Developing a consistent assessment system

Last reviewed on 5 November 2021
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 10207

A strong whole-school assessment system is key to monitoring pupil progress and attainment effectively. Find guidance on how to review or redevelop yours to make sure it's fair and consistent.

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Contents

  1. A consistent assessment system benefits teachers and pupils
  2. Start with some preparation before you align your approach
  3. Review what information you have and need in your system
  4. Make sure your system is manageable and practical
  5. Finalise the details of your consistent system
  6. Moderate assessment consistency with regular reviews of work
  7. Set out how you'll monitor your assessment system in your policy

A consistent assessment system benefits teachers and pupils

It’s consistent when:

  • Teachers:
    • Understand how to apply assessment to the curriculum they’re teaching
    • Plan with assessment in mind, which means when they’re planning units of work and lessons, they’re also thinking when and how they're going to assess whether pupils understand the content
    • Have secure subject knowledge, so they know how to apply the assessment system to any/all of the subjects they teach
  • Pupils:
    • Understand the criteria that their learning and work is assessed against 
    • Have clear expectations of assessment
    • Know what they should understand and be able to do at the end of a lesson or topic

Apply it flexibly across the whole school and curriculum

This doesn't mean that every teacher in every subject has to assess the same way.

It's worth noting that Ofsted

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