Formative Assessment
What is formative assessment?
Formative assessment is a method of assessment also known as assessment for learning. Formative assessment informs planning rather than giving children a grade/mark for a piece of work. Kyriacou (2009:98) states 'formative assessment focuses on giving feedback to pupils during a course, aimed at promoting self-understanding and motivation, and which will help them to improve the standard of their work.' Through the feedback, this type of assessment is then used to inform planning. It can inform whole class planning or put focus on an individual child or group of children to target a specific area of the curriculum or development.
Image of what formative assessment includes.
What does good assessment for learning include?
Good assessment for learning makes:
If all of these descriptors of good assessment are in place it ensure that assessment for learning is being used in the best possible way and to benefit children the most.
- an accurate assessment – knowing what the standards are, judging pupils’ work correctly, and making accurate assessments linked to National Curriculum levels;
- a fair assessment – knowing the methods used are valid;
- a reliable assessment – ensuring that judgements are consistent and based on a range of evidence;
- a useful assessment – identifying barriers to pupil progress and using that information to plan and discuss the next steps in learning.
- a focused assessment – identifying areas of a child’s learning where there are blocks to progression, which might, for example, benefit from the attention of one-to-one tuition;
- for continuity of assessment, enabling better transfer between years and schools.
If all of these descriptors of good assessment are in place it ensure that assessment for learning is being used in the best possible way and to benefit children the most.