Assessment without levels

1. Assessment without levels Tim Oates Group Director Assessment Research & Development

2. Criteria relating to assessment – ‘Cambridge Approach’ Reliable consistent measurement Valid measures precisely what it claims to measure Sound construct base measures something consistent with curriculum aims Consequential validity the uses to which the assessment is put are technically and ethically sound Beneficial impact the full range of effects are beneficial Utility cost, resource

3. Problems in UK assessment Underdeveloped formative assessment Assessment dominating curriculum thinking Relentless transformation into high stakes Creep in function Escalation of purposes

4. In assessment, the concept of ‘construct’ is vital Multiply three digit numbers Understands and is inventive with metaphor Reads a wide range of books for pleasure Understand the concept of percentage and calculate pc Part played by evaporation and condensation in the water cycle Use the concept of inequality to analyse social relations Understands conservation of mass Measures accurately to quantify oxidation Verbal reasoning Externalising behaviour Diagnoses malignant melanoma Lands with one engine on fire and undercart locked in ‘up’ position

5. Assessments – what do we have? 1 National curriculum tests and tasks - which most pupils in State schools are expected to take 2 Public examinations - which most pupils are expected to take 3 Optional tests and progress tests - which schools can elect to enter pupils for 4 Tests other than national curriculum tests (available from commercial companies) - which many schools choose to use 5 In-course or school-based assessments - which are set throughout a pupil's provision

6. 2002 Daily Mail 105

7. Trends to 2002 • Modularisation in A level • Increasing elaboration of National Assessments (eg mental maths) • Refinement in the form of the national tests • Enforcement of League Table measures (performance tables and targets) • Trends from 2002 • Increase in the battery of national assessments (eg ICT KS3) • Development of new test forms (Single Level National Tests) • State-initiated formative assessment (Assessing Pupil Progress) • Shift from external testing in KS1 to teacher assessment

8. 2012

9. Trends to 2012 Rise in shift to GCSE ‘equivalent’ qualifications, attributed to schools striving to meet national targets Crisis in the practical administration of National Tests Cessation of expansion of National Testing – abandonment of development of KS3 ICT tests Increase in attention to formative assessment including introduction of Assessment of Pupil Performance (oriented to determining ‘levels’ through formative assessment processes) Exploration of innovations in marking (eg rank ordering /paired comparison for national tests in English) Reduction in National Tests (removal of KS3 tests, reduction of KS2 tests from Sci Eng Math to Eng and Math only) Elaboration of targets and measures including introduction of EBac (English Baccalaureate) as a school performance measure Trends from 2012 Introduction of phonics screening test Linear qualifications promoted and modular examinations discouraged or abandoned Contracting model for GCSE-level qualifications (move to single board per subject) Abandonment of APP as a national initiative Greater HE involvement in design and operation of A Levels encouraged

10. 2014 Benchmarking – a means of measuring progression (Bew recommendation) Phonics check KS2 tests Nick Gibb 2010 – ‘..In Primary, apart from KS2 and the phonics check, I have no interest in the assessment which is done…’ Be very careful to read this in the right way – it confirms the professionalism of teachers and deliberate contraction of the role of the State High autonomy in formative assessment

11. Constructs are all-important

12. Progress is: uneven in pace not always ‘upwards’ – spiral curriculum and revisiting for consolidation ‘Levels’ could leave serious gaps and misconceptions because of ‘best fit’ – focus on secure learning in key constructs Expansion may be as important as progression A child who understands A may not ‘get’ B and vice versa High quality assessment and learning – rich questionning, high density assessment (externalisation for child and teacher)

13. Stigler and Stevenson on ability

14. 2010 Levels 3 contrasting, co-existing models 1 the score on a compensation-based test 2 best fit 3 threshold Poor construct integrity Contradictions between school and State Poor communication with parents – parental understanding Undue pace – expectations of Ofsted Labelling – contrary to TGAT

15. The lessons from transnational comparisons High attainment, high equity and high enjoyment is possible Don’t assess everything which moves High density formative assessment is valuable to pupil (externalisation of inner processes) teacher (information on progress, misconception and concept development) and parent (how can I best help my child) ‘Has Alex developed a sufficient understanding of conservation of mass to move to next segment of the learning progression?’ – hence year by year in Primary Spiral curriculum – application of concepts – Singapore Different models of ability and progression – Stigler and Stevenson

16. Living in a levels-free world Wroxham does it Finland, Singapore do it Soft landing as use decays Focus on deep, secure learning of key constructs Implement learning progressions (Schmidt and Prawat)

17. What we may have from 2014 consultation 11 Oct close Year by year statement of content Each school publishing its school curriculum and assessment scheme Levels no longer used Assessment model Benchmarking statutory tests at KS1 M&E – progress measure Phonics screening check end of Yr1 – with cut score Statutory tests at KS2 M&E (scale score and decile reporting) KS2 reported against prior attainment measure – baseline assessment Non-modular GCSE conditioned by accountability measures Non-modular A level VQs

18. Let’s not fool ourselves We have one of the most diverse systems in the world (institutional forms, local structures, size of schools, school transfer, ideas about education….) This was true in 2000 and remains true Many of the structural shifts began years ago (GM, Academies)

19. My ideal Educationally focussed measurement Potent and valid formative assessment Diagnostic assessment – CAT, PIPS, VESPARCH High density, low weight High autonomy in selection and use (assessment schemes) A pull down bank of items Independent measurement for monitoring national standards A switch to high equity and high attainment through attainment measures not progress measures No regression to thresholds (the grade D phenomenon) Professionalisation of assessment expertise – use of local collaborative mechanisms for development and promotion of good practice – getting the right unit of collaboration