In grades 1-3 of primary school in Poland, a descriptive assessment system is used instead of traditional numerical grades (1-6). This is part of an early education reform aimed at a more holistic and developmental approach to assessing children. Learn how it works and whether descriptive assessments can be converted to numbers.
What is descriptive assessment?
Descriptive assessment is detailed feedback for the child and parents about learning progress, behavior, and social development.
Instead of a numerical grade (e.g., '5'), the child receives a description, e.g.:
'Anna reads with understanding very well. She can independently solve addition and subtraction problems up to 20. In group work, she shows initiative and helps her classmates.'
Descriptive assessment focuses on:
- The child's strengths
- Areas requiring support
- Progress compared to the previous period
- Individual development (not comparison with other children)
Why descriptive assessment in grades 1-3?
- Reduces stress and fear of grading in young children
- Focuses on development, not comparisons with peers
- Provides more detailed information than a number
- Motivates further learning instead of discouraging with bad grades
- Allows tracking individual child development
Research shows that numerical grades at such a young age can lower children's motivation and self-esteem.
How does descriptive assessment work?
The teacher assesses the child based on:
- Daily observation of classroom work
- Completed written work and projects
- Activity in class
- Social attitudes (cooperation, personal culture)
How often:
- Mid-year descriptive assessment (January/February)
- End-of-year descriptive assessment (June)
- Ongoing feedback during parent meetings
Form of assessment:
- Entry in electronic or paper gradebook
- Opinion at end of semester/year (attachment to report card)
- Individual conversations with parents
Can descriptive assessment be converted to numerical?
OFFICIALLY NO - descriptive assessments have no direct equivalent in the 1-6 scale.
Why?
- Descriptive assessment is multidimensional - it describes many aspects
- It focuses on progress, not a static level
- There is no universal conversion scale
BUT... in practice:
- Some schools use internal rules for 'translating' descriptions to indicative levels (A, B, C, D)
- Teachers sometimes use categories: 'outstanding', 'very good', 'good', 'satisfactory', 'needs support'
- Parents can try to interpret based on keywords used
How to interpret descriptive assessment? Keywords
Indicative 'translation' (unofficial!):
Outstanding level (equivalent to 6 or 5+):
'Excels', 'independently', 'easily', 'fluently', 'very well', 'creatively', 'initiative'
Very good level (equivalent to 5):
'Has mastered', 'manages well', 'correctly', 'properly', 'actively', 'eagerly'
Good level (equivalent to 4):
'Has mastered basic skills', 'performs tasks correctly', 'requires little support'
Satisfactory level (equivalent to 3):
'Requires support', 'with help', 'in progress', 'partially mastered', 'needs practice'
Level requiring intensive support (equivalent to 2):
'Requires significant support', 'has not mastered', 'has difficulties', 'needs help'
These are only indicative equivalents - every teacher writes differently!
Transition to numerical grades in grade 4
From grade 4, the traditional 1-6 grading system is introduced.
How children adapt:
- First half of grade 4 is a transition period
- Teachers often use 'soft' grading (more 5s and 4s at the beginning)
- Teachers explain grading criteria
Tips for parents:
- Don't pressure your child in grade 4 - it's adaptation time
- Explain what grades mean and how they are assigned
- Focus on progress, not comparisons with others
- The first 4 is not a failure - it's a normal learning process
Can a child be retained in grades 1-3?
YES, but only in exceptional situations.
Retention can occur if:
- Child has very significant learning difficulties
- Parents and teacher agree retention is in child's best interest
- Psychological-pedagogical counseling center issued opinion
Procedure:
- Teacher conversation with parents
- Opinion from psychological-pedagogical counseling center
- Parental consent (retention cannot occur without consent)
- Pedagogical council decision
In practice, retention in grades 1-3 is very rare (about 0.1-0.5% of students).
Pros and Cons of Descriptive Assessment
Pros:
- ✓ Less stress and anxiety in children
- ✓ Focus on strengths and development
- ✓ More detailed information for parents
- ✓ Individual approach to each child
- ✓ Greater motivation to learn
Cons:
- ✗ Parents may have difficulty interpreting
- ✗ Lack of 'hard' grading criteria
- ✗ Difficulty comparing progress between children
- ✗ Shock when transitioning to numerical grades in grade 4
Tips for Parents
- Read descriptive assessments carefully - valuable source of information
- Focus on strengths and build child's confidence
- If something is unclear - talk to the teacher
- Don't compare your child with others
- Support areas needing help, but don't pressure
- Don't try to 'convert' to numbers - it's unfair to the child
Summary
- In grades 1-3, descriptive assessment is used, not numerical (1-6)
- Officially you CANNOT convert descriptive to numerical
- Descriptive assessment focuses on development, strengths, and progress
- Keywords can suggest indicative level
- From grade 4, traditional numerical grades are introduced
- Retention in grades 1-3 is an exception, requires parental consent