If you ask ten different people what assessment is, you’ll likely get ten different answers. These would probably range from ‘It’s a test,’ to ‘It’s about measuring a skill or attribute,’ to ‘It’s trying to understand what pupils can do – their knowledge and understanding of a subject.’ The term ‘assessment’ also conjures up an array of associated terms: scaled or standardised scores, assessment for learning, progress measures, target setting, accountability measures, high/low stakes, performance tables and so on. Your answer will depend on who you are and how you use assessments.

When teamed with issues around testing and accountability, assessment can sometimes attract bad press. However, its remit is actually a broad one. Best classroom practice comprises a virtuous circle of teaching, learning and assessment. A key step in good assessment is understanding what you want to achieve in your teaching, and this should be at the heart of assessment decisions.

When making these decisions, consideration should be given to a range of factors, such as the purpose of each assessment, the type and mode of delivery, and when and how to use them. 

The purpose of assessment is a key to determining how assessments are developed and used. Educational assessments have varying purposes, but when we consider primary assessments they usually fulfil one or more of the following functions:

• diagnosing areas of learning that require further development/consolidation
• measuring attainment and monitoring progress (this may be for formal/informal use and for school and/or national use)
• providing value-added data, e.g. for assessing the progress pupils are making over a period of time
• monitoring national standards over time
• allowing for international comparisons
• informing professional development and training for teachers.

The purpose of the assessment will inform the type of assessment to be/being developed – there are two main types:

• Summative assessment shows what a pupil has achieved at the end of a period of time, relative to the learning aims and, where appropriate, the relevant national standards.
• Formative assessment takes place on a day-to-day basis during teaching and learning, allowing attainment and progress to be assessed more frequently and supporting teachers to identify and address areas of relative strength and weakness for future planning. It can be flexible in its design and can accommodate a range of pupils’ needs and preferences. 

People often perceive assessments as a written exercise either on paper or onscreen. However, there has always been a wider range of assessment methods, for example, observation, conversation or tasks which can be recorded through visual media or audio recordings.

In recent times, the mode of assessment has further evolved. One of the impacts of remote learning during the pandemic has been greater use of online assessment which has opened up new opportunities. For example, online quizzes are a means of establishing what children know about a topic whilst the ability to share responses with their teacher and peers helps to facilitate ongoing and constructive dialogue about pupils’ learning.

As the use of technology increases, we expect to see greater use of online formats including the possibility of computer adaptive tests or personalised testing. This sophisticated digital method has the potential to improve pupil experience by giving them assessments which are closely matched to their ability.

These different assessment types and modes are explored more fully in related blogs in this series. 

Where used appropriately by key stakeholders, be they class teachers, schools or governments, well-designed assessments are an integral feature of good teaching practice in the primary phase. They provide valuable information which will benefit pupils by, for example, identifying learning gaps and allowing teachers to target their support accordingly. They can also identify or confirm good practice. National assessments provide important information on the performance of pupils and schools, as well as performance at a national level. Such information allows policymakers, teachers and school leaders to respond and, hopefully, make a difference to future generations of children, regardless of their background, ensuring that the virtuous circle continues.

Experts from across primary assessment have delved into some of the different types of primary assessment below. Read on to find out more.

Clare Sealy, Head of Education Improvement, Education Office at the State of Guernsey

The language of summative and formative assessment is used to distinguish between assessments used for different purposes. In a nutshell, formative assessment helps guide further learning; summative assessment evaluates learning at the end of a period of study, often by comparing it against a standard or benchmark.

Formative assessment often includes diagnostic assessment, motivational assessment and self-assessment. Summative assessment comprises of informative assessment and evaluative assessment.

But which one’s right for you? Read expert perspectives on formative and summative assessment strengths and weaknesses.

Kate Henshall, Head of School Improvement: Primary Maths, Trinity Multi-Academy Trust

Diagnostic assessments are exactly what the name suggests – they diagnose a pupil’s understanding of a concept and help the teacher, and pupil, identify the pupil’s strengths and weaknesses. For this reason, they tend to be used at the beginning of a topic but can also be used during a topic to determine if a core concept has been understood. Diagnostic assessment data can support teachers in adapting a learning sequence by including additional steps/re-teaching where there are gaps in understanding.

As with all assessments, there are benefits and challenges to diagnostic assessments. They can highlight gaps in knowledge, inform curriculum design, provide a baseline and instant feedback, and provide quality data. On the flip side, they are time consuming to administer and analyse, can be hard to design, and may overstate a pupil’s understanding.

Read more about why I feel they are a great way of adapting a scheme of learning to suit the needs of a specific group of children.

Louise Bailey, Research Manager at NFER

‘I’ve heard the term computer-based assessment, but I’m not exactly sure what it is…’

In its simplest form, computer-based assessment (CBA) involves assessing pupils by means of computers and electronic devices rather than using more traditional pen and paper methods.

CBAs come with many benefits – allowing for more innovative types of questions, for example, simulations and animations, helping to decrease teacher workload, reducing pupils' wait time for results, and acknowledging  the role screens play in the everyday lives of children,. However, with these benefits come hurdles including computer equipment, reliable internet connection and pupil familiarity with the chosen devices.

So, are CBAs right for you? Read more about CBA.

Angela Hopkins, Head of Assessment Services at NFER.

Over time, we have seen a number of proposals for reviews and alternative visions for assessment and accountability arrangements In 2021 the Education and Skills (EDSK) published its report, Making Progress: The future of assessment. A key recommendation was that England should move to online adaptive tests to track the performance and progress of primary-aged pupils.

The concept of computer adaptive tests (CAT) has been around for some time, for example tiering, a fairly basic form of adaptive testing is used in many GCSE exams. However, it is believed the use of a CAT, based on algorithms, enables a more sophisticated use of adaptive testing.

Improving pupils’ experience during assessments is central to the value placed on CATs, but as a tool, it must be rigorously piloted to ensure the assessment will function as intended, produce reliable data and results in valid measurements. Find out why.