In an educational management world filled with assessment, the FMSiS may seem at first to be yet another drain on the school business manager’s time – but this ebulletin shows the vital supportive role it can play for all of those involved in leading the school
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The context and potential significance of Assessing Pupil Progress are much wider than the introduction of procedures for standardisation and accountability. Below are some ideas for how you could maximise the impact of introducing APP to your school
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This edition focuses on strategies for developing whole-school formative assessment or assessment for learning (AfL)
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This bulletin is about changes to GCSE assessment and to the whole edifice of qualifications in the UK. Technical details are given, and suggestions made about how to respond
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Observation, assessment and planning are important areas of practice to get right when dealing with early years. Early Years Update offers a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards
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Teachers may question the purposes and techniques of assessment at EYFS. Jan Dubiel, Programme Leader for the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile at the National Assessment Agency, discusses the practical reality of assessment at this level
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Assessment for learning plays an integral part in helping children reach their sporting potential. Crispin Andrews looks at how to help primary students develop their physical literacy
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Senior leaders can work to support the delivery of coursework and controlled assessments in order to help raise attainment. Deputy heads Paul Ainsworth and Josephine Smith look into how
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It's the dilemma every secondary school faces: how do you set an amount of homework that satisfies parents across the board? Roy Tarleton, headteacher of South Dartmoor Community College, thinks he's cracked it
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Cognitive ability tests (CATs) are discussed in this series aiming to explains terms commonly associated with gifted and talented education
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This week we look at some of the ways to collect and interpret information about pupils' achievements
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The eight principles for observational assessment, provided in the DCSF’s Creating the Picture, can be used by practitioners in all early years settings to ensure that the requirements of the EYFS are met read more
Is this the last year for SATs? Sam Derby discusses a possible end to SATs, and looks at the opinion that the exams are "too stressful" for young pupils read more
In a bid to help students raise their achievement and know success, the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust initiated Raising Achievement Transforming Learning (RATL). David Crossley explains the school-to-school mentoring scheme which allows teachers to learn from the success of others
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At some schools, individual cases of underachievement can be masked by overall good performance. Liz Allen tells how her school in Bromley overcame this by redesigning its whole approach to teaching and learning
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Following the government's rejection of the recommendation that the link between assessment of children's SEN and funding for their provision be broken, John Wright discusses the reaction of the select committee who proposed the change
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How can we go about building trust into the education system? Here we look at the NAHT's Commission of Inquiry into Assessment and League Tables read more
Comment-only marking is vital in helping students to reflect on their own learning, but implementing it can be a challenge. Jason Edwards, vice principal at Priory Community School, Somerset, describes how his school has overcome the initial problems read more
Miraz Triggs found that random name generation as a way of choosing who would answer questions focused students’ attention and led to a higher level of participation
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AfL strategies can be invaluable in providing feedback for pupils and developing insight into G&T learners' individual needs. Clare Smale provides some practical tips for teachers read more
Early Years Update looks at the principles, process and purpose of assessment in the early years
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Raising the level of challenge for all children lies at the heart of RA Butler School’s G&T policy. Ann Geeves and Clare Gill describe how they have put systems in place to do this read more
Christine Fanthome outlines practical strategies for students to aid examination success read more
How can you make judgements about the performance of your assistants when they are in the room working alongside a teacher/ practitioner? Kevin Bullock provides one solution read more
An outline of the content of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and what schools need to consider when deciding to apply to deliver the curriculum it offers. By Tristian Stobie
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A detailed look at how the IB has been launched in one school, by Rob Ford, Head of International Education and International Baccalaureate, The Ridings High School, Bristol
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At Belvoir High School staff help pupils set their own SMART targets while house days are used to help pupils develop strengths read more
Sue Pidgeon, National Strategies primary senior regional adviser, and Karen Jarmany, National Strategies primary regional adviser, explain how the Intensifying Support Programme works to raise standards in low-attaining schools. read more
Cooperative learning strategies aim to promote feedback loops relating to assessment and reflective learning in the classroom at Fallibroome High School. Jane Gormally and Francis Power describe the developments.
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Andy Walmsley describes how action research at Biddick School Sports College was used to target students’ learning needs and develop peer coaching among teachers. read more
Learners tend to have a narrow view of the relevance of the curriculum and their enjoyment of it decreases across the key stages. These are two of the key findings of an NfER review of the research on pupils’ experiences of and perspectives on the curriculum published in the UK between 1989 and 2005. read more
A new report confirms that joined-up working has been a positive and significant experience for the majority of those involved. read more
Joanne Haine, foundation stage coordinator at Baring Primary School in London, describes how innovative use of ICT made assessment exciting for children and practitioners alike. read more
Sarah Treneer and Claire Kendall describe how they developed a technique for encouraging children to reflect on their own and others’ learning through the use of peer feedback.
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How can assessment be used as a tool for improving learning and achievement for all pupils? What do you need to do differently for your more able pupils? read more
Assessment is dependent upon our observations of the children. Anne O’Brien, an experienced teacher and headteacher of young children, explores how we can use the observations we have made to inform the next stage of our planning.
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John Potter says citizenship gives education meaning and purpose – and students seem to agree. read more
The idea of using quantitative measures to evaluate students’ personal and social development can arouse considerable anxiety. James Park, director of Antidote, argues that there is a way. read more
Lucy Marcovitch shows how progression and achievement in PSHE can be recognised, demonstrated and celebrated at all key stages
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Global citizenship benchmarks for secondary schools. read more
The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and Lead Professional (LP) work are key elements in the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme. This evaluation of authorities trialling the new approach will be of interest to SENCOs who will become increasingly engaged as the national roll-out continues for these processes for multi-agency working. read more
My late father was one of Her Majesty's School Inspectors in the 1970s and 1980s
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In this article, Philip Drury underlines the numerous educational advantages of project work, and shows how negative points can be effectively circumvented read more
In this article, Alistair Smith explains how two schools, Stamford High School and Melcombe Primary School, have introduced whole-school learning models based on Accelerated Learning. The impact of planning, delivering and evaluating learning has led to a significant cultural shift at both schools. read more
NASEN, QCA and the University of Cambridge have collaborated to produce advice and guidance on using and moderating the P scales. read more
Black and Wiliam (often mispelled as Black and William, with two 'L's) developed a radical approach to learning, as Charles Dietz reports
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