“In the context of curriculum freedoms and increasing autonomy for schools, it would make no sense to prescribe any one model for assessment. Curriculum and assessment are inextricably linked. Schools should be free to develop an approach to assessment which aligns with their curriculum and works for their pupils and staff”
Commission on Assessment Without Levels, 2015.
…so to, teachers ‘should be free to develop an approach to
assessment which aligns with their curriculum and works for their pupils’. The expectation is
that assessment for learning is continuous; there is no defined or instructed
time-frame. Assessment should form a dialogue between teacher and pupil
with the aim to improve pupils’ understanding, learning and raise achievement.
Assessment should be motivating and meaningful for both teacher and learner -
teachers will glean information about pupil performance and use this to inform
planning and progression for individuals and groups, whilst pupils will have an
acute awareness of what they need to do to improve but more importantly, how to
improve and understand the importance of that progression.
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| Marking everything that moves does not gurantee progress - in fact it is detrimental. Honorous marking burns out teachers and takes away time from more impactful activities such as planning great lessons and delivering them with energy! |
Marking and feedback are key components of effective
assessment but the quantity of marking should not be confused with the quality.
Both the regularity and purpose of marking and feedback should be communicated
to pupils so that they have an informed expectation of assessment. To be
effective, feedback through marking should be about challenging tasks or goals
rather than easy ones. Give feedback about what has been done well and about
what can be done better and ensure that pupils have time to make improvements
and corrections to their work.
Focus on the 3Ms of marking:
- Meaningful
- Manageable
- Motivating
Meaningful marking will vary by age group, subject and what
works best for the pupil and teacher in relation to learning and progress.
Manageable means that marking is proportionate and considers the frequency and
complexity of written feedback, as well as the cost and time effectiveness of
marking in relation to the overall workload of teachers. Motivating marking
should help to motivate pupils’ to progress. This does not mean always writing
in-depth comments, sometimes, short, challenging comments or verbal feedback
can be more effective.
If the teacher is doing more work than their pupils are,
this can become a disincentive for pupils to accept challenges and take
responsibility for improving their work.
Meaningful, manageable, motivating – make it matter.
Jess Pather
Follow Jess on twitter @JPather74
Further Reading
- David Didau - Why Marking is an act of folly
- Tom Sherrington - Get assessment right and reduce workload
