Overview

This article explains the purpose of formative assessment and how to record your formative assessment data in Sonar Tracker. It includes a video explaining how to make your assessments and supporting notes.

When recording your formative data, you can enter it using either the default Curriculum View or the Objective View - both are explained in the video and notes.

Following the removal of the mandatory tracking of National Curriculum levels, a purely formative approach to pupil assessment is often used. The curriculum is broken down into specific abilities which are marked off for each individual as they work towards, and achieve them.

Formative assessment data is merely data. The real educational impact comes from effectively collating and presenting this data. The formative tools in Sonar Tracker let you accurately and consistently record your data. 

Formative tracking enables teachers to record attainment over a range of curriculum content to ensure appropriate coverage and identify any gaps in learning. Additionally, high-quality formative assessment is a valuable tool for informing and supporting your summative assessment decisions.

Primary Formative assessment is used as the example for entering formative assessment in this article, but the same principles apply when entering EYFS Formative assessments.

Entering formative assessments

The following video demonstrates the process of entering formative assessment data:

Opening and entering formative assessments

To open a formative assessment data entry page, follow the steps below:

1. Select Assess.
2. Select Primary Formative from the Teacher Assessments list:
   
3. When prompted, select the Year Group and/or Class for which you wish to enter test results:
   
4. Select Load Assessment.
5. The Choose Strands page opens: 
   
   
   • Select one or more subject strands (check each item you want to view).
   • Select Choose Objectives.
6. The Primary Formative assessment page is displayed in Curriculum View, ready for you to enter your data:
   

Curriculum and Formative views

There are two different views available to select from:

Curriculum View

• The Curriculum View gives a clear view of attainment over the chosen curriculum areas.
• Each objective appears with a shaded breakdown bar beneath it. Use this to enter assessments and view the breakdown of assessments for the selected pupils.
• The academic year, assessment period, subject selection and band can be adjusted using the pull-down menus or the View Options.
• The Curriculum view gives a good overview of assessments for a class of pupils but is designed to be used for groups of pupils working at a similar ability.

Formative View

• The Formative View shows formative data for your pupils by objective, with coloured cells indicating each pupil's assessment data.
• By interpreting the data you input, you can sense and respond to the needs of your pupils by individual objectives as they progress through their learning journey.

Switching between views

1. To switch between views, select View Options:
   
2. Select the view you wish to open:
   
3. If you select Objectives View there are further options open to select from. Make your selections as appropriate:
   
4. Select Update View and the page will change to a grid format with pupils names across the top and objective statements down the side. 

Curriculum View

The Curriculum View give a clear view of attainment over the chosen curriculum areas. It provides a good overview of the assessment data for a class of pupils, but is designed to be used for groups of pupils working at a similar ability. Each objective has a shaded bar below it for entering assessments and displaying the breakdown for selected pupils.

You can change the academic year, assessment time period, subject selection and band as required.

Select Filters access and apply your chosen pupil group.

Select the bar below the text of an objective to record an assessment for the one or more pupils. A picker will appear.

Select the appropriate colour that value will be recorded against the pupil(s) for the chosen objective.

If you want to assess one or more of the displayed pupils at a different level compared to the others:

• Select the text of an objective.
• The pupil list to the left of the objectives reflects the individual assessment state for the currently selected statement.
• If, for example, you want to assess a statement as Achieved for the majority of the current group but Working Towards for one or two, select the bar beneath the statement and assess as Achieved for all pupils.
• To set one or two pupils as Working Towards select the objective text to select it. The ticks next to the names will become coloured squares, representing their individual assessments.
• Select the appropriate colour to amend the assessment on an individual basis.
  Using this method you can enter group assessments rapidly, but also get the essential ability to focus on individual pupils without changing the view.
  The top bar will display both graphically and by percentages the proportions of objectives achieved.  The bar is dynamic and will represent whatever has been selected by the user.
  
• Select Breakdown to display this information in a tabular form for an individual objective or all that are being displayed:
     
  This breakdown gives a useful gap analysis for the objectives that could be used to inform planning focus for groups of pupils.

Objectives View

To enter formative data for a pupil, select the appropriate cell and select the required colour:

You may also choose to use bulk fill. To find out more visit Sonar Tracker: How do I bulk fill data?

All entered data is saved automatically. Please be sure to check the save tick is still showing if you are bulk filling as poor internet connection can sometimes hinder saving.

Updated 18 August 2025 11:01