Case Studies and testimonials / Mulgrave School
Mulgrave School, The International School of Vancouver
Personalising learning with CEM assessments
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Mulgrave School, The International School of Vancouver, is a large Independent day school in British Columbia, Canada offering the International Baccalaureate curriculum to students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. It has a reputation for academic excellence whilst providing a broad, holistic education.
Mulgrave School is at the forefront of the use of data in North America. Michael Moore, Director of ATL Skill Development & Data for Learning, explains how Mulgrave School has been using data from CEM assessments for over 10 years to identify individual learning needs, support high academic achievement in the IB Diploma Programme and personalise learning for all students.
The CEM data helps us to focus on the students and be exceptional at knowing them deeply, enabling them to achieve their personal best.”
Knowing students better
“Mulgrave School is a very academic school, but we also aim to develop well-rounded students,” Michael explains.
“A hallmark of our school is that it is a really tight community. There is a very strong sense of support for each individual student so that we can personalise learning. The CEM data helps us focus on the students and be exceptional at knowing them deeply, enabling them to achieve their personal best.”
Personalising learning for all students
Mulgrave School makes use of many aspects of the CEM data, conducting analysis of individual student and year group data, as well as using the data to identify what works well and what might need adjustment.
“We assess our students with InCAS (now evolved into Cambridge Primary Insight) in Grades 1, 3 and 5; with MidYIS in Grade 7, Yellis in Grade 9 and then CEM IBE with students in the IB Diploma Programme.
“Once our students have taken the assessment, we have a clear and continuous process to use the assessment data to feed into personalised and high-quality teaching and learning for all students.
“We begin by looking at each individual’s assessment scores and identifying those students who have consistently above average, consistently below average and mixed profiles.
“We do this for each student in each year group and share the information with teachers, identifying each student’s cognitive profile, and areas of strength and weakness. The CEM data is used along with data from our reporting cycle to plan differentiated activities in the classroom to support specific students and target specific skills. It is also used to evaluate ongoing achievement levels.”
Goal setting
Mulgrave school also use the predictive data and Chances Graphs from the CEM IBE assessment as part of their robust goal setting process, and to understand potential outcomes for each subject in the IB Diploma Programme. Michael explains:
“We really like having the CEM Chances Graphs to inform our conversations with students to set academic goals together.
“We have termly report cards and use the data from these to reflect on how students are doing throughout the IB Diploma Programme. The CEM predicted grade, and students’ own current attainment levels and personal goals are used to evaluate each student’s progress.
“The CEM data helps us assess each student’s potential, in subject planning in order to differentiate the learning, in tracking progress across the two years, and it’s also useful in discussion with parents as it can help to shape parental expectations around potential exam performance.”
We find a very useful aspect of CEM data is as a reflective tool, to ask questions rather than making judgements.”
Reviewing what works
“As well as a tool for teaching and learning, one of things we find most useful is to use the CEM data as a reflective tool. One of the most useful things about having the CEM data, it gives us information to ask questions rather than making judgements. We review our achievements as a way of learning and we look back on the CEM value-added data to see what has worked and what can be done in the future.
“Really, it’s all about the students, so we keep focused on students and improving their learning. The CEM data is just one data point we use – but it’s an important data point and one that helps us sharpen the focus on each individual.”
Why use CEM assessments at Mulgrave School?
CEM assessments help us focus on the individual and know our students better.
We can use the information to ask the right questions, rather than make judgements.
The CEM data is just one – important - data point.