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Knowledge Tests
To support stuidents to memorise their definitions, students complete weekly knowledge tests across all of their subjects. Knowledge tests are short (between 3 to 5 minutes) and designed to support with retrieval practice – students recall key definitions that have been set for homework and write them down to check if they can recall the definition correctly.
We make reasonable adjustments in knowledge tests for a small number of pupils with SEND who find it more difficult to remember new material.
How do students prepare for a Knowledge Test?
Each week, students are set definitions to learn from their ‘100% booklet’. As part of their homework, students self-quiz these definitions using the ‘read, cover, write, check’ approach. Students should write out their definitions and then correct in green pen.
What happens during a knowledge test?
Students write out the definitions for the key words that they have self-quizzed for homework (see our homework timetable).
Why do students sit a knowledge test?
We know that when students are tested on these definitions, they have to think hard about the definitions and retrieve them from their long-term memory. The effort involved in this process helps students to remember the definitions that they need to be successful.
We’ve carefully selected the definitions in each knowledge organiser to represent the foundational knowledge pupils need to be successful. As a result, we expect students to achieve 100% in their knowledge test. This doesn’t mean that pupils need to write out their definitions word-perfect – but the meaning does need to be accurate.
How many words do students have to learn?
Usually, students in year 7-9 will be set 2-3 items and in year 10-11 it will be 3-5. However, for some topics it may be more because of the nature of the subject.
