Assessment serves as a pivotal process within instruction, bridging the gap between teaching and learning. Assessment pertains to the stage of data collection, while evaluation involves the process of making judgments based on the gathered information. Through the analysis of assessment data, teachers derive insights into student progress and the efficacy of instructional plans. It is imperative to analyze assessment data, as assessment devoid of evaluation lacks significance.

The primary objective of assessment is to facilitate informed judgments about student progress and the efficacy of instructional and whole-school initiatives. Schools are obligated to pursue continuous improvement in student achievement and are accountable for the effectiveness of their efforts. To ascertain the standard of student achievement, a diverse array of data-gathering strategies is employed. Both school-based and systemic assessment data are utilized to inform comprehensive school planning. Staff members scrutinize the data to determine the trajectory of future learning programs.

• Assessment should be an integral part of Teaching and Learning

Assessments should naturally align with the curriculum’s teaching objectives and learning goals. They should be carefully designed to provide meaningful insights into students’ progress and support their ongoing learning journey.

• Assessment should be educative 

Assessment practices should be educationally sound and contribute to learning. Assessment activities should: 

      > Encourage in-depth and long-term learning

      > Provide feedback that assists students in learning and informs teachers’ planning: and

     > Make explicit to students that assessment criteria to focus their attention on what they have to achieve and provide students with feedback about their progress.    

Assessment needs to be comprehensive and balanced across various domains of learning. With support, students can learn to assess and evaluate their own learning in a way that further extends that learning. 

• Assessment should be fair 

Assessments must be inclusive and cater to the diverse needs of all students. They should accurately measure students’ understanding of concepts, problem-solving abilities, and the values they embody. A valid assessment is one that accurately evaluates the specific skills and knowledge it aims to assess.

• Assessments should be designed to meet their specific purposes 

There are two purposes of assessment: summative assessment (assessment of learning) and formative assessment (assessment for learning). It is expected that teachers use a balance of summative and formative assessments to gather evidence of student achievement.

Summative assessment involves assessment procedures that aim to determine students’ learning at particular times, e.g., when reporting against the achievement standards, after completion of a unit of work, or at the end of a term or semester. 

Formative assessment involves a range of formal and informal assessment procedures used by teachers during the learning process to improve student achievement and to inform subsequent teaching. It often involves qualitative feedback (rather than scores) that focuses on the details of specific knowledge and skills that are being learnt. 

• Assessment should lead to informative reporting 

Reporting should accurately reflect the formative and summative assessment data collected for each student. The primary purpose of reporting is to provide valuable feedback to students, parents, and teachers. This information also plays a crucial role in informing school-wide and system-wide planning efforts.

• Assessment should lead to school-wide evaluation processes

Highly effective schools prioritise the analysis of both qualitative and quantitative teacher data, as well as standardised test scores. Teachers and school leaders must possess a deep understanding of current and past student achievement levels, clearly articulate improvement goals, and outline specific strategies for monitoring progress toward these targets.

The following strategies enable teachers to find out where students are in their learning: 

• Observations
• Student work samples
• One-to-one conferencing
• Interviews
• Open-ended tasks
• Demonstrations by students
• Teacher-devised tests
• Standardise assessments: Pearson iPrimary 

All student data collected by teachers should be seamlessly integrated into instructional planning. Teachers should convene reguarly in year-level team meetings to discuss student achievement, ensuring consistent evaluation standards and that students meet expected learning outcomes.

Student Feedback

Students are provided with feedback on their performance in a variety of ways: 

• Individual conferencing with students during learning activities:
• Written feedback on work samples:
• Three-way interviews with parents when needed:
• Test results in various learning areas with comments from the teacher highlighting gaps and strengths: 
• End of semester reports
• Pearson iPrimary achievement postcard and certificates

Teachers:

• Develop valid and reliable assessment practices that inform future planning.
• Mark/assess all students learning activities/tasks.
• Ensure that students understand and are involved in the assessment process. 
• Provide specific and timely feedback to students to enhance future learning. 
• Participate in professional collaboration to ensure consistency of judgement.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date student assessment records.
• Reflect on and evaluate their teaching practices. 
• Ensure that duplicate copies of reports are distributed. 

Students:

• Contribute to discussions about assessments at appropriate developmental levels.
• Make constructive and honest assessments to their own and others’ learning using criteria. 
• Develop goals to support ongoing improvement.
• Seek and act upon feedback

Parents:

• Communicate relevant information and feedback that may effect their child’s ongoing learning. 
• Work with their children to set goals for improvement.