Assessment Policy

Al Ain American School (AAS)

Assessment Policy

Effective As Of: AY 2024/ 2025 Policy Version: 1.2

Compliance As Of: AY 2025/ 2026 Review Cycle: Annual

Purpose

This Assessment Policy is aligned with the ADEK School Assessment Policy, Version 1.2

(September 2025). It supersedes previous AAS assessment guidance and will be effective

beginning AY 2024/25 (Fall), with full compliance expected by AY 2025/26 (Fall). The policy

aims to ensure valid, reliable, fair, and ethical assessment practices that support learning,

certification, and accountability.

Scope

This policy applies to all students, staff, and subjects offered at AAS (KG–Grade 12),

encompassing internal assessments, ADEK-mandated School-Based Assessments (SBAs),

international assessments (e.g., PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS), and any external qualifications.

Principles

➢ Assessment for Learning: Emphasizes frequent formative assessments accompanied by

actionable feedback.

➢ Assessment of Learning: Involves summative judgments aligned with established

standards and course objectives.

➢ Assessment as Learning: Aims to cultivate assessment-capable learners who understand

goals and criteria and can engage in self-assessment.

➢ Validity & Reliability: Ensures that assessment tools are aligned with intended constructs,

incorporating moderation and standardization.

➢ Fairness & Inclusion: Accommodations and modifications should reflect students' typical

methods of working, supported by documented evidence.

➢ Integrity & Security: Mandates adherence to invigilation, logging, and reporting

procedures, with a zero-tolerance policy for malpractice.

➢ Sustainability & Transparency: Advocates for a digital-first approach where appropriate,

minimizing paper usage, and ensuring clear communication with parents.Compliance & Effective Dates

This policy is in accordance with the ADEK School Assessment Policy, Version 1.2 (September

2025). It will take effect from AY 2024/25 (Fall) and will require full compliance by AY 2025/26

(Fall).

Planning & Calendars

AAS will submit its internal and external assessment calendar, which includes SBAs, board/pre-

collegiate examinations, and international assessments, to the ADEK Activity System – School

Assessment module at least one week prior to the commencement of the academic year. The

calendar will detail assessment windows, make-up dates, moderation checkpoints, and reporting

timelines.

Participation in ADEK SBAs

AAS will ensure a minimum participation rate of 97% for ADEK-mandated SBAs in Grades 3–

9/Years 4–10. Students who are absent during the primary assessment window will be scheduled

for make-up sessions within the approved timeframe.

Academic Grades vs. Other Indicators

Academic grades will exclusively reflect students’ achievements in relation to curriculum

standards. Attendance, behavior, engagement/attitude, and standardized benchmark results will

be documented and reported separately, in accordance with ADEK reporting requirements.

International & External Assessments

AAS will administer ADEK-required international assessments (e.g., PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS),

analyze the resulting reports, and align internal assessments with these frameworks. Targets and

results will be communicated with staff, students, and parents to promote continuous

improvement.

AAS may also implement non-mandatory assessments (e.g., English language identification,

cognitive ability screening, Arabic proficiency diagnostics). Parents will not incur costs for such

assessments; expenses will be covered by the school. Where necessary, these tools will be

ADEK-approved.

Assessment Integrity & Security

AAS will implement training for invigilators, establish exam-room standards, maintain version

control, ensure secure storage and transfer of materials, and log any incidents. All violations will

be documented and reported to ADEK as required. The school will comply with Federal Decree

Law No. (33) of 2023 regarding cheating and test security.Data Protection & Sharing

Student assessment data will be protected under Federal Law No. (45) of 2021 and ADEK’s

Digital Policy. No student assessment data will be shared with any third party without parental

consent and ADEK approval, where applicable.

Accommodation & Modifications

Eligibility for accommodation and modifications will adhere to established provider guidelines

and documented student needs; arrangements will reflect the student’s typical methods of

working. Records will be accessible to educators and invigilators. When standardized diagnostic

testing is required for eligibility, AAS will conduct in-house testing or direct parents to approved

providers.

Standardization & Moderation

AAS will maintain standardization and moderation processes before, during, and after

assessments. Departments will sample scripts (a minimum of 10 scripts or 10% of entries,

whichever is greater) for blind double-marking and calibration. Discrepancies will prompt re-

marking and professional development initiatives.

Reporting & eSIS Compliance

All grades uploaded to eSIS will comply with ADEK benchmarks and AAS grading definitions.

Parents will receive timely and comprehensible reports that include distinct sections for

achievement, effort/behavior, attendance, and standardized benchmarks.

Monitoring, Review, and Governance

This policy will undergo an annual review. AAS will maintain internal indicators (participation

rates, reliability indices, moderation discrepancy rates, turnaround times) to assess effectiveness

and will seek Governing Board approval each year.

Appendix A — Cycle 3 (Grades 9–12, American Curriculum): Credits, GPA, and Weightings

➢ Credit System & Progression: Courses will carry credits, and progression and graduation

will depend on credit accumulation as approved by AAS and ADEK.

➢ GPA on Transcripts: GPA will be reported on both percentage and 4.0 scales using the

ADEK conversion table.

➢ Weighting: Summative assessments will constitute 60% of the course grade, while the

remaining 40% will include formative and coursework components aligned with

standards.➢ Credit Recovery: Where permitted, students may pursue credit recovery in accordance

with ADEK and AAS regulations; transcripts will indicate recovered credits as per

guidelines.

Appendix B — Assessment Operations: Study Leave, Exam Leave, and Attendance Coding

For Cycle 3, AAS may grant up to four weeks of study leave for board/pre-collegiate

examinations, subject to ADEK approval. If examinations cannot be conducted on-site,

examination leave may be granted; attendance will be coded in eSIS as authorized absence in

accordance with ADEK guidance.

Assessment Procedure

Aligned with AAS Assessment Policy (2025/26)

Planning and Calendar Management

➢ The Assessment Coordinator is responsible for drafting the annual internal and

external assessment calendar at least six weeks prior to the commencement of the

academic year.

➢ The draft calendar is subject to review by Academic Heads and the Principal to ensure

that no student is scheduled for more than two summative assessments on a single day.

➢ The finalized calendar is uploaded to the ADEK School Assessment Module one week

before the academic year begins.

➢ The calendar includes designated make-up dates and moderation checkpoints.

Participation in ADEK SBAs

➢ The Assessment Coordinator ensures a participation rate of at least 97% in School-Based

Assessments (SBAs) for Grades 3–9.

➢ Students who are absent during the primary assessment window are automatically

rescheduled for approved make-up sessions.

➢ The Head of Inclusion (HoI) confirms necessary accommodations for students with

Additional Learning Needs (ALN) at least two weeks prior to the SBA windows.Internal Assessment Operations

➢ Teachers are required to design assessment tasks at least three weeks prior to the

scheduled assessment and submit them for review by the Academic Head.

➢ All assessment tasks must include accompanying rubrics and marking schemes.

➢ Approved assessment tasks are stored digitally with restricted access.

➢ Assignments for invigilators are disseminated one week in advance, and training sessions

are conducted each term.

Integrity and Security

➢ Invigilators are responsible for verifying student identity upon entry and enforcing

examination room protocols (e.g., clear desks, prohibition of electronic devices).

➢ Examination materials are securely stored in locked facilities; digital versions utilize

version control and access logs.

➢ All incidents of malpractice (including cheating, impersonation, and misuse of artificial

intelligence) are documented in the incident register and reported to ADEK in accordance

with Federal Decree Law No. (33) of 2023.

Standardization and Moderation

➢ Pre-assessment: Departments convene to establish grade boundaries and exemplars.

➢ During marking: Blind double-marking is implemented for at least 10% of assessment

scripts (or a minimum of 10 scripts, whichever is greater).

➢ Post-assessment: Outcomes of moderation are documented; discrepancies exceeding 5%

necessitate re-marking and continuing professional development (CPD) for assessors.

Grading and Reporting

➢ Academic grades reflect achievement only; behavior, attendance, and engagement are

reported separately.

➢ Teachers are required to upload grades to the electronic Student Information System

(eSIS) within five school days following final moderation.

➢ Reports will include:✓ Achievement grades (aligned to established standards)

✓ Indicators of effort and behavior

✓ Attendance records

✓ Benchmark results (e.g., MAP, PISA, TIMSS, if applicable)

➢ Parent-teacher meetings are scheduled each term, with additional sessions organized for

at-risk students.

Accommodations and Modifications

➢ The Inclusion Team is responsible for validating student eligibility for accommodations

(e.g., additional time, assistive technology, scribe services, enlarged print).

➢ Arrangements must align with the student’s normal mode of working and adhere to the

requirements set forth by external providers.

➢ All accommodations are documented in eSIS and made accessible to invigilators.

International and External Assessments

➢ AAS administers all ADEK-mandated international assessments (PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS)

according to the established schedule.

➢ Assessment reports are analyzed by the Assessment Coordinator and disseminated to staff

and parents during the subsequent Senior Leadership Team (SLT) meeting.

➢ Internal assessment frameworks are adjusted in accordance with international

benchmarks.

Data Protection

➢ Assessment data is stored within secure eSIS modules.

➢ No sharing of data with third parties is permitted without parental consent and ADEK

approval, in compliance with Federal Law No. (45) of 2021.

➢ Access rights to assessment data are reviewed on a termly basis by the Assessment

Coordinator and the IT Manager.Special Provisions for Cycle 3 (Grades 9–12)

➢ A credit system is implemented in accordance with the ADEK conversion table, with

student progression tracked each semester.

➢ Summative assessments account for 60% of the overall grade, while coursework

constitutes 40%.

➢ The Grade Point Average (GPA) is recorded on both a percentage scale and a 4.0 scale.

➢ Options for credit recovery must receive prior approval from the principal and be

documented on student transcripts.

Study Leave and Attendance Coding

➢ For board or external examinations, students may be granted up to four weeks of study

leave, subject to ADEK approval.

➢ Attendance during this period is recorded in eSIS as authorized absence.

➢ Examination leave outside of school requires clearance from ADEK and must be

documented in the student file.

Monitoring and Review

1. Quarterly audits will assess participation rates, moderation discrepancy logs, and

turnaround times.

2. An annual review will be conducted with the Assessment Coordinator preparing a report

for the Governing Board.

3. Instances of non-compliance will be addressed through a corrective action plan

implemented within two weeks.Prepared By: School Policies Committee Approved By: Reviewed By: Operational Lead

School Principal