Assessment (Part 3): turning it into practice
9 observations about turning assessment theory and policy into practice
Over the past two weeks we’ve shared insights into assessment theory and assessment policy.
Both are essential to get the foundations right for practice.
But how do you translate them into practice?
To help find the answer, Middle Leader and NCETM Researcher - Jessica Dobrowolski - has dug up some of the most practical assessment guidance published by the 21 schools with excellent academic outcomes she has been researching.
9 observations about turning assessment theory and policy into practice
We could have chosen dozens of case studies from the schools we analysed. But here are 9 observations from the schools featured in the full article.
1. Make it clear when and how assessments will take place
If you don’t know when assessments are taking place it’s impossible to plan your teaching, analysis and intervention. Calendars like the one below help paint the big picture for everyone - staff, students, parents and carers
2. Communicate how assessment differs between Key Stages and Year Groups
Standardised testing at Key Stage 4 provides a significant amount of clarity and shared understanding. But a lack of it at KS3 means approaches need to be considered carefully. The guidance associated with it needs to be nuanced and supportive.
3. Outline assessment objectives for all stakeholders
If you don’t know what you want students to know and be able to do before teaching it, assessing their knowledge and skills is useless. Publishing assessment objectives in the policy fixes the goal posts in one place. Doing it for every subject is even better, as in the PE example below.
4. Balance whole school and departmental expectations and nuances
There are some assessment practices which apply to all subjects. Naming them makes doing them that bit easier and therefore more likely to happen across the school. For example…
There are also some practices which are more relevant and applicable to specific subjects. Several policies dedicated space to subject specific approaches which leads on nicely to…
5. Respect subject differences and make policy work for them
Following on from the last point, not every subject is the same. Treating them as if they are constrains teachers’ ability to be creative and have the greatest impact. Asking different subjects to feed into the whole school policy can mitigate that risk, like this PSHE section from a whole school policy:
6. Give HoDs implementation guidance
Just because something is written into policy, it doesn’t mean it will happen. Offering guidance (and training) on how to implement the policy increases the chance it will be implemented. For example this faculty level implementation guidance:
7. Give teachers models and guidance
Showing is always more powerful than telling. Many policies just tell the reader how it should be done. The most practical ones show how it should be done. Here’s an example to support assessment and feedback for spelling, punctuation and grammar.
8. Provide checklists for staff and students
There are many hurdles to theory and policy being translated into practice. We’ve already seen an example of implementation guidance. What else can help? Checklists. Step by step actions that can be followed, tracked and ticked off.
9 Be clear on what happens afterwards
So much work goes into planning, teaching and assessing that it can be easy to forget the bits that come after it: moderation, analysis and intervention. Here’s an example of guidance given to make sure they do happen.
5 more observations we gathered…
We didn’t have space to include all of Jessica’s observations. Here are a few more you can find examples of in the full article:
Provide adaptable templates that respect subject differences
Outline what high impact and low impact retrieval looks like
Don’t forget BTEC processes
Set students (and parent) up for success with parent handbooks
Be aware of impact of assessment on equality and diversity
Schedule and structure SLT and HoD conversations to review assessment
Outline how reporting works: cycles, codes, grades, audiences and more
Share what constitutes malpractice and and what the consequences are
Paying members of the Curriculum Thinkers Community can…
This includes the ability to:
find schools like yours in a filterable and sortable directory of schools and parent engagement strategies
access a bank of 45+ resources: policies, calendars, templates and more
Not a member? Get a trial here
⏯️ Master class replay: training SLT to be experts in line managing subject they don’t teach
In case you missed it, the replay and resources are now available from the master class Julia Quick ran with the brilliant Darren Pearce (Snr. VP) and Aran Davis (AP) at Harris Academy Ockendon.
If you joined us live, please join us in saying a huge thanks in the comments here
Resources include:
Powerful line management - senior leadership roadmap
EOY assessment curriculum impact analysis 2024
Effective evaluation of curriculum impact - presentation
Powerful curriculum thinking - presentation
Access the full analysis and download assessment resources from a single database.
To help you find schools like yours, we’ve created a sortable and filterable directory* of assessment policies, calendars, parents reports and more.
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👨🏫 Year Leader - Mount St Mary’s (Leeds) - apply here
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🤔 Philosophy - The Rawlett School - Lift Schools - (Tamworth) - apply here
🏅PE (Girls) - Winton Community School - Lift Schools - (Hampshire) apply here
👧 KS2 Teacher - New Horizons Learning Centre (Bristol) - apply here
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🇫🇷 French - The Rawlett School - Lift Schools - (Tamworth) - apply here
📖 English - Winton Community School - Lift Schools - (Hampshire) here
📖 English - Fulston Manor (Sittingbourne, Kent) - apply here
🛠️ Design and Technology - The Rawlett School - Lift Schools - (Tamworth) - apply here
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