1. Why we need an honest assessment culture and how to create one.
Simon Smith
05/11/16

2. Aims To clarify what we mean by honest assessment culture? Why?
To look at key features of an honest assessment model?
To explore barriers to honest assessment (I know mine do, you know yours?)
To look at fundamental features of an honest assessment culture.

3. What is honest assessment?
Internal – assessment that supports learners, allows effective planning for need. Allows schools to make most effective use of its resources
External – Information that supports pupils in their transition from one phase to the next and ensures pupils make continued effective progress.

4. WHY?

5. Intelligent Assessment
Better Planning
Better Lessons!
Measuring what matters and using the outcomes to improve teaching and learning
Better lessons means:
Improved differentiation
Improved personalisation
Targeted interventions
Better teaching
Better learning
Could add ofsted perspective, anecdotal re- how the whole cycle links to impact on pupils
How do we get the kids to work on what matters?

6. Empowered and valued teachers
Teachers are free to be more creative with teaching and planning because they are focused on outcomes and the ‘best way to get there’ for every child
Teachers will feel more valued as professionals as they are trusted and empowered to adapt their practice to deliver the agreed outcomes

7. Creates excellent teachers
Trusted, empowered, informed teachers with complete clarity on the Head Teacher’s expectations and a detailed understanding of every child is a strong foundation to develop outstanding teachers and high attaining pupils
With reflective time built in to a teacher’s week to discuss assessment, everyone learns from each other and a child has an optimum learning environment

8. Less marking
Marking became part of the assessment process for the child, and teachers will no longer be marking for a third party audience
There’s less of it. If the marking isn’t helping the child progress then question why you are doing it. The best way for children to make progress is if their work is corrected at the point of making the mistake. Feedback there and then, feeding forward
Marking is only one way of providing feedback – talking works too!
Less marking means more time to think about lesson planning, the approach they are going to take and the children that need attention
Teachers can adapt their lessons in real time to be more challenging or scaled back

9. Change in the classroom model
Teachers have a real focus on ‘what the learning is’ for specific children that day.
Teachers can target their provision where it’s needed. They can start grouping children based on their ability of a specific learning objective that day. This makes learning more personal and effective.

10. ‘If our assessment isn’t honest the only losers are children.’

11. What are the barriers to assessment? Part 1
Understanding what it is
Not knowing how to do it
Finding Time to engage
Not prioritizing values/goals
Finding time to document
Getting support from top leadership
Not using results to inform decision-making
People who prefer anecdotal decision-making
Academic Freedom

12. What are the barriers to honest assessment? Part 2
Internal (Barriers to Honesty)
Performance Management
Accountability
Fear
Lack of support
Lack of moderation
Poor CPD to develop understanding of Assessment system
Targets set by Heads/SLT
Use of systems and algorithms to decide whether pupils are there or not.

13. What are the barriers to honest assessment? Part 3
External (Barriers for schools)
Ofsted
Fear
Raised expectations, ever changing goalposts
Threat of academisation/ floors standards/ coasting schools
DFE LA
MAT
League tables

14. How do we knock down the barriers (Internally)
Remove culture of punitive accountability it doesn’t work
Give staff time to assess
Create culture that supports as well as challenges
Don’t be obsessed by targets
Talk about pupils all the time
Use data to make a difference
Build networks to secure your judgements
Create culture where moderation/scrutiny is “done with” rather than “done to”
Make it important

16. How do we get past the barriers (Externally)
Not a clue!!!
Ofsted Mythbusting document
Work with other schools to develop confidence in your judgements
Understand expectations
Know your children
Get teaching provision right
Focus on progress

17. Assessment Key Questions (March 2015)
Does it Improve Learning and Teaching?
How does it accurately tell us about pupils
How will we know?
How can we make sure it is honest?
Is it easy to use and understand?
Does it improve Learning and Teaching?
Who is the Key audience? (added May 2016 thanks @jpembroke)

18. Solutions Put children and their learning at the centre of assessment
As SLT prioritise discussions about Learning
Create systems that support discussions about pupils and then use info get provision right
Moderate regularly with staff, ‘done with’, develop consensus
Get rid of punitive accountability targets
Create assessment trust
Cry when you look at the SATs papers (only joking)