Blogs

Learning is not confined to schools - assessment shouldn’t be either

Why the needs of learners both inside and outside of the mainstream school system need to be considered for assessment to work fairly for all

Katie Finlayson Home Educator & representative of the Home Educators' Qualifications Association

April 2, 2021

It’s never been easier to tailor learning to the interests and needs of an individual student. We need an accessible assessment system that supports those individual approaches and isn’t locked in to a one-size-fits-all ...

Getting better at evidencing the full range of young peoples' dispositions

Rethinking Assessment in conversation with Professor Guy Claxton

Al McConville Co-founder, Rethinking Assessment

March 30, 2021

A leap in the ‘science of assessment’ is the next frontier in showing how we can successfully evidence not only knowledge and domain-specific understanding, but also broader dispositions that are vital for success...

What could GCSE alternatives at 16 look like?

St Edward's School Certificate courses, offered instead of GCSEs, expand student learning and the curriculum

Matthew Albrighton St Edwards School

March 26, 2021

St Edward's School in Oxfordshire have developed their own certified courses, moderated by a University, to replace GCSEs - with the aim of offering fewer GCSEs and more SESCs in the future ...

I'm in Year 11. This year has been exhausting & has shown up the problems with our exam system

We must move beyond exam cramming and competition to support learning and recognise what all young people are capable of

Austen Burnham Year 11 student

March 26, 2021

Covid has provided the perfect opportunity for us a nation to re-assess and re-evaluate our exams, so that they provide a more comprehensive and holistic view of the student, instead of only a collection of numbers...

How could technology enabled assessments improve both learning and teaching?

Find ways to measure what we truly value and not just what is easy to measure.

Joysy John CEO at 01Founders

March 26, 2021

How can Edtech tools better support student learning? Joysy John shows how digital assessments can support more frequent low-stakes testing and provide teachers with actionable suggestions to improve practice...

Do we need grades to learn?

Three ways to communicate learning and motivate students without grades

Tom Cosgrove Design and Technology Teacher, Leysin American School in Switzerland

March 19, 2021

Tom Cosgrove sets a challenge to educators to try more authentic methods of assesment, to remove the pressure of grades, and allow students to engage more deeply in their learning...

The Voice of the Students

We would do well to listen to those at the sharp end of our examination systems

Paul Smith Assistant Headteacher, Northampton School for Girls

March 19, 2021

Through her EQP project, a student at Northampton School for Girls conducted a fascinating deep dive into how mixed methods of assessment can improve student learning, achievement and wellbeing...

Rethinking assessment of essential skills

What should a good education include?

Hannah Senior Education Associate at Skills Builder Partnership

Tom Ravenscroft CEO at Skills Builder Partnership

March 12, 2021

Essential skills should be a core part of education and need to be taught and assessed with the same rigour, focus, and consistency as any other form of learning. The Skills Builder Partnership in the UK is showing how ...

Preparing for learning beyond school - why exams need to change

Looking to Higher Education for solutions

Lulu McConville recent graduate

March 12, 2021

Assessment in school has little relevance to the real world, particularly assessments in Higher Education. Lulu reflects on her time at University and the impact of broader assessments on her learning and growth ...

Rigour & Project Based Learning

There are two sides to the coin when it comes to rigour - hierarchical scrutiny or public celebration

Gwyn ap Harri Co-founder, XP School

March 12, 2021

Gywn ap Harri, Co-founder of one of the UK's leading project based learning schools, XP, explains how rigour and high standards are achieved across their curriculum, and the importance of mutual acoountability...

Skills for People As Well As Jobs

Lessons learned from Research with GCSE Retake Students

Dr Kate Webb CEO, The Windsor Forest Colleges Group

March 5, 2021

Research by Dr Kate Webb has shown how vocational education can have a positive impact on learners identity, self esteem and motivation, and argues that GCSEs should not be the sole arbiter of achievement and progression...

Make secondary education broader, more relevant and more coherent

A new report from think tank EDSK paves the way for reform but we need to go further

Professor Bill Lucas University of Winchester

March 5, 2021

Rethinking Assessment Co-Founder Bill Lucas responds to EDSK's Re-assessing the Future report...

Why the needs of learners both inside and outside of the mainstream school system need to be considered for assessment to work fairly for all

Katie Finlayson Home Educator & representative of the Home Educators' Qualifications Association

It’s never been easier to tailor learning to the interests and needs of an individual student. We need an accessible assessment system that supports those individual approaches and isn’t locked in to a one-size-fits-all ...

Rethinking Assessment in conversation with Professor Guy Claxton

Al McConville Co-founder, Rethinking Assessment

A leap in the ‘science of assessment’ is the next frontier in showing how we can successfully evidence not only knowledge and domain-specific understanding, but also broader dispositions that are vital for success...

St Edward's School Certificate courses, offered instead of GCSEs, expand student learning and the curriculum

Matthew Albrighton St Edwards School

St Edward's School in Oxfordshire have developed their own certified courses, moderated by a University, to replace GCSEs - with the aim of offering fewer GCSEs and more SESCs in the future ...

We must move beyond exam cramming and competition to support learning and recognise what all young people are capable of

Austen Burnham Year 11 student

Covid has provided the perfect opportunity for us a nation to re-assess and re-evaluate our exams, so that they provide a more comprehensive and holistic view of the student, instead of only a collection of numbers...

Find ways to measure what we truly value and not just what is easy to measure.

Joysy John CEO at 01Founders

How can Edtech tools better support student learning? Joysy John shows how digital assessments can support more frequent low-stakes testing and provide teachers with actionable suggestions to improve practice...

Three ways to communicate learning and motivate students without grades

Tom Cosgrove Design and Technology Teacher, Leysin American School in Switzerland

Tom Cosgrove sets a challenge to educators to try more authentic methods of assesment, to remove the pressure of grades, and allow students to engage more deeply in their learning...

We would do well to listen to those at the sharp end of our examination systems

Paul Smith Assistant Headteacher, Northampton School for Girls

Through her EQP project, a student at Northampton School for Girls conducted a fascinating deep dive into how mixed methods of assessment can improve student learning, achievement and wellbeing...

What should a good education include?

Hannah Senior Education Associate at Skills Builder Partnership

Tom Ravenscroft CEO at Skills Builder Partnership

Essential skills should be a core part of education and need to be taught and assessed with the same rigour, focus, and consistency as any other form of learning. The Skills Builder Partnership in the UK is showing how ...

Looking to Higher Education for solutions

Lulu McConville recent graduate

Assessment in school has little relevance to the real world, particularly assessments in Higher Education. Lulu reflects on her time at University and the impact of broader assessments on her learning and growth ...

There are two sides to the coin when it comes to rigour - hierarchical scrutiny or public celebration

Gwyn ap Harri Co-founder, XP School

Gywn ap Harri, Co-founder of one of the UK's leading project based learning schools, XP, explains how rigour and high standards are achieved across their curriculum, and the importance of mutual acoountability...

Lessons learned from Research with GCSE Retake Students

Dr Kate Webb CEO, The Windsor Forest Colleges Group

Research by Dr Kate Webb has shown how vocational education can have a positive impact on learners identity, self esteem and motivation, and argues that GCSEs should not be the sole arbiter of achievement and progression...

A new report from think tank EDSK paves the way for reform but we need to go further

Professor Bill Lucas University of Winchester

Rethinking Assessment Co-Founder Bill Lucas responds to EDSK's Re-assessing the Future report...

Supported by:

Edge Foundation

Big Change

Comino Foundation

Powered by:

Big Education

Blogs