated in the moderation instruments. 6.2 Conducting Moderation At Different Levels 6.2.1 School Moderation Moderation of SBA at school level will be undertaken in the following manner: a) b) ) The principal must ensure that all teachers develop a formal programme of assessment which must be consolidated into the formal school assessment plan. The assessment plan must be communicated to learners and parents within the first two weeks of the new academic year. The principal must take full responsibiliy for moderation and monitoring of SBA. The subject teacher will submit the developed assessment instrument to the DH senior teacher for approval. Time frames for the submission of assessment instruments to the DH will be determined in the school assessment policy. The “not approved” and “conditionally approved" versions of the instrument as well as the moderation tool used to moderate the task should be kept in the teacher file. A record must be kept of all assessment tasks and evidence of each Individual leamer and teacher's work as prescribed in Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) for all approved subjects. ‘At each School Assessment Team (SAT) meeting, the DH must report on the moderation findings during that period. The principal must ensure that all irregularities discovered during the moderation process are resolved by the School Assessment Irregularities Committee (SAIC) and reported at the SAT meeting. A parallel report highlighting the irregularities must be sent to the District Assessment Irregularities Committee (DAIC) at the district office. Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment "Foor, 30 Loveday Sea, hannesbury 2001 0, 80710, Jehannesburg. 2000 Toe (011) 9360907 Fe (017) 956.0215GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 9) k) Moderation findings must be reported to the relevant officials within the Stipulated time frames with a view to improve the quality of assessments. 6.2.2 Circuit/ Cluster Moderation a) At circuit cluster level the moderation of sample leamer performance must be conducted by teachers who are teaching that particular subject. b) No school must moderate its own sample during circuil/ cluster moderation, ce) The DSA must supervise and provide professional guidelines on how to conduct moderation. d) Each subject in each circuit! cluster must have a lead teacher who will generate a report after the moderation. e) The DSA will consolidate reports from various circuit/clusters in the district and develop a composite report indicating the corrective measures to be implemented. f) __Allschools must be moderated at the circuit/ cluster level, with a focus on term tasks as prescribed In the relevant CAPS documents, using subject-specific moderation tools, 6.2.3 District Moderation a) The District Office is responsible for the veri ‘ation of moderation at school level, b) Moderation at district level will be conducted during the stipulated time frames, ¢) The District Director is accountable for moderation conducted both at school and District levels. d) tis the responsibility of the practicability of the SBA/PAT in terms of administration of the assessment task riot to ensure the reliability, validity, falrness and and moderation of the leamer evidence. e) The roles and responsibilities of a district assessment official are to: i. Prepare a comprehensive District moderation plan. i. To coordinate and monitor the moderation process at District level. ii, Submit written reports, ratified by the CES Curriculum, to the district circuit manager and the assessments directorate, Head Office, each term about the status of internal moderation (The Moderation Status Report). iv, To capacitate School Assessment Teams on how to manage moderation process together with the identification and tracking of learners at risk, v. To coordinate the establishment and functioning of SAT, SAIC and SBST in schools. Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment "Floor, 90 Loveday Stet ohanrosburg 2001 P.O. 807710, Jhannesb.ng 2000 To (014) 3550307 Fax: (091) 956.0216GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 9) vi, To collate, analyse and submit reliable learner performance data, on quarterly basis, to head Office. vil To successfully manage appeals referred from Schools to the District which are related to assessment decisions. f) The roles and the responsibilities of the Subject Advisor are to: i. Take responsibility for the moderation of SBA across all schools in the district. i Follow up on moderators’ reports regarding schools that are experiencing problems with the implementation of SBA. This will include acting on the recommendations made by the moderator. li, Provide support to ensure that recommendations are implemented as required. 9) Incorrect calculations, underscoring, inflated SBA marks of learners from individual schools must only be changed |n consultation with the subject advisor, based on the recommendation provided by the moderator. h) Subject Advisors must sample different schools as per the table below, for moderation: Grade Minimum “number of | Minimum ‘number ‘of | sampled schools files to be moderated ° Grade 4-6 | 8 schools per grade 6 leamer files per subject in each (24 schools) school Grade 7-9 | 10schools per grade _| 6 learner files per subject in each (30 schools) school ! i) Moderation must be conducted in accordance with the provincial management plan, i) District subject advisor may decide to centralise or decentralise district moderation. k) The subject report must highlight the standard of the assessment instruments constructed, standard of marking and standard of learners’ performance. }) The report should identify schools that are struggling in the implementation of specific SBA components and recommend on-site visit by the subject advisor. m) The district must notify the Assessments Directorate of any moderation modality to be followed, n) DSA will conduct moderation at the end of each term. Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment 7 Flor, 39 Loveday Svea, Johannacbuts 2001 0. Bex 7710, Janarestury, 2000 Ta (049) 3950507 Fax (011) 3650215 10GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 9) 7. PROVINCIAL MODERATION a) The province will sample schools and subjects to be moderated, based on set criteria b} All sampled schools will be expected to comply with the requirements set out in the provincial moderation memo to be developed for each moderation process. c) Provincial moderation will be conducted centrally to ensure that basic moderation practices are consistent and seamless throughout the province. d) A provincial report for each subject, indicating findings, good practices, challenges and recommendations for the improvement of quality of SBA will be developed and shared with relevant stakeholders. ©} Moderation will follow different modalities to ensure quality reports which are fit for purpose. 8, GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 8.1 Recording of learners’ marks a) Leamer performance must be recorded in accordance with the National Protocol for Assessment Grade R-12 and Section 4 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy ‘Statement in all subjects listed in the National Curriculum Statement Grade R-12. b) The teacher record of assessment must: i. Include a complete record of assessment in that particular subject. Be maintained by the teacher for every subject taught in respect of the National Senior Certificate. Be available for monitoring and moderation purposes at every level, and all reports presented at the School Assessment Team (SAT) meetings must be filed in the teacher's fle 8.2 Colour of pens Conducted by. . Original marking ‘Subject Teacher i ‘School moderation Head of Departmer Black Circuit/ cluster moderation Subject teachers in acluster | Brown District moderation District Subject Advisor Green Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment 7 Poor, 30 Loveday Seat Jehannbury 2001 20, Box 7740, Jamar, 2000 To (0t#} 185 0907 Fax (07) 365.0215 "1GUIDELINE FOR MODERATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR 2023 IN GET BAND (GRADE 4 - 9) PROVINCE ‘Annexure A, 2023 SBA MODERATION MANAGEMENT PLAN Date ‘Aetivity, Responsi 18 January 2033 Tssue and mediate the Provincial Moderation management plan at PAT meeting, Head Office Moderation Unit 40-12 February 2028 Post-Assessment moderation of Nov. 2022 SECT ‘Appointed moderators 10 February 2023 District Moderation Management Plan (for GET) to Head Office District DCESs 77 February 2023 ‘Submission of SECT Post moderation report Chief moderators 15 Feb — 16 March 2023, ‘SBA Standard Setting Meetings (Roadshows) — mediation of the outcomes of all Districts and Provincial moderation processes in 2022. Moderation Unit and District Assessment Officials. 24 February 2008 Closing dates for application of GET moderators: District Assessment Officials 47 — 20 Apri 2023 Training of school-based moderators Moderation Unit 47 — 23 April 2023, Phase 1 District Moderation (Term 1 SBA tasks) | Subject Advisors 47 = 23 April 2023 Monitor and support District Moderation Head Office Moderation Unit 724 April— 12 May 2023 _| Training of SBA on moderation processes MGSL_ 12 May 2023 Phase 1 moderation reports submited to Head _ | District Assessment Officials Office on Status of SBA: in GET phases and District DCESs School visit reports on moderation District DCESs 19 21 May 2023 Pre-Assessment Moderation of SBOT Appointed moderators 26 May 2023 Submission of SECT Pre-moderation report SBCT Chief Moderators 24 July — 30 July 2083 Phase 2 District Moderation (Mid-year schoo based scripts) Subject Advisors 24 July 30 July 2003 Monitor and support Phase 2 District Moderation Head Office Moderation Unit. 4-6 August 2023 SBCT Post Assessment moderation on sampled Mid-year school-based test and answer scripts ‘Appointed moderators TT August 2023 Phase 2 moderation reports submitted to Head Office Moderation unit District Assessment Official 41 August 2023, SBCT reports submitted to Head Office ‘Appointed Chief moderators 05,12 and 26 August 2023 Training on E-moderation MST subjects MGSL 43 ~ 20 October 2023 Phase 3 District Moderation on Term 3 SBA tasks, tracking of SBA completion and verification of working mark sheets, District Subject Advisors 73 — 20 Oclober 2023 Monitor and support District Moderation Head Office Moderation Unit. 27 October 2023 Phase 3 moderation reports submitted to Head Office Moderation trict Subject Advisors District Assessment Official 25 ~ 87 October 2023 ‘Quality assurance of End of year School based tests at District level (03 — 05 Novernber 2025 Provincial Pre-Assessment moderation of end of the year school-based controlled tests ‘Subject Advisers ‘Appointed Provincial moderators 10 November 2023 ‘SBCT Pre-moderation reports of end of the year school based controlled tests ‘Appointed Chief moderators Office of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment 7 Fee, 30 Lovoday ira, Johannasbury 200% P.O. Box 7710, Joharnastirg, 2000 Tol (ott) 2950307 Fax (41) 956 021 2