This book presents a new framework for how teachers develop their assessment capacity, based on a multi-year study conducted in four countries--Australia, Canada, England, and New Zealand--which focused on student-teacher learning in assessment throughout their initial teacher education programs. It examines how teacher learning is shaped by the…

The Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM), based in the North of England, recently celebrated its 40th birthday. Arising from an evaluation project at Newcastle University, and a subsequent move to Durham University, it rapidly grew in scope and influence, developing a series of highly regarded school assessments. For a relatively small…

Primary school teachers in England are responsible for the statutory assessment of writing, using a set of criteria. The aim of this research was to analyse the responses of teachers to the criteria "at the expected" standard. An elicitation exercise with 10 primary school teachers was conducted, where teachers talked through their…

In Britain, the opportunity to succeed is still heavily shaped by your socio-economic background -- the social and economic circumstances that you grew up in. As the 2024 General Election fast approaches, the Sutton Trust's "Fair Opportunity for All" is a roadmap for the next government, exploring how they can break the link between…

England's mainstream upper secondary curriculum is driven by academic, exam-based GCSEs and A levels, with applied learning qualifications an alternative for 'less-academic' 16-18-year-olds. This paper elides two studies of the impact of the BTEC National Diploma on employment and career trajectories, one from the perspective of 16-22-year-olds,…

Background: As a consequence of government-led assessment reforms, teachers are often tasked with implementing changes in assessment practice. What influences teachers' responses to such reform? Our study considers this question in the context of the recent post-16 educational reform to the national qualifications system in England, which resulted…

The COVID-19 pandemic and the public health restrictions that followed changed the structure and experiences of education for young people in the UK. School closures, home schooling, online learning and exam cancellations were some of the consequences of the public health measures taken. School closures were intermittent between March 2020 and…

This paper begins a quarter of a century ago with the first visit to the UK of the Reggio Emilia exhibition 'The Hundred Languages of Children' and initial interest by some of the early education community in 'doing Reggio'. Within the same period, the move to introduce a formal curriculum for young children in England and Wales began, initially…

This study aims to examine the research published in the Web of Science database on Curriculum Alignment using the bibliometric analysis method. A bibliometric analysis of the studies included in the research was conducted on August 10, 2023. The "Web of Science Core Collection" was searched by entering the keyword "Curriculum…

Synoptic assessment refers to the assessment of students' understanding of the links between the different elements of a subject. Despite its ability to promote a holistic delivery of the curriculum and deep learning, it is currently an under-researched topic in the field of educational assessment. In fact, an electronic search for the term…

This paper offers a rationale for how ESD related learning at postgraduate level can be assessed. It proposes a framework for evaluating whether assessments in Master's level programmes align with the pedagogical approach of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). If assessment is to contribute to the overall learning process, then the nature…

This paper focuses on school choice and diversity in the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) in historical context. Drawing on primary and secondary documentary sources it assesses continuity, change and divergence, before addressing existing diversity and school choice, and academic outcomes. The 1944 Education Act and associated…

In history curriculum design in England, currently at least two loci of authority -- the history teachers' 'extended writing movement' and the national awarding body Pearson Edexcel -- present somewhat contrasting portrayals of the narrative mode for the purposes of historical causal explanation. Nonetheless, both loci suggest they are…

Pupil Premium funding has been provided to schools in England since 2011, to reduce socio-economic segregation, and the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. There is little evidence it works. Some stakeholders are now considering whether funding should cease, or have a new objective. Evaluating the impact of such a funding…

This position statement presents a summative argument against current structures and practices of assessment in England's primary schools, and some key principles for its replacement. The text was agreed by More Than A Score, a broad coalition of professional, curriculum, research and campaigning organisations opposed to the current assessment…