Wood-Wallace, d (2016) ‘The Role of Assessment in Teaching and Learning’

a) School Assessment Tracker:

I have contributed to and planned from my second school’s assessment tracker (appendix B2-B4). Aligned with the National Curriculum objectives, the data stored within the tracker can be submitted and moderated as part of the national standard. Although the tracker can be used formatively to inform teaching and learning on a more immediate basis (PLB, 2011), the summative data the tracker assigns to pupils can also be used as a stand-alone score to assess and evaluate the progress and attainment of individual pupils (appendix B3), vulnerable groups (appendix B7-8) and subjects (appendix B2). This is the only way my second school summatively record the progress of pupils (other than through national summative assessments such as SATs).

b) Rising Stars Assessment Packs:

In addition to this, within my base school I have also experienced the Rising Stars Assessment Packs for end of unit assessments (appendix B1), along with the Rising Stars mini grammar and arithmetic tests on a weekly/fortnightly basis (appendix B5-6). In the aftermath of the new ‘assessment without levels’ the school (and other schools in the same alliance) are currently using the Rising Stars Assessments along with the National Curriculum objectives and a list of non-negotiables as a way to summatively assess pupils. Using these, the alliance has released a speculated alignment between Rising Stars test scores and the age related expectations. These are then utilised by the schools to identify (and colour code -appendix B1) where pupils are positioned in terms of meeting the age related expectations. The results of the tests (appendix B1) are used summatively and shared and moderated within the alliance to give a ‘concise summary of students’
abilities’ (Mansell et al., 2009). The results can then also be used formatively to plan teaching and learning around the gaps identified from the tests (appendix B1, B5-6).
Evaluating these experiences of using summative assessment within school, I have found these to be useful ways of summatively recording data; as they allow the teacher and other interested persons to assess (at a glance) whether the ‘intended learning outcomes’ have been met (IUB, 2015). They also contribute to teaching and learning by giving an overall picture of learning (Timmis, 2013). Data from these

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Wood-Wallace, D (2016) ‘The Role of Assessment in Teaching and Learning’ The University of Nottingham (PGCE): Academia

methods can contribute easily to national records, and can be compared between terms (appendix B1-2), vulnerable groups (appendix B7-8) and subjects (appendix B1-2, B4-6), in order to accurately measure student growth after learning is delivered (EPPI-Centre, 2002). Indeed it is widely agreed ‘for summative assessment to be effective and useful, the results…need to be compared with some sort of a
standard’ (Bilash, 2011: 1). In evaluation against the Teachers’ Standards, it could be argued that they clearly demonstrate ‘accurate and productive use of
assessment’ (DofE, 2011: 1). I have found them to be useful in giving a comprehensive overview of how learning has progressed within school, giving a concrete location of where the school sits nationally. From these assessments I am able to see clearly the areas that students are struggling in, and are then able to address these within teaching and learning on a more formative basis, by implementing interventions and altering planning to close the gaps in knowledge.

2) Experiences of Formative Assessment:

In terms of formative assessment, there are various ways in which I have implemented this within school in order to improve pupils’ progress (see Self-Assessment of Standards Grid, appendix A, C).