Continuous Assessment (CASS) forms an integral part of the basic education framework in South Africa. It helps to ensure that students are regularly assessed according to the curriculum requirements established by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). CASS marks are highly relevant in grade 12, when students appear for the critical matric exams.
The matric exam marks are calculated based on School-Based Assessments (SBA) and the final exams. The SBA accounts for 25% of the final score, and the exams account for 75%. The marks students score during their CASS contribute to the SBA.
In this article, we will explore how CASS marks impact the matric exams, how they are calculated, and tips for improving the scores.
Table of Contents
What is CASS?
Understanding the CASS mark meaning is essential to grade 12 students as these scores can significantly impact their matric marks. These regular assessments are internally marked and measure how well students grasp the curriculum. Students must prepare for these assessments and try to score maximum marks.
Students practice continuous learning when they dedicate time and effort to their CASS assignments and projects. This helps students become proficient in small blocks of topics instead of studying the entire curriculum in one go.
Additionally, if students face any challenges, they can resolve them and clear their conceptual understanding.
CASS is based on informal and formal assessment.
Informal assessment:
- Daily monitoring of a student’s progress by observation
- Classroom interactions with peers and teacher
- Does not need to be recorded
Informal assessment:
- It takes the form of projects, oral presentations etc
- Consists of a specific number of internally marked tasks
- Measures how well students are progressing during the school year
- Marked and recorded by the teacher
CASS and Its Contribution to the Final NSC Mark
Students often wonder, “what is a CASS mark” in South Africa’s matric exams, as it plays a crucial role in determining their overall academic performance. These marks contribute to 25% of the final matric score, and students must perform well on these assessments. The CASS assignments vary for each subject and depend on their complexity and the curriculum structure.
Each CASS assignment is graded on a separate scale, contributing to the overall CASS mark for each subject. The grades are then recorded and added to the matric exam score to determine the final score.
CASS is especially important for Life Orientation, which is a compulsory subject for the matric exams and is 100% based on the CASS marks. This is the only subject in the matric exams which relies entirely on internal grading.
It also plays a vital role in practical subjects such as dramatic arts and dance studies, where practical projects help to hone one’s craft. The skills that students learn in their assignments will affect how well they perform in the practical portion of the matric exam.
Overall, CASS provides continuous feedback on how well a student understands the subject material and highlights areas for improvement.
What are the Components of CASS in Matric?
The methods used to calculate these marks vary between subjects. The DBE releases a detailed Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for each subject, which schools must follow for maximum efficiency.
The CAPS curriculum is divided weekwise and includes recommended assessments, marks, and their weightage when calculating the overall marks. To understand how CASS mark works in matric, let us look at the components of the CASS that contribute to the final matric score.
Tests and Exams
- Tests are conducted on a regular basis and cover a small portion of the syllabus.
- The exams are the mid-year exams, which are internally graded, and the final matric exams, which are externally marked. The mid-year exam contributes to the CASS mark.
Assignments and Projects
- Assignments are small take-home tasks that help determine how well a student copes with the subject.
- This can be problem-solving for subjects such as mathematics and application-based answers for subjects like life sciences.
- Projects are more elaborate and can be individual or part of a group activity.
Practical Work
- These are practical assessments where students need to apply their conceptual knowledge.
- It helps to display that the student has linked the theoretical knowledge to actual tasks.
Orals and Presentations
- Makes up a significant portion of subjects where oral skills are important such as languages, dramatic studies, etc.
- Life Orientation, a 100% CASS mark-based subject, also heavily relies on these assessments, which evaluate the students’ speaking, listening, and presentation skills.
What is the Importance of CASS in Matric?
CASS makes up an important part of the matric because it helps to evaluate progress throughout the year. It helps to keep students engaged with their studies and concentrate on small blocks of information instead of attempting to study the entire curriculum before the final matric exams.
Preparing for CASS will also enable students to form positive study habits, such as creating a timetable and setting daily and weekly targets. This will help make all the CASS assessments achievable.
Some of the benefits of CASS include:
- Students can clear doubts as they arise based on scores of their CASS assessments.
- Allows teachers to change teaching tactics if many in the class are not performing well in CASS.
- It has the potential to improve the overall matric score.
- Students study consistently over the year.
- It takes away the pressure of the final exam because students have continuously prepared over the school year.
Learn How to Make a Timetable for Matric
How is CASS Marked and Moderated?
The CAPS curriculum that the DBE issues clearly defines the curriculum for each subject and includes the CASS assessments that teachers must conduct. It also helps to streamline the teaching process by providing weekly structures that must be followed.
Additionally, to remove the discrepancy in CASS mark calculation, DBE has identified the assessments for each subject, marks allocation, and how they will contribute to the final marks. This helps to bring standardisation into the school system and makes it possible for all students to be judged fairly.
Tips for Improving CASS Marks
Now that we have understood how the CASS mark works in matric, it is easy to recognise its importance. Since these marks form a large percentage of the final matric score, they can make a significant impact. Therefore, students must place importance on their CASS assessments.
These are some tips students can follow to help with their CASS marks.
- Study consistently throughout the year.
- Submit high-quality work where students demonstrate conceptual understanding of the study material.
- Seek feedback and clear doubts to improve future assessments.
- Actively participate in all practical and oral assessments.
What is the Impact of CASS on Final Results?
Since the CASS marks make up 25% of the final matric grade, they can offset a below-average exam performance. In most cases, when students prepare well for CASS and submit assignments and projects on time, they will have a high final exam score.
This is because CASS stresses continuous assessment, and students must establish consistent study habits to maintain a certain level of marks in CASS. If a student underperformed in a subject during the matric exam but has performed consistently for their CASS assessments, it can help boost the overall score.
Read How Are Matric Final Marks Calculated
Conclusion
The matric exams are the most important part of a South African high school student’s life. However, students should not ignore the other elements that contribute to the final matric score. The internally submitted CASS marks make up 25% of the final matric score and can help boost each subject’s overall matric score.
Therefore, students should keep track of their CASS assessments and put in effort to display conceptual understanding when completing the task. This will help them score high marks and also help provide a clear understanding of the topic.
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What is CASS Mark? – FAQs
What is a CASS mark?
CASS stands for Continuous Assessment System and involves regular assessments to evaluate students’ grasp of the curriculum. These marks make up 25% of the final matric score for all subjects other than life orientation.
How to calculate CASS mark for grade 12?
These marks are determined by the number of assessments that are required for each subject and their weightage in contributing to 25% of the final matric score.
What types of assessments are included in CASS?
CASS assessments include tests, projects, practical work, and oral presentations.
What is the difference between informal and formal assessment?
Informal assessments involve daily monitoring and interactions without formal recording, while formal assessments are structured tasks marked and recorded for grading purposes.
What can students do to improve their CASS marks?
To enhance their CASS performance, students can study consistently, submit high-quality work, seek feedback, and actively participate in all assessments.
What happens if a student performs poorly in matric exams but has good CASS marks?
A student with consistently high CASS marks can help offset a below-average performance in the final exam, contributing positively to the overall matric score.
How is the CASS process moderated?
To ensure fairness and standardisation, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) outlines specific assessments, marks allocation, and grading processes in the CAPS curriculum, which all schools must follow.
