1. This circular elaborates on Circular 0241/2003, clarifies the CASS requirements for National subjects and withdraws Annexure A.

2. The purpose of this circular is to clarify the requirements for Continuous Assessment for Grades 10 to 12 in 2004 and 2005.

3. Continuous assessment (CASS) and practical requirements for Grade 12 in 2004 remain exactly as required in 2003.

4. This circular contains the requirements for Grades 10 and 11 for 2004 and gives early notice of changes to CASS requirements for Grade 12 for 2005 in all subjects except:
4.1 subjects examined nationally (Mathematics, Physical Science, Biology, Accounting and History) for which there are nationally set continuous assessment requirements, and
4.2 those languages for which CASS requirements are prescribed in the Standardisation of Languages Policy Document (refer also to Circular 0033/2002 ).

5. Heads of educational institutions need to note that assessment remains an area of major concern. The importance of appropriate assessment and assessment practices cannot be underestimated and thus the need to develop a common understanding of key issues and principles.

6. Heads of educational institutions must note the clear distinction between Assessment for Learning (Formative Assessment) for which guidance is given to teachers and Assessment of Learning (Summative Assessment) for which specific requirements are determined for promotion purposes. Note that all assessment, whether intended for formative or summative purposes, should ultimately be used to support the learner in the learning process and that feedback is a critical element in ensuring that assessment enhances learning. The WCED sets the requirements for Assessment of Learning. However, Assessment for Learning is the professional responsibility of the teacher.

7. Assessment for Learning:
7.1 WCED Transition Guidelines for Grades 10 and 11, delivered to schools during the last quarter of 2003, contain guidelines for teaching the Grade 10 and 11 syllabuses to learners who followed Curriculum 2005 in the Senior Phase of the General Education and Training Band, as well as recommendations for assessment, particularly “assessment for learning”.
7.2 Teachers must ensure that appropriate, adequate and valid assessment for learning takes place. A full programme of assessment is essential and should provide ample opportunities for diagnostic assessment which is integral to the teaching and learning process. Ongoing assessment enables the teacher to keep a tight grasp of learner needs and to adjust the pace and scope of lessons accordingly - providing remediation or enrichment as required. Teachers must keep a record of Assessment for Learning that takes place.
7.3 As manager of the curriculum, the principal must ensure that adequate measures are put in place in the school to support and monitor assessment for learning and to ensure that teaching and learning is positively supported and advanced by the process.

8. Assessment of Learning
8.1 In consultation with teachers an attempt has been made to standardise and to limit the continuous assessment items required for promotion purposes, while addressing, at the same time, issues of quality in the items to be recorded.
8.2 Provincial requirements for 2004 (Grades 10 and 11) and 2005 (Grades 10 - 12) limit the components for recording for promotion purposes to five, namely: examination, tests and 3 other components. In total, between seven and ten tasks are required per subject for promotion purposes. These components are defined for every subject and have been selected because they give an appropriate depth (eg “conduct a resource-based research assignment”) for learners at this level and allow for a suitable range of performances and assessment techniques. These assessment tasks, as well as the assessment for learning tasks decided upon by the teacher, must form an integral part of the teaching and learning process.
8.3 Teachers must keep a record of all assessment activities and ensure that learners receive adequate and appropriate feedback after every assessment activity.
8.4 Continuous Assessment (CASS) Guidelines for every subject are being sent to schools. These guidelines specify WCED CASS promotion requirements, provide support notes and suggest assessment techniques for Grades 10 and 11 in 2004 - 2005 and Grade 12 in 2005.
8.5 Learners, and their parents/guardians should be informed timeously of tasks to be used for summative recording purposes, what the assessment criteria will be and the dates for submission/testing so that they can plan ahead efficiently.
8.6 Every item recorded in the final CASS must have been subjected to internal quality assurance processes which could, for example, be moderation by a head of department or subject head or peer review.

9. School Assessment Policy
9.1 To ensure that assessment is appropriately managed, every school must have an assessment policy.

10. Support in managing and conducting assessment
10.1 The WCED OBE CD ROM, available shortly through your EMDC, has further discussions on Assessment in Module 3 in the sections “OBE in Action” and in “Managing Differentiation”.
10.2 The “WCED Assessment Guidelines for the GET Band” ( Circular 225/2003 ) also contains very useful discussion and explores the definitions of formative (“assessment for”) and summative (“assessment of”) assessment on pages 7 and 8.
10.3 The Curriculum Development website at http://curriculum.wcape,school.za has further support for teachers.
10.4 Providers registered by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) are offering accredited assessment courses. A number of teachers (eg Intermediate Phase teachers under the auspices of the Maths, Science and Technology Strategy) and officials have already benefited from these courses. Schools with funds for professional development may consider providing such training for their teachers.

11. Heads of educational institutions are requested to bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all educators, learners and parents/guardians.

12. Enquiries regarding the contents of this circular may be directed to directors and chief curriculum advisors attached to EMDCs.


SIGNED: J. RAULT-SMITH
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2004:01:19