This course is ideal for middle and senior leaders, curriculum designers, and classroom teachers in both independent and state schools. It is specifically designed for those looking to refine their understanding of assessment, its purpose, and its impact on both teaching and pupil learning outcomes.

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of effective assessment strategies and their critical role in enhancing teaching and learning.

Participants will gain insights into how assessments can inform instructional decisions, support student schema development, and help bridge the gap between student performance and targeted learning objectives, while considering workload implications for teachers.

Course Outline

Leaders and teachers will explore the multifaceted purposes of assessment, including feedback, reporting, and national assessments, all of which contribute to a broader understanding of pupil progress.

Participants will dive into practical strategies that align with research from Dylan Wiliam’s five key assessment strategies, including ways to activate students as learning resources for each other and owners of their own learning.

The course also highlights the importance of providing feedback that moves learning forward and supports curriculum design adjustments for future cohorts. Teachers will learn to assess pupil performance holistically, accounting for various external factors such as age, attendance, SEND needs, and socio-economic status.

The course also focuses on formative assessment strategies that are both effective and workload-efficient, such as retrieval practice, cold call, and probing questioning, all grounded in Rosenshine’s principles of instruction.

Participant will leave with practical tools for low-stakes assessment and strategies for ensuring assessments serve both diagnostic and formative purposes. Case Studies will offer insight into how schools have successfully integrated diagnostic assessments to enhance teaching, learning and targeted interventions.

Course Aims

1. Understand the foundational principles of assessment from the National Professional Qualifications (NPQ).
2. Explore different purposes of assessment and their impact on teaching and pupil learning.
3. Implement formative assessment strategies that support curriculum design and pupil understanding.
4. Utilize Dylan Wiliam’s five key assessment strategies in the classroom to enhance learning.
5. Design assessments that consider workload and are equitable for both staff and pupils.
6. Holistically assess pupil performance by considering multiple data points and external factors.
7. Align feedback and assessments with effective teaching strategies to improve pupil outcomes.
8. Ensure assessment results inform future curriculum planning and teaching adaptations.
9. Engage in diagnostic assessments that support targeted interventions for student achievement.
10. Foster a classroom environment that values high-quality feedback and metacognition.

Presenter Profile

Malcolm is a leadership consultant who works with the National Institute of Teaching, Teach First and Ambition Institute supporting school leadership and delivering National Professional Qualifications. Malcolm most recently led the design of the new Department for Education, School Trust CEO Leadership programme which is impacting upon trust leaders responsible for nearly half a million children and young people in schools across every region of England.
He has been a Headteacher, Executive Headteacher and National Leader of Education, typically working with schools in disadvantaged communities.

Cost: £150 per delegate

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