Developing policy, principles and practice in primary school science assessment

1. Developing policy, principles and practice in primary school science assessment Professor Derek Bell Teacher Assessment in Primary Science (TAPS) Project Cluster meeting 23 October 2013 Newton Park Campus, Bath Spa University

2. The report…

3. Why the report? • Opportunity of the curriculum review to take a fresh look and to consider a principled approach to assessment, taking into account: • importance of formative use of assessment in helping learning • need to re-establish an inquiry-based pedagogy • promote progression in learning • improve value of summative use of assessment

4. Principles: in relation to function Assessment should: • ultimately improve pupils’ learning • be aligned with the full range of learning objectives of the whole school curriculum • be an integral part of teaching that enables pupils to understand the purpose of their activities and to improve the quality of their work • combine qualitative and quantitative data of different kinds, from a variety of individual and group learning activities including pupils’ self-assessment, to inform decisions about pupils’ learning and achievements • be understood as providing data about pupils’ learning outcomes in the form of approximations and samples, subject to unavoidable variations.

5. Principles: methods and procedures Assessment should: • promote the active engagement of pupils in their learning and its assessment, enabling and motivating them to show what they know and can do • include explicit processes to ensure that information is valid, reflecting all important learning goals, and is as reliable as necessary for its purpose • meet standards that reflect a broad consensus on quality at all levels from classroom practice to national policy • be realistic and manageable for pupils and teachers, with transparent time demands and requiring no more collection of pupils’ work than is a normal part of teaching and learning.

6. The flow of assessment data • National Performance • Sample testing of groups of pupils Feedback to schools • Class and school records • School ‘Annual Report’: the end of Upper Key Stage 2 • Internal school evaluation: at the end of each key stage Flow of information Feedback in schools • Individual pupil assessment and records • Summative judgements of progress of pupils at each key stage • Annual reporting to parents • On-going formative assessment

7. Planning for assessment: making a start • What do we want pupils to learn – know, understand and be able to do? • How can we assess these objectives? • Purpose of assessment • Conducting assessment • Recording and reporting of attainment and progress • Making summative judgements

8. Planning for accountability? • Do not confuse the two: • Assessment = individual children? • Accountability = school? • What are the accountability benchmarks? • What data is need to provide the information? • How is that data tracked to show trends? • How can unintended consequences be avoided?

9. Key points • Plan assessment as integral part of the curriculum • Be clear about the purpose of the assessment – is it true to the fundamental principles? • Don’t let statutory summative assessment ‘tail’ subvert the formative use of assessment as a key element of high quality teaching and learning

10. Two issues to be addressed… • What do indicators of progress look like? • How can we provide summative assessment information that meets statutory requirements?

11. Some references: Developing policy, principles and practice in primary school science assessment: http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/Developing_policy_principles_and_practice_in_primary_school_science_assessment_Nuffield_Foundation_v_FINAL.pdf Assessment & Inquiry-based science education: issues in policy and practice: http://www.interacademies.net/File.aspx?id=21245 Contact details: derek@campanulaconsulting.co.uk