Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency

Assessment is an integral part of effective teaching and learning. It allows progress to be recognised and celebrated and it informs the next steps and priorities of both teachers and learners. It is inextricably linked to the curriculum, which provides the content and context of assessment.

Much assessment takes place in day-to-day teaching where learners receive immediate feedback on their understanding of the specific aspect or topic being explored and where teachers adjust their short-term planning in line with learners' needs. At other times, teachers need to stand back and reflect on the learner's overall performance across a subject or aspect of learning, drawing on a wide range of evidence. This more holistic, periodic assessment provides a clear profile of attainment against recognised criteria. It also helps identify the learner's strengths and priorities for improvement and informs the teacher's medium-term planning. This means the teacher is better able to personalise the curriculum for pupils.

Assessing pupils' progress (APP)

APP is the new structured approach to teacher assessment, developed by QCDA in partnership with the National Strategies, which equips teachers to make judgements on pupils' progress. It helps teachers to fine-tune their understanding of learners' needs and to tailor their planning and teaching accordingly, by enabling them to:

• use diagnostic information about pupils' strengths and weaknesses to improve teaching, learning and pupils' progress
• make reliable judgements related to national standards drawing on a wide range of evidence
• track pupils' progress.

QCDA is continuing to work with the National Strategies and Department for Children, Schools and Families to extend the range of APP materials available.

APP at key stages 1 and 2
Materials and guidance to support the APP approach for reading, writing and mathematics at key stage 1 were developed and piloted during 2007-8 and have now been published alongside the APP key stage 2 reading, writing and mathematics materials on the National Strategy website. The link to these materials is available in the related links section of this page.

APP at key stage 3
APP materials and guidance for key stage 3 English and mathematics were first published in 2006 by the Secondary National Strategy. In October 2008 they were fully revised to include level related criteria, standards files for mathematics and updated reading and writing standards files.

APP materials and guidance for key stage 3 science and ICT were developed and piloted during 2007-8 and are now published with the revised APP KS3 English and mathematics materials on the National Strategy website. The link to these materials is available in the related links section of this page.

APP in development
APP materials currently being developed and piloted by QCDA are:

• primary science
• key stage 1, 2 and 3 speaking and listening

APP materials for key stage 3 foundation subjects will follow in due course. Further details will be provided on this page when publication times are known.

Further information available for APP
A booklet called Assessing Pupils' Progress: assessment at the heart of learning describes the APP approach to assessment and its benefits, which can be downloaded by following the link on the right-hand side of this page.

If you have any questions or feedback about Assessing pupils' progress, please contact us by sending an email to app@qcda.gov.uk.

Evaluation reports from the assessing pupils’ progress at key stage 1 and key stage 2 pilots

QCDA used independent evaluators in the development of the assessing pupils’ progress (APP) pilot projects. The evaluators' reports influenced the project teams running the pilots and also the development of the APP approach.

The two summary evaluation reports from the pilots are:

· Evaluation of the assessing pupils' progress in year 1 pilot project 2007/8 – Final report (QCA/09/4016)
· Evaluation of the assessing pupils' progress in key stage 2 pilot project 2006–2008 – Final report (QCA/09/4014).

In addition, the key stage 2 pilot 2006/7 produced three interim evaluation reports that informed the work of the APP project team, enabling the team to make adjustments and refinements in response to feedback from pilot schools:

· Evaluation of the monitoring children's progress pilot project 2006/7 – First interim report (QCA/09/4015)
· Evaluation of the monitoring children's progress pilot project 2006/7 – Second interim report (QCA/09/4017)
· Evaluation of the monitoring children's progress pilot project 2006/7 – Third interim report (QCA/09/4018)

Assessing pupils' progress - an international perspective

In order to gain an international perspective on APP and how it compares to approaches to teacher assessment elsewhere in the world, QCDA commissioned the Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment to carry out a review of the evidence.

Links to the reports may be found on the right hand side of this page. 

National Curriculum Assessment

In all national curriculum subjects, the criteria for assessing progress are set out in descriptions of performance at eight levels. These national standards allow teachers, learners and their parents or carers to see how well they are doing in relation to their prior attainment and to expectations for learners of their age. The descriptions have been written so that:

• Level 2 represents expectations for the average 7 year-old
• Level 4 represents expectations for the average 11 year-old
• Level 5-6 represents expectations for the average 14 year-old

Further information on national curriculum assessment is available via the link on the right hand side of this page.

Statutory Assessment

There is a statutory requirement for teachers to formally report on learners' attainment at key points in their education. These are:

• At the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage by means of an observation schedule (the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile) based on progress in relation to the Early Learning Goals within the six Areas of Learning.
• At the end of key stage 1 by teachers' overall judgements in English, mathematics and science based on learners' performance over time and in a range of contexts. In reading, writing and mathematics these are also informed by the use of nationally devised tests and tasks.
• At the end of key stage 2 in two forms - by teachers' overall judgements in English, mathematics and science based on learners' performance over time and in a range of contexts and by national tests in reading, writing and mathematics. The outcomes of both of these forms are reported to parents and are collected nationally. From 2010 national sampling will be introduced for science at key stage 2.
• At the end of key stage 3, by teachers' overall judgements in English, mathematics and science, based on learners' performance over time and in a range of contexts. These teacher assessment judgements are reported to parents / carers and collected nationally. Teachers are also required to assess progress in the other statutory subjects and report this to parents/carers. National sampling will be introduced at key stage 3 in due course.  

Further information about statutory assessment and reporting arrangements can be accessed via the link on the right hand side of this page.