Assessment In England Research Articles

The development and consequences of national curriculum assessment for primary education in England

Background: In 2008 primary education in England reached, historically, another important phase in its development. Government reviewed the primary curriculum and some aspects of the national system of assessment. These government reviews coincided with an independent Primary Review based at the University of Cambridge to which the authors of this article contributed one of the research surveys. Purpose: The main aim of the article is to review research and other evidence about the development of national curriculum assessment in England since 1988. Some historical background is also provided about the period pre-1988. Sources of evidence: The main source of evidence is significant research studies that have shown the impact of national curriculum assessment on teachers and pupils. Main argument: The evidence shows that there were gains in national curriculum test scores up to 2000 but that they then plateaued. The research evidence reveals a number of negative consequences of the implementation of a ‘high stakes’ national assessment system in England. Conclusions: It is concluded that greater emphasis on appropriate formative assessment strategies would be of benefit to pupils. The replacement of a high stakes assessment system with a system of sampling in order to evaluate educational progress nationally is also recommended.

Determining validity in national curriculum assessments

Background: Validity is a central concern in any assessment, though this has often not been made explicit in the UK assessment context. This article applies current validity theorising, largely derived from American formulations, to national curriculum assessments in England. Purpose: The aim is to consider validity arguments in relation to the multiple purposes which national curriculum assessments serve. This is because validity is now understood in terms of how the test results are interpreted and used. Multiple purposes mean multiple uses of the results, each requiring justification. Sources of evidence: A validity framework for national curriculum assessments is presented which is organised around purposes, fitness-for-purpose, reliability and the interpretation and impact of the results. Current tests are evaluated against this framework. Main argument and conclusions: The analysis finds the national test regime successfully meets some of the common threats to validity. The main concerns are about the multiple high-stakes purposes for which the tests are used and their impact on teaching and learning. Some alternative approaches are then considered, which could reduce the burden of interpretation which the tests currently bear.

Health inequalities in England, Scotland and Wales: Stakeholders' accounts and policy compared

The election of a Labour government in 1997 brought the issue of health inequalities firmly back on to the policy agenda across the UK. Since then, in the wake of devolution, the need to tackle health inequalities has been highlighted as a policy priority in all three mainland UK countries, albeit with varying degrees of emphasis. This paper reports on a major cross-national study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, investigating how National Health Service bodies, local councils and partnerships make sense of their work on health inequalities, and examining the difference made by the contrasting approaches that have been taken to performance assessment in England, Wales and Scotland. Case studies, semi-structured interviews and analysis of key policy statements. In order to explore how health inequalities have been approached by the three governments (noting that there was a change in governments in Wales and Scotland during this time), key policy statements published between May 1997 and May 2007 were analysed. Concurrently, data from stakeholder interviews carried out in 2006 in case study areas in each country were analysed to determine the extent of alignment between policy and practice at local level. This paper suggests that claims about the extent of health policy divergence in post-devolution Britain may have been exaggerated. It finds that, whilst the three countries have taken differing approaches to performance assessment and the setting of targets, policy approaches to health inequalities up until 2007 appear to have been remarkably similar. Furthermore, the first round of interview data suggest that variations in local understandings of, and responses to, health inequalities cannot always be clearly distinguished along national lines. Based on the policy analysis, devolution in the UK does not appear to have resulted in substantively different national policy approaches to health inequalities. Indeed, the overall analysis suggests that (prior to the 2007 elections in Scotland and Wales) the differences between local areas within countries may be of as much interest as those between countries.

Best Value Audits in Scotland: Winning Without Scoring?

Best Value audits have encouraged improvements in the corporate capacity of Scottish local authorities. They are seen by local government as credible and, in contrast to Comprehensive Performance Assessments in England, are applauded for taking account of local priorities and contexts. However, there are some concerns about the consistency and transparency of the process, and reports have failed to attract public interest. In future, the Best Value audit process will need to pay more attention to the importance of partnership working between councils and other local agencies.

A comparison of performance and attitudes in mathematics amongst the ‘gifted’. Are boys better at mathematics or do they just think they are?

This paper explores gender differential performance in ‘gifted and talented’ 9‐ and 13‐year‐olds in a mathematics assessment in England. Boys’ and girls’ attitudes to mathematics and their views about which gender is better at mathematics are also considered. The study employs the use of a matched sample of boys and girls so that school, age and previous achievement in mathematics can be controlled whilst exploring performance on World Class Test items. The main result of this research was that there was no significant gender difference in performance for the 9‐ or the 13‐year‐olds. However, attitudinal differences were found, including a seemingly commonly held stereotypical view of mathematics as a boys’ subject. These results are important since the uptake of higher level mathematically‐based courses by girls is poor. Further findings reveal that where ‘gifted’ girls perform as well as ‘gifted’ boys, their confidence in the subject is lower than their performance might suggest. This work is also discussed in the light of related research findings and in relation to stereotype threat theory.

Health technology assessment in England: assessment and appraisal

The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme in England is a government-funded but independent research program. It is "needs-led", identifying technologies of most importance to the National Health Service and commissioning research to provide answers on these technologies useful to policymakers, clinicians and patients. It is "science-added", refining problems to researchable questions and working with researchers to ensure that the question is addressed, and disseminating the findings to key audiences. There is a clear distinction in England between assessment (a scientific process and the role of the HTA Programme) and appraisal (the role of policymakers, like the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence). There are many features common to HTA in Australia and England, but also differences, as HTA in each country has to adapt to its own environment.

Implicit aspects of paper and pencil mathematics assessment that come to light through the use of the computer

This article explores the effect on assessment of ‘translating’ paper and pencil test items into their computer equivalents. Computer versions of a set of mathematics questions derived from the paper-based end of key stage 2 and 3 assessments in England were administered to age appropriate pupil samples, and the outcomes compared. Although in most cases the change to the different medium seems to make little difference, for some items the affordances of the computer profoundly affect how the question is attempted, and therefore what is being assessed when the item is used in a test. These differences are considered in terms of validity and legitimacy, that is whether the means used to answer a question in a particular medium are appropriate to the assessment intention. The conclusion is not only that translating paper and pencil items into the computer format sometimes undermines their validity as assessments, it is also that some paper and pencil items are less valid as assessments than their computer equivalents would be.

중학교 과학과 탐구 영역의 평가에 대한 한국과 영국 비교 연구

Along with TIMSS(Third International Mathematics and Science Study), this research show many commonalities and differences in the National Curricula and assessment. Although the National Curricula stem from different historical and cultural value systems, the aims of the National Curriculaare heading toward a similar direction which are aiming at fostering future citizenship for young people putting emphasis on scientific enquiry as a core of scientific literacy. Through the documentary analysis, although Korean pupils consistently have achieved higher marks than English counterparts in international comparison tables, the content of the curriculum and assessment in England reflect more fully the aims of the curriculum. On the other hand, there is less consistency between the aims and content of the curriculum and the assessment. In addition, the standardised KS3 test papers in England assess students

One set fits all

Continuing care hit the news once again with the Department of Health’s recent announcement of the long awaited consultation on a single system for eligibility and assessment in England. The government wants to replace local eligibility criteria with one set of national criteria. These would be used to assess all individuals for their eligibility for free nursing care outside hospitals. The plans also include abolishing the different nursing bands, ending the need for more than 130,000 nursing assessments a year.

National-scale Assessment of Current and Future Flood Risk in England and Wales

In recent years, through the availability of remotely sensed data and other national datasets, it has become possible to conduct national-scale flood risk assessment in England and Wales. The results of this type of risk analysis can be used to inform policy-making and prioritisation of resources for flood management. It can form the starting point for more detailed strategic and local-scale flood risk assessments. The national-scale risk assessment methodology outlined in this paper makes use of information on the location, standard of protection and condition of flood defences in England and Wales, together with datasets of floodplain extent, topography, occupancy and asset values. The flood risk assessment was applied to all of England and Wales in 2002 at which point the expected annual damage from flooding was estimated to be approximately £1 billion. This figure is comparable with records of recent flood damage. The methodology has subsequently been applied to examine the effects of climate and socio-economic change 50 and 80 years in the future. The analysis predicts increasing flood risk unless current flood management policies, practices and investment levels are changed – up to 20-fold increase in real terms economic risk by the 2080s in the scenario with highest economic growth. The increase is attributable primarily to a combination of climate change (in particular sea level rise and increasing precipitation in parts of the UK) and increasing economic vulnerability.

The development of assessment for learning: learning from the case of science and mathematics

This article introduces the ideas of ‘assessment for learning’ as a means whereby teachers can make their classroom assessment more directly focused on learners’ development and can actively involve learners in this process. Current practice in classroom assessment in England is described and the thinking that has led to a new emphasis on formative practices outlined. This is set in the context of recent research studies that have been influential in changing not only classroom practice but also the ‘lead’ set by Government in promoting effective practice. Several examples of assessment strategies are offered to illustrate the principles involved. Conclusions are suggested that show how these ideas could make learning more effective and learners more involved.

Ne'er the twain shall meet?: modernizing the teaching profession in Scotland and England

This paper considers two examples of recent policies affecting teachers' work, Performance Threshold Assessment in England and Chartered Teacher status in Scotland. Through tracing their origins and motivations, a comparative analysis is offered, which seeks to explore the extent of the influence of national contexts on developments in the restructuring process. Both policies purport to meet the professional needs of teachers who are a few years into their careers, yet the Scottish example is strongly oriented towards professional development, while the English example is oriented towards performativity and teacher assessment.

Health technology assessment in England and Wales.

In this study, we describe the current state of the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) system in England and Wales. This system rests on a distinction between assessment and appraisal and has three main strands: researcher-led HTA, the research and development program, and the HTA-NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) process. We outline the pressures for HTA and how it has evolved in the British National Health Service. We discuss how HTA priorities are chosen, how HTA information is collected and assessed, how HTA evidence is used, and we make some observations about its impact. In our discussion, we consider some limitations of the HTA system, its possible divergence from evidence-based health care, its centralization, and some of the key challenges for managing HTA-driven policy. But we remain hopeful that HTA can contribute to better and more explicit decision-making within England and Wales.

Procedural justice and special educational needs assessments in England and Scotland

(2003). Procedural justice and special educational needs assessments in England and Scotland. International Journal of Inclusive Education: Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 201-222.

Assessment in special schools: national early assessment procedures and pupils attending special schools in England

An implicit assumption that fostering inclusion means having shared systems encompassing the needs of all children is evident in many aspects of policy development over the past decade. Reflecting this, the implementation of ‘baseline assessment’ schemes (i.e. testing at around age 5 years) is a statutory requirement on all state-maintained special and mainstream schools in England since 1998. Our argument is that the enthusiasm for commonality has obscured the need to question the value and validity of baseline assessment schemes for children with special educational needs (and possibly some others such as children having English as an additional language). We illustrate this position with reference to data from our recent study on baseline assessment in England. The study encompassed survey data from a national sample of 982 schools, of which 107 were special schools. Between them, these special schools used 42 different baseline assessment schemes. Comparisons between our mainstream and special school respondents indicated that there were similarities in the nature and perceived value of the schemes used. However, special schools were less satisfied with their schemes. We suggest that a reappraisal of the nature and purpose of baseline assessment for pupils with special educational needs warrants greater critical debate. Without this, there is a danger that a stress on commonality, veiling an inclusion orthodoxy, will ultimately be counterproductive.

The defensibility of national curriculum assessment in England

In a series of recent papers, Dylan Wiliam has criticized national curriculum testing in England, on grounds of validity and reliability, and has expressed concern that formative assessment aims have been seriously neglected. He has argued that these problems can be overcome, but only through an alternative model in which the summative function is radically reconceived and divorced from the evaluative function.Wiliam's model is reviewed and evaluated and implications for further research and debate are drawn out; alternative approaches are also suggested.

High-Stakes Assessment in England and Singapore

Recent trends in federal and state testing policieshave close parallels with policies enacted in Englandduring the 1990s. However, rather than looking towardEngland for lessons learned, U.S. policy makershave tended to focus on the testing policies andpractices of internationally high-performing Asiancountries, especially Singapore. This article presentsan overview of the English and Singaporean educationsystems, paying special attention to the highstakesassessment systems operating at the elementarylevel in both countries. The effects of these assessmentson teachers and students are described andimplications for U.S. educators outlined.

High-Stakes Assessment in England and Singapore

High-Stakes Assessment in England and Singapore

Policy, Plan, and Programme Environmental Assessment in England, the Netherlands, and Germany: Practice and Prospects

An analysis of existing (broadly defined) strategic environmental assessments (SEAs) in the spatial/land-use and transport sectors in England, the Netherlands, and Germany concludes that substantial practice exists and that three assessment types can be distinguished, each associated with distinct methodological tasks. By utilising existing terminology, these can be labelled policy-SEA, plan-SEA, and programme-SEA. It appears from current practice that, in order best to meet performance criteria derived from the SEA literature, these three types of SEA should be applied within a tiered system. Although the recently adopted EC SEA Directive includes provisions for the SEA of plans and programmes, the analysis of current assessment practice indicates that consideration should be given to extending the formal requirements to cover the SEA of policies as certain tasks are probably better dealt with in policy-SEA than in plan-SEA or programme-SEA.

Level descriptions and teacher assessment in England: towards a community of assessment practice

This paper presents findings from a study of the implementation of level descriptions in teacher assessment in England. Previous, theoretical work on assessment criteria suggests that interpretation and application are not straightforward and that practitioners need mechanisms to support consistent application of criteria, and the criteria themselves need to be made meaningful to teachers, pupils and parents. The extent to which a community of assessment practice, in which there are shared experiences through which professional judgements are problematized and contested, is evident in English primary schools is the subject of this study. The empirical analysis reveals that there are indications of such a community in some schools, although there are factors that threaten its survival and growth. A distinction is drawn between those schools that exhibited many of the features associatedwith a community of assessment practice and those where the stylewas of individual teachers tending to work largely in isolation from their colleagues. The conclusion locates the findings in a broader policy context that is marginalizing teacher assessment.