This article is targeted at mainstream schools. If you work in a special school, have a look at our article on assessment approaches for special schools.
Understand the different types of assessment
Assessment is essential to see how pupils are progressing, and to understand what needs to change to improve their attainment.
This article is about summative assessment, which should take place regularly and formally to measure progress and attainment. Other forms of assessment include:
- Formative assessment, which takes place in class and is usually teacher-led
- Final summative assessment, which is usually external, like SATs or GCSEs
When planning your assessment system, remember that not every teacher in every subject needs to assess in the same way. Especially if you’re in a primary school, your teachers will need some flexibility due to the number of subjects they teach.
This is explained in paragraph 29 of the