National Curriculum and Formative Assessment

Teachers draw on the National Curriculum to develop learning experiences for the pupil that will enable them to achieve the highest standards of learning that they can. This includes utilizing optimal assessment strategies, to build on student's knowledge and to strengthen knowledge deficits, so that over time progress in knowledge can be identified¹ Assessment procedures need to be both challenging and obtainable as they facilitate a student's sense of self, and a sense of confidence in their learning abilities. Formative assessment requires the teacher to feed back to the students' information that provides the students with opportunities to improve on their learning, or that encourages the students to reflect on their own learning.²

In contrast to summative testing, which occurs with standardised tests, formative assessment provides in-depth, immediate and contextualised information about a student's level of knowledge and their understanding of a particular topic.³ The reflective and engaging nature of formative assessments supports teachers in becoming better assessors, and to focus on the quality of a student's learning and understanding, rather than the quantity of work they have undertaken The sole use of summative testing results in teachers being ignorant of the true understandings, strengths and weaknesses of their students. Formative assessment can aid in narrowing the gap between high and low achievers in the classroom.²

The use of formative assessment requires a learner-centered approach to teaching, as the student is the end user of the assessment information. Effective formative assessment focuses on feedback regarding scientific tasks, and not the student. Hence, feedback focuses on the particular qualities of the student's work, with suggestions for improvements, and without comparisons to classmates. The ideal form of this requires that the student develop the ability for 'self-assessment', which allows them to demonstrate their understanding of the goal of the task and their learning.