Assessment without levels

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Assessment without levels

• Tim Oates
• Group Director
• Assessment Research Development

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Criteria relating to assessment Cambridge
Approach Reliable consistent measurement Valid
measures precisely what it claims to
measure Sound construct base measures something
consistent with curriculum aims Consequential
validity the uses to which the assessment is put
are technically and ethically sound Beneficial
impact the full range of effects are beneficial
Utility cost, resource  
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Problems in UK assessment Underdeveloped
formative assessment Assessment dominating
curriculum thinking Relentless transformation
into high stakes Creep in function Escalation of
purposes  
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In assessment, the concept of construct is
vital Multiply three digit numbers Understands
and is inventive with metaphor Reads a wide range
of books for pleasure Understand the concept of
percentage and calculate pc Part played by
evaporation and condensation in the water
cycle Use the concept of inequality to analyse
social relations Understands conservation of
mass Measures accurately to quantify
oxidation Verbal reasoning Externalising
behaviour Diagnoses malignant melanoma Lands
with one engine on fire and undercart locked in
up position  
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Assessments what do we have? 1 National
curriculum tests and tasks - which most pupils in
State schools are expected to take 2 Public
examinations - which most pupils are expected to
take 3 Optional tests and progress tests -
which schools can elect to enter pupils
for 4 Tests other than national curriculum tests
(available from commercial companies) - which
many schools choose to use 5 In-course or
school-based assessments - which are set
throughout a pupil's provision  
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Detail KS1 1 maths test 1 reading test 1 spelling test 1 writing task KS2 3 maths (non-calculator calculator mental arithmetic) 3 English (reading, writing, spelling handwriting) 2 science KS3 1 reading writing 1 Shakespeare 2 Science 3 maths GCSE Average number taken 9.5 Mode of 2 papers per subject (some have more, others fewer) Advanced level AS in four subjects, for many one of the three units is coursework. Mode approx 10 papers. A2 as for AS, for three subject mode approx 8 Number of tests/ exams KS1 4 KS2 8 KS3 7 GCSE 19 AS 10 A2 8
Total 56
2002 Daily Mail 105
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• Trends to 2002
• Modularisation in A level
• Increasing elaboration of National Assessments
  (eg mental maths)
• Refinement in the form of the national tests
• Enforcement of League Table measures (performance
  tables and targets)
• Trends from 2002
• Increase in the battery of national assessments
  (eg ICT KS3)
• Development of new test forms (Single Level
  National Tests)
• State-initiated formative assessment (Assessing
  Pupil Progress)
• Shift from external testing in KS1 to teacher
  assessment  
•  

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Detail Early Years Reported as a profile of 13 scales, using a score of 0-9, covering cognitive, social, physical and emotional development Yr 1 (age5) Phonics screening check Statutory test, based on reading 40 words and non-words, taken in one week window in June. KS1 Yr 2 (age7) statutory teacher assessment levels for reading, writing, speaking and listening overall level for mathematics and a level for each attainment target in Science. P-scales for pupils with special educational needs. KS2 Yr 6 (age 11) English reading test Level 3-5 (plus Eng level 6 reading test) English grammar, punctuation and spelling test Level 3-5 (plus Eng level 6 test) Mental maths test Maths test A Maths test B (plus level 6 paper 1, paper 2) KS3 Yr 7, 8, 9, Optional tests Eng, Maths yr 9 Science Yr 9 (Age 14) statutory teacher assessment in core and non-core subjects (13 subjects) scale 1-8 in 10 subjects. Modular GCSE Average number of GCSE or equivalent taken 10.9 Mode of 2.5 papers per subject (some have more, others fewer) plus controlled assessment Advanced level AS in four subjects, for many one of the three units is coursework. Mode approx 10 papers. A2 as for AS, for three subject mode approx 8 Number of tests/examinations EYFS 0 KS1 1 KS2 5 (7 for higher ability) KS3 0 GCSE 27 AS 10 A2 8
Total 51 (56 2002)
2012
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Trends to 2012 Rise in shift to GCSE
equivalent qualifications, attributed to
schools striving to meet national targets Crisis
in the practical administration of National
Tests Cessation of expansion of National Testing
abandonment of development of KS3 ICT
tests Increase in attention to formative
assessment including introduction of Assessment
of Pupil Performance (oriented to determining
levels through formative assessment processes)
Exploration of innovations in marking (eg rank
ordering /paired comparison for national tests in
English) Reduction in National Tests (removal of
KS3 tests, reduction of KS2 tests from Sci Eng
Math to Eng and Math only) Elaboration of
targets and measures including introduction of
EBac (English Baccalaureate) as a school
performance measure Trends from
2012 Introduction of phonics screening
test Linear qualifications promoted and modular
examinations discouraged or abandoned Contracting
model for GCSE-level qualifications (move to
single board per subject) Abandonment of APP as
a national initiative Greater HE involvement in
design and operation of A Levels encouraged  
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2014 Benchmarking a means of measuring
progression (Bew recommendation) Phonics check
KS2 tests Nick Gibb 2010 ..In Primary,
apart from KS2 and the phonics check, I have no
interest in the assessment which is done Be
very careful to read this in the right way it
confirms the professionalism of teachers and
deliberate contraction of the role of the State
High autonomy in formative assessment
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Constructs are all-important
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• Progress is
• uneven in pace
• not always upwards spiral curriculum and
  revisiting for consolidation
• Levels could leave serious gaps and
  misconceptions because of best fit focus on
  secure learning in key constructs
• Expansion may be as important as progression
• A child who understands A may not get B and
  vice versa
• High quality assessment and learning rich
  questionning, high density assessment
  (externalisation for child and teacher)

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• Stigler and Stevenson on ability

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2010 Levels 3 contrasting, co-existing
models 1 the score on a compensation-based
test 2 best fit 3 threshold Poor construct
integrity Contradictions between school and State
Poor communication with parents parental
understanding Undue pace expectations of Ofsted
Labelling contrary to TGAT
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The lessons from transnational comparisons High
attainment, high equity and high enjoyment is
possible Dont assess everything which
moves High density formative assessment is
valuable to pupil (externalisation of inner
processes) teacher (information on progress,
misconception and concept development) and parent
(how can I best help my child) Has Alex
developed a sufficient understanding of
conservation of mass to move to next segment of
the learning progression? hence year by year
in Primary Spiral curriculum application of
concepts Singapore Different models of ability
and progression Stigler and Stevenson
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Living in a levels-free world Wroxham does it
Finland, Singapore do it Soft landing as use
decays Focus on deep, secure learning of key
constructs Implement learning progressions
(Schmidt and Prawat)
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What we may have from 2014 consultation 11 Oct
close Year by year statement of content Each
school publishing its school curriculum and
assessment scheme Levels no longer used
Assessment model Benchmarking statutory tests
at KS1 ME progress measure Phonics screening
check end of Yr1 with cut score Statutory
tests at KS2 ME (scale score and decile
reporting) KS2 reported against prior attainment
measure baseline assessment Non-modular GCSE
conditioned by accountability measures
Non-modular A level VQs
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Lets not fool ourselves We have one of the most
diverse systems in the world (institutional
forms, local structures, size of schools, school
transfer, ideas about education.) This was
true in 2000 and remains true Many of the
structural shifts began years ago (GM, Academies)
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My ideal Educationally focussed
measurement Potent and valid formative
assessment Diagnostic assessment CAT, PIPS,
VESPARCH High density, low weight High autonomy
in selection and use (assessment schemes) A pull
down bank of items Independent measurement for
monitoring national standards A switch to high
equity and high attainment through attainment
measures not progress measures No regression to
thresholds (the grade D phenomenon)
Professionalisation of assessment expertise
use of local collaborative mechanisms for
development and promotion of good practice
getting the right unit of collaboration